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northbreed
northbreed
"Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Jul 12 2007, 5:14 PM EDT
“Casino Royale”: An Obituary for The James Bond Film Franchise
[warning: review contains spoilers]

Ever notice that the 007 films produced after “Goldeneye” seem to get worse and worse in significant critical, creative respects like screenplay quality, casting decisions, etc.? With “Casino Royale,” the franchise hits rock bottom. “Casino Royale” is, objectively, the worst James Bond film in the history of the 007 film franchise. Why?

1) Story: Based, more or less, on Ian Fleming’s original novel, this unskillful adaptation/update is communicated with a disdain for clarity. The audience is fed too little information, too late (or not at all)—about both character motivations as well as the stakes involved in various action sequences—to remain emotionally engaged and genuinely interested in what’s going on.
2) Casting/characterization: lacks conviction and appeal
• Daniel Craig (Bond). Craig’s characterization of Bond is charmless, worthless, and disturbingly nihilistic. At one point in the script, Craig’s Bond responds to a question with “Do I look like I give a damn?” The answer in “Casino Royale” is overwhelmingly NO. Why on earth, then, should the audience care about him? At another point, he tells Vesper “I have no idea what an honest job is.” Is this a credible (or creditable) moral statement to hear from a top-level government secret agent? Craig’s monotonously stoic performance is by no means compensated for by his (atrocious) line readings: he articulates rarely, mumbles often. As a result of Craig’s hollow Bond interpretation, what should have been the film’s ultimate impact moment—007’s “Bond, James Bond” confrontation with villainous Mr. White—is surprisingly anti-climactic, prompting a shrug rather than a cheer from this reviewer.
[see Part 2 for continuance]
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Anonymous
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Jul 26 2007, 2:51 AM EDT
Too true......and they left out some cool bits,like the two Bugarians with the camera cases who try to blow up Bond.In a world of suicide bombers this would have fit in well.What happened to the Muntzes? The man with the malacca cane would have been more suspensfull than giving Bond a heart attack. The SMERSH agent cutting schpion into Bond's hand. The time at the seaside resort for Bond and Vesper to REALLY fall in and out of love(that was the real drama for them)until the SMERSH agent showed up and Vesper killed herself.Bond was much more human than portrayed by Craig too,(Clive Owen,anyone?)
They could have fleashed out this movie and done it right,but it was too shallow by half.
2  out of 7 found this valuable. Do you?    

Anonymous
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Nov 29 2007, 10:37 PM EST
After watching Daniel Craig's Casino Royale I was so disappointed, I assumed I was getting old - too old to still be a member of the Bond demographic. And I'd heard good things from a lot of sources about Craig. So I came to the party really wanting to enjoy the movie.

To put this into perspective, I've been a Bond fan for a long time - a very long time. I'm such a big Bond fan I can drop into several different Bond appreciation frame of mind to enjoy them all, even the tongue-in-cheek Roger Moore efforts. I also love all spy stuff from Spooks to 24.

And, and this is a big and, the presence of an Aston Martin on screen can redeem almost any movie for me. Casino Royale has more than its fair share of Astons.

But not even a snorting Aston at full chat can save this movie. Casino Royale is humourless, artless, offers the viewer nothing to care about - possibly the greatest sin any movie can commit, and leaves the audience wishing they hadn't bothered. It sucks.

A single episode of 24, taken out of context from the whole series and watched in isolation, has more to offer than Casino Royale. Much more.
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JustinAtheropinion
JustinAtheropinion
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Dec 2 2007, 6:05 PM EST
I have found that the Bond films after "Goldeneye" had steadily gone down-hill. That is why "Casino Royale" was such a pleasant surprise.

You're hardly objective in your criticism. You sound like you went in expecting the worse ("The movies have been going downhill since 'Goldeneye'") --or hoping for it because of your list of expectations, which I can hardly credit as being anything useful, as you seem to have missed the mark on what was there.

1) I judge a good Bond movie on if it actually IMPROVES on Fleming, and "Casino Royale" certainly did. If you're just cataloging the stunts and witticisms you expect I'm sure the movie seems unclear. It actually couldn't be MORE clear about what is going on from moment to moment--except in the final actions of Vesper, which should be as much of a surprise to us as it is to Bond. Why Vesper does what she does is explained in the suicide note (in the novel), but, frankly, Fleming's explanation turns Vesper into a weak character. I am anticipating Bond 22 for what Purvis, Wade and Haggis come up with.
One of the most brilliant things they did in the film was substitute Vesper for Fleming's "blanket of nails" in the chase away from the Casino. That is a perfect example of showing character motivation through action.

