Shaken and stirred

Last night we went to see the latest James Bond flick "Casino Royale" starring Daniel Craig as the latest incarnation of 007.

The trailers made it look like this was going to be a really good Bond film, and all the reviews I've read say how great it is and how the series has returned to the roots of Ian Flemming's books.

I'm very happy to say this movie was everything and more than I had hoped it would be. Gone are cars that can turn themselves invisible. No cheesy one liners after every kill. No scene where James gets a collection of gadgets that just happen to be exactly what he needs to get out of a jam.

Instead we get a spy story, that while it does have some fantastical elements, is mostly grounded in reality. When Bond gets into a big fight with some baddies, he ends up with bruises and cuts like anyone else would. We know he's not going to die (Craig has at least 2 more 007 films in his contract), but this Bond could get really hurt while fighting the bad guys (and he does). In one scene that will have the toughest of men squirming in their seats, he takes much more punishment than ANY previous film has dished out before.

There are big action pieces in the film that Bond fans expect, but there is also a lot more story than these films have been offering as of late. As this is a reboot, taking the story from Fleming's first Bond novel of the same title, we see how James gets to become a double-O agent, and see some of the things that shape him into the secret agent we know he becomes.

There was a bit a fan backlash at the casting of Craig. Some fans thought he wasn't right for the part. One reason being that he is blonde. Personally, I though he was great in the role. He was tough, debonair, but rough around the edges, as I would expect from someone just being promoted to super-spy status. I've heard other say it, and I have to agree, I think Craig is the best Bond since Sean Connery, and if his follow up films as the super spy continue in the same league as "Casino Royale", he will definitely tie him.

Bottom line: I would highly recommend this film to anyone that likes action, adventure, spy, and of course Bond films. This IS something to write home about.