Casino Royale

[Lithium]

Just got back from the first 12:01am show.

Defiantly a new look to 007, a must see.

[Sared]

The moment I saw Daniel Craig I thought he looked like a good Bond.

[Anonymous]

You'r not the only 007 fan Lith

[Sared]

Long movie. Very long movie. Had a good wrapup though, if not a little confusing. While this is the first of the Bond books, and the beginning of his career as a 00 agent, the end with the resignation letter and whatnot might throw a few people off.

[Tbone]

Hah, yes, it was a long movie. I really had to pee for the last 45 minutes of it and I kept thinking it was going to end at any minute.

Anyway, I always love Bond movies. This being said, here are some of my nitpicks. Warning, spoilers might be ahead...

So the beginning is in black and white, as if it happened in the past, yet the movie is in the same time frame as the black and white intro. Why the need for black and white then?

I was really hoping this movie would be more about Bond becoming 007 and getting his feet wet. Instead, they took care of his 00 status before the teaser opening. After that, it was pretty much like any other Bond movie.

The teaser opening sucked. No naked women and the graphics seemed to lack much flair.

What the hell time period are we supposed to be in?? I thought it was going to be a period piece until everyone whipped out their damn text messaging. Every movie before now could potentially work with the other movies. This is the only one that simply doesn't work. Bond did not become 007 AFTER the Cold War. The current M was not M. It doesn't fit! Yes, I realize Bond would be like 80 by now, but I'm willing to accept that suspension of disbelief.

There was no Q. WTF? If you're going to break continuity everywhere else, you might as well do it with Q as well.

No car chase. As a matter of fact, there was a fake car chase. Bond sped off towards the bad guys and I leaned over and said "oh, here comes the car chase" and right after I said that it was over.

It's still a good movie, but as a Bond fanatic, I found myself more confused with continuity errors and disappointed in lack of backstory on Bond than appreciative of all the Bond goodness. I guess I expected this movie to be like Batman Begins in terms of the story of our hero's origins.

[Sared]

Lack of Q = lack of gagetry.

Again, since this was the first of the Bond books, perhaps this was before Ian Fleming had worked out all his literary devices and storytelling methods that made the Bond series what it is. (Things like the gagets, the super weapons, and the car chases.)

[Tbone]

Somehow I don't think his book had text messaging either, yet that made its way into the movie.

[Subb]

No naked women

WHAT?! *cry*



*writes angry letter to the director*

I thought Bond films were always full of women.... :S[/quote]

[Lithium]

I was gonna write a better review once more people saw it but Tbone pretty much took care of it.

Basically this movie did do too many things to break continuity. It was trying too hard to be a prequel and a sequel, and there are many ways they could have even pulled that off, ie. the black and white intro, but then the "inexperience" and stuff is continued through the film.

Why they got rid of everyone but Judi Dench? I have no idea, it should been a guy for consistency sake. Q and moneypenny are gone because those characters where not yet introduced in the original book.

The intro I didn't have a problem with, it had an old school look to it, which again would have been perfect if they left it at a time piece.

So overall, it was a huge improvement from the last 2 or 3 films and it looks like they are trying to take it somewhere more interesting. Here.

(Oh and for the record Tarantino is a genius who nobody gives a shit about because he had the idea years ago that if he could direct Casino Royale it would take place all in a 1950-60 era.)

[Sared]

Tarantino IS a genius who nobody gives a shit about.

[Anonymous]

saw this last night.  too mushy for a bond movie IMO

[Lithium]

The DVD is out! Walmart has this cool set they are selling. Comes with the DVD, playing cards, and poker chip.

[Anonymous]

I have the corgi set: a silver-rimmed set of cards and a die cast car in a metal box.  Also bought a poker chip from the shoot from eBay.  Shame this is Blu Ray only though, guess I'll have to get that PS3 now :p

[Pirus]

haven't watched it yet... going to go get it today and probably watch it tomorrow night sometime.

[Lithium]

Also bought a poker chip from the shoot from eBay.

Yeah, they are probably as expensive if not more expensive than the Casino De Isthmus chips from License to Kill.

Shame this is Blu Ray only though, guess I'll have to get that PS3 now :p

What do you mean Blu Ray only?