2) Obviously you're in the minority on this one, as the critical reception and box office figures show that folks thought Craig was a breath of fresh air. "Charmless, worthless and disturbingly nihilistic?" Examples please, certainly better ones than those cited in your continuation. "Do I look like I give a damn?" is a perfect thing for the man who has just lost EVERYTHING in a poker games. What? You want a one-liner? Rediculous! And I think it's perfectly acceptable for a "black ops" spy to not know what a respectable job is!
Sorry, chum! Not buying it!
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JustinAtheropinion
JustinAtheropinion
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Dec 2 2007, 6:07 PM EST
And as for "24," they lost me when the daughter was being chased by a mountain lion in Season 1. I could barely turn the thing off fast enough I was laughing so hard.
Talk about stretching a premise too thin...
1  out of 2 found this valuable. Do you?    

Anonymous
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Dec 8 2007, 2:19 PM EST
I cannot believe this review of Casino Royale. You are right about the Brosnan films after Goldeneye, however you are way off base on the Casino. The franchise got away from the lame one liner style that plagued every Bond after Live and Let Die... I was so happy when after the man with the eye patch was shot with the nail gun, that we didn't get a "he got the point' or "I nailed you" comment that Brosnan would have delivered. You need to go back to the books, and then go back to Casino and watch it not as a Bond movie, but as a movie with James Bond. It has defined a new style to the aging formula, and breathed new life into a franchise that has many good years left in it. 6  out of 7 found this valuable. Do you?    
Dmeyers
Dmeyers
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Dec 9 2007, 12:51 PM EST
I am pretty shocked by this as well. The darkness of CR was influenced by three things near as I can tell. First, the Jason Bourne series showed demand for a return to realism after Die Another Day. We had a smart and dangerous character who wasn't taken from a comic book - he was real. Second, Die Another Day was terrible. Wind surfing on the tidal wave to the ice hotel? Awful. Third, a desire to get back to the roots of Fleming. A Bond with hard edges. Should a man with a License to Kill not grapple with morality? 3  out of 4 found this valuable. Do you?    
joshiorio
joshiorio
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Dec 11 2007, 9:29 AM EST
just a couple point: the "lame" one liners are a staple of the bond films, not just after live and let die, but going the whole way back to Dr. No. probably bond's most famous line, aside from "bond james bond" is "shocking, positively shocking" after knocking the fan into the tub and electrocuting the baddie. now, i will say that the one liners have been losing their wit over the course of the series, but to me, if you get away from the wit of james bond, you're left with just another cookie cutter american action flick.

which brings me to my next point. i don't see casino as defining a new style for the aging formula, but rather borrowing styles (i.e. the modern action/adventure movie) from current box office smashes. rather than taking what bond has always done well (beautiful women, exotic locations, fancy gadgets, fast cars, wit, and suspense) and turned it into something perhaps more contemporary, but altogether forgetable (fancy punches, parkour, and backflips). I always enjoyed the bond films because there was a sense of realism that was framed in the spectacular, e.g. fights consisting of a couple kicks, a punch to the gut, and someone getting a vase busted over their head. now, we have fights that last a good 20 minutes moving across towns, up and down buildings, into embassies, and so on.

yes, this isn't really a bond movie. bond was dropped into a schwartzeneger movie. can't wait to see which robots he fights next time. sometimes i wish they'd just quit making new movies and go back and do remakes of the old ones, keeping more closely to the books. when it comes down to it, most of the book-based movies would be nothing like their original productions.
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JustinAtheropinion
JustinAtheropinion
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Dec 11 2007, 1:06 PM EST
Totally disagree, joshorio. You've got the cart before the horse.

As someone who's been following films for more than 40 years, I can tell you that Bond has traditionally been the trend-setter for action films, until that is, the Indiana Jones films (which were inspired by Bond and Spielberg's desire to direct a Bond film). One COULD say that Bond has become just another Schwarzenegger movie--but where did the Schwarzenegger formula come from? Ah-nold is not what one would consider a light comedian, yet his films were full of the same (lame) one-liners after every shocking event that has plagued the Bond films for years.

