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Comments
Bond Brosnan looked older and wiser 3.0
Women Miranda Frost is quite good but all good she brought was destroyed by the appearance of Oscar winner Halle Berry. She looks good in a bikini (and the film made sure it got to show plenty of that) Bad acting, bad dialogue, just a shit performance. 2.0
Villains Zao is good, Moon/Graves so so...3.0
Humor if you like juvenile wet dream jokes fine . I don't. The silly dialogue and teen aged flirting between Jinx and Bond was just awful. Bond checking into the Hong Kong hotel was kinda funny. 2.0
Action Lots of action in this one, but there was such over reliance on CGI. It hit an all time low with the wind surfing escape, along with the heart stopping, (didn't Derek Flint pull this back in Our Man Flint? ) CGI of Halle jumping off the cliff...yeah right. Most of the escape scenes were unbelievable. We saw this kind of crap from Matt Helm and other imitators during the late sixties. The PTS with the hover craft was good and the car chase between Bond and Zao was pretty exciting. 3.0
Music That theme song sounded like someone was torturing Felix the Cat. the rest of this sound track was uninspired. 2.0
Locations Iceland is well utilized. Feeling of being there. The PTS looked good as well as the scenes in Spain 4.0
Gadgets This is what really did it for me. I just can't get past the invisible car. That ranks as the worst gadget in any Bond film. It was right out of something one would have seen on "Get Smart". I could accept the aston martin in TB with the water jets and the submarine Lotus in TSWLM but the concept of an invisible car is just too far. And WTF would Mi6 give Bond an invisible car to take to Iceland of all places?? I could see use for the Aston Martin in TB and the Lotus in other films but the idea of an invisible car is so stupid. that contraption poses a danger to itself and all other vehicles. The technology does not exist and now we are getting into the realm of Science Fiction and there is no place for it in Bond's world. Star Trek or Battlestar Galectica maybe but not in Bond's world. WTF was up with Graves' dream mask? That was just as stupid as the friggin car. The virtual reality glasses ..... it just got worst and worst. 0
Supporting Cast Dench is in top form. Mike Madsen is cool, Cleese is annoying, Samantha Bond...I never cared for her Moneypenny and good riddance to her. The supporting villains are good, Rick Yune especially. 4.0
Overall: 22 or 2.2
There was a time when it occurred to EON that thanks to the many imitators, they feared that Bond was in danger of imitating the imitators. To watch DAD reminded me of that time when the market place was full of Bond imitators. DAD not only imitates some of the worst but it takes it to new lows.
TWINE looked like a shadow of Bond greatness, but DAD stooped to being a parody of the Bond legacy. The writing was crap, the action not thought out and for the most part the film insulted our intelligence. This is a bad movie and I find it as unwatchable as MR.
Gene therapy turns Asians into Caucasians...yeah right. Invisible car...bullshit.
I was always amazed at how Brosnan seemed to get better but his films progressively got worst after GE until they became a parody of themselves.
Go Baltimore! Just kidding ;)
DAD was an excellent example of Bond spoofing both Bond and others that you mentioned. MR was another. Like I just said elsewhere, there's a boundary where Bond films should and should not go that most fans generally accept. There are actually some people out there who can embrace this film as opposed to an QOS (some would also throw LTK into that category), and others like myself the opposite. I thought DAD overstepped those boundaries to the largest degree since MR and actually went past that. Since I was able to really study and break down the film in different categories past my subjective view that I simply hated most of it and found it very un-Bondian in it's profound lack of originality, I have a better understanding of exactly why I found it to be the worst of the 23 films and can say that now without any doubt or hesitation.
Gadgets? Well I agree with Sir Roger, the invisible car along with all the CGI they needed to use went too far. And they were too heavy handed with the antique room of old Q gadgets. That scene could have been much better scripted to advance Cleese as the new Q, but wound up a joke like most of the film. Icarus was the most underwhelming villain gadget ever, producing immediate yawns on my part. The Blofeld space laser was one weapon we didn't need to revisit or update, it wasn't even very good then, this time they just made it look more serious.
The dream mask and the whole gene therapy was a horrible idea I neglected to mention, that was just awful. But there's a hidden blessing. EON realized between this and TWINE that P&W needed someone objective to join them for quality control, left on their own to their own devices had been proven to be both unwise and risky.
I hated Madsen here and just don't like him as an actor in general. Too heavy handed like most everyone else. Sister Ginny he is not, she runs circles around him. Housecleaning that included Brosnan, Cleese, and Sam Bond was painfully obvious by this point as this direction in character wasn't working for longtime fans as well as critics. Some may choose to defend them, I'm just not one of those. And 10 years later with a new support cast that is working out right from the get-go, this dark period is thankfully behind us and the future looks as bright as it has been since the Dalton days, as I find myself looking forward to the next installment a whole lot more.
As for the TB Aston Martin with the water jets, we all know that in order for the car to have that much water the tanks would have to be bigger than the car, but thanks to Connery we were sold on it. Moore's Lotus in TSWLM is silly but in a fun way and they were able to sell that gadget but the invisible car was just too much.
I can't stop talking or thinking about how STUPID that was.
forgive me fellow fans....
One more comment if I'm not too far off the reservation here. I never cared for Samantha Bond as Moneypenny. I recently saw her in that PBS series Downton Abby and she has not aged well. She looks really old.
You'll find me on the same reservation on this one bro. Like I said, it wasn't Samantha herself, I hated this version and would have said good riddance to whoever was playing this alien they were calling Moneypenny. Naomie Harris is such an improvement, I recognize her character and she's now firmly my 2nd favorite as it doesn't take much to beat what we got 1987-2002.
Personally I never accepted anyone else as MP other then Lois (up until SF). MP in the books certainly flirts with Bond, but keeps it very professional. Lois added some warmth and humour to that. She was the ultimate MP, and up until Eve, there hasn't been anyone getting close. I don't even remember the name of Timothy's MP, she's that forgettable, as is, I'm afraid, Samantha.
