This project was a long time coming. Thanks to all my fellow Bond fans who have been patiently waiting for this Bond project. The goal was to get all these Casino Royale reviews done by the theatrical release of Skyfall and it looks like I managed it.
Although the ’54 and ’67 versions are not as popular with fans – I think those reviews are both worth checking out . If you enjoy behind-the-scenes drama there are some great, funny stories in that review regarding the ’67 film!
Not surprisingly most fans are interested in talking about the 2006 version of Casino Royale starring Daniel Craig. For awhile it was looking like I was going to miss that Skyfall deadline with this review. Here’s my blog entry about the doubts I had of completing it in time, some thoughts about this ongoing Bond series of mine and what my next plans are. MY BLOG.
In 2004 Pierce Brosnan announced to the world he was done playing James Bond. As it happened five times before, the search was on for our next Bond. After countless rumors and speculation by fans Daniel Craig was announced as the new 007.
His casting initially confused the general public. He certainly didn’t look like the ‘Bond-type’ audiences had become familiar with. This seemingly radical casting decision would go along with a departure from the traditional Bond movies that had come before. EON Pictures had finally acquired the rights to Ian Fleming’s first Bond novel Casino Royale. For the first time they were able to do their own adaptation of possibly the most famous and beloved Bond story ever – the very first story of James Bond.
They would use that story as a platform to introduce Craig as a new Bond and a very different one than his predecessors. Casino Royale would not only be the debut of Craig as 007, but it would also ‘reboot’ the film series. The film would be starting fresh with a new tone and disregard the Bond history that came before.
The skepticism by Bond fans was rampant. This could end up being one of the biggest blunders in series.
Craig debuts as James Bond who has just earned his 00-status. He is enlisted by M (the returning Judi Dench) to win a high stakes card game against the villainous financier LeChiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) . A lot is riding on Bond wiping him out, possibly the safety of the entire free world. However, LeChiffre won’t go down without a fight. His own life depends on him winning a lot of cash fast. Bond heads to elegant Montenegro and meets his contact Rene Mathis (Giancarlo Giannini), CIA agent Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) and a Treasury agent by the name of Vesper Lynd (Eva Green).
Between hands of poker, Bond’s life is constantly at risk, his ego is jeopardizing the mission and he begins falling for Vesper hard.
I take a look at Brosnan’s departure, the apprehension by fans of Craig’s casting, what led to this dramatic change to the Bond series and finally at the 2006 film Casino Royale.
