Casino Royale

By Mal -

6 out of 10

What is it that defines a Bond movie? If it’s the cheesy one-liners, Q’s ridiculous gadgets, and the overt Britishness, then this latest Bond is missing two thirds of its very essence. Were it not for Daniel Craig and Judi Dench, this could easily have been mistaken for another installment in the Mission Impossible series. In that sense, it was a little disappointing.

On the up-side, it’s nice to get a sense of the character’s background, despite the obvious timeline inconsistencies. Development of Bond’s character could have been handled better, mind – not all of the transitions were entirely believable. But these are minor points. As much as anything, Casino Royale gave Daniel Craig and the film’s makers an opportunity to present their own interpretation of 007. And, pleasingly, the changes were reinforced by a theme tune that suits the film’s demeanour as well as any I can remember. It’s left me keen to see how things develop from here.

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