1. Goldfinger- 4.23
2. From Russia With Love- 4.20
3. The Living Daylights- 4.12
4. Thunderball- 4.10
5. Licence To Kill- 4.06
6. The Spy Who Loved Me- 4.05
7. On Her Majesty's Secret Service- 4.00
8. You Only Live Twice- 3.92
9. For Your Eyes Only- 3.90
10. Live And Let Die- 3.83
11. Octopussy- 3.73
12. GoldenEye (5/6 reviews)- 3.68
13. Dr. No- 3.62
14. Tomorrow Never Dies- (4/6 reviews)- 3.43
15. A View To A Kill- 3.28
16. The Man With The Golden Gun- 3.13
17. Diamonds Are Forever- 3.02
18. Moonraker- 2.97
Only one review other than the expected public flogging of DAD that has begun in earnest. To follow is the weekly list of the last 4 films I've posted and who still owes a review. OHMSS69, you can put the knife away now ;)
GOLDENEYE- No vote from Kerim
TOMORROW NEVER DIES- No votes from 4Ever Bonded and Kerim
THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH- No votes from Nic, Lancaster, 4Ever Bonded, and Kerim
DIE ANOTHER DAY- No votes from Nic, Lancaster, 4Ever Bonded, and Kerim
Reviews have continued to be slow in coming as several of us are struggling with demands of work and life, and Kerim is still M.I.A. So I think it will be good to sit back this weekend, let some more come in, and see how it looks next weekend. All 4 Brosnan films have been presented so there is at least 2 more films for the majority to review. Have a great weekend everyone, we in the Northeast have a large nor'easter on the way in and are expecting to be shoveling a good amount of snow.
I see your point on this one, that's how it's written on the surface. This is a scene though that, past the enjoyment of the actual fight, you are to look at from a psychological standpoint. Here Bond is doing what he's supposed to do, what he's always done, being a "provocateur". He mentions this in the SF role play. He's trying to push Graves' buttons, knowing already there is a connection between him, the source of his diamonds, and possibly Colonel Moon. Graves, of course Moon, relishes a chance to even the score a little bit after Bond had bested him in North Korea, because his huge ego demands he needs do something about that. When you look at it this way, it's not pointless any longer and why I and many others here point at it as one of the best scenes.
I actually think the sword fight is one of the few things I enjoy in DAD, or perhaps the only one.
The day I watched DAD at the cinema we had some family problem, I don't exactly recall what, but it made us get to the theater slightly late and miss the CGI surfing. The rest of PTS seemed OK to me so I thought at least that part of the film didn't look too bad (like MR). Little did I know when I watched the VHS once it came out (it seems so long ago) that I'd be cringing literally from beginning to end :-S
Jinx's murder of the doctor at the clinic, Kil's death was brutal and then our heroes have to go and mutilate his corpse? Zao and Graves deaths were also "over the top" violent.
I'm enjoying this aspect more than the movie. Let's see who can go lower :))
I could see your point here. For me, by the time this Graves gadget got introduced, the movie had already gotten on a track to nowhere and other places Bond should not go when I first watched it. At that point the only thing I cared about was when it was going to mercifully end, and how quickly I could get to a bar for a few stiff drinks. Plus hopefully avoid anyone seeing me coming out of the film. I was not good company for at least a week afterwards.
The World Is Not Enough
BOND- 3.Brosnan being Bond, not quite as good a performance as TND, but okay, though he does have some bad lines, especially at the end, but worse was to come…
WOMEN- 4. Sophie Marceau as Elektra King is stunning, formidable, beautiful and sexy, another classy French girl, Dr Molly Warmflash (got to be one of the worst Bond girl names. Ever.) and the much maligned Dr Christmas Jones make for a great set of Bond girls. Just a note about Denise Richards I have no problem with a nuclear scientist looking like this - in Britain we have a mathematician and tv personality called Carol Vorderman, who is in her early fifties and is one of the hottest women around, so I can totally buy Miss Richards who is easy on the eye, not the greatest actress but then I much prefer her to Brit Ekland - each to their own!
But most of that score goes to Sophie, I thought she was a great foil for Brosnan and a damn fine actress.
VILLAINS- 3.Now here I'm in a bit of a quandary, Elektra is a great villain, but for half the film the main villain is Renard, played by Robert Carlyle. And this is my problem, Carlyle is a great actor and on-one does a pyscho as well, he doesn't have the physical presence to match Brosnan so I was expecting a real mean, sociopath. But he seems to down play the role a big disappointment. A couple of below par henchmen, Goldie and Gabor.
HUMOR- 3. Mmm, some dodgy lines (though nothing compared to what was to come) the worst being the Christmas line at the end. Generally okay but nothing to good. My favourite line also comes from my favourite part of the film, I love the 'see you back at the lodge' line and Pierce's reaction as the parahawk sprout another parachute!
ACTION-4. Apart from DK's title sequence (he always delivers the goods!), this is the best part of the film. A lot of people have mentioned the PTS boat chase as a high point. And it is. But it wasn't conceived as a PTS, originally the PTS ended after Bond escaped from the banker's office (personally I would have loved if it had remained as that) and the boat sequence would be the first action beat of the film proper - and it was a slightly longer sequence, but had to be shortened to fit the PTS. A great set piece at Valentin's caviar factory, but my favourite action is the skiing scene. This looks great in high-def and really is one of the most Bondian moments in the film and I love the parahawks and Elektra's reaction when she thinks her and Bond are trapped in the avalanche. I think this is the point in the film where Bond actually falls for Elektra.
SADISM- 3. Nothing too sadistic here. Which is a surprise when you consider Robert Carlyle is a villain, it is actually Elektra who has a 'nice' sadistic bent and quite enjoys torturing Bond
MUSIC-4. Another serviceable score from Mr Arnold that serves the film well.
LOCATIONS-4. A nice set of locations, and one slightly bizarre, the oilfields - though it does serve the plot - the boat chase down the Thames is great and nice to see Turkey as a location again.
