Casino Royale
I recently rented the newest James Bond movie Casino Royale. I originally saw it in the theater when it came out, but I enjoy seeing movies at home to get a different perspective.
This movie joins the long list of those that while good, could have been so much better. After 20 Bond movies, I had hoped this new installment would be a departure from the previous movies. To some extent this is the case, Casino Royale isn't nearly as campy as the last few Bond movies, that isn't saying much but it is a step in the right direction. My true desire was for a completely straight, hard, visceral Bond in most likely a R-rated movie. Instead we get half-and-half. The beginning and very end in particular are exactly what I wanted for the whole movie. Most of the rest of the movie isn't too bad, but it's more regular Bond than I would have liked. Toward the end of the movie, however, Casino Royale loses it.
Bond and Vesper Lynd had essentially no romantic relationship during the entire card game section of the movie. In the following act suddenly they are all over each other. This is all later explained, albeit poorly, through the plot development that Vesper's boyfriend is being held hostage. What? She then makes a deal to payoff the bad guys to save her boyfriend with the poker winnings. What? Then she conveniently leaves clues to help Bond find her contact. Wait a minute...so she knows she's going to probably die...then why the charade? Why pretend you like Bond to save your boyfriend then realize you're going to die but still go through with it all? Confused? Me too. Thoroughly disappointing considering the first two thirds of the movie were very enjoyable. 3.5/5
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