by DJ Sanz

Created on: January 27, 2007   Last Updated: May 09, 2007

The name is Bond, James Bond. The tagline that has survived decades of cinema and at least five previous actors embarks on new mission with a new face. That mission: relaunch the Bond franchise with a reinvention of the iconic character using the James Bond tale that started it all.

Casino Royale was the first of several novels written by James Bond creator, Ian Fleming. It tells the tale of Agent Bond beginning his journey as the world famous super spy as he is promoted to 00 status. As he is trying to adjust to his newly acquired responsibility, Bond enters a high stakes poker battle against Le Chiffre, an international criminal who funds global terrorist efforts. Bond is forced to learn the tough balance between his professional and personal life.

The mission is a success, at least mostly. Newcomer Daniel Craig steps into some pretty large shoes immortalized by Sean Connery, and shaped to perfection by the succeeding Bonds. I went into this film with some doubts about his capability of portraying the spy faithfully. He looks nothing like the previous incarnations, in fact, he's blond. Looks aside however, he does fulfill his duties and even brings a new energy to the character. As this film is a restart of the franchise, Craig's Bond is younger, less refined, and full of piss and vinegar. He is aggressive, he is cocky, and has no reservations towards physical violence. You can clearly see that Craig is having fun with the role. He may not look the part, but he brings a fresh new experience to a character that has seen 21 official films.

The story is somewhat plain however. Bond's mission is more of a personal challenge rather than the typical save-the-world efforts that usually embrace the root of all films Bond. In fact, we never feel any real threat other than damage Bond's integrity might incur.

The film is entertaining nonetheless, despite a somewhat slow pacing that makes it feel its two and a half hour runtime. The action sequences are especially fun. In an odd shift for a 007 feature, this film is less dependant on explosions, shootouts, and mass destruction. Don't fear, they are present, however the action sequences focus on smaller scale but highly charged battles. The pacing of those scenes are tight and well woven, and the choreography is fantastic keeping you emerged for the entirety of the sequence.

With the exception of Daniel Craig and Dame Judi Dench (who plays equally aggressive M, head of MI6) the rest of the cast is virtually unknown. This

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