GADGETS- 4. A tricked up BMW (still can't accept Bond in an Beemer), a new Omega watch, x-ray specs (nice sequence!) and the Q-boat (what kind of fishing was Q going to do? - and why did he take it all the way to Scotland to repair it?) provide the film with some nice gadgets.
SUPPORTING CAST- 3. All the usual suspects, Dench, Llewelyn, Bond (still don't like the Bond/Moneypenny relationship), plus John Cleese as R! Desmond is given some odd lines to say before he disappears from view, but worse is Cleese. I like Cleese, but not as R or Q. I can't believe him, he's just Basil Fawlty to me and those people who posted that he should be Q in the Craig films are just way of base. Thankfully his tenure was just the two films.
OVERALL SCORE AND RECOLLECTIONS- 37. Now I know a lot of people don't like TWINE, and others still think it is one of the best. I think this is my guilty pleasure of a Bond film. I can forgive it its flaws and just enjoy watching it. Sophie Marceau is gorgeous and one of the sexiest Bond girls. I can remember seeing this in the cinema and coming out looking forward to Brosnan's next film. And compared to the next film, this is a bloody classic! Some of the dialogue makes me cringe and I could do without Cleese.
I find Renard lacking and the fight at the end less than spectacular but overall not too bad. I enjoy the scenes with Robbie Coltrane and at the time was surprised that they killed off his character but as a re-boot was coming it was probably a good exit for the big man.
An excellent review, but in this case our normally mutual views don't quite coincide. As far as Brosnan, while TND to me is his definitive Bond performance, I think he's a bit better in DAD. The simpler the script, the better Pierce was if TWINE was any indicator. I think a Dalton or Craig would have done better with the ambitious nature of this script due to having better acting chops.
Naturally we agree on Sophie but I think I'd take Britt Ekland over Richards any day in the acting department, at least based on other roles I've seen them in. Both annoy the hell out of me as far as their Bond characters so it's pretty much a wash.
In conclusion, while TWINE is certainly a better film than DAD, I've liked it less and less over the years. There was a lot of unrealized potential as far as serious subject matter that somehow got wasted. I love a good psychological thriller that makes me think and unlike TLD which accomplished that, this one came apart at the seams in giving King's deception away way too soon during the first fight with Renard.
BOND-
Carrying an injury for much of this film Bond is torn between love and duty. As usual with Brosnan’s Bond he has a habit of diving into danger (quite literally on one or two occasions) and shooting his way indiscriminately out of it. …
Whether due to encouragement from director Michael Apted or not, Brosnan gives a mannered performance full of theatrical tricks that simply don’t hold together. Occassionally (when taking on the identity of a Russian scientist for example) the light hearted side of Brosnan comes out and it suits him much better than the thoughtful, measured performance he gives when teamed with Sophie Marceau
3/5
WOMEN-
Dr Christmas Jones, a Lara Croft like nuclear scientist……yeah ok!
Molly Warmflash, a minxy medical doctor…….yeah ok!
Cigar Girl who counts as a villain I suppose.
And the beautiful Electra King who steals the honours as the tragic heroine turned villain who apparently steals Bond’s heart (I say apparently because it’s hard to tell as the script somehow fails to properly convey it).
3/5
•
VILLAINS
Renard who has an interesting back story that somehow fails to materialise as a decent plot line. I feel a bigger and more commanding actor would have been more convincing as the terrorist who turns the head of a beautiful heiress. Instead we have Robert Carlyle.
His henchmen including Mr Bullion simply don’t fulfil the requirements of great Bond villains.
Davidov the head of security lacks spark.
Once again it’s Electra who commands centre stage. Even in that red dress though I can’t offer additional points.
2/5
HUMOR-
It’s hard to remember any moment where I chuckled away at this one. As usual the Bond/Q scene fails, although not as badly as it has in more recent times. John Cleese, a seasoned comic manages to give us a bit of Basil which is nice. And just as in GoldenEye all the best laughs are earned by the splendid Robbie Coltraine.
However, well done to Pierce for a perfectly weighted and delivered, if slightly obvious line..
Jones: I gotta get it back, or someone's gonna have my ass.
Bond: First things first
2/5
ACTION-
One of the areas where the film falls over is the action. The PTS is great fun from start to finish, but nothing else comes close. The action is flat, uninspired and deadly dull.
The parahawks scene doesn't create any sense of danger, most of the other big set peices offer little that is new. The climax is..anti-climatic.
2.5/5
SADISM-
With a villain who feels no pain the possibilities seem endless. He gives us a taster with the scolding rocks, but after that we get no real suggestion of sadism apart from Electra’s rack. And it’s the rack that wins the points.
3/5
MUSIC-
I quite like the score, and I think the title song is one of the most enjoyable for many years.
3.5/5
LOCATIONS- Bilbao, London, Scotland, Azerbaijan, Istanbul.
Chocker full of very good locations, nicely photographed. It doesn’t feel like a deliberate globe hopping adventure (as say Moonraker does), but it all falls in to place within the structure of the film.
And the Millenium Done received pride of place at the start of the film which was a nice touch.
4/5
GADGETS-
A well stocked BMW, and even better stocked Q boat, xray specs, inflatable coat, a wrist watch concealing a wire, helicopters with circular saws. Amongst other things.
Top notch really
5/5
SUPPORTING CAST-
M has a bigger role which is nice. We also have all the rest of Brosnan’s supporting cast - Moneypenny, Q, R, Tanner and Robinson – all scuttling around a Scottish castle. Bless.
And best of all Zukovsky, stealing every scene he is in.
4/5
OVERALL SCORE AND RECOLLECTIONS- 32/50
It’s hard to find much to say about this one that doesn’t incorporate adjectives like ‘drab’ and ‘uninspired’. One of my biggest u-turns was when I first watched the film I was overawed by PB’s performance. I thought he commanded the film and truly led from the front. Within a few years I realised it was a slight exaggeration and indeed PB with his waving arms and Shakespearean speech patterns was simply offering his own version of great film acting.
Probably more than any other film TWINE sunk in my estimation quite dramatically.
