By Elaine Gu
Gargoyle staff reporter
Posted Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2006, The OG, arts

Daniel Craig as Agent 007

IN “CASINO ROYALE,” based on Ian Fleming's first 007 novel, Daniel Craig takes on the role of James Bond, a cold-hearted killing machine. Craig does a wonderful job portraying Bond just as he is: dangerous, cool, and ready to kill.

Following the post- 9/11 mind frame, this 21st-century remake of “Casino Royale” has Bond stopping an international terrorist organization through a game of poker. Right from the beginning, viewers get a taste of Bond's ruthless nature.

The film opens with a black-and-white murdering scene, where Bond commits two initiation kills, elevating him to double-0 status. After his promotion, Bond disregards his boss, M (Judi Dench), and instead pursues criminals at exotic locations around the world.

After chasing down a bomber, invading the foreign embassy, and cleverly thwarting a plot to blow up the world's largest airplane, his mission takes him to Montenegro's luxurious Casino Royale for a winner-take-all poker marathon.

It is there that Bond meets Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), a beautiful treasury agent sent by the government to supervise the millions of dollars he needs for the poker marathon. Lynd, polished, brilliant, and sophisticated, is just like a counterpart of Bond. Unlike the prancing-around-in-bikini girls that he typically goes for, Lynd dresses conservatively (at least in the beginning) and has an intellect that matches his. It is with her that Bond, typically a womanizer, falls in love for the first time.

With Lynd's help, Bond wins the high-status poker marathon, taking $100 million-plus in winnings from the bad guy, Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), who was going to use that money to fund an international terrorist organization. The movie unfolds as Le Chiffre desperately tries to get the money from Bond.

Although Craig is blond and younger than most of the previous actors who have played 007, he fits the character very well. Even after being poisoned, whipped, and battered senseless throughout the movie, he still manages to come out unruffled as ever. As with previous Bonds, this one is smooth with the ladies and has a really chill attitude. His poker skills are most impressive (even his Aston Martin comes from his winning a game of poker), and Craig's expression almost never gives away his emotions.

Like most action films, there are lots of car crashes, explosions, assassinations, and shooting. Thankfully, nothing is particularly gruesome. The stunts are all well-performed and choreographed.

The film features the most suspenseful game of poker I've ever seen. Craig's no-tell expression and the high stakes involved make it very intriguing to watch. The fact that he's playing against a global terrorist organizer adds to the tension.

The plot is complex and there are lots of characters, so you really need to pay attention to details for some aspects of the film to make sense. However, the main plot is well-developed and easy to understand. The only thing I didn't like was that the ending dragged on just a bit too long.

Overall, “Casino Royale” is an excellent update of the 007 classic. Craig plays a charming, suave, yet cold Bond, and Green as Vesper Lynd fits the persona of his gorgeous and cunning assistant. Not only is this film action-packed, it also has witty, humorous components and a love interest. It manages the impressive task of holding the audience's attention for over two hours. With splendid acting, “Casino Royale” brings back the 007 legacy.

“Casino Royale” is now playing at the Savoy 16 (click here for times) and the Beverly Cinema 18 (click here for times). Runtime: 144 minutes. Rated: PG-13.

Related:

— Gargoyle entertainment editor Jono Baron reviews “Casino Royale” here.

— Ian Fleming's 1952 novel, which started the James Bond character, has been reissued by Penguin Books with a very cool retro cover. You can find it here.

— The first movie version of “Casino Royale,” released in 1967, was a spoof of both the Bond character and the spy-movie genre. David Niven played Bond. The movie also featured a young Woody Allen.