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Bond flick leaves viewer shaken, not stirred.
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Bond flick leaves viewer shaken, not stirred
By Tim O'Connor 11/21/06
Beyond a new lead actor, this "Bond" is different, and that mostly isn't good.
"Casino Royale" is a prequel to the other 21 "Bond" films. The story follows Bond (Daniel Craig) on his first 007 agent mission. His mission: beat a banker in poker. Talk about your thrilling plot lines. Granted, the banker is using the money to fund terrorists, but this definitely is not one of the more exciting movies in the series.
That doesn't mean there isn't any action. Right from the beginning, we're treated to a stylistic black and white flashback of Bond earning his promotion. This opening is so cool you'll wish the entire movie were filmed this way. After that, there's a thrilling chase scene with Bond and his target running across a construction site. Then, for the next hour, nothing.
"Bond" movies are all about explosions, hot women and one-liners. This movie has very little in the way of any of those. The action is spaced too far apart to keep our interest and the one-liners aren't especially clever or memorable. If nothing else, we should at least be able to rely on Bond's womanizing ways, but even here the origin story affects the film negatively. Did anyone really care about why Bond's always distrusted women? Doubtful. Yet the movie still hits us with a tacky love story that's more Fabio than Bond.
Another change for the series is its tone. "Casino Royale" has a more somber tone than any previous Bond flick. "Die Another Day" had a brief torture scene at the beginning, but it was quick to return to a campy, fun atmosphere. This time, the torture scene is longer and more disturbing. There's an attempt at lightening the scene with a few jokes, but they come off as stupid. A guy getting knocked in the nuts with a rope is not going to be a wiseass.
At least the ending is all right, and the movie truly does go a long way to explain Bond's psyche. So those interested in his backstory have something to look forward to. We get to know Bond more so than any previous film. The guy even has a few tender moments, like when he's comforting the beautiful Vesper (Eva Green) as she cries in the shower.
As a new agent, he's cocky but lacks the calm and suave of the Bond we know. Does he take his drink shaken or stirred? Well, this Bond doesn't care either way. "Casino Royale" certainly lacks the campyness other Bond movies have had. There are no wonky gadgets here. Yes, it is a little bit classier. But it's just not as much fun as previous films.
One interesting question the movie brings up is how does Bond deal with all the killing? How can one cleanse his soul after taking another life? Unfortunately, that question is never really answered and the dilemma resolves itself by removing the inspiration for our hero's internal struggle. This is evidence that the "Bond" franchise should let other films deal with such serious questions, and you should just deal with another Bond film.
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