Highly Overrated But Still Good

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Somtimes, it seems, film makers (especially American) think they can shove whatever they want down our throats and we're going to swallow! Such is the case with 'Casino Royale' (or any other James Bond film for that matter). Isn't it amazing how Bond can walk into any place on earth and know exactly where to find what he is looking for?? In Casino Royale he simply waltzes into a 5-Star hotel's UNMANNED security room, easily finds a tape he's looking for and then finds what's he's looking for on the tape within seconds. Seriously?!? And they expect be to believe $120million can easily be withdrawn in cash (mind you!) WITHOUT any security measurements, and without the account holder present??? Bond's sports car crashes at high speed and rolls about ten times, yet the next day he walks about without even limping!! Ya-a-awn.... This is why films like King Kong are more believable: they were intended to be fantasy films where reality can be thrown overboard. James Bond films (Transporter, Fast & Furious, ANY Marvel superhero film, etc,) substitute credibility for effect. Even these 'effective' action sequences can be terribly daunting to watch if they are senseless. Some credit due to Casino Royale, though, the action scenes are much more believable than the crap they write into the latest Fast & Furious films. And - apart from being absolutely dashing - Daniel Craig makes a credible Bond. (Oh, and the love interest scenes in Casino Royale were absolutely pathetic and so blatantly forced, it hurts.) Bond is a Casanova, keep it that way!

Just PERFECT!!! All the way!!! Craig, screenplay, characters, cast, rhythm, OST, Martin Campbell's direction, Eva Green, Le Chiffre, ..., everything!!!

I'm probably one of the few people writing a review for this film that can't actually call themselves a James Bond fan. In fact, this is my first review of a Bond film, as the couple I've seen ages ago predate my involvement with IMDb. So I can't competently comment on who my favorite Bond actor of all time is, though I'm kind of partial to Roger Moore and Sean Connery. See, I told you it's been a long time. So I approach this film the way I do a lot of action thrillers, and that's with the greatest suspension of disbelief allowable given the impossibility of any human being having the ability to withstand the type of punishment that goes with the very first foot chase scene in this film, not to mention the impossible stamina one would need to run an endless obstacle course consisting of city street traffic, construction work sites and moving cranes. But it all looks exciting, and so for a mindless entertainment experience this works on a visceral level. What intrigued me more was the complex script writing that centered on Bond's (Daniel Craig) attempt to put away Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), funder of terrorists and all around bad guy. But then, things went awry again with that four story building that crumbled into dust for no logically coherent reason. I had to gasp though, being aware of James Bond's 'future' exploits, that he was about to quit the Double-0 ranks, but quickly realized that there had to be one more plot twist coming that would put everything back into some semblance of normalcy. No disappointment there, as the film ended on a perfectly ambiguous note regarding Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), and a commitment to persevere as Bond, James Bond. You know, I think I'll have to go back and watch a few more of these flicks. I think I might be missing something.

Saying that Casino Royale was a big deal is quite an understatement. Back before the movie even came out and Daniel Craig was announced as the next Bond, the casting choice wasn't too well received. People didn't know who this guy was and many were worried that their beloved James Bond would be ruined after a legacy lasting almost half a century. It's now 2016 and Martin Campbell's Casino Royale is widely recognized as one of the best Bond films ever. Daniel Craig basically re-invented Bond, giving the character a humanity and intimacy that we have never seen before. Campbell's gripping narrative and incredibly choreographed action scenes paired with a star-making performance from Craig makes Casino Royale not only one of the best Bond films, but arguably THE best Bond film ever.To start, the characters in Casino Royale are impeccable. Not only do we get one of the best Bond actors to ever portray the legendary character, we also get the best Bond villain and the best Bond girl yet. As mentioned before, Daniel Craig quite literally re-invented James Bond. While this is quite a bold statement, it really is hard to find fault in his performance. His ability to be an excellent action star is showcased in the film's first action scene, which is undoubtedly one of the most gripping and intense action scenes of modern cinema. Not only do we get an excellent action scene, but we see Craig's characterization as Bond already start to form through a chase scene with literally no dialogue. This due to the excellent screenplay. Not only was Craig an excellent action star, he also brought a surprising amount of personality to his straight-faced portrayal of the character. Not only does he manage to display such deep levels of emotions that we would never expect a character like Bond to have, he does so mostly without dialogue. Bond is completely fleshed out here as we see him display surprisingly deep levels of intimacy and real love.Another great thing about the characters is that the villain is just as fleshed out as Bond is. He isn't some crazy, over-the-top madman who wants to destroy Bond. He is really just a desperate man who is trying to save his own skin. He isn't trying to kill Bond with a laser or kidnap the girl, he's quite simply just trying to get out of debt with a viscous militia he made deals with and Bond gets in the way of that. Mads Mikkelsen does a fantastic job as the desperate and nervous villain. But the great thing is that he never really feels like the villain in the sense that we can relate to everything that he is trying to do. He isn't trying to end the world or anything crazy like that, he is just trying to save himself, which made me care quite a bit about his character. He may look evil and incredibly threatening, but in the end he is just as vulnerable as Bond is, which makes for some excellent interactions between the two characters. The character of Vesper Lynd, in which Eva Green portrays, is also surprisingly important to the plot, as far as Bond girls go. Vesper Lynd is really the person who created the Bond that we know today. Bond felt such a deep love and caring for Vesper that he was willing to put his old life aside just for her. The heartbreak that ensues is essentially where our Bond was "created" as one line of dialogue is really all we needed to see the drastic change in his personality. We know after this that Bond will never be the same again. The action scenes are also incredible. Pretty much every single action set piece in Casino Royale is memorable and totally gripping. They are always entertaining, but never too over-the-top to be silly. Casino Royale has a perfect mix of realism and fun that ensures the entire film is immensely engrossing even when it isn't one of the action scenes. Martin Campbell took the harder and risky approach to a Bond film in the sense that he brought a never before seen amount of humanity to the legendary, tough-man character. His experimentation with darker themes and high levels of intimacy with the audience completely paid off. The entire film is completely engrossing as a cast of the finest Bond characters ever are mixed with some incredibly exhilarating action sequences. Seductive in more ways than one, Casino Royale manages to be thoroughly entertaining while also serving as a character study for the new generation. A truly unforgettable and intoxicating experience.