Robbie Coltraine, Sophie Marceau and the soon to depart Desmond Llewellyn were the stars of the film. We could only hope for something better when the 40th anniversary came along........
1. Goldfinger- 4.23
2. From Russia With Love- 4.20
3. The Living Daylights- 4.12
4. Thunderball- 4.10
5. Licence To Kill- 4.06
6. The Spy Who Loved Me- 4.05
7. On Her Majesty's Secret Service- 4.00
8. You Only Live Twice- 3.92
9. For Your Eyes Only- 3.90
10. Live And Let Die- 3.83
11. Octopussy- 3.73
12. GoldenEye (5/6 reviews)- 3.68
13. Dr. No- 3.62
14. Tomorrow Never Dies (4/6 reviews)- 3.43
15. A View To A Kill- 3.28
16. The Man With The Golden Gun- 3.13
17. The World Is Not Enough (4/6 reviews)- 3.10
18. Diamonds Are Forever- 3.02
19. Moonraker- 2.97
Some nice reviews by Lancaster and Nic helped put TWINE on the board this week, good to see continued progress. To follow is the weekly list of the last 4 films I've posted and who still owes a review. Hopefully 4Ever will manage to get another review or two up this weekend, still no word from Kerim other than to say I hope he is OK and that he knows we are worried about him.
GOLDENEYE- No vote from Kerim
TOMORROW NEVER DIES- No votes from 4EverBonded and Kerim
THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH- No votes from 4EverBonded and Kerim
DIE ANOTHER DAY- No votes from Nic, Lancaster, 4EverBonded, and Kerim
As Vesper would say, "It was time" and I think it is the time to launch the Craig era. So tomorrow, I will review and release the 21st James Bond screen adventure, properly filmed this time and not to be mistaken for it's satirical predecessor, "Casino Royale". Have a great weekend everyone and be safe :)
Die Another Day
BOND- 3. Another Bronsnan Bond. Nothing too good, but then he is poorly served by a script that would make even the Carry On team blush.
WOMEN- 4. And that goes to Miranda Frost (yeah I know she ends up being a baddie - but Bond does bed her and until more than half-way through we don't know she's a double). As for Jinx, oh dear, a poor character (can the producers really have been thinking about a spin off series - the horror, the horror), with poor dialogue (are you always this frisky?) and the hideous attempt at recreating UA emerging from the surf, oh dear. Any scene with Jinx and Jinx & Bond in are cringe worthy.
VILLAINS- 2. Now Moon is quite good, especially in dealing with his anger manager, but when he morphs into the sneering, pantomime villain of Gustav Graves it just becomes a groan fest, stupid names (Mr Kil) and henchmen with tricked up cars just let this film down. Although I did like the idea of the diamond studded face of Zao.
HUMOR- 1. An utter groan fest from beginning to end. I though AVTAK was in danger of being named Carry On James, but this surpasses even that. Juvenile dialogue that I think I would have found embarrassing as a teenager! Oh and the last scene, oh God what utter shite for Pierce to end his tenure. Just bloody awful.
[/b]ACTION-2. Plenty of action, but all fairly lacklustre, big explosions and lots of gunfire (Brosnans Bonds suffered from this), even the PTS is over the top (though I did like the 'saved by the bell' - which compared to the rest of the dialogue is pure Oscar Wilde!
The awful 'ramping' technique also gets on my tits, but not quite as much as the shaky camera and fast editing of QoS.
SADISM- 2. Probably the most sadistic part about this film is watching it!
MUSIC-4. Once again DA gives us a Bondian score that is so much more than this bloody awful offering deserves. I suppose I could have taken that score down to 3 for Madonna's insipid title song. Good God, and some people actually bought it!
LOCATIONS-3. Spain stands in for Cuba, the Eden Project biomes become a diamond mind in Greenland (or is it Iceland, by now I don't really care). Average.
GADGETS- 3. I suppose this should score higher as there are a shed-load of gadgets, but again it's overkill. When a henchman has a car that just as fully (and quite impossibly) tricked up as 007 then things are getting too daft. Invisible car, I think at that point I gave up any hope of this film redeeming itself.
SUPPORTING CAST- 2. In some films this can be a saving factor, but not this time. Cleese is just wrong as Q, Moneypenny, Michael Masden…
OVERALL SCORE AND RECOLLECTIONS- 24. The least liked Bond film (along with Moonraker) because it goes too far from what Bond should be! Although both those films mentioned made huge amounts of money, at least the producers stood back and said 'we've gone too far - lets get back down to earth'. DAD tries to tick all the boxes (as did Moonraker) but tries too hard. There is so much wrong with this film, Jinx, juvenile dialogue, OTT action with too many explosions and bullets. A lot of people mention the poor CGI used during the parasurfing sequence, but I don't see any difference between this and the piss-poor rear-projection used in most of the 60s films (especially YOLT), it is just another part of the film-makers arsenal in making the film. Yes, it's bad, and when then stunt couldn't be done for real then the producers should have worked the story a different way. No what really irks (nice word) me about this film is the awful shoe-horning in of reference to previous Bonds. The scene in Q's lab is just dire, and my most hated scene is the Moneypenny virtual love scene. Bloody awful and should never have got passed the ideas stage. Go back and have a look at Connery/Maxwell in FRWL to see how it's done.
Apart from the DA's music and DK masterly title sequence the only other saving grace for this film is Miranda Frost, a stunning girl who deserved better - at the end she should have killed Jinx (yes!) revealed herself to be a triple agent and got to bed Bond a second time! I could also have done without Madonna's cameo - terrible. My skin crawls when watching this scene.
I remember leaving the cinema, embarrassed and really not knowing what the next film could be. I though Brosnan deserved something better than this and hopefully his fifth (and possibly last) Bond film would return to something akin to TND. A very low point for this Bond fan.
