Being
dissected a zillion times, I am sure you are no stranger to this topic. The
eternal debate whether the latest Bond flick, Casino Royale is the best one in
the series and whether Daniel Craig is the best Bond ever! It's been almost a
year since the film was released and the topic has been done to death.
What
triggered this write-up was me watching the movie for the second time on a DVD
at home a few days back and I had to purge this demon once and for all. The
movie when viewed for the second time, unveiled a lot of important details
which I conveniently ignored during my first viewing in a theater in
November 2006. Blame it on the excellent hype created and the whole curtain of
curiosity woven around Daniel Craig. Not that I came out of the theater with a
great deal of satisfaction back then, but the second viewing really
threw some light on the whole subject.
Getting
back to my second viewing and the observations I made…. Firstly, since the
movie opens with the back to basics formula showing how James Bond gets his
license to kill (obtains his 007 status) one realizes that the cold war
era aspect- an essential part of the earlier Bond movies- has become expendable
…quite strange…but then the producers had to start off somewhere….fair enough.
Secondly, there is no spectacular opening sequence as is the trademark
of all the earlier Bond movies. Disappointed with this, I consoled myself by
thinking maybe this is the new style. But if they wanted to change the
stylization of the movie opening, they might as well have started the movie
with the credits and the soundtrack. Why get into the
"classic" opening action sequence in the first place which was so
lame.
As
the movie continues, there were breathtaking (the chase scene in Madagascar
which ends up at the Nambutu embassy) and decent amount of over the top action
sequences which followed and I wasn't complaining, but then as I was mid-way, I
started missing certain crucial components that form the crux of an enjoyable
Bond movie...no Bombshells...there is one called Solange (Caterina Murino) who
gets killed just when the temperature was about to rise...what a shame.
The main heroine Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) is probably the most boring of all the
Bond babes...no oomph... no sex appeal...yes she does look pretty but Bond
movies aren't supposed to have PYTs...what a shame (again). No
gadgets...the villain doesn't come across threatening at all... …maybe the
producers wanted that factor to be toned down a bit but it was one of the many
things which were muffled (what a shame…again and again and again).
Surprisingly,
also the main Casino scene (remember its "CASINO" Royale) was quite
drab and clearly looked like it was set up in a studio. No doubt there were
some interesting moments but the movie really drags towards the end which is
really frustrating.
And
finally, Craig Daniel. I had seen the gangster flick Layer Cake in
2004...the movie was slick and Craig was excellent in it...there is no doubt
that he is a very fine actor, but being a fine actor doesn't make a fine Bond.
Again, one would comfort himself by saying it was about time a new look
was introduced to the franchise and the actor in question Craig was definitely
an odd candidate when announced but a dicey bet. All in all, I really felt that
he did a decent job as James Bond but sadly somewhere has failed as he
just can't encompass what Sean Connery had...being rugged, sophisticated,
charming, suave and of course witty…all in one. There are many times when he
looks charming and most definitely rugged all the time but he just doesn't make
it as a great Bond...he does look like a mean killing machine but that's
all there is!
Craig Daniel
makes a decent Bond but he is certainly not the best Bond.
Agreed
that the Bond movies had become quite jaded and hence the producers went
against the grain…experimented and have given a much needed shot in the
arm to the series…which is the good news…but the bad news is by doing so they
have clearly lost direction. Casino Royale is way too buttered up and has very
little Bond spirit. There are certain elements you just can't choose to
ignore ...you can infuse modifications but not let go of the essential Bond
ingredient: Fantasy! Because at the end of the day, the Character is Bond…James
Bond not Jason Bourne!
Casino
Royale is a good action movie but a disappointing Bond movie.
