James Bond 007

There is another Bond movie in the works, the title is Quantum of Solace. It stars yummy Daniel Craig, however, from everything I have read at IMDB Trivia for Quantum of Solace, I am tempted to say, Uh Oh. Still I will cross my fingers and hope for the best, because Craig brought new life to the 007 franchise. I would love to see it continue.

I was surprised that I enjoyed the last Bond entry Casino Royale (2006). I had been disappointed so often with the casting, but I thought this time they got it right. For me, Daniel Craig brought James Bond back in full-force. Nevermind that he is not tall, dark and handsome. Instead he is good-looking in a boyish Steve McQueen way, think The Thomas Crown Affair (1968).

Casino Royale shows a different Bond. Everything about Craig's Bond is different, his manner of dress, his actions and the way he handles himself. He has just received his “00” credentials and has not yet become “Bond, James Bond.” He is more of a tough street fighter. He is disrespectful of M (Judi Dench reprises her role as M). Also, there are no high-tech gadgets for this Bond, his only tools are his fists and his keen mind. He is street-brawler good as he chases criminals on and over shaky scaffolds and crashes through windows.

The signature smoothness and sophistication that we have come to expect when we watch a James Bond film is nowhere to be found. You do not get that sophisticated veneer here. In one scene Bond asks for a martini, and is asked, "Shaken or stirred?" he looks at the server and asks, "Do I look like I give a damn?"

Early in the film, Bond is spying on a terrorist named Mollaka (Sebastein Foucan). When things go wrong he sets out, without the blessing of M, to continue his investigation of Mollaka’s group. His lead takes him to the Bahamas where he meets beautiful Solange (Caterina Murino) and Alex Dimitrios (Simon Abkarian). He learns that Dimitrios is linked to a casino owner named Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), who is a banker to terrorist groups. Le Chiffre is holding a high-stakes poker game to raise money for his terrorist cause and M assigns Bond to sit in on the game. Unbeknownst to Bond, agent Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) is sent to supply gambling money and to stay close to him, because of his loose cannon actions.

James Bond has always been his own man, but Casino Royale shows him before he has learned the subtleties of being a successful 00 agent. And before he has understood that accomplishing a mission is sometimes a waiting game. It is interesting to watch his transition in the film. Surprisingly, there is real romance in Casino Royale and we see yet another side of Bond.

I loved this movie and the new bond. Actor Jeffrey Wright returns as CIA agent Felix Leiter. Fans may recall that Jack Lord (Hawaii Five-O) appeared as Leiter in the first Bond film, Dr. No.

Rated PG-13. Some nudity, torture and violence.

Ian Fleming wrote other novels in addition to the popular 007 series: List of Ian Fleming Novels.

Casino Royale Official Site.