Saw Casino Royale yesterday. I was really positively surprised.
I liked Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. And when i heard Daniel Craig, i first saw briefly in Munich, would take the role i had doubts. But i was wrong, he s very good and has a charisma and power (man, what a body!) previous actors did not have.
The surprise is the rythm (except a 20 min useless slow down around the end) and the unusual well conducted scenario. And when you dig behind “why?” you find Paul Haggis, that put his hands in the scenario. Paul is one of the brightest screenplay writer Hollywood has this days and was the mastermind behing Million Dollar Baby and Crash (2 oscar winning movies). The trailer below (i believe it does not serve well the movie)
If James Bond 2.0 could evolve into an elaborate action movie, then it could become one of the most exciting thing Hollywood has issued in years (in the category action)
Next episode in 2008: Bond 22
PS: btw i don’t know if i dreamt by i think Richard Branson is appearing a glimpse of a second in the miami airport. Could someone confirm?
PS2: on product placement. well done for Omega that managed to get its brand smartly mentionned in the dialog. Bad point to Ford: i don’t know how much they paid, but if there is an inadequacy between 2 brands well James Bond/Ford is certainlty one of them
(spoiler)
Yes, Richard Branson appears on the right side of the screen (going through a metal detector, if I remember correctly) at the Miami airport. And yes, it's 1/2 a second. I guess we both qualify for an MI-6 "scanner" position ;)
Posted by: Gilad Nass | 26 November 2006 at 01:34 PM
I confirm about Branson.
Ford owns Aston Martin. And they use this contract to promote their own cars.
Posted by: François | 26 November 2006 at 02:34 PM
You almost made me want to see this movie!
I had (and still have a bit) serious doubts concerning Craig. But maybe I'm wrong after all.
There were some strange rumours spreading around before the movie's release, like James Bond wouldn't drive an Aston Martin but a new Ford Mondeo... At least, he's still driving an Aston Martin as François seems to suggest.
Posted by: Stephane Allard | 01 December 2006 at 05:16 PM