Casino Royale (2006)
As a relatively new fan of the James Bond film franchise, I do not have the same emotional or nostalgic attachment to films from specific actors like the late Sean Connery or the late Roger Moore. That said, I have a place in my heart for The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). However, before Casino Royale's 2006 release, the CGI-heavy silliness of Die Another Day (2002) with Pierce Brosnan led the franchise producers to reboot the series not only with a new Bond but a new direction that would more appropriately adapt 007 to the 21st century. Around this time, I had just been introduced to the movie-going experience, so I wasn't mature enough to handle the thrills that came with this franchise. Upon the official announcement of Daniel Craig as the new James Bond, there was controversy, to put it mildly. However, upon seeing the movie, all the fans' concerns seemed to evaporate. In honor of the release of No Time to Die (2021), Craig's fifth and final outing as Ian Fleming's iconic spy, I thought it appropriate to review his best entries in the long-running franchise.
In terms of modern revamps, Casino Royale is an excellent restart. Yes, it is a gritty and realistic interpretation of the character, but a sense of tradition is still maintained within its filming techniques and overall aesthetic. From director Martin Campbell's reliance on in-camera stunts, practical effects, and well-directed and shot action scenes, to the use of miniature models during specific moments within the action set pieces. However, the heart of this movie lies in its excellent character development of the classic characters and emotional depth that faithfully reintroduces 007 to a new audience.
Casino Royale follows new MI6 operative James Bond, who, with his newly-earned license to kill, faces the mysterious terrorist financier Le Chiffre (played by Mads Mikkelsen) in a high-stakes poker game at the Casino Royale in Montenegro. Meanwhile, he falls in love with Vesper Lynd (played by Eva Green), a member of Her Majesty's Treasury assigned to provide him the money required to win the game. From there, chases, violence, love, and betrayal intertwine with each other in Bond's origins as agent 007.
First of all, Daniel Craig is my favorite James Bond actor, with his raw rough-and-tumble physicality and genuine emotional range. His physical performance in the action scenes is second-to-none, as, in the opening chase scene, he jumps from the top of a construction crane to another crane, brushes off a tumble to the ground like it's nothing, continues to relentlessly pursue his target on foot and various vehicles, taking numerous shortcuts to reach his target first, and using brutal hand-to-hand combat with his opponents. The expressiveness in Craig's deep blue eyes gives Bond the steely stare of a stone-cold killer, the stubbornness and recklessness of a talented yet inexperienced young agent, and the heart-wrenching pain of a deeply vulnerable and emotionally scarred man, combined with Bond's signature persona of a charismatic womanizer.
Eva Green's performance as Vesper is equally compelling, as she subverts the Bond girl stereotype by being just as skilled, intelligent, and emotionally complex as Bond, making her the perfect match for him. The chemistry between Vesper and Bond is palpable and makes her betrayal of him in the third act all the more heartbreaking. Mikkelsen's performance as Le Chiffre is cold and calculating. Yet his character is just as complicated and compelling as Bond's, as he is merely someone working for a bigger baddie, later revealed to be Quantum, the evil organization featured in Quantum of Solace (2008), which itself is shown to be a subsidiary of Spectre, as explained in Spectre (2015). Jeffrey Wright's portrayal of CIA operative Felix Leiter serves as a great ally to Bond, and his camaraderie with Bond is a good release of the suspense built up from the poker game's tension. Judi Dench returns as M from the Brosnan era of Bond films, and her presence here as a tough-love mother figure and mentor for the new Bond steals every scene.
While contemporary in terms of its setting and technology, the film has an aesthetic that resembles a classic A-picture rather than a typical Bond flick. Part of that comes from the filmmakers' effort to break from traditional Bond tropes. For instance, when ordering a vodka martini, instead of saying "shaken, not stirred", Bond responds to the bartender regarding his preference, "Do I look like I give a damn?" The iconic gun barrel sequence is incorporated into the end of a visceral fight scene inside a bathroom at the film's beginning (presented in black-and-white). It not only kicks off the picture's opening credits with the late Chris Cornell's adrenaline-fueled theme song, "You Know My Name" but also gains Bond his license to kill. Also, through his storyline, Bond does not fully embrace the 007 identity until the very end when he calls Mr. White (played by Jesper Christensen), shoots him in the leg, and introduces himself: "The name's Bond, James Bond." At this point, the audience hears David Arnold's arrangement of Monty Norman & John Barry's iconic "James Bond Theme" for the first time. This movie's violence is rather graphic for a PG-13 film, with its most intense sequence involving Bond being tied to a chair naked and being whipped with a rope by Le Chiffre. That said, the violence in this entry does not feel gratuitous as it not only heightens the film's intensity but also illustrates what these characters are willing to do, given the high-risk predicaments they find themselves in.
