BRITISH BAD ASS
I finally watched Casino Royale last night. Unbelievable. It is, without question, one of the three greatest Bond films made (along with From Russia With Love and On Her Majesty's Secret Service). And, Daniel Craig is, without question, the most realistic Bond ever. He captures the true essence of Ian Fleming's Commander Bond, a man who gets the job done with his wit, charm and force of will. No gadgets, no bullshit, just one bad ass motherfucker.
Now don't get me wrong, Sean Connery is still, in my heart of hearts, my favourite Bond; but, his portrayal of James Bond was reliant on sex appeal and toys. Plus, Bond was not Scottish. Then, there was George Lazenby, the Australian Bond, who didn't want to sign a long-term deal because he thought that the Bond movies were a dead-end street. Roger Moore (the English Bond) was good, Pierce Brosnan (the Irish Bond) and Timothy Dalton (the Welsh Bond) acceptable; but, Daniel Craig...bad ass motherfucker.
Casino Royale allows a look into the psyche of Bond, and what makes him tick. In past Bond films, the Commander would have opened the car door for the woman he was going to bed. Craig lets the woman open her own door. In the past, Bond would have had sex with the woman before rushing off to Miami to chase the bad guy and save the world. In Casino Royale, Bond orders champagne and Beluga caviar for one, then leaves her behind. Not so much "wham, bam, thank you ma'am" as "when I get back, if you aren't tortured and dead, I am going to rock your world."
Craig's Bond is still cool. He drives an Aston Martin, he carries a real weapon (Walther PPKs are for sissies), he plays poker, and the chicks dig him. He is in shape, doesn't smoke, and is very stylish. The only knock is that he shaves his chest. Bond is not metrosexual.
As an aside, I note that Judi Dench, as M, gives an amazing portrayal, again, as a tough, strong woman. I also note, for the record, that if Britain had people like her in the government, and Bond in the Royal Navy, the 15 British tools would not have been taken by the Iranians, they would have fought back, killing all of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy personnel, sinking their boats, and defiling their remains with 20kg of pork products.
The Casino Royale story is plausible, the action believable. The movie is outstanding. So outstanding, in fact, that I am watching it again as I write this post.
See this film. We at the Jury Pool give it five life rings out of five.
3 comments:
freak OUT!
1. last night we were watching casino royale also
2. russia and ohmss *are* the other two best bond films
3. craig *is* the most literary bond (though he's blond, and we all know that bond has dark hair).
but in the books he smokes morleys.
yes, i still think smoking is sexy. ah, well.
L has promised that if i ever meet craig outside of a casino and he asks me to come to his place for a drink, i have a free pass to say yes.
I think smoking is sexy, too.
Back in college, in North Carolina, where cigarettes were a quarter a pack (no shit), I smoked unfiltered Camels, a fine RJ Reynolds product.
When I lived in England, I smoked French cigarettes--Gitanes--the only filtered cigarette that is harsher than a non-filtered cigarette. I also rolled my own, using Senior Service tobacco.
Then, I quit, cold turkey, so that I would have an additional 5 quid a day to spend on Guinness (and other spirits).
I smoke occasionally, when I am in a bar that still permits smoking. First-hand smoke is like an immunisation against the perils of second-hand smoke, as my dear friend, Dave Dormonnon used to say.
I love James Bond!
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