Movie Review: Casino Royale (2006)
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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that teens are absolutely going to want
to see this much-hyped re-start to the James Bond franchise.
The new 007, however, is darker than previous incarnations. His
sly, barely perceptible smile suggests that he relishes revenge
and takes pleasure in his violence. The film is full of
violence, including spectacular explosions, intense physical
fights, shooting, knifing, cars crashing, and drowning. Dead
bodies show blood and vacant-eyed faces. A torture scene
(featuring a naked Bond) shows him in obvious pain as his
genitals are smashed with a large, knotted rope. One main
character meets a sad demise. Sex scenes show Bond with two
different women, in various states of undress. Lots of
martini-drinking as Bond discovers his drink of choice (thanks
to liquor sponsors Heineken and Smirnoff). The language is
pretty mild.
Families can talk about what makes Bond so appealing. What does his behavior say about images of manliness? How does the movie characterize this new Bond as both ruthless and charismatic? Who's your favorite Bond?
Common Sense Media Review
The new James Bond's blue eyes are underscored right at the
start of CASINO ROYALE. As the opening credits (and Chris
Cornell's song "You Know My Name") end,
Daniel
Craig walks to the camera and stares into it dead-on.
Ruggedly handsome and utterly confident, he's almost daring you
to resist his difference from previous 007 incarnations.
But once the movie starts, you see that this difference doesn't extend to plot, characters, or rhythms. Director Martin Campbell's movie, like its predecessors, showcases fabulous locations (the Bahamas, Venice, London, Montenegro); a dastardly, damaged villain (Le Chiffre, played by Mads Mikkelsen, complete with facial scar and an eye that weeps blood); and a beautiful, brainy Bond Girl, Vesper Lynd (Eva Green).
The story takes viewers back to Bond's beginnings, when M ( Judi Dench) elevates him to the extra-special rank of 007 (a promotion occasioned by the killing of his second bad guy, an act he commits with visible, if cold, pleasure). Bond's early 007 adventures involve all manner of brutality and rule-breaking, as he fixes on his targets with unshakable ferocity. First he chases one man through the "Nambutu Embassy" in Madagascar, wreaking havoc and, as M puts it, violating "the only inviolate rule of international relations." Later, he beds a villain's wife (Caterina Murino) to extract information, leaving her open to terrible retribution. And then he destroys much of the Miami Airport in order to stop a bomb's explosion.
All of this is warm-up for the big showdown with Le Chiffre, which centers around a high-stakes poker game (in the Ian Fleming novel the movie is based on, the game was baccarat). Here Bond is aided by the stunningly beautiful Vesper (a British treasury operative), earnest CIA agent Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright), and dapper MI6 agent Mathis (Giancarlo Giannini), though Bond gets impatient when they cramp his style. (A smart, telling moment has Vesper providing Bond with a tailored tux, which he dons and admires in the mirror, as if realizing just how brilliant he looks.) This Bond is cunning and even elegant, providing the franchise with a much-needed shot of raw energy.
But although the details are right, the movie is bogged down by the plot, which spends too much time on the poker game and a montage sequence version of Bond and Vesper's inevitable romance. Such generic diversions detract from Craig's strengths, which are based in deft gestures, nuanced glances, and the deadpan delivery of the occasional joke. (Asked whether he wants his martini shaken or stirred, Bond looks annoyed: "Do I look like I give a damn?") This Bond -- fast, mean, and vulnerable enough to appeal to a new generation of fans -- will likely revive the franchise. By the time of the next installment, perhaps the script will keep up with him.
Families who like the movie can also check out the 1967 version, or other Bond films -- especially those with Sean Connery, like Goldfinger and Dr. No . Or try Layer Cake, in which Craig plays an edgy gangster.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
