Casino Royale (With No Cheese)

The 2005 James Bond reboot carries on the tradition of introducing a new actor to the world of 007 in a quality film, after all On Her Majesties Secret Service, Live & Let Die, The Living Daylights and Goldeneye were all top quality Bond movies. Casino Royale goes one step further by resetting the franchise back to Bond’s first mission as a ‘00’ operative. It’s a smart move; not only do we get to see the mature, experienced ex-navy officer we expect of Bond but we get an origin story giving us insight into how he evolved into the suave and ruthless secret agent we all know and love.

Daniel Craig owns Casino Royale in a way I simply wasn’t expecting. His Bond is a lot less flamboyant in the personality department but compensates with his sheer physical masculinity. Here we’re presented with a Bond who, for once, feel like an ex-marine…an unstoppable force of nature who will keep going until the mission is accomplished. Surprisingly he also delivers Bond’s dry, wisecracking humour with aplomb and, thanks to a cracking script, gives Bond considerable depth, unpredictability and vulnerability.

Goldeneye helmer Martin Campbell gives the proceedings a lot of class and glamour, the action sequences are brilliantly staged and hard hitting (the best being the post credits African Rundown), the card game that dominates the middle act is evey bit as gripping as the punch ups, the script polished by Paul Haggis is the most emotionally deep since OHMSS back in 1969 and the eclectic cast is superb, especially a radiant and sensual Eva Green.

If there’s a downside it’s that the Miami chapter is the most mundane part of the film, going through the motions as it attempts to link Bond with Mad Mikkelsen’s creepy big bad and Eva’s ice queen, but there’s enough great moments for it to breeze by. Easily one of the best Bond films ever forever ingrained on the memories of blokes for the ball-aching horror of 0007’s nutsack being bludgeoned by the villain. Goldfinger this is not.