If I have any issues with this movie, they are minute as they involve the directorial shifts in between acts; from the action-heavy thrills of the first act, the tension-filled gambling drama of the second act, and the romantic getaway of the third act. Yes, the characters and their actions remain consistent, and the overarching story feels complete, but these directorial shifts somehow but ever so slightly dragged out the runtime, at least for me, it did.
All in all, Casino Royale is the Batman Begins (2005) of the James Bond franchise: a contemporary and realistic yet well-made and well-acted reboot of an iconic film franchise, with plenty of promise for further adventures. Did Daniel Craig's Bond deliver on the said promise? Please continue reading for my full thoughts on the matter.
Final Score: 9 out of 10
Skyfall (2012)
If Casino Royale (2006) was to the James Bond franchise what Batman Begins (2005) was to the Batman franchise, then Skyfall (2012) is most certainly 007's The Dark Knight (2008). Yes, this is Daniel Craig's third outing as 007 after the highly disappointing Quantum of Solace (2008), which was plagued by the Writer's Strike of 2007-'08 and a disorienting directing and editing style that constantly took me out of the movie. Still, strangely enough, I have realized that Craig's odd-numbered Bond films are the good ones and the even-numbered entries that are less-than-stellar. On a personal note, this was also the first Craig-era Bond film that I watched, so I may be slightly biased in saying that this is my personal favorite of his Bond films.
Skyfall follows 007 as a mission to recover a hard drive containing details of undercover agents goes wrong, and Bond is presumed dead after being shot by fellow MI6 agent Eve Moneypenny (played by Naomie Harris) during a fight atop a moving train. However (spoiler alert), Bond survives and returns to active duty, albeit physically and emotionally shaken and stirred, so to speak, and is tasked with tracking down and capturing cyberterrorist and former MI6 operative, Raoul Silva (played by Javier Bardem), who is out for vengeance against M (again played by Judi Dench) and the organization that sold him out in the past.
This movie delivers just about everything I want from a James Bond film: riveting action sequences, emotionally resonant characters, impeccable style and cars, threatening villains, and a compelling story that not only stands strong individually but deepens the audience's knowledge and understanding of 007 as a character. Throw in a fantastic theme song from Adele, some visually splendid imagery brought to life through masterful direction from Sam Mendes, and the result is the perfect modern James Bond movie.
Craig once again shines as 007, and in this installment, Bond is at his most vulnerable yet as the audience gets to see him experience physical pain, signs of aging (i.e., losing his edge with a gun during target practice), and opening up to and being emotionally vulnerable to those close to him, specifically M. This time around, M is more involved with the story, as her arc is interconnected with Bond's, in the form of her past decisions coming back to haunt her. Bardem's performance as Silva is a menace to be reckoned with in terms of physicality, skill, and intellect, coupled with an equally emotionally complicated relationship with M as Bond's, except one driven by revenge and hatred.
Some of the new additions to the cast include Gareth Mallory (played by Ralph Fiennes), the chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee. He serves as an excellent foil to M's tough-love and motherly views of her agents. However, Mallory is put to good use by the end of this film after (again, spoiler alert) M's death as her successor for heading MI6. Harris' incarnation of Miss Moneypenny as a skilled MI6 field agent is incredibly refreshing to see, and her scenes with Bond put a smile on my face. Ben Whishaw brings with him a more youthful take on Q, MI6's quartermaster (famously portrayed by the late Desmond Llewelyn and afterward, John Cleese), and while his appearance is brief, is a refreshingly modern take on established characters within the ever-changing digital world that they find themselves in.
The action scenes are well-choreographed and well-directed as they are rooted in the characters and rely on building tension and suspense, whether it is through the dialogue, staging of the scenes, or the lighting effects. On a technical note, this entry was the first Bond film to be shot digitally as opposed to analog film, but this works entirely in the movie's favor as the film has a clear and crisp picture that is made all the more beautiful by legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins' immaculate framing, staging, lighting, and use of color. Also, like Casino Royale, the classic Bond tropes are saved for the end of the film. For instance, the iconic gun barrel sequence is shown at the end with David Arnold's rendition of Monty Norman & John Barry's "James Bond Theme" from Casino Royale blasting in the background, followed by an illustration signaling the franchise's 50th anniversary since 1962's Dr. No, and the text, "James Bond Will Return".
Not only is Skyfall my favorite entry in the James Bond film franchise, but it is one of my favorite movies from the last decade. While Skyfall is more character and story-driven than Casino Royale, the audience gets to see Bond experience his most personal and most transformative character arc yet, which is why I enjoy it so much. By breaking James Bond and the franchise's tropes like the gadgets and settings down to the basics, like in Casino Royale, audiences have themselves perhaps one of the most relatable and emotionally intimate 007 films out there. How did Daniel Craig's run as James Bond conclude two films later in No Time to Die (2021), and did the filmmakers pull out all the stops? Stay tuned to hear my full thoughts.
Final Score: 10 out of 10
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