So I went to see the new Bond movie last night (Casino Royale for those who live in caves). The creators took a chance with the man playing James Bond by hiring Daniel Craig to play Bond. They also decided to take the original James Bond film, Casino Royale, and remake it. The original, released in 1967, was not that big of a hit. It was one of those "this is the film to introduce 007, the next ones starring him will be much better" type of movies, and the producers lived up to that. Of course, true Bond enthusiasts know this, while normal movie-goers wouldn't waste time researching it.
Strike one, they tried to remake a movie that wasn't that good in the first place.
Now I'll explain why it's a risky move to hire Daniel Craig. For one, doesn't look like Bond. He has thin strawberry blone hair, his eyes are George-Bush squinty, and he's covered with age spots. Isn't James Bond supposed to have that young-man super-sexy charming appeal? I mean, this guy looks like he's 60. Well, at least they'll make up for it with his talents. Nope, I guess not. From the get-go, this guy does NOT know how to drive stick (That Aston Martin in the movie was an automatic), doesn't like guns, and manages to hurt himself in most of his stunt sequences. James Bond is supposed to be one of those guys who can leap over fences, outrun a Cheetah, and shoot someone from 200 feet away while doing all these things. This guy is like, well, the bad guy slid down a rope off the side of this building....I guess I'll take the lift (British terminology for an elevator). I mean, what in the hell were they thinking letting this man be Bond? I think he might have shot like, 5 people total in this movie, one of which was done quietly, I dare say true secret agent style.
Strike two, they tried to hire a loser to be Bond.
And where was the good chase scene? I mean, they gave him a 520 HP V-12 Aston Martin Vanquish, and all he manages to do with it is spin tires in a wet parking lot, let the bad guy get away, and wreck it on a straight stretch of road with his poor driving skills. Any REAL Bond would have caught that 4 and a half ton Rolls-Royce that the bad guys were in and saved the girl WITHOUT unneccesarily totalling the car. I can almost see the dissapointment on Q's face. And speaking of Q, where in the hell are all the Bond gadgets!? The most advanced tool he had in his disposal was a Motorola Razr phone and a TomTom GPS system. No laser watches or X-ray glasses here, we're going to make sure all of Bond's special tools can be picked up at Radio Shack. Now you can text message, just like James Bond!
Strike three, no high tech gadgetry and action sequences to use them in.
Overall I give this a one-and-a-half star rating, just because Ian Flemming wrote the original book in 1967 when he didn't have a lot to work with and was just getting started with Bond. I think he would be ashamed at how Hollywood has butchered James Bond into a sissy falling-in-love actionless loser. James Bond is supposed to be a Man's Man...not a dork.
Strike one, they tried to remake a movie that wasn't that good in the first place.
Now I'll explain why it's a risky move to hire Daniel Craig. For one, doesn't look like Bond. He has thin strawberry blone hair, his eyes are George-Bush squinty, and he's covered with age spots. Isn't James Bond supposed to have that young-man super-sexy charming appeal? I mean, this guy looks like he's 60. Well, at least they'll make up for it with his talents. Nope, I guess not. From the get-go, this guy does NOT know how to drive stick (That Aston Martin in the movie was an automatic), doesn't like guns, and manages to hurt himself in most of his stunt sequences. James Bond is supposed to be one of those guys who can leap over fences, outrun a Cheetah, and shoot someone from 200 feet away while doing all these things. This guy is like, well, the bad guy slid down a rope off the side of this building....I guess I'll take the lift (British terminology for an elevator). I mean, what in the hell were they thinking letting this man be Bond? I think he might have shot like, 5 people total in this movie, one of which was done quietly, I dare say true secret agent style.
Strike two, they tried to hire a loser to be Bond.
And where was the good chase scene? I mean, they gave him a 520 HP V-12 Aston Martin Vanquish, and all he manages to do with it is spin tires in a wet parking lot, let the bad guy get away, and wreck it on a straight stretch of road with his poor driving skills. Any REAL Bond would have caught that 4 and a half ton Rolls-Royce that the bad guys were in and saved the girl WITHOUT unneccesarily totalling the car. I can almost see the dissapointment on Q's face. And speaking of Q, where in the hell are all the Bond gadgets!? The most advanced tool he had in his disposal was a Motorola Razr phone and a TomTom GPS system. No laser watches or X-ray glasses here, we're going to make sure all of Bond's special tools can be picked up at Radio Shack. Now you can text message, just like James Bond!
Strike three, no high tech gadgetry and action sequences to use them in.
Overall I give this a one-and-a-half star rating, just because Ian Flemming wrote the original book in 1967 when he didn't have a lot to work with and was just getting started with Bond. I think he would be ashamed at how Hollywood has butchered James Bond into a sissy falling-in-love actionless loser. James Bond is supposed to be a Man's Man...not a dork.