What sets a Bond film--a GOOD Bond film--is not jokes after punches, but wit. Wit like "Do I look like someone who cares?" after so MANY "shaken, not stirred's" that it became de rigeur throughout the series.

You say you like realism, yet it takes more than a couple of kicks and a punch to knock someone out. That's short-hand action to keep the movie going, not realism (especially coming from Roger Moore!). It also takes a concerted effort to kill a man--it's not a fast process (as anyone who's read the books can attest).

And the parkour chase was an excellent example of character displayed in action. "The Bombmaker" is the one who does all the fancy tricks. James Bond has to struggle, get hurt, think of better ways to move to make up time, but keeps going as he traditionally does--it's just smarter to run through plaster than to jump feet-first through windows.

And in the defense of the Anonymous poster above, there have always been "groaners" throughout the series--the most quoted is "He got the point" from "Thunderball," but it's during "Live and Let Die" and the Moore years that they actually became...desperate.
4  out of 6 found this valuable. Do you?    
joshiorio
joshiorio
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Dec 11 2007, 4:33 PM EST
some nice points in there justin. i think we agree more than you think.

our differences come from our tastes and how we understand certain ideas (e.g. realism, wit, lameness). .

bond certainly has been influencial in the action movie genre. but i don't see casino in any way moving OUT of that genre, or changing it, or redefining it as the earlier bonds did. enter moore, we see the genre expanded to a wider audience. moore's movies are generally loathed because when it comes down to it, the wit is a little less sharp and a little more silly... but that's what i like about it. they're BAD one-liners (as opposed to connery's witty ones). this made the moore films better family films.whether this kind of humor appeals to you or not, it continued the success of the franchise and continued to situate bond as a trend-setter. the brosnan movies used cutting edge computer graphics. moore gave family appeal. brosnan gave spectacular special effects. what does casino contribute, since it's largely moved away from the special effects, removed the one liners, took out the wit, and made a bond that is big and strong and can run fast and jump high, who is ruthless, and at times a bit deranged. the casino bond is no more complex than dalton's, no more suave than connery's, no more spectacular than brosnan's, and certainly no more realistic than fleming's. for me, craig's bond, is a little bit less of everything, and i haven't figured out yet (which would be tough given one movie) what he will contribute that will help to set trends in the action genre.

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JustinAtheropinion
JustinAtheropinion
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Dec 11 2007, 6:21 PM EST
I think we agree fasr less than you think, joshorio. We're polar opposites--especially if you like BAD one-liners, and the general lazy writing that went into the Moore films--James Bond should be able to seduce women, but instaneously, ala Moore? That's simply shallow writing (certainly shallow characters), and too much by-the-numbers formula writing as the worst of the Bonds demonstrate. If you want to see that style made fun of, one need merely see the "McBain" movies of "The Simpsons."

And Bond should be a family-film? Really? I disagree strongly. Bond is a cold-blooded killer. That's what Fleming, who created Bond, wrote. That is not family fare. If you want family fare, give him a dog. Or make them musicals.

"Casino" has some spectaculat special effects (if you LIKE that sort of thing, but SFX don't make good movies--how many times does that have to be proven?), they're just better integrated into the film--that jumbo jet never existed, by the way, as it was a model.

For me, "Casino" is nearly the perfect Bond movie for all the reasons you described--("largely moved away from the special effects, removed the one liners, took out the wit, and made a bond that is big and strong and can run fast and jump high, who is ruthless, and at times a bit deranged,")--though I disagree it took out the wit, it played with the Bond formula, just as the early Connery's played with the formulas of the typical suspense film. Bond IS ruthless. He's an assassin. That's his job. But he's also human and should suffer the consequences of his profession, and if he's a bit deranged at times--so was Fleming's, so was Dalton's--that's what makes drama, something that was sorely lacking in the by-rote Moore, which YOU seem to like.

You can have them. I want something closer to Fleming that actually improves on him. "Casino" does.
2  out of 4 found this valuable. Do you?    

Anonymous
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Dec 28 2007, 8:11 PM EST
I agree. Furthermore Mr Craig is too short, too ugly and too mousy haired. He plays Bond like an ordinary bloke who just happens to be very good at killing people. Far too many fisticuffs and insufficient use of imagination. 3  out of 4 found this valuable. Do you?    

