Of all the movie franchises of the last fifty years there has been one that has remained solid by being consistent and giving the fans what they want, over and over again. James Bond is not only a household name, it's the icon of all movie series, bar none. When we buy the ticket we KNOW what we will get! Excitement, action, pretty women, action, chases, death defying stunts, action, a good solid story line, more action and a suave Brit that women go crazy over and men want to be. The series has also lasted and prospered by reinventing itself when necessary, as even the best ideas can get stale and rehashed. Having said that, I have yet to see a Bond picture that I was not thrilled with or a 007 that failed to BE 007. This latest installment has lived up to and in some ways surpassed the standard it's predecessors were held to. Bond is back, in full stride! James Bond is a member of MI6 but has not yet "earned" his Double O status. After doing the necessary two "deeds", he is assigned to his first mission in Madagascar, watching a terrorist. Things get a LITTLE out of hand there and he finds himself in the Bahamas and learns that Chiffre, world banker to terrorists, has a plan to earn a huge sum of money at a very high stakes poker game (10 million dollar buy in) at Le Casino Royale in Montenegro. The British government knows that if Chriffe loses, those who bankrolled him will want his head and with no place else to go he will fall into their hands making him a "willing" tool against world terrorism. So, M (Judi Dench) bankrolls Bond and sends him to the game. We know he's going to win. It's HOW that keeps bringing us back, picture after picture. EVERY Bond picture has been fabulous! Every Bond has been very good! There are constant comparisons as to which Bond was better. Well, any sane person KNOWS that Connery is/was/will always be the best. Having said that, the margin of difference between the rest is very small, miniscule, as they all brought their own persona to the character and personalized the role. I say that to say this, Daniel Craig was great! He played a guy who was new at what he was doing and it took him a while to get the hang of having his Double O status. I have always accepted each new Bond as I knew they would live up to the high standards of the Broccoli (producer) family. They all did and Craig has kept that tradition and can keep the job as long as he wants it. This picture is pure 007 action from start to finish and Craig's agility and stamina left the audience reaching for a water bottle and wiping OUR foreheads! I could go on and on but I won't. I will just say that the franchise has returned with a bang. It takes off like a rocket and winds down to a conclusion that is perfectly understated and allows our guy, in the very last words of the picture to introduce himself, for the very "first" time as, Bond.......James Bond! "I'm sorry, that last hand nearly killed me!" RECOMMENDATION: Fabulous picture! Is it the best one? I won't say that but it IS Bond and a very good Bond and that's enough! Go see it and take the family. Rated PG-13 for Bond type violence. TWO SEQUELED BUT VERY EQUALLED THUMBS UP!!! (New but somehow pleasingly old!) Movie Review © 2006 by Terry Anderson |