On a good note to end though, the original DVD release of this film had excellent video and sound quality, almost a benchmark disc. Oh and a young fella who was in the excellent tv drama Our Friends In The North waiting in the wings…
The year is 2004. Despite the box office success of Pierce Brosnan and his 4 movies, upon the long desired acquisition of the rights to film Ian Fleming's first novel, Casino Royale, the producers decide they want a younger lead actor and a change in tone and direction similar in many ways to what happened in 1987. With his contractual obligations now fulfilled, Brosnan very reluctantly realizes that his tenure is over and officially confirms this in February 2005. The producers next make a very gutsy decision to go against the usual template of how Bond should look and after extended negotiations, they announce in October 2005 that English actor Daniel Craig will be the 6th and newest James Bond, based on both his acting ability and Barbara Broccoli's strong belief that he is the right man for the job. The decision receives a generally poor response from the media and a fair share of long time fans, the latter of whom especially feel Craig's blondish hair and general appearance don't fit the tall, dark, handsome, sophisticated image of the previous Bond actors, and launch protests that include negative press articles and websites dedicated to smear campaigns of Craig and the producers, as well as calling for boycotts of future Bond films until another actor is chosen. The storyline as mentioned below, is largely taken from Fleming's original novel and concentrates on the newly promoted 00 James Bond following a trail that leads him to LeChiffre, then an agent of the Russian SMERSH spy group but now part of a mysterious new organization of modern times. With the help of Vesper Lynd, then the personal assistant for the head of Section S (Soviet Union) and here a British Treasury agent assigned to monitor Bond and investment money, and an experienced field agent named Rene Mathis there to help the still inexperienced Bond, M assigns Bond to play LeChiffre in a high stakes poker game in Montenegro after the villain has lost a considerable sum of money gambling on the stock market, in order to bankrupt and turn him against his organization.
Usual writers Purvis and Wade are joined by Paul Haggis and begin working on the screenplay in 2004, with the aim of following Fleming's 1953 novel as closely as possible, thus returning Bond to a darker character more reminiscent of Connery and Dalton as opposed to Moore and Brosnan. Despite public statements from popular director Quentin Tarantino that he'd like to create a black and white "film noir" of the film with Brosnan in the lead, the producers ask GoldenEye director Martin Campbell to return and direct the latest incarnation based on his 1995 effort.
Principal photography for the 21st installment began on January 3rd, 2006 with primary filming occuring at Barrandov Studios in the capital of the Czech Republic, Prague. Additional location shoot sites are in the Bahamas, Venice and other parts of Italy, and England. Ten days after the production wrapped 7 months later on July 20th, 2006, the 007 stage at Pinewood again catches fire and while repairable, the stage is again entirely rebuilt for future adventures. Budgeted for $150 million US, the film is released to three different theaters in London on November 14th, 2006 and would go on to easily break all prior Bond records for attendance and box office receipts, earning to date $599 million worldwide. Many of the early media critics quickly came around with mostly very positive reviews and rightfully hailed the film as one of the best ever in the storied history of the franchise, as did many fans who ultimately decided to judge Craig as Bond for themselves and not based on appearance nor the opinion of others, proving the producers decision to hire Craig to be the right one as well as launching Craig into international stardom.
THE CAST-
- Daniel Craig as James Bond
- Eva Green as Vesper Lynd
- Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre
- Giancarlo Giannini as René Mathis
- Simon Abkarian as Alex Dimitrios
- Caterina Murino as Solange Dimitrios
- Ivana Milicevic as Valenka
- Isaac de Bankolé as Steven Obanno
- Jesper Christensen as Mr. White
- Judi Dench as M
- Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter
- Sébastien Foucan as Mollaka
- Tobias Menzies as Villiers
- Ludger Pistor as Mr. Mendel
- Claudio Santamaria as Carlos
BOND- The film curiously opens up in the black and white film noir style suggested by Tarantino as we first see our new Bond in the office of Czech section head Mr. Dryden, ready to earn his double O status by killing him for selling state secrets after first assassinating Dryden's contact. It makes sense as the novel is the source story that precedes Connery's 1962 cinematic debut of the character who had earned his status, but the cold brutality of this kill is eerily similar in tone to Connery's then rubout of Professor Dent before the title sequence explodes the remainder of the film into vivid color. We are reminded often during the movie that this new Bond is a killing machine who seems to enjoy it more than the portrayals of Moore and Brosnan, whose Bonds tended to see the act as a regrettable but necessary aspect of their position. Like Connery and Dalton, there's little to no regret on this score. This is a Bond who is new to his job, rough around the edges and far from the polished product we've come to expect, but he already has the skills of seduction that made the character the envy of men everywhere, and along the way we see his tastes in fine clothing, hotels, cars, and women slowly morphing him closer to the ideal. Most importantly of all, Bond learns that his job is full of deception and that knowing who to trust can mean the difference between life, love, and death in a business where only the strong survive. Craig's wide range of acting talent is showcased here as we see Bond flushed with true love, deeply angered by betrayal, and profoundly heartbroken all in the last 15 minutes of the film. His last scene with Mr. White with the Bond theme slowly rising in the background, introducing himself, just reeks with greatness and still puts a huge smile on my face every time. Considering I was one of those who initially rejected Craig's hire I freely admit here that I was dead wrong about Craig, a powerful and impressive debut all the way around, and one that ranks with Connery and Dalton's for "wow factor"- 4.5/5
WOMEN- French actress Eva Green plays the part of Bond's first true love, Vesper Lynd, a rich character that is complex and full of nuances. On one hand she is a Treasury agent trying to manage millions in British money Bond has been authorized to gamble with, but unknown to MI6 and the Treasury, she is secretly being blackmailed by a criminal organization (later identified as "QUANTUM" in the sequel) who has kidnapped and is holding her love interest (also later identified in the sequel as Yusef Kabira) hostage in exchange for her cooperation in making sure the group gets their money. On the other hand, she is dealing with Bond and both are falling in love with the other with each passing moment. The chemistry between Craig and Green is as palpable as any we've seen in the series, and Green is fantastic in bringing the wide range of emotions her character is experiencing to a high level of believability. Not to mention Green is also a very, very beautiful woman and one of the finest Bond women to ever grace the screen. Next up is mega hot Sardinian actress Caterina Murino as Solange Dimitrios, the wife of an independent villain working to help LeChiffre pull off an act of terror. Bond seduces her but before he can shag her he has to chase after her husband and she later becomes the sacrificial lamb. Her scene with Bond on the floor in that red dress, getting a little carpet burn, sweet tap dancing Oddjob I am still in mad lust with this ravishing woman! Other lovelies such as English actress Christina Cole as the flirtatious receptionist at the Ocean Club, and the stunning Brazilian Alessandra Ambrosio as a tennis player, may escape Bond's arms but don't escape notice and add to this category. All mentioned are gorgeous and can also act, you simply cannot do any better than the cast assembled here, top marks- 5/5
