Casino Royale on Prime Video — The bitch is Dead
I grew up along with the Brosnan movies. I got latched on to that bombastic, suave and silliness of those movies. Still change is constant. I read about all that drama surrounding the hiring of Daniel Craig, and how, he does not look like the bond we know for decades.
So, I was not hoping to like this movie or Craig.
Yet, this movie is good. The movie is very good. It was also clear that this is a bond designed on the lines of Jason Bourne. I did not enjoy the Jason Bourne movies, nor its style of action and storytelling.
That is why, over the years, the action in the movie has become duller and duller for me to enjoy. However, what really shines on repeat watching, are the character scenes.
Origin Story
Of course, this movie is like a James Bond origin story.
Despite my love for Peirce Brosnan and Roger Moore, both of these guys were so…not strong. Any time they got into fist fights, I am like, there is no way, they would survive. Moore was just old and Brosnan was just, not exactly a powerful guy.
Again, it’s a movie, and spy craft is not really about physical strength. Besides, those movies were so outlandish.
That is the one of the many things Craig brings to the table. He looks like a real former SAS agent, and he can take on bad guys like nobody’s business. He can also handle his balls being beaten to a pulp.
He is a totally ballsy guy!
Vesper. Ah!
Once again, the bond writers are able to come up with a strong, complex female bond girl. The credit does not really go to them. This movie adapts the original story from Ian Fleming.
And it is the first James Bond story as well. All credit Fleming for coming up with a such an emotional twist to the story and the character. You look at her, and you can sense that emotional something going on in the background with her.
She is conflicted, she is falling in love, and she cannot resist the bond charm. You see this happening to people all the time. Love is complicated. Of course, this continues the long tradition of bond women just dying for bond!
In this movie, we already have one woman dying for bond. That hits you already. Then, at the end, another woman dies, for bond! Due to the amount of investment you have in her, it really hits you when she dies. And she self terminates, which makes it worse, like drains you.
No wonder bond keeps thinking about Vesper till he dies 4 movies later. I don’t blame him. Seriously, any guy will mind screwed if he experiences what Vesper did to bond. It’s quiet possible that Craig’s bond is having less sex or no sex, probably because he cannot get over Vesper’s bizarre relationship influence.
She is one crazy lady.
Score
I am marathon watching the James Bond movies and I wish to rank them at the end. So, I came up with a numbering system. The scores for this one are here.
- Action and Stunts 9/9
- Coolness Cool 9/9
- Double Entendre and One Liners 9/9
- Hot Women 9/9
- Ludicrous Villainy, Cool Deaths and Traps 9/9 (that balls torture scene is totally cool)
- Gadgets Man! 2/9
- General Awesomeness 9/9
- Boredom Factor -5/-9 (perfunctory action scenes)
Total : 51
Final Note
Craig is obviously the bond for the new generation. I like this movie, but in general, I am not able to enjoy Craig’s bond.
But times change. It is what it is.
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