Anonymous
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Dec 29 2007, 12:50 AM EST
Then you want the "James Bond Fantasy Figure" and not Ian Fleming's creation. 3  out of 4 found this valuable. Do you?    
calvtob14
calvtob14
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Jan 1 2008, 6:03 PM EST
"

Ever notice that the 007 films produced after “Goldeneye” seem to get worse and worse in significant critical, creative respects like screenplay quality, casting decisions, etc.? With “Casino Royale,” the franchise hits rock bottom. “Casino Royale” is, objectively, the worst James Bond film in the history of the 007 film franchise. Why?

1) Story: Based, more or less, on Ian Fleming’s original novel, this unskillful adaptation/update is communicated with a disdain for clarity. The audience is fed too little information, too late (or not at all)—about both character motivations as well as the stakes involved in various action sequences—to remain emotionally engaged and genuinely interested in what’s going on.
2) Casting/characterization: lacks conviction and appeal
• Daniel Craig (Bond). Craig’s characterization of Bond is charmless, worthless, and disturbingly nihilistic. At one point in the script, Craig’s Bond responds to a question with “Do I look like I give a damn?” The answer in “Casino Royale” is overwhelmingly NO. Why on earth, then, should the audience care about him? At another point, he tells Vesper “I have no idea what an honest job is.” Is this a credible (or creditable) moral statement to hear from a top-level government secret agent? Craig’s monotonously stoic performance is by no means compensated for by his (atrocious) line readings: he articulates rarely, mumbles often. As a result of Craig’s hollow Bond interpretation, what should have been the film’s ultimate impact moment—007’s “Bond, James Bond” confrontation with villainous Mr. White—is surprisingly anti-climactic, prompting a shrug rather than a cheer from this reviewer.
[see Part 2 for continuance]"
YOU ARE CRAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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bleauchamp
bleauchamp
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Jan 4 2008, 8:34 PM EST
Yeah. I mean Die Another Day was pretty bad, and so was the World is Not enough. But I think Tommorow Never Dies and Casino Royale earn a little respect. I mean, TND had a good script, some OK scenes and excellent casting. Casino Royale wasn' t that bad. I actually loved Craig in his role. Wasn't CR the darkest Bond book??? Shouldn't the Bond in the movie be just a little bit colder and tougher??? 0  out of 2 found this valuable. Do you?    
DevilMayCare
DevilMayCare
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Jul 8 2008, 6:41 PM EDT
I partially agree with what your saying but the other part of me wants to disagree. Let me explain.
1)Story: I am with you here. I loved the book CR. It was truly the darkest of the books and certianly my favorite. I understand why they changed the card game played. (Who the hell knows how to play baccarat anymore?) But why change the good bits like pieces of exploded Hungarian raining down on Bond after the failed bombing? or the gun-in-the-cane of Le Chiffre's bodyguard? I mean the gun in the cane is way more believeable than what happened in the film. (I mean seriously, a self administered electro-shock resuscitation machine? Laughable.) I also liked the romance between Vesper and Bond in the book far better also.
2.) This is where I have to disagree with you. Besides NOT LOOKING THE PART AT ALL I though DC played Bond very well. I loved his dry wit as opposed to RM's cheesy on-liners. (Now the whole world's gonna know you died scratchin' my balls! <-Best Bond one-liner EVER) I loved his stand-offishness and his who-gives-a-damn attitude. That is the Bond I see in the book. When I think of Bond in the book calling banco on a 32mil pot without a second thought, I can see DC's Bond doing that in the film. DC's Bond has a tender heart but is a stone-cold killer and a ruthless assassin. Fleming's Bond is a solid character not only because of his superhuman ingenuity and skill but because of his humanity. His ability to feel fear and love and loss and regret and vengefulness. It makes us able to connect with this superhuman figure and say "Hey! Bond feels like that sometimes too?!"

The only advice I could give to DC is "Dye your hair black for God's sake. You're playing James Bond."
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JustinApplebee
JustinApplebee
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Jul 8 2008, 7:29 PM EDT
To keep my response short and sweet, I'll just say this:

Bond has always kept up with the times. From the fast and fancy cars, to the best tuxedo you can
find. As proof of it,look at the Moore era. His fasion was not something to admire, but the times
was rapidly changing and Bond was playong "catch me up" with the time. The most equisite car
car of the 50's and 60's were the Aston Martins.

And what does Bond do? He gets his first real sports car in the DB5, and past that horrid Bently
era.

