A cinematic experience the likes of which we see less and less in these superhero/lollipop-action fatigued times.
It's a good day when the action film you're watching actually makes you question how the character is possibly going to do all the things he needs to to save the day. This movie feels restrained compared to other action movies that can't keep their budget in their pants and have to blow up everything to be satiated. Casino Royale is good I think because it feels like there's a story and development here that we have to get invested in to enjoy the film. The opening act is a glorious chase action scene and honestly all the action sequences in the film are brilliantly. Mostly due to how vertical the film takes them: a sinking house (going down), a stairway fight as the characters go downstairs and the upward mobility of the opening sequence. I liked the poker scenes too but I have to say, the tournament perhaps intentionally or not, doesn't really have a sense of continuity to it. The final showdowns are great but I felt they were a tad repetitive with the all-in's. Tho I suppose the film even here cautions restraint instead of making some overblown cheesy outsmarting competition as I have seen some films do
Daniel Craig is great as Bond, ruthless and yet betraying that he's a smug egotist womanizer at his core. Mads Mikkelson plays a terrific villain, he's so full of himself and I love that the movie didn't give him an origin story. That was what I was dreading to be honest.
It's fairly emotional in the final act too but by that point the film had run too long for my taste. That and a couple of stupid plot points are really what keeps the movie from ranking higher but it's a thrill for nearly 75% of the film. Definitely one of the better action films I have seen this year.
7.5/10 Wikipedia refers to it as a spy thriller but the two Bond films, this and No Time to Die, felt pretty normal thrilling action films with high stakes and hot women. Is it just because of the casino setting and less action than the other films?
