I watched Casino Royale last night and thought Daniel Craig was very good as the new James Bond. The movie reminded me a lot of the original series of Ian Fleming books and earliest Sean Connery movies. Bond is much more of a blunt instrument, more physically menacing, and more likely to get hurt. The plot is a tad more realistic than the overworked "diabolical villain wants to destroy the world with a laser beam from space" story. The story has a few interesting twists along the way and, while familiar elements like M and Aston Martins are still present, the Bond cliches have been toned way down.
The action sequences include some really good physical stunt work, fast and realistic fights using actual martial arts maneuvers, and exciting foot pursuits. While some stunts are a bit over the top, for the most part, they don't seem to be of the type that could only be done with a blue screen and computer graphics.
Gadgets are realistic and de-emphasized. I don't recall any scenes where a villain is killed just to set up a pun. The female characters are more than eye candy, have more complex relationships with Bond, and can actually act. So, if you've been turned off by the comic book qualities of Roger Moore or the political correctness of Timothy Dalton or the formulaic flatness of the last few movies, Casino Royale provides a good opportunity to revisit the Bond franchise.
The action sequences include some really good physical stunt work, fast and realistic fights using actual martial arts maneuvers, and exciting foot pursuits. While some stunts are a bit over the top, for the most part, they don't seem to be of the type that could only be done with a blue screen and computer graphics.
Gadgets are realistic and de-emphasized. I don't recall any scenes where a villain is killed just to set up a pun. The female characters are more than eye candy, have more complex relationships with Bond, and can actually act. So, if you've been turned off by the comic book qualities of Roger Moore or the political correctness of Timothy Dalton or the formulaic flatness of the last few movies, Casino Royale provides a good opportunity to revisit the Bond franchise.
[SIZE="Small"]------------
I have several telescopes, but none are semi-APO, APO, or in anyway valuable.
[/SIZE]
