I finally got round to seeing the new James 'Omega, Sony Ericsson, Aston Martin DB5, Martini, Bond film, Casino Royale last night. And I really enjoyed it.
It has all the characteristics of a good Bond film. Firstly, a good Bond. Looked good in an evening suit, even though five minutes earlier he could be found fighting in a stairwell with a man swinging a machete. This time round Bond has traded in his slick, irreverent one liners, for a much tougher, ruthless approach. He is now, hard as f*ck.
Secondly, villian number 1, Dimitrio. As always with Bond villians, he's rich and greedy for more. He has the obligatory, super-good looking wife, whom he doesn't show much love for (naturally), and so she consequently weakens to Bond's advances. After she reveals relevant information about her husband to Bond she inevitable gets bumped off.
Thirdly villian number 2, the real villian of the film, Le Chiffre. Always defined by some quirky defect, in this case blood escapes through the tear duct of his left eye when under pressure (brilliant!). And power/money/world domination obssessed.
Finally, super-good looking girl, Treasury official, Vesper Lynd, who Bond actually quite likes but turns out that she's not all she appears at first...
All this added up to make a pretty thrilling, action packed film. There's loads of great near miss stunts, some of which were a bit hard to believe, but who cares, it's Bond and that's what it' all about.
The only thing I didn't like about the film was the shameless product placement. Bond initially arrives at the casino, in a rented Ford... hmm ok,... and the sequence looks like a 30 second TV commercial. See the Ford effortlessly take the road, hug the tight bends, all the while sunlight dancing across the shimering body work. And finally, pull up meancingly at the casino entrance... sorry don't think so.
Even better was a reference to Bond's watch the Omega. In the first conversations with Vepre, Bond engages in some flirtatious banter whereby they both offer up a quick psycholigical profile of each other. Vespre speculates that Bond, is Oxbridge educated, does not come from money and therefore has a chip on his shoulder, wears a tailored suit and a Rolex. James replies, that his watch is not Rolex but Omega. To which Vespre purrs, 'beauuuutiful'.
I couldn't help but laugh out loud.
http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/casinoroyale/trailer1a/
