Casino Royale

[Flitcraft]

Finally saw this on DVD. Have to admit I was not too enthused about the whole thing and had pretty much given up on Bond films.
Thought Daniel Craig did an amazing job, but was definitely let down by a weak script. Some of his lines to Vesper made me squirm more than the torture scene (ouch!).
I like the B&W intro, but thought it wasn't really integrated into the rest of the film very well.
I thought the fight scenes were much more realistic than in the past.
Got to give Craig credit, he obviously paid his dues in the gym and looked like a guy who could kill you if he had to.
Got to agree with Hemingway Jones, the whole film kept coming real close to being totally bad a$$ and stylish, but never quite hit the mark.
The Bourne Series is head and shoulders above it in terms of well-choreographed car chases and action sequences, which is really surprising and disappointing when you think of the huge budget Casino Royale had to work with.
The Bond films used to set the standard in those areas.....

 

[Jack Scorpion]

The reason I liked the movie was that it was NOT a run-of-the-mill action movie and NOT full of one-liners. It is true that the scene on the beach with Bond and Vesper had some very bad dialogue, but I think dialogue for the most part was very good.

However, when I rewatched Casino Royale on DVD, I liked it less. Either it doesn't have much rewatchability for me or it was more of a "Big Screen" experience. Regardless, I'd still put it in my top 10 Bond flicks. Maybe even my top 5 ... for Eva Green's sake.

 

[Quigley Brown]

My major objection is this, do any of us for a moment think that the thug that Craig played could ever develop into Sean Connery's Bond? Certainly not.

I quit watching the Connery ones. After watching Casino Royale I've come to realize how campy (unintenionally?) those early ones were. Roger Moore is more fun to watch since his films were made to be campy.

 

[Caledonia]

Finally saw this on DVD. Have to admit I was not too enthused about the whole thing and had pretty much given up on Bond films.
Thought Daniel Craig did an amazing job, but was definitely let down by a weak script. Some of his lines to Vesper made me squirm more than the torture scene (ouch!).
I like the B&W intro, but thought it wasn't really integrated into the rest of the film very well.
I thought the fight scenes were much more realistic than in the past.
Got to give Craig credit, he obviously paid his dues in the gym and looked like a guy who could kill you if he had to.
Got to agree with Hemingway Jones, the whole film kept coming real close to being totally bad a$$ and stylish, but never quite hit the mark.
The Bourne Series is head and shoulders above it in terms of well-choreographed car chases and action sequences, which is really surprising and disappointing when you think of the huge budget Casino Royale had to work with.
The Bond films used to set the standard in those areas.....

Said it exactly! For me the weakest part of the whole thing was the Vesper casting. Totally off. Never believed her for a second, and she and Craig never had a single moment of chemistry. I look forward to seeing what Craig can do once they've got off the whole novelty of a new 007 look and get some meat on the bones of a story. Then again, I'm not a great fan of the Bond movies since I was ickle and Connery was on the screen, so I may not care. However, if they do that Free Running thing again - now that was worth watching, and totally made the first part of the film. Fantastic!

 

[PastimeSteve]

I must be easy to please, because I thought the movie was very good, not perfect, but far exceeded the Brosnan and Moore movies (apart from maybe Goldeneye). I was very impressed with Craig's work in this movie. I can't wait to see the next one.

Steve

 

[Flitcraft]

However, if they do that Free Running thing again - now that was worth watching, and totally made the first part of the film. Fantastic!

Yeah, I thought that part was totally cool. I know some people found it silly, but I thought it gave an opprtunity to show Bond's grit and determination- he was willing to go the distance to make sure he got his man.

Plus, it gave me a new physical activity to become obsessed with...

 

[Feraud]

I re-watched Casino Royale and it still stinks.
Has anyone else gotten over the hype and realized how truly mediocre this film is?
I cannot believe anyone wants to continue this dull franchise and it's lame, outdated aesthetic.

 

[PADDY]

Well Michael...

It's very much a QUEEN & COUNTRY thing

Ask Hemingway Jones, as he is definitely the current competition for Daniel Craig when it comes to 007 and a 'Licence to Thrill..!' (Have you seen his pics yet?).

Anyway...let's see what the follow-up brings later in the year.

 

[Hondo]

If you don't think of it as the "James Bond" film it wasn't bad, just updated version, I need to see again to get at what some of you mean, also lets wait for next Daniel Craig (Bond) film.

 

[AmateisGal]

I've been watching Bond films since I was a little girl - when they came on t.v. my Dad and I watched them over and over again.

I decided to read Ian Fleming's book after I watched Casino Royale to see how close they were to Bond's true character.

And I truly think they succeeded in pulling it off. Daniel Craig, IMO, is amazing in this role and plays Bond, as I believe Ian Fleming created him, to perfection.

I loved Casino Royale and can't wait for the next one.

 

[Brian Sheridan]

"Quantum of Solace" will take place about an hour or so after "Casino Royale."

It will be the first true Bond "sequel."

Reports say that the tradition "gun barrel" opening will return though look more modern. No Q or Miss Moneypenny yet.

 

[A.R. McVintage]

I thought it worked at least as a film (not as a prequel, though) excepting that Bond himself really only works as a Cold War era-specific paradigm (the sexy, showy, womanizing playboy is only of the 50s/60s), and gets chewed up by modern set spies who were designed for modern-day terrorist and espionage action like Bourne and virtually any of Clancy's various properties.

I also feel this movie is way too overhyped, simply because it followed a Pierce Brosnan turd that had plot points like "Hey, if a Korean guy gets European blood and facial massages, he turns into a caucasian." Not only ludicrous, but racist to boot; anything even marginally better is gonna seem like a hundred times over improvement, even if it's not that spectacular purely on its own merits.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

I also feel this movie is way too overhyped, simply because it followed a Pierce Brosnan turd that had plot points like "Hey, if a Korean guy gets European blood and facial massages, he turns into a caucasian." Not only ludicrous, but racist to boot;

Not to be pedantic, but that wasn't what was going on there. He was having his DNA entirely rewritten to a model he patterned after James Bond. Still ludicrous, but entirely different.

 

[A.R. McVintage]

Not to be pedantic, but that wasn't what was going on there. He was having his DNA entirely rewritten to a model he patterned after James Bond. Still ludicrous, but entirely different.

After inane things like car chases in ice hotels, I could care less what the actual plot points are in such a stupid movie.

And having an Asian man become a white man (partially because he failed in his job the first time around) is still racist as hell.

But good for you for catching that.