The James Bond franchise remains one of the longest living film franchises of all time. It’s seen many changes over the decades, with a good bunch of aspects still remaining static. The filmmakers, actors, and the crew may change, but with a Bond film, you almost know you’re in for a fairly original spy thriller experience.
Things, however, changed greatly as soon as Daniel Craig took over the mantle of 007 under the direction of Martin Campbell. As of today, his debut film as Bond, Casino Royale, is cited as arguably the greatest ever Bond film, or at least among the greatest few Bond films of all time.
And rightfully so. It features such a well-built and authentic set of filmmaking that you would forget for a bit that it’s a franchise film. Almost everything works in Casino Royale, and so much can be listed about why exactly.
How to Stream or Download Casino Royale Full Movie Online
To stream or to download the film, click on the Download button that is located below this review. Check out also other James Bond movies that we have reviewed such as Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), and Spectre (2015).
The Movie Review
James Bond is an MI6 operative up for promotion to the 00 agent status and gaining the license to kill after assassinating section chief Dryden at the British Embassy in Prague as well as his contact, Fisher.
Mr. White is a mysterious figure in Uganda, who introduces Steven Obanno, one of the topmost members of Lord’s Resistance Army, to the Albanian named Le Chiffre, who works as a private banker for terrorists.
The two entrust each other, and Obanno relies on Le Chiffre with a large amount of money to invest. Bond on the other end causes up an international accident during his mission to capture the bomb-maker Mollaka in Madagascar, where he also ends up killing him.
A corrupt Greek official in the Bahamas named Alexis Dimitrios is found suspicious, and Bond goes on to seduce his wife, get close to him, and then kill him. Bond’s lethal yet cerebral nature has never been captured as greatly as it is in this film. His work is understandably sloppy, yet the film subtly manages to show hints of the great 007 that everyone would go on to love. It’s something that with great nuance, originates the icon that Bond is.
Le Chiffre is an equally cerebral opposition. He organizes a ballsy Texas hold ’em tournament to make up for all the money his clients lost, and Bond is sent by the MI6 to participate in the tournament, with the strategy that if defeated, Le Chiffre would be forced to give in the information of his clients to the British government in exchange for asylum. Bond is partnered with a British treasury agent named Vesper Lynd (the Bond girl of this movie, played flamboyantly by Eva Green), who he also becomes fond of and vice versa.
Things go south as soon as Obanno and his bodyguard arrive on the scene, and then chaos and action escalate all over. Daniel Craig’s first outing as Bond becomes a classic, and one of the best ‘births’ of the legendary James Bond.
Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Paul Haggis have collaborated on a Bond script that’ll never be forgotten. It’s one of the most authentically written Bond films, where almost everything is well-timed, and commercial formulas are rarely complied with.
Martin Campbell’s direction rivals that of Christopher Nolan in his Batman films. Both the franchises have commercial cinema elements, yet they reconstruct the way a commercial film is supposed to be to such a degree. And even though complying with standards of commercial cinema may make a film more watchable, authenticity and originality are what make films like Casino Royale so memorable. And as an icing on the cake, the film is privileged enough to have a great soundtrack, an original score by David Arnold, as well as striking cinematography by Phil Méheux.
Casino Royale is one of the greatest and the most original commercial cinema films of the last few decades. It still remains arguably the greatest Bond film of all time due to its masterful storytelling, excellent performances, as well as all the technical expertise. It’s a Bond classic to cherish for decades.