VILLAINS- Another excellent cast that only makes the film stronger. The main character LeChiffre, portrayed by Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, is a financial and mathematical wizard who finances terror and makes legitimate investments and/or launders money for those of similar ilk. He's also an agent of QUANTUM and when Bond foils his plan to blow up a prototype aircraft, he is forced to use his math skills to win back his losses in the previously mentioned poker game or face the deadly wrath of his organization and clients. Like all classic villains, he has a physical deformity that causes him to literally weep blood at odd intervals. He is quietly sinister yet has an air of cockiness about him, but he can be sadistically brutal and Mikkelsen's portrayal is deep on many levels. I simply cannot understand those who think he is a weak villain, any man willing to let his woman get herself maimed or worse while not offering a word of protest is extremely cold hearted. His girlfriend Valenka, played by Bosnian actress Ivana Milicevic, is also effective although she only speaks two words. Next there's French/Armenian actor Simon Abkarian as Alex Dimitrios, Solange's husband and sort of a "talent agent" for assorted criminal scumbags who is hired by LeChiffre to find a bombmaker willing to perform an act of terror. Then we have African actor Isaach de Bankolé as Steven Obanno, the leader of the "Lord's Resistance Movement" (a real life militant religious movement cult operating in Africa), as a disgruntled client of LeChiffre's who lost his money when Bond broke up the bomb plot. You'd be hard pressed to find any Bond villain major or minor as evil as this guy is, as vicious as they come. Finally, another Dane in Jesper Christensen appears as Mr. White, a ranking member of QUANTUM who first introduces Obanno to LeChiffre but who lurks in the shadows and is obviously supervising QUANTUM's interest in the operation. Another great cast whose propensity for violence and mayhem ranks very highly in the series- 5/5
HUMOR- Even with the violent and serious tone, an understated sense of humor reminiscent to me of both Connery and Dalton films does find it's way into the story. We see it in the seduction of Solange, the budding relationship between Bond and Lynd including the hilarious "Stephanie Broadchest" remark and his line after she rescues him, the "last hand" quip during the poker game, those between Bond and Mathis especially when Mathis helps the police find the dead Obanno and his henchman "being dead doesn't mean one can't still be helpful", and the awesome "now the whole world's going to know that you died scratching my balls" during the torture sequence. It provides a good contrast and is mostly well done in a manner I appreciated- 4/5
ACTION- Lots of it and mostly great. A short but brutal bathroom brawl where Bond makes his first official kill is followed by his innovative edge of your seat chase of Parkour/freerunning inventor Sébastien Foucan that puts him on the trail of Dimitrios and LeChiffre. The stunts Foucan does are amazing. A wild shootout at the Nambutu embassy gets a bit much like Brosnan's era with all the bullets (although Mollaka does get hit as Bond uses him for a human shield) but then there's the thrilling Miami airport chase. After all this, the action backs down short of the Obanno stairwell fight and the sinking house finale in Venice, and the film takes on the tense feel of an old time spy thriller much of 2nd half that balances out the first half and shows Bond is starting to use his brain as much as his brawn. Venice is probably my least favorite action sequence as I do find the sinking house to be a bit unwieldy, but I still like it better than the original pill suicide of Lynd which I felt did need some updating and pizazz. A few changes to Venice and the stairwell fight could have made this perfect, but so much of it is very original and well executed that it's hard to reasonably dismiss all of it based on one somewhat far fetched idea- 4.5/5
SADISM- A lot of it in this adventure, on top of the list is LeChiffre's torture of Bond that is often heavily edited for free TV. The beating of Bond's testicles, with LeChiffre preparing to cut off Bond's private parts with a knife and make him eat them, makes me shiver as a man. Obanno shows how sick he is when he orders Valenka to extend her arm to be cut off by his sword, or her head if she doesn't. This man has zero regard for suffering. Valenka enjoys nearly poisoning Bond to death and that also shows sadism. Bond gets into the act as well with his strangulation of Obanno. The nail gun shot to the eye of QUANTUM agent Gettler (very underused here by novel standards) is also purposely sadistic- 4.5/5
MUSIC- This one starts with the title song "You Know My Name". This collaboration between Arnold and one of the best male rock singers out there, Soundgarden legend Chris Cornell, is easily the best title song since 1985 and only truly rivaled by "Surrender" as a post-Barry classic. The song is very versatile and is used in a variety of ways that in tone and sound make it classic work. Next up are some long action pieces starting with "African Rundown", which is heard during the Parkour chase. The drums give a location feel with the title song splashed in making it one of Arnold's better bits as after nearly 7 minutes it doesn't lose me. I cannot say the same for "Miami International" and many people have a problem with this song that I can relate to as a musician. It's very difficult for any composer short of a classical master to write a near 13 minute piece and keep things from getting redundant and average. Most composers would have elected to try and break this long action sequence up into smaller pieces rather than attempt something this ambitious, so I give Arnold some credit for at least having the guts to try even if it fails to impress. My favorite action piece is "The Switch/Fall Of A House In Venice" and I feel it's Arnold's best effort since TND. It really conveys the urgency Bond feels realizing Vesper has double crossed everyone and him following her to see what exactly she's up to. Other assorted pieces such as "CCTV" are good, solid spy music and the 3rd of the casino "trio" in "Bond Wins It All" stands out and brings the big poker sequence to a nice conclusion. His use of the Bond and title theme are just so well done throughout. A variety of romance pieces are where Arnold outdoes himself and where the effort reaches the levels of the title song. "Solange/Trip Aces" could have been combined into one piece, the former convincingly conveys the great beauty that Bond sees when he first spies Solange. The latter continues the Solange theme with some YKMN notes and a little of the Bond theme. "I'm The Money/Aston Montenegro" is another duo