 "Bond Returns" | 2009-11-15 |
| - Reviewed By User: A239PPUVV8O0U0 |
| Batman Begins was the movie that started the whole franchise reboot craze. Like The Pink Panther, James Bond was soon to follow. Daniel Craig is good but in my opinion he lacks the suave sophistication that Connery, Moore and Brosnan had. He's a fine actor though, able to handle the action (especially Le Chiffre's torture), dramatic and romance scenes. Eva Green was a brilliant choice as Vesper. Unlike previous Bond girls where they had to be a government agent or nuclear physicist in order to be an equal with Bond, Vesper is able to make jabs at Bond and hold her own against his sexist ways but her character is not action oriented and emotionally vulnerable, which makes her more feminine than some of her predecessors. The shower and final scenes are the best examples I can give on how, other than Tracy from OHMSS, Vesper is the only woman Bond has ever fallen in love with. Le Chiffre, while not one of the more memorable villains in the Bond canon, is big step up from the bratty Gustav Graves. He is cold, calculating and not afraid to cut Bond down to size if he doesn't tell him what he wants to know. Judi Dench, the only connection to the previous films, returns as M, who is shown more in this film but some of her scenes just seem unnecesary to the storyline. The plot is good, though the only parts that are adapted from the original novel are the casino and torture scenes. I do hate that they made it seem that Le Chiffre had a hand in 9/11. In this and the following Bond film, I hate how they're striving too hard for realism, in the past, the politcal points of the films were always subtle (the Cold War, detante and the fall of Communnism) and sometimes actually relevant to the story. The reference to 9/11, to me anyways, just seemed pointless as it adds nothing to Le Chiffre's character or the plot. There are too many action sequences in this film, which hurts it a little bit. They make Bond seem like Superman, jumping around on top of construction sites and bursting through walls (I could hear the George Reeves Superman theme in my head when he did that). And the way Bond heals from all of his wounds is so astounding, he'd put Wolverine to shame. David Arnold provides probably his best Bond score, though his music, especially for the action sequences, are loud and obnoxious. And I know that this is Bond's first mission, but that doesn't mean he should just barely use the Bond Theme. I think it was Arnold himself on a special feature on the Bond music who said "Don't be afraid to use the Bond Theme. If it's not in the film, its just a regular action film." Or something of that nature anyway (and I hope they stop making the Bond films look and feel like a regular action film. The Bonds have always been different from the rest and the direction the producers are going in are practically disgracing Broccoli's hard work). Chris Cornell, the first male singer on a Bond song since The Living Daylights, provides an excellent title song. |
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 "I want the old Bond back." | 2009-11-11 |
| - Reviewed By User: AMM2HRZ9DPAKD |
| This movie is perferct for someone who likes poker and action. However, Daniel Craig is totally different from all previous James Bonds. That is exactly what I did not like about this movie. For example, when the bar tender asks him if he wants the martini shaken or stirred he just says "Do I look like I give a damn". He is definately not the traditional English gentlemen but a modern action hero. |
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 "Beautiful movie" | 2009-11-09 |
| - Reviewed By User: A31FK8SOHZFSMX |
I am reviewing the Blu Ray casino royale two disk collectors edition.
I have to say that this is one of the most beautiful movies I have seen on eith blu ray or hd-dvd. The picture pops visually especially on the crane sequence and the ending. The movie moves along at a very well done pace, you never feel bored of what's screen even though they are sitting down for most of the movie in the later half.
Action sequences are spaced out evenly and even when you might feel bored an action sequence brings you back into the movie, the characters are very well done and you got a sense of the betrayal bond felt close to the end of the movie.
Personally I cant say bad things about this movie, and this blu-ray should be bought extremelly fast. Amazon gives you a good movie at a bargain price and you can not go wrong with that, buy it and you will be pleased for 2 hrs. |
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| "Starts out a little slow but plot finaly builds to a good movie." | 2009-11-02 |
| - Reviewed By User: AAX3518AMCVW8 |
It started out like the same old same old James Bond movies but after about an hour it began to develope into a descent movie.
