Review: Casino Royale

So I couldn't bloody wait for this. I had holiday from work so instead of waiting till I could see it with friends, I went by myself. A Thursday, 2.15 showing and it was two thirds full, something I doubt would have happened with Die Another Day, or any Brosnan era film such is the anticipation for this film.
Starts with the much-talked of black and white sequence (nice touch with the B/W studio logos to). This sets up the tone of the entire film; downplayed, more based in reality and a new era for Bond. His first kill is harsh, pushing the 12a rating and is pretty great. This is also where we see where this Bond is going to be different, Craig can actually ACT. He is a proper actor. I am sorry and flame me if you will but no Bond since Connery has acted, they have played "Bond". In this scene you can see how unsure Craig is when he finally kills his first man. His second is done with Bond-like panache and yet this sequence sets him up niely; he knows how to do his job, but he is defenitly not the "Bond" we have come to know him as.
This feeling continues on. the first major action sequenc e featuring the frankly scary talents of free-runner Sebastian Foucan has Bond eventually catching his target but having a very tough time doing it. He has to rely on shortcuts to catch the free-runner, he falls down and obviously hurts himself often,, whereas Foucan is able to leap through a window above a door, Craig has to crash through it (one of the many natural, brilliant laughs found in this film). After this sequence, Bond needs treatment, something not often seen (though admittedly a more gimmicky way of showing this was seen in "Die Another Day".
As well as shoowing this new Bond's physical limitations, his mental limitations become key to the plot. The script for this film by regualr Bond scripters, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, with polishing done by Oscar-winner Paul Haggis, is able tyo show how the job and the encounters he has within it have made Bond the man we see him as in the other Bond films. By the end of this film we understand how he has come to regard women as coldly as he does thorughoiut the Bond cannon (with a very honoruable exception made to On Her Majesty's Secert Service, itself a reboot of the franchise). Bond is hurt in this film, as said earlier, in both mental and physical ways and as I do not wish to include spoilers that is as much as I will say.
So Daniel Craig? Who gives a shit if he is Bond, he is magnificent. Oozing charm, wit and yet obviously showing that he is not the Bond we know yet, he excels in this role and long may it continue. Eva Green as Vesper Lynd is great, her role is far larger and much more developed than any other Bond girl and considering that she does not appear until nearly an hour into the film, this is no mean feat. You believe every move she makes and yet in hindsight, this should not be the case. She had me as much as she had Bond when it came to her motivations (Looked gourgeous to). Mads Mikklesen as Le Chffre does a commendable job as an enemy who is not as much of a threat as other villians of the best. He is in it to save himself as much as further any other cause and this kind of motivation sucked me in much more than diamonds being put together to control the suns rays, or whatever it was the villain in Die Another Day was doing. The lead in his character makes to future Bond films is very interesting to, could we be seeing another SPECTRE? A mention must also go to Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter who I sorely hope becomes a recurring character as it is great to see an actor of his class trun up in this supporting role.
Martin Campbell does a great job of directing. This guy has been directing action movies for years but with some of these set-pieces, and the car crash, he has obviously pulled all the stops out and congrats to him. I have also got to say something bout the score. While i cannot remember any of the title song, the score was amazing (In fact I am downloading it now). the way it develops the Bond themes over time before unleashing at the end is simply awesome. And the title sequence also? Maginifcant, love the diamonds motif!
Any downsides? As many reviews have started the pacing, in between the torture scene (also pushing 12a, but with some brilliant lines, and Venice specifically is a little slow, considering its run time is around 140 minutes, 10-20 minutes being cut specifically from this section would not have been missed.
Overall though? A great film, not just a great Bond film. thanks largely to Daniel Craig and his actual ACTING but also the great supporting cast, stunts, music, direction and considering the pedigree of Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, the writing, this is one of the best of the year for me. Pure fun and a great way to kickstart the Bond franchise. I, for one, cannot wait for Bond to return.