that could have been combined, here we get the title theme combined with lush strings that are both Barryesque and Bondian. "Dinner Jackets" is the first introduction of the Vesper theme, bits of the title song, yet playful. Then we go to a level not seen since Barry sat in the composer's chair. "Vesper" features simple piano notes in the upper register and strings while becoming a hauntingly beautiful and instantly memorable piece. Later when the Vesper theme expands into full orchestration in "City Of Lovers", it is revealed to be a masterpiece that, yes I said it, rivals any romantic piece Barry has written either for a Bond or non-Bond film. Like Barry's Oscar winning pieces such as "Born Free" and "Dances With Wolves", or the very underrated "Somewhere In Time", this did and still moves me to tears and makes me emotionally invest every time I watch what is happening between Bond and Vesper onscreen. How can this be a failure??? I'm amazed anyone who calls themself a musician or a Barry devotee would dismiss this a "pastiche" or an inferior effort of any kind for what it brings, it's lush, multi-layered, and complex in using a variety of instruments. But for those who would be so musically ignorant to disagree with ME, I'll reveal for the first time here word for word what answer John Barry gave to a mutual friend who asked him about this very thing- "F'n beautiful stuff. Yes, the orchestration is my style but that's the sort of sound Bond fans have come to rightfully expect. The melody is quite original and I don't think I could improve what's here, just really well done". The movie concludes with "The Bitch is Dead" and and finally "The Name's Bond...James Bond" of which I love the muted, menacing brass at the beginning before the Bond theme slowly rises while Craig delivers the immortal introduction of himself, the rest launching over the end credits with the classic Vic Flick guitar. Overall the weaker qualities of Arnold's action pieces compared to TND and his next effort keep it from quite matching those, but this otherwise simply can't be beat for those who truly know Barry and the Bond sound- 4/5
LOCATIONS- Lots of contrast between the dour opening in Prague to the tropical colors of Paradise Island in the Bahamas (which double for Madagascar) and the beauty of the Ocean Club, then back to the famous Czech spa Karlovy Vary (in German known as the Karlsbad) whose exterior was used, and the Grandhotel Pupp serving as "Hotel Splendide" that doubled for Montenegro and the "Casino Royale". Venice is prominently featured more than ever before, and other Italian scenes were shot in late May and early June at the Villa del Balbianello on the shores of Lake Como as well as at properties such as the Villa la Gaeta, near the lakeside town of Menaggio. Great locations and their filming should take you there and make you want to visit, and in this aspect nothing about this movie disappoints- 5/5
GADGETS- This is the only area of the film that doesn't score highly due to a lack of them, and has a very much old school "Dr.No" feel to it in consideration of that this was intended as an origin adventure for those who have adopted that school of thought. But they are here nonetheless, and actually there's more than in 1962. It's not clear if Dimitrios or Bond had it installed, but the glove compartment of the Aston Martin contains a defibrillator kit as well as a hidden storage area much like the BMW in TND. Bond is also fitted with a hypodermic location transmitter beneath his skin. It all works for what little there is- 2.5/5
SUPPORTING CAST- Bond's two allies stand out here and are a huge part for me in what makes the film really go. First up is world famous Academy Award nominated actor Giancarlo Giannini as Rene Mathis, who is Bond's MI6 contact in Montenegro and a veteran spy who knows the game of international espionage much better than Bond. The chemistry between Craig and Giannini is highly apparent and often both genial and relaxed, with Mathis often showing his experience and resourcefulness while teaching Bond the tricks of the trade. We also have, after 17 years and a substitute of sorts in Jack Wade, the return of Felix Leiter in the form of American Jeffrey Wright. After Bernie Casey's portrayal of a black Leiter in the abortive and unofficial 1983 remake of Thunderball, I wasn't sure this was the way to go and initially rejected this much like the idea of Craig as Bond. Over a longer period of adjustment, I discovered I was wrong about this hire too. Wright pulls the role off very well with the same type of swagger and competence Jack Lord first brought, he has excellent chemistry with Craig and now I look forward with hope to him returning in 2014. Q and Moneypenny were not recast for this origin adventure and do not appear, and quite frankly since I did not miss the prior actors, I appreciated the freshness of the idea in this context. Who does provide a link to prior adventures is Judi Dench in her 5th appearance as M, and it's a big change from the M who dealt with Brosnan's experienced agent she once referred to as a "sexist, misogynist dinosaur and relic of the Cold War". For the rookie Bond of this and the sequel, their relationship is one of mentor/student where she closely monitors his progress and often wonders if she made the right decision in promoting him to double 0 status, because he hasn't grasped the idea that capturing a suspect is preferable to killing them amongst his often rash and impetuous actions. In the end she manages to reinforce the most important lesson regarding who to trust upon him, and conveys her character's thoughts and emotions in ways much missed in Brosnan's last two films due to poor direction and scripts that mostly didn't fit in a professional sense. Sébastien Foucan fits in here as the bombmaking Mollaka as do the minor roles of Villiers, German Ludger Pistor as Swiss banker Mr. Mendel, Italian actor Claudio Santamaria as Mollaka's replacement Carlos, Bond's opponents at the card table such as Mr. Fukutu, lots of assorted QUANTUM goons such as Gettler, and finally if you blink too much you'll miss Tsai Chin, who gave Bond "very best duck" as Bond's Hong Kong girl Ling in "You Only Live Twice", here as the poker player on LeChiffre's yacht as well as at the Casino Royale table. Every part is done to perfection and even the non-speaking roles are important to the story- 5/5
OVERALL SCORE AND RECOLLECTIONS- After reaching the lowest point in my Bond fandom following DAD and the announcement of Craig as the newest Bond, I'll forever remember and be forced to eat my words on opening night just as long- "NOOOOOOO! I don't want a blond Bond...can't I wait for the DVD???" With my brother and my wife reminding me that Roger Moore had brown hair, and that my excuse was a silly reason to not give the new guy a chance and break the family tradition, along I was dragged to see Daniel Craig's debut. MAN WAS I WRONG! I walked out of the theater with the same particularly huge smile on my face that I hadn't had since the Dalton era, and saw it 2 more times afterwards which I hadn't done since 1989, and that is extra special for me when that happens. This movie crosses the line from just being a great Bond movie to being a great movie period that gets the most out of every actor, and one that created a whole new generation of enthusiastic Bond fans. Still my 2nd favorite of the 23 films and one I enjoy watching over and over with pleasure, it scores 44 out of 50 points for an average of 4.4
So far, we've got two 26's and a 27 from OHMSS on this film, pretty much guaranteeing the #23 spot.
