And the film’s beginning is wrought with the right stuff with a high-octane opener featuring such exploits as Bond chasing a criminal through a perilous construction site and shooting up an embassy. There’s no ‘Q’ this time around, but in this introduction to a new Bond, is unnecessary. What works about “Casino Royale” is that it effectively resets the Bond legend without trampling on any of the excitement or history the franchise has set up over the years. Along the way he is hooked up with two allies – a beautiful accountant named Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) and an unscrupulous spy named Mathis (Giancarlo Giannini). Following a mishap with a bombmaker, 007 is sent to Montenegro to infiltrate a high stakes poker game in an attempt to flush out a money launderer named Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) that has been involved in weapons dealing and terrorism. “Casino Royale” is detailed as Bond’s first mission as a 00.

Director Martin Campbell would show us some familiar players (such as Judi Dench, reprising her role as ‘M’ from the Brosnan films), but would introduce us to a new Bond – one with the same wits and debonair persona, but with just enough pain lurking beneath the surface to make him feel real. After a long stretch of Pierce Brosnan Bond movies, it was fitting that the franchise was relaunched in 2006 with this, “ Casino Royale,” starring British actor Daniel Craig as James Bond. The “James Bond” franchise has seen many changes over the years a testament to this fact is the passing of Bond actor Roger Moore, announced just today.

Casino royale movie review