Now we come to the 21st century. And what do we have: Special Effects. There has always been
special effects, but one can say not like today. Today, movies need three componets -

1. Action
2. Romance
3. Comedy

Bond has all three, but to keep up with all three, he needs help. Special Effects is revolutionizing
the industry which we call "film making".

Casino Royale netualizes special effects in so many ways! I take it you are not a fan of it, whilst I
truely am. From the Sky Fleet Prototype scene, to pretty much everythin is awesome.

But give Bond credit, the films are starting to break away from the special effects. This is totally
James Bond For Real. For Real is much better than special effects, butBond thrived on Special
Effects for so long, it is hard to get away from it all.

Now in Quantum of Solace, Craig is doing most of his stunts, and there is much more action in
this film than the more strategic Casino Royale. It will be interesting to see if QOS completely
breaks away form the Special Effects Bond has come to know and love.

Well, look at that. Guess that was not very sweet and to the point. But hey, Im off work till Monday.
Vactions, dont you just love em'.

P.S. JustinAtheropinion and JustinApplebee. Are we brothers? lol
Do you find this valuable?    
Cedric(006)
Cedric(006)
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Jul 9 2008, 12:31 PM EDT
"To keep my response short and sweet, I'll just say this:

Bond has always kept up with the times. From the fast and fancy cars, to the best tuxedo you can
find. As proof of it,look at the Moore era. His fasion was not something to admire, but the times
was rapidly changing and Bond was playong "catch me up" with the time. The most equisite car
car of the 50's and 60's were the Aston Martins.

And what does Bond do? He gets his first real sports car in the DB5, and past that horrid Bently
era.

Now we come to the 21st century. And what do we have: Special Effects. There has always been
special effects, but one can say not like today. Today, movies need three componets -

1. Action
2. Romance
3. Comedy

Bond has all three, but to keep up with all three, he needs help. Special Effects is revolutionizing
the industry which we call "film making".

Casino Royale netualizes special effects in so many ways! I take it you are not a fan of it, whilst I
truely am. From the Sky Fleet Prototype scene, to pretty much everythin is awesome.

But give Bond credit, the films are starting to break away from the special effects. This is totally
James Bond For Real. For Real is much better than special effects, butBond thrived on Special
Effects for so long, it is hard to get away from it all.

Now in Quantum of Solace, Craig is doing most of his stunts, and there is much more action in
this film than the more strategic Casino Royale. It will be interesting to see if QOS completely
breaks away form the Special Effects Bond has come to know and love.

Well, look at that. Guess that was not very sweet and to the point. But hey, Im off work till Monday.
Vactions, dont you just love em'.

P.S. JustinAtheropinion and JustinApplebee. Are we brothers? lol"
Nice points :-)
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mkfreeberg
mkfreeberg
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Jul 9 2008, 9:08 PM EDT
Having not read the book, I can only opine on the entertainment value.

By the time the closing credits rolled, as you know, we were 2:20 into the film and I didn't care. If my ass was tired, I was tuning it out because I wanted to know what was going to happen with Mr. White. Up until then I *never* tuned out, *never* felt like dozing off, never would've thought of it.

Eva Green was homely-looking.

I thought at the time the movie was gliding along a little slowly. Now, twenty months later, being able to slide any one of the 21 discs into my player any time I want to, this is the one I'd rather watch again and again and again. There is so much to the story, and it all makes sense in it's own way. And Daniel Craig does a much better job than anyone could unless they really cared about the final product. Not just him, either...Michael & Barbara, Judi Dench, Mads Mikkelson, et al, there was some real passion going into this project and it showed.

I mean damn, just switch back and forth between this and "Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life" and compare. There is no comparison. They defined the heart and soul of a real action hero, warts and all, and made a superb achievement out of it. In my house, if it was a VHS tape it surely would have been worn into a melted gooey strip by now. It's a lot of good, clean fun and I can't wait for QoS to come out.
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00seven
00seven
RE: "Casino Royale": Worst Bond Film Ever, Part 1
Jul 11 2008, 9:36 AM EDT
I reread all the books in order right through to devil may care and i thought Casino Royale the movie and Craigs Bond were very good interpretatons of the book. I wasnt at all disappointed. Now then....i garantee that afte QoS that the Bond movies will continue where Brosnan left off and Craig will start adding a bit of humour to the role. Do you find this valuable?    
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