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Bud Brewster Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)
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Joined: 14 Dec 2013 Posts: 17183 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 8:47 pm Post subject: Casino Royale (2008) |
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This is definitely James Bond reinvented for a modern culture and a modern world.
More realism. Less fun.
Oh, don't get me wrong, it's very entertaining, just in a less "fun" way. I mean, when the bad guy cuts the seat out of a wicker chair and sits Bond in it so he can hammer the Crown Jewels a few times, it definitely wasn't fun.
The movie works hard to divorce itself from the original Bond era, and it's a nasty divorce in some ways. When a bartender asked Bond if he wants his vodka martini shaken or stirred, Bond replies --
"Do I look like I care?"
The implication is clear. This ain't no sissy limey spy who identifies wine vintages by their bouquet. This is not your grandfather's secret agent . . .
Unfortunately I'm a grandfather, and I grew enjoying the wine-sniffing Bond, so this one might have gone over better with me if he hadn't acted quite so snooty towards his predecessor.
Just a thought. _________________ ____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)
Last edited by Bud Brewster on Sun Dec 24, 2017 4:15 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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orzel-w Galactic Ambassador
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Joined: 19 Sep 2014 Posts: 1876
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Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 11:38 pm Post subject: |
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And the poster art looks like it was done by a nonprofessional. _________________ ...or not...
WayneO
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Bud Brewster Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)
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Joined: 14 Dec 2013 Posts: 17183 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2015 12:42 am Post subject: |
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I actually like it, and I chose it because the other posters are deadly dull — just pictures of Daniel Craig standing there.
I grabbed the one above because it had a little color and variety.
![](https://i.imgur.com/d3pzaGj.jpg) _________________ ____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958) |
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The Spike Astral Engineer
Joined: 23 Sep 2014 Posts: 266 Location: Birmingham. Great Britain.
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:35 am Post subject: |
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Arrogance and self-awareness seldom go hand in hand.
Casino Royale is directed by Martin Campbell and adapted by Neil Purvis, Robert Wade & Paul Haggis from a story written by Ian Fleming. It stars Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright & Giancarlo Giannini. It's the 21st film in the James Bond franchise.
Plot finds Craig as Bond, newly promoted to 00 status, he is thrust into the murky world of high financed terrorism.
One of the hardest series of films to get right, with some of the most committed of fans, is that of the James Bond series. To wit, there will never ever be a Bond film that will appease every fan across the board. The complaints will range from not enough gadgets, too far removed from Fleming's essence, not serious enough and vice a versa: too darn serious. Then there is the usual round of arguments concerning the leading man stepping into the tuxedo, for every Bond fan ready to fight to the death in the name of Sean Connery, I'll find you another prepared to back Timothy Dalton's take on the Martini swigging legend. Once it became clear that Pierce Brosnan had run his course as Bond, bowing out with the super silly Die Another Day in 2002, the pressure for any new Bond, both the actor and the makers, was immense. 2006 and time had moved on, and we live in different cinema times, spy movies are a different breed to what went before, The Bourne Identity had raised the bar. The news filtered thru that Bond was to be rebooted and that Daniel Craig was the man to be Bond. The howls of derision could be heard from as far as the tropical locations so in keeping with a James Bond plot. Too Blonde, too craggy faced, not tall enough, and why reboot a much loved franchise anyway? It was war and the heat was turned up to full.
Casino Royale still has its critics, but as majorities go as regards a Bond film, this one has the biggest sway. Sure, the Daniel Craig haters will not be bowed, they can't after all lose face after such a vitriolic campaign against his casting, but few, I suspect, can seriously deny Casino Royale is not a magnificent Bond movie. Just a peak at the Worldwide box office figures shows you how well received it was, making nearly $600 million, those are figures that do not lie. The truth is that Casino Royale has almost everything you could wish for from a Bond movie, and a little more. Gorgeous locations, beautiful women and reams of action; where, the stunt department reach new heights. It's also refreshingly in keeping with Fleming's original story, only major difference here is that the makers have upgraded it to a post 9/11 world. There's nods to traditional franchise staples, whilst also neatly streamlining some of the previous film's comedy scene fillers. Smart villain too, Mads Mikkelsen's Le Chiffre, complete with creepy eye issue and loyal girlfriend, is a villain not trying to blow up the world because he's mad, but trying to outwit Bond to stay alive! That's great stuff that keeps a Bond thriller alive and well.
But for all the energy and pyrotechnics (there's enough in this one film to have filled half a dozen of previous Bond entries), a Bond film can only succeed if the leading man is up to scratch. Thankfully, and joyously, Craig nails it, both in physicality, swagger and raw egotistical aggression. More telling is that Craig's Bond is more human that what we are used too, at one time suave and appearing unruffled, the next, bruised battered and emotionally conflicted. This is a new and rounded Bond, given impetus by Craig's powerful presence. He is helped by Eva Green putting brains and slinkiness into Vesper Lynd, a Bond girl to turn Bond's head in a way not seen since Diana Rigg's Tracy di Vicenzo in OHMSS. Though one of the film's rare missteps is to under write the part. Felix Leiter also gets a quality tune up in the form of Jeffrey Wright, Judi Dench's M kicks arse and Giancarlo Giannini adds a touch of continental class as Bond's Montenegro contact René Mathis. Layered over the top is a nifty score by David Arnold, blending traditional Bond flavours with high energy bursts and Phil Meheux's photography brings optical delights in the Bahamas, Czech Republic and Italy.
Opening with the best chase sequence in the whole franchise and closing with an ultimate Bond moment, this is reboot supreme. It's high energy with intelligent humanistic smarts and Bond is back: blonder, brutal and most assuredly better. 9/10 _________________ The quality of mercy is not strnen. |
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Krel. Guest
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 5:17 pm Post subject: |
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My older brother was a big Bond fan and showed me this movie. He liked it. I didn't.
I think the main reason is that I didn't like Daniel Craig as Bond. To me, when he tried to look tough, it looked to me like he was suffering from gas or indigestion. He had no emotion. He was the most impassive Bond ever.
This was the first movie I had seen Mr. Craig in, and after seeing a couple of his Bond movies, I just don't care for him.
So, my opinion of him as Bond is probably tainted. Fair disclosure. I also don't find his Bond movies to be that fun
This is the movie where the Producers literally went, SCREW IT! Jason Borne is popular now, so we'll turn Bond into Borne.
James Bond quit being an innovator decades ago. I'm not even sure they know how to do an old school Bond movie anymore. Look at "spectre". It had all the elements of an early Bond movie — but they were all a bit "off", they just didn't fit right.
David. |
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Bud Brewster Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)
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Joined: 14 Dec 2013 Posts: 17183 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 5:53 pm Post subject: |
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Brother, you are preachin' to the choir!
Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan as Bond are cool characters who inspired two generation of young viewers who idealized the famous British agent.
Craig, however, is the poster child for cadavers who kill bad guys just as dull as themselves. Damn, who are we supposed to cheer for? The zombie called Bond, or the nameless villains he slaughters for the fun of it? _________________ ____________
Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958) |
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