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Everyone knows of James Bond and if they have not seen one of the films in the cinema or on TV they at least know of their existence. There have been so many Bond films and they are such a staple of British TV that very few people can not have seen at least one of them.

Casino Royale is the newest, latest Bond film, the one to reinvigorate the franchise, the one to bring Bond up to the levels of the major blockbusters of recent years. It is also the first one to star Daniel Craig (Munich, Layer Cake) as Bond, James Bond. Craig is unlike any previous actor to play Bond, for a start he is fair haired, secondly he doesn't have the same pretty boy looks that have been a staple of Bond for 3 decades. He is much more akin to Connery's Bond; he has a much harder edged look to him than anyone since Connery departed the role.

He hasn't been a popular choice for the role; press and fan reaction to his appointment was good. True he may not seem an obvious choice (Clive Owen would have seemed a much better one looks wise) but he is a very accomplished actor and taking Bond away from the good looks of Brosnan and in a different direction seems like the way to go in this modern action movie era.

Casino Royale takes Bond back to the basics, reintroducing and reinventing the character in the same way Christopher Nolan did with Batman in Batman Begins. It introduces a new generation to Britain's super spy by showing him at the beginning of his career. While not quite forgetting the previous films (Judi Dench is still M') you feel as if you are in at the beginning of something rather than jumping in 40+ years down the line. We are joining a new Bond, in more than just the fact it is a new actor playing him. This is a Bond for the new generation of fans as well as the long time ones. A Bond for the real world, there is no Q giving him gadgets that somehow are just what he needs during his mission and there isn't even the customary interaction with Miss Moneypenny (who doesn't appear at all!).
There are the over the top stunts just like the old days, no Bond film would be right without them but this time they are a lot more realistic, even the climatic scene is kind of plausible! Of course it is full of action, fights, stunts, car crashes et al, the producers aren't completely crazy, but there are believable. After one long fight Bond is covered in scratches and wounds.
The opening fight/chase, which incorporates the visual joys of free running (jumping over walls

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