Few actors have generated as much controversy solely on the basis of their hair color as Daniel Craig. But when the announcement came that relative unknown Craig (Munich, Layer Cake) would take over the helm of the James Bond franchise from Pierce Brosnan, you might have thought they'd hired Johnny Knoxville. Ironically, this unorthodox casting choice may have saved the 007 dynasty from extinction. In Casino Royale, Craig offers a grittier, more complicated version of the international man of mystery. While this story is hardly the reinvention of say, Batman Begins, it also distances itself from much of the gadgetry and at least some of the cheesy wordplay of the previous Bond installments. The result is a renewed focus on Bond the character, instead of Bond the marketing ploy.
Casino Royale begins with Bond's promotion to Double-0 agent status as he quickly dives into his first mission: tracking down a major financier of international terrorism. Aside from referencing the War on Terror, it's clear the writers have made efforts to keep Bond relevant (Texas hold 'em replaces the more genteel baccarat).
Eventually Bond closes in on his quarry, a man only known as Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), and in a series of arbitrary events is forced to confront him via a poker tournament in Montenegro. Throughout, Bond struggles to balance his ego and conscience with his duties as a trained killer. All this becomes even more complicated with the addition of a love interest, Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), who's less than enamored with the bloody particulars of Bond's vocation.
While Casino Royale upholds the grand traditions of product placement and double entendres, it still delves deeper into Bond's psyche than any of the recent films. The Bond films have always walked a fine line between frivolous escapism and sociopolitical philosophizing. Casino Royale honors both while breathing new life into an aged franchise.