Wow what an exhaustive review of Casino Royale - what else is there for the rest of us to write?
I'm surprised you were against DC. I remember on the old forums when one chap was going to boycott CR because to him only PB was James Bond and until the producers got him back he would not see Bond in the cinema. I replied that he really ought to see the film when it came out because I had a feeling it could be a good one. And a bloody good one it turned out to be!
I was one of those who was also shocked at Craig's casting and thought "What were they thinking?". After hearing a lot of good things about his acting ability I thought, well, okay, maybe we'll get another Dalton situation where a good actor only makes one or two films because the public doesn't accept him. Boy was I wrong. If someone would have told me that one of Craig's films would beat TB to become the biggest Bond of all time I'd have thought that they were the heroin addict!
CR is now my #1 Bond film, both as favourite and "best". I mean really, every single aspect of the film is as good or even better than every film that has preceded it (OHMSS and FRWL alternated as my #1 prior to CR). A huge part of that is Craig; he took an over 40 year old character and breathed new life into it and made it his own - so much so in fact that he was nominated for a BAFTA! I never would have thought I'd see such a great acting performance as James Bond in my life.
There are two quotes that I think sum up CR and Craig for me. The first was a friend who called me as he was literally walking out of the premiere - he couldn't contain his excitement. He said that it was even better than the reviews led (dared?) him to believe. He said "It's the Bond movie that you've waited your whole life for - it isn't just a great Bond movie; it's a great MOVIE movie". Others would agree as it was the most positively reviewed major studio release on RottenTomatoes.com that year.
The second quote is about Craig. One reviewer, who is the same age as myself and Daniel Craig, said "For the first time since I was a kid watching Sean Connery, I watched a Bond film and thought 'I want to BE that guy!'". I felt the same, and really, is there any higher compliment that you can give to an actor playing a character?
Yes, I was very much against Craig's hire, believe it or not. We'd just had DAD and now a blondish Bond, and I had some really serious doubts about Barb and Mike as far as their decision making based on that. I really didn't want to go see the film although the fact it was a Fleming story had me a little intrigued. I truly felt that maybe I had become a dinosaur and that the series had passed me by. Aside from a little disappointment with QOS which has lessened in time for me as I've come to grips with both it's successes and failures, it's been a great ride since 2006.
Thanks for bringing up the DAD titles sequence showing the torture. I'd forgotten that I think. One of the best parts of the film, I loved the innovation.
@ LFH- Do I ever remember that CNN report, and I bought into it hook, line, and sinker. And I'm really glad that you agree with me that CR is not simply just a great Bond movie, it's a movie that even people who aren't into Bond enjoy, and looking at all the hordes of new Bond fans who Craig brought in you can't deny it's success.
I'd only ever seen "Road To Perdition" with him prior to CR, with Dalton I'd only seen "The Doctor And The Devils", so I really didn't have much to go on. I'd looked for other films of Craig's I'd heard about such as "Munich" and "Layer Cake" but none seemed to be playing on cable at that time. The minute he rubbed out Dryden and his contact, I said "not bad, nice start". He just got better and better for me from there. Easily the best Bond film since LTK, and I don't think Skyfall topped it for me although I was otherwise mostly very pleased with it.
I can understand some folks who feel that without Q and Moneypenny, not to mention the character stripped to it's core and then rebuilt over CR and QOS, it didn't quite feel like a Bond film. But like we've said, it's a great film for it's genre with a lot of mass appeal built in, and it just works whether one sees it as an origin flashback film or a series reboot. I've felt since leaving the theater that wonderful evening that it would appeal to those who love Connery, Dalton, or OHMSS, there's a gritty and violent element to the film. I knew it would not appeal to the Moore and Brosnan types who wanted a fun loving caricature of Bond in an OTT fantasy escapist adventure. Not that some of those era films aren't mostly OK and in some cases great, but I want a Bond who I wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. A "man's man". One whose eyes tell me right away this man is more of the world weary professional assassin Fleming admired, not some foppish smiling playboy who relies more on Fleming's observation that Bond doesn't particularly enjoy killing. Of course a good Bond film should find time to mix a little pleasure into the business, and I've not been a fan of the lack of happy endings with Bond sans girl in the end, but in the Moore and Brosnan eras it almost seemed these cliches and ticking those boxes were more important than the story on the screen. And some people buy into that and prefer those films to Craig and Dalton's, which I could never agree with. Connery remains the template everyone short of Moore aspired to, and it's still very tough to capture the magic from 1962-1967, but this is one of those films that somehow manages that.
Does any of my fellow originals or our readers laugh at all during my reviews? I try to inject a little humor and sometimes think my quips are funnier than some of the dialogue.
One small observation though: It isn't Demetrios's Aston Bond gets the defebrilator from, it's his 'service' car he gets from M, the (then) new DBS ('I love you too, M'). It also contains his gun and the poison pens. I don't think Demetrios would be that prepared.