I don't know what I was expecting from Bul-Ray but the quality didn't seem anymore impressive to me than a good HD movie on
TV. I'm fairly new to the Blu-Ray so that may not be a fair evaulation but, in any case it's mine, for what it worth. |
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| "Great reboot for James Bond" | 2009-10-26 |
| - Reviewed By happyman_85 |
| Nothing personal, though I didn't like Pierce Bronson, the four James Bond films with has James Bond 007 are as bland as the Timothy Dalton and Roger Moore films. All three of these previous James Bond actors had films that never really amounted to much and sorry to say were always forgettable (with the exception of "The Spy Who Loved Me") Daniel Craig brings back the magic that Sean Connery originally sparked in these films and the choice of the studio to use the very first Ian Flemming book for Daniel Craig's debut greatly helps make you believe that he could have been James Bond before Sean Connery was (in move time line logic). Quantum of Solace is a different story all together (kind of weak for a follow up). But in both Daniel Craig proves he deserves to be called Bond...James Bond (with a license to kill and thrill) |
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| "the 'new' Bond . . . back to the blunt instrument days with Daniel Craig . . ." | 2009-10-25 |
| - Reviewed By redclaw95 |
Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman first brought James Bond to the cinema in Dr. No (1962). In the years that followed, with one exception, the two men adapted all of Ian Fleming's full length Bond novels into motion pictures. Now over forty years later, that omission in addressed, as Daniel Craig makes his debut as Bond, the MI6 agent, licensed to kill in Casino Royale, based on Fleming's very first Bond novel, originally published in 1953.
Each actor that assumes the role of Bond, is subjected to immense scrutiny and criticism. Being fair haired, and looking nothing like past Bonds, is a superficial gripe against Craig. What is hard to swallow is that someone as old as Craig (38), is supposed to be a newcomer to the double O classification. Craig, comes to the role of Bond, looking tougher and more weathered, than Pierce Bronsnan did leaving it at age 49. Craig being nervous about killing is a joke. This Bond doesn't need any of Q Branch's gadgets, he will just shoot you dead, or snap your neck with his bare hands.
In the film's first action sequence Bond engages in what is probably the most physically challenging, one on one, on foot pursuit in the history of the franchise. The deadly serious pursuit of Mollaka (Stebastien Foucan), on and across the crane arms is so demanding, that no previous Bond would have been physically capable of attempting it. Craig is overpoweringly masculine, and dominates the screen wherever the setting, be it Madagascar, the Bahamas, Montenegro, or Venice.
The key element from Fleming's original story remains the same (except that the original game was baccarat), but how plausible is it that in 2006 an international criminal, and the British and American governments, would do battle at a poker table? With the explosion in popularity of Texas hold 'em tournaments on television, watching the play here is pretty boring, regardless of how much the drama is forced. Gambling aside, Casino Royale works well enough. Head villain Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), goes through the movie with a sour expression, failing at every turn, and besides being a vicious ball slapper, doesn't really distinguish himself as a memorable villain.
The Bond women are also the subject of scrutiny. The exotically beautiful Caterina Murino makes a brief appearance in a sacrificial role. The casting of Vesper Lynd is critical, as like the Contessa Teresa (Tracy) Di Vicenzo, in `On Her Majesty's Secret Service', this is a woman who captures Bond heart. While Diana Rigg was an actress with considerable stature, it might be difficult to say the same for Eva Green (The Golden Compass), who apparently was a late selection to play Lynd. While her performance is serviceable, whether she was the ideal choice is a very open question. Some may not question what happens between Lynd and Bond, because the new Bond is such an unknown.
The remake of Bond into a harder edged character, was an opportunity for the producers to take the character into the R rated category. Surely teens have many others they relate to more than a middle aged, British spy, fighting the last war? Instead Bond remains in the PG-13 cage. The finale in a collapsing building in Venice is nicely done, and at the end of the mission, with M (Judi Dench) providing a little TLC, all the pieces have fallen in place, and Bond ends the film uttering his most famous line. It has flaws, but Casino Royale is quite nicely done.
The 2 disc version is an intermediate release, without the typically comprehensive Bondian special features. Maryam d'Abo (The Living Daylights) has taken up being a `Bond Girl' as a cause, and an updated version of her documentary `Bond Girls Are Forever' (48 minutes) is included. The somewhat curious selection does help pad the content, that also includes the featurettes 'Becoming Bond' (26 minutes), 'James Bond: For Real' (23 minutes), and Chris Cornell's music video for 'You Know My Name'. The two disc version has since been surpassed by the upgraded blu-ray version, which has commentary tracks, and additional extras. |
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