TITLE: Casino Royale (2006) AUTHOR: Joe Johnson DATE: 7:28:00 PM ----- BODY:
Dir: Martin Campbell

"Ever" is a tricky word, but one we love to toss around. With the advent of the grittier, blonder Bond, every commentator feels compelled to answer the questions: "Is Daniel Craig the best Bond ever?” "Is Casino Royale the best Bond film ever?" The answers are "No" and "Not exactly."

As for the first matter, it's probably better to say not yet, though Craig has clearly passed George Lazenby, Timothy Dalton and, probably, Pierce Brosnan. One thing is certain; Craig is the best actor to play Bond. Neither Connery nor Moore had the range. But Craig still hasn't shown us the suave strength of Brosnan, the charm of Connery or the humor of Moore. Of course, that's part of the fun of the Bond franchise - watching the role find new energy in the actors portraying the super agent.


The tougher question comes with the best Bond film ever. Casino Royale, despite a few dramatic slowdowns, may be the best film that is also a Bond film. It is sophisticated, superbly acted, wise and appropriate to the current era. But it isn't exactly a Bond film.

Moonraker, A View To A Kill, even the apocryphal Never Say Never Again - these are absurd, poorly scripted, half-hearted movies. But they are Bond movies. There's the familiar arrogant charm, womanizing, cool toys, speed and extravagant super criminals. No self-respecting movie critic would toss compliments about these movies (or 80% of the other movies) that have flown out regarding Casino Royale. That's because most critics aren't 14 year-old boys.

The "reboot" of the franchise is a redressing of the very essence of all that we've come to expect. Through the years, James Bond has ceased to be a literary character; he's a comic book. Casino Royale is an attempt to remind the viewer that Ian Fleming was a writer – a novelist - and that James Bond is a "blunt instrument" in those novels. In this refashioning, Casino Royale has more in common with its source material and Jason Bourne than any previous Bond movie.

Who deserves credit/blame for this change? It's probably the stream of comic films that have attempted to be completely serious, grounded in a gravity and pathos utterly distinct from the comic universe of the pre-1980's. It began and culminated in Batman, from "The Dark Knight" era of Tim Burton to Christopher Nolan's utterly serious origin story. Of course, Bryan Singer's psychological portraits of Superman and the X-Men made it impossible for Bond to be 2-dimensional any longer.

What remains is the promise of greater sophistication, deeper, more intense plot lines and new standards in acting. What gets lost is the one bastion for adolescence in action. Daniel Craig may be the best actor, Casino Royale the best film - but Connery and Goldfinger, they may be the best Bond duo... ever.

**** of *****

Labels: , ,

--------