The new James Bond
Known for his charm, driving luxurious cars, and the ability to escape every life-threatening trap, James Bond is one of Hollywood’s most legendary characters. From 1962 till 2002, James Bond has been played by five different actors: Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, and Pierce Brosnan. However, after a four year break, 2006 saw the release of a new generation of Bond films. Starring Daniel Craig as Bond, Casino Royale takes viewers back to the beginning of James Bond. . . just with a modern day context.In order to defeat the villain Le Chiffre, Bond has to enter the Montenegro casino tournament. If he wins, he’ll leave the criminal with nothing, and MI6 will protect Chiffre in exchange for what he knows. However, Bond is young and reckless, often disobeying M’s (Judi Dench) orders and landing himself in life threatening situations. Even though he has the help of Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) and Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), the movie keeps you guessing: will Bond’s uncontrollable behavior ruin his first mission as a 00 agent or will he pull through in the end?It’s difficult to comment on this latest Bond film. Truthfully, Casino Royale is different from the previous films. What makes the new Bond so distinctive is its focus on a storyline. Not to say the original movies didn’t have a story, but they were filled with action-packed scenes and Bond’s multiple “relationships” with the female cast.However, Craig only has two fast paced action scene: an exhilarating chase through construction sites, and a car chase after Vesper. As for the “relationships,” outside of Vesper, Bond seduces only one lady (whom he leaves before sealing the deal). True, the audience is kept in suspense when Bond almost dies, and again when he’s tortured by Le Chiffre, but Casino Royale is mostly a love story vs. an action film. And not to get too technical, but if this is the first bond, where’s Miss Moneypenny? For that matter, where’s Q?Yet, the story change isn’t necessarily a bad thing. This is the beginning of the Bond stories, so he’s not the same James we’ve known and loved for years. And while Sean Connery is difficult to compete with, Daniel Craig does play Bond well. Not only does Craig have the charm, but he gives James depth, leaving us with an understanding of how Bond becomes the untrusting, but successful 007 agent.If you can remain opened minded, and view Casino Royale for what it is (the start of a new generation of Bond films), it’s a great movie.