OVERRATED! New Bond Film Lacks Wit and Charm
Casino Royale (2006)
Review by marsipan
Rotten TomatoesOVERRATED! New Bond Film Lacks Wit and Charm
I am surprised by all of the good reviews I have read
thus far. This film is completely overrated.The first thing that stands out is the lack of consistency
and believability in the storyline. The generic terrorist
plotline is weak and shallow. This movie lacks the wit
and charm of some of the previous Bond films. The
filmmaker and writer leave nothing to the imagination.
Between all of the action and useless clichéd Hollywood
explosions, there is no real plot intrigue that makes the
viewer question things and stimulates them to wonder
about character motivations and alternate plot
possibilities.The fight in the washroom though intended to give off
emotional realism, functioned to separate this Bond
from previous Bonds as a rough around the edges brute.
He came across as a criminal rather than the smooth
iconic Bond. The whole charm of Bond is his
sophistication and allure – even during a kill. I felt like I
was watching a greasy mafia hit man instead of Bond.The first action scene, on the construction site was
ridiculous at first. Didn’t Bond mention that he wanted
him alive? Not to mention that he callously risked
countless innocent construction workers by creating
havoc with crashing pipes and beams just to get his
guy. This falls into the territory of the racist tradition of
big Hollywood pictures in exotic locations where the
locals lives are regarded as irrelevant. Had this been a
building with white construction workers being
smashed by beams and run over by a bulldozer in
America instead of the third world I am sure the
filmmakers would have been more thoughtful. It is in
the same mentality as the Hollywood racist cliché that
the first person killed on the safari is usually the
dispensable black native character rather than the white
hero. The over the top crashing Bulldozer and falling
pipes actually made me laugh. I will say that the chase
scene with the bomber though completely unbelievable
was great to watch. The athleticism and agility in the
stunts, especially of the young bomber were impressive
and thrilling. It does make me wonder how many 8 year
old kids are going to try jumping from buildings inspired
by this film.I would have liked to see a true archrival or villain in
this film. The one that was featured, apart from being
effectively creepy in a Hollywood Nazi way, didn’t really
have a chance to show his motivations apart from the
poker scenes. I would have liked to see some real
investigation in the plot thorough this character. The
Blond girlfriend was boring. Again, I would have liked to
see some more development there. Why not a tryst with
Bond? After all, he said he preferred attached women.
What better challenge than to sleep with your rival’s
girlfriend? Here the filmmakers could have harked back
to the great femme fatale of former Bond films were he
seduces the enemy or they seduce him only to try to kill
him by poisoned lipstick or some other clever trick.This film really lacked sex appeal. There was no real
seduction or sensuality in this film. The two brunettes
were stunning, however, there was no sexual chemistry
or tension between Bond and any of the women. In
order to be a true Bond film there really needed to be a
sex scene. I feel like this was skipped for fear of the PG
rating being lost. Again, artistic integrity in Hollywood
is sacrificed to please the mundane tastes of the
American public. There was no nudity or even partial
nudity and this film really called for it. This just shows
the twisted state of the film industry and censor groups.
God forbid that you show real intimacy between people
or nudity which is natural but you can show all the
gratuitous violence you like.There was no believability in the romance between Bond
and his lover.
There was a hilarious scene where Bond’s love interest
says that even if he had just his smile and little finger
left he’d be more of a man than anyone she had known.
TOTAL CHEESE!!!!! The corny music during the
“romance” parts was laughable and indeed half the
audience was laughing at this scene.A few of the costume choices were clichéd and obvious
as well. The one that stood out the most was the clichéd
Venetian striped shirt Green wore in Venice. Let’s
sledgehammer the viewers over the head and tell them
“We are in Venice now. Everyone in Venice wears
striped shirts”. Also, the S & M rubber outfit the villain’s
girlfriend wore during the ball crusher scene was
unnecessary.Overall the acting was good. It was the writing and
direction that caused the major problems in this film.As for Daniel Criag, he wouldn’t be my first choice but
he is a good actor, a believable fighter and he pulled it
off. Overall, he was OK but his constant strutting made
me think of the Zoolander catwalk and Ben Stiller’s
hilarious “Blue Steele” expression. It could have been
more subtle. He is not as attractive or charismatic as
some of the other Bonds which was a disappointment
but he was likeable. He was macho & athletic for a
middle-aged guy but that’s about it. From a woman’s
perspective he is neither sexy nor charming. It is total
fantasy that two sexy twenty-year-old women would
catcall and oggle a middle-aged guy as in the scene
where he arrives in the Bahamas.I would have liked to see more inventive gadgets as
well. The fun of Bond films is to see him use his
inventory of amazing espionage gadgets.I was irritated by the constant in your face brand
advertisement in the film. I am certain Sony, Virgin,
Body Worlds, Omega and Ford paid big bucks to have
their products and logos prominently repeatedly
displayed in the film. This cheapened the film’s integrity
for me. When Bond drives the Ford, I felt like it was a
Ford commercial, prominently displaying the logo,
showing the car from all angles going down a winding
country road. I do not appreciate paying to see a film
and having obvious branding advertisements like the
continuous Sony Vaio laptops and Sony Ericsson phones
thrown in my face. It is really distracting since it takes
anyone who is half perceptive out of the storyline and
the film experience. Perhaps the filmmakers thought the
public would be too stupid and never notice that they
were being subjected to a continuous commercial that
they paid money to see. Keep the commercials out of
the film!This is definitely what one would call a “guy film” and a
” 35 year-old going on 13 year-old guy who lives in his
mother’s basement film” at that.Overall I was disappointed due to the true potential of a
Bond movie.
It really lacked clever dialogue and wit.
All said, it is an OK film.
Mediocre at best.
It is fun in a big action movie way.
But don’t expect anything clever or interesting.
