The 21st James Bond adventure is an interesting prospect for a number of reasons. First, we have a new 007 in the form of Daniel Craig, a great actor who has plenty of charisma, but doesn't fit the classic Bond mould. Secondly, this is an adaptation of Ian Fleming's first Bond novel, and effectively a "reboot" for the franchise because we see Bond beginning his career. And thirdly, with the success of the Jason Bourne movies and 24's Jack Bauer on TV, the emphasis this time is on contemporary realism.
The teaser does a fantastic job of making a Bond movie seem like an "event" worth watching, something I haven't felt since Goldeneye (1995). Daniel Craig, despite criticism from some corners, looks like a real breath of fresh air here. There's a danger and ruthlessness in his eyes that hasn't been seeen since Timothy Dalton's tenure.
The opening, in black-and-white, instantly evokes feelings of film noir and classic spy thrillers of the 40's and 50's. But we're soon thrown into full colour and treated to glimpses of action set-pieces and gorgeous location footage of the Bahamas, amidst the usual explosions and death-defying stuntwork.
Casino Royale's teaser is just very, very satisfying. It instantly makes Bond seem cool again -- no mean feat after the silly excesses of The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day. Director Martin Campbell (Goldeneye) may not have had much of a career to speak of since '95 -- with only The Mask Of Zorro making much impact -- but Casino Royale looks to be in safe hands with him at the helm again.
I just hope the book's fairly weak plot can be expanded and improved appropriately, Bond Girl Eva Green isn't just eye candy, and the villain Le Chiffre is more Dr No than Dr Evil...
The really rather excellent teaser can be downloaded through this link. Enjoy!
