Casino Royale: Double O Sellout

I am a huge James Bond fan. I don't think that anyone would argue that Sean Connery was by far the best actor to play the role. He had a perfect combination of qualities as Bond, he was brazen, bold, suave, smart, handsome, quick-witted, deadly and charismatic. Most of his predecessors were a pale reflection of Connery's brilliance, but they all personified the same characteristics. The current 007, Daniel Craig is bold, charismatic and possibly handsome, but thats it. The film was not miscast by any means (Daniel Craig is actually very good), just titled and categorized incorrectly. The previous Bond star Pierce Brosnan was actually cast for the role and then replaced after production. Having seen the film I completely understand why. I don't think anyone would buy Brosnan as the Euro-thug style tough-guy in the opening scene. The irony to this situation is that there is really no one to blame. The script was more or less dictated by the changing Geo-political climate, thus limiting the type of action/adventure possible for a modern secret agent. added to this is the rise in popularity with various mixed martial arts fighting competitions and computer generated graphics. This film catered to the modern view of what an action movie should be instead of continuing the premise of a cocky yet lovable MI5 agent. This formula was attempted once before, in the abysmal 1989 James Bond film License to Kill starring Timothy Dalton. This film was an obvious departure from the original James Bond stories authored and inspired by Ian Flemming. Though the film was a slight financial success, it effectively ended Dalton's 007 career. Likewise, Casino Royale opened successfully on November 19, 2006 with an estimated $40,833,156 in ticket sales. IMDB.com

Initially, the plot line sounds very much like an Ian Flemming inspiration told as a prequel. After receiving license to kill and "00" status from MI-6, James is matched against the evil banker "Le Chiffre" who plans a stock market crash for the financial interests of terrorist groups. After the banker's plan is foiled and he loses the terrorist's money, he decides to organize a high stakes poker game at the Casino Royale, in Montenegro. This would seem like a standard Bond formula, but it lacks the subtle charm, the humorous chase scenes, the thrill of espionage, and the slow but absolute seduction of a "Bond Girl". (James actually falls in love in this film. I like corn, but it should be popped in a bucket and not on the screen) Casino Royale turns the Bond enthusiast into a spectator. Instead men of wanting to "be" him, the seem to watch him with a worried fascination. This was overall a good film worth watching, just not entirely what Ian Flemming intended.