It seems that every few years, there's a movie marketing campaign that attempts to boldly proclaim "Bond is back!" as if Ian Fleming's James Bond ever really went away. Many times, when there was a poor to mediocre movie to promote, the exclamation seemed hollow - another attempt to convince audiences that a return to glory was at hand, summoning their fond memories of past Bond films and raising expectations that this new experience would be like those.
That freshness is personified by Daniel Craig, who was inexplicably vilified by fans on the Internet before filming even began. But while every actor since Connery has brought something to the role, Craig is the first since Connery to make the role his own. His take is different from Connery's - as the others' were too - but he almost makes you feel you're seeing James Bond for the first time. If Craig stays with the role long enough, and his films live up to the quality of Casino Royale, his could be the best run in the series. Critical to the series' success will be more serious spy capers and an avoidance of the self-parody that plagued the series in the past. (The first rule of sequels should always be: Respect the source material and don't engage in parody.)
How odd -- and how fortunate for audiences -- that the "Bond is back!" claim is not only true this time around, but that in nearly every way, the latest Bond film exceeds expectations.
Casino Royale is the best James Bond movie in more than 40 years. (We recently named it the best film of 2006 at DVD Comment.) Since the high points of the early Sean Connery films (From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, and Thunderball), the films have seen good movies (The Spy Who Loved Me, The Living Daylights) and bad (A View To A Kill, Die Another Day), but Casino Royale reinvents the series for the 21st century and provides a freshness that has been missing for a long time. (Comparisons to the 1967 Casino Royale with David Niven, Peter Sellers and Woody Allen are not even an issue; neither are comparisons to the 1954 TV Casino Royale with Barry Nelson and Peter Lorre.)
That freshness is personified by Daniel Craig, who was inexplicably vilified by fans on the Internet before filming even began. But while every actor since Connery has brought something to the role, Craig is the first since Connery to make the role his own. His take is different from Connery's - as the others' were too - but he almost makes you feel you're seeing James Bond for the first time. If Craig stays with the role long enough, and his films live up to the quality of Casino Royale, his could be the best run in the series. Critical to the series' success will be more serious spy capers and an avoidance of the self-parody that plagued the series in the past. (The first rule of sequels should always be: Respect the source material and don't engage in parody.)The story is very faithful to the Ian Fleming novel, the first film in decades to be so. This was Fleming's first Bond book, so it is fitting that the movie version showcases Bond's beginnings. The Bond films have only had the loosest of continuities over the years, so it is not particularly upsetting for longtime viewers to see Judi Dench still portraying M, after having done so for the Pierce Brosnan films. She's good in the role, and that's all the justification needed. Eva Green is also good as Vesper Lynd, the Bond girl who manages to avoid most of the Bond girl cliches from the past 40 years.
The DVD of film looks good, but is so lacking in extras that another edition is inevitable in the future, especially for the highest grossing Bond film of all time. A few short featurettes are included, along with Bond Girls Are Forever, an AMC production hosted by former Bond girl Maryam D'Abo (The Living Daylights). 
This was already released on DVD in a bonus disc that came with the last Bond movie. It isn't a particularly enlightening documentary and lacks the substance that the bonus materials of MGM's Bond DVDs have had in the past. In perhaps the greatest omission in terms of extras, there are no trailers or teasers present (except for other films!).
This was already released on DVD in a bonus disc that came with the last Bond movie. It isn't a particularly enlightening documentary and lacks the substance that the bonus materials of MGM's Bond DVDs have had in the past. In perhaps the greatest omission in terms of extras, there are no trailers or teasers present (except for other films!). Still, until an updated DVD is issued (look for it in advance of the next film in 2008), this edition of Casino Royale is worth your time, since the feature film is the main attraction here and it has substance to spare. Not only is James Bond back to his former greatness, but a new generation has the promise of more great films in series. It hasn't been this exciting to be a Bond fan since The Beatles were making new records.
More info: MI6: The Home of James Bond
