Casino Royale

I finally got around to seeing the new James Bond. What a great movie! Admittedly, I was a little hesitant about seeing it. It seems that “prequels” are all the rage. The second Star Wars Trilogy, Enterprise, Hannibal Rising, Batman Begins and others; just too many to name them all. Not that I don’t like prequels, in general. I thought Batman Begins was fantastic; it shot new life into the Batman franchise.

Lucky for me, I discovered that Casino Royale and Daniel Craig were great, definitely giving a boost to the James Bond legacy. The movie was full of excitement, power and beautiful people. Not just the women either. Daniel Craig might be the hottest James Bond ever. I’ve read that some critics have said that he’s not attractive enough. I’m sorry, did they seem him come out of the water and walk up the beach? He’s got a rugged appeal that the other Bonds did not. He might not be as refined as his predecessors, but that is part of the process. It’s a “prequel” right? He has to evolve into the James Bond we’re all familiar with. It really is his evolution. At first he’s cold-hearted and emotionally detached. We see him learn to connect with his emotions. We get to see him learn how to wear “a proper dinner jacket” and ask for a vodka martini. By the end of the movie, he does become more refined. Future films, I think, will see him growing into the legendary and more familiar James Bond.

I have a theory about James Bond and 007. In Casino Royale, M is the same M that was in charge all through Pierce Brosnan’s run as James Bond. I think time passes normally and that when an agent is promoted to 007, he also takes on the name “James Bond”. When M asks James in Casino Royale if the dead woman had known his real name, he answers, no. However, you hear her call him James while they’re kissing. So maybe it’s not his “real” name. Of course, how could all these different Bonds be fond of the same drink and exhibit the same personality traits? Unless, of course, it’s part of being promoted to 007, pretending to be this person you’re not. I’m just speculating.

One final note. If you haven’t seen Casino Royale, go see it. You won’t be disappointed.