I was beginning to wonder if James Bond was dead, but along comes Daniel Craig to breathe new life into the role, giving us a lean, mean 007 that blows previous Bonds away. Martin Campbell went back to the basics, retooling Bond and giving him a much more physical presence, reminiscent of Sean Connery. From the opening sequence we see we are in for a real treat, as Campbell takes nothing for granted. He knows he has to earn the audience's respect, and he does with a thrilling chase scene in the chaotic urban center of an African republic.

Bond really comes across as a rogue agent in Casino Royale, stealing his way into M's apartment to leave her coded messages, taking risks that threaten painstaking operations and getting himself into jams that require MI6 to bail him out. This is a young impetuous Bond, overanxious and thrilling to watch as Craig fills his role with the energy of a stage actor.

There is also one of the best villains in recent years with Mads Mikkelsen as the cold blooded Le Chiffre. He heads an international cartel not so much bent on world destruction as on taking advantage of the chaos in which we live. He is a much more believable villain than Spectre and relies on much simpler methods of getting his piece of flesh from someone.

It is also refreshing to see Bond have a real love interest in Eva Green, not the usual banter that rings hollow. Bond is not afraid to expose himself in this movie, revealing a much more vulnerable figure than we have seen before.

MI6 also finds itself as a much more porous organization, capable of being infiltrated so that Bond doesn't know who to trust in key moments. All he has is the support of M, played to deadpan perfection by Judi Dench.

Everything about this movie is fresh and clean, including the opening credits. Bond hasn't looked this good since the early films in the series with Sean Connery. There is even an amusing scene where Bond wins a 1964 Aston Martin in a poker game, a tip of the hat to Goldfinger.

I loved the first Blu-Ray edition. I have not seen the Collector's Edition yet, but they have added so much more to this. I got this from the BluRay.com website....

*Bonus View Picture-in-Picture visual commentary with Director Martin Campbell and Producer Michael G. Wilson (BD Exclusive)
*"Know Your Double-O" - the Ultimate James Bond Trivia Quiz, a BD-Live enabled multi-skill level, multi-player trivia game (BD Exclusive)
Documentaries
*Ian Fleming's Incredible Creation - A remarkable look at the birth and continued success of James Bond, including never-before-revealed information about Bond's creator and the origins of 007.
*The Road to Casino Royale - The story of why it took over 50 years for the Bond filmmakers to bring Ian Fleming's first 007 novel to the big screen, featuring the amazing behind-the-scenes stories of the many attempts to make the film.
*James Bond in the Bahamas - A fascinating examination of the links between the the cinematic Bond and the Bahamas, with never-before-told behind-the-scenes stories from Casino Royale, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, For Your Eyes Only and The World Is Not Enough.
*Ian Fleming: The Secret Road to Paradise - A revealing exploration of the world of James Bond's creator. In this documentary, discover why Ian Fleming was drawn to the Bahamas, and learn the cinematic Casino Royale's unique link to an important chapter in 007's secret history.
*Death in Venice - A break down of one of the key scenes in the film.
*Becoming Bond - An intimate look at how Daniel Craig stepped into the role of James Bond.
*James Bond: For Real - A behind-the-scenes look at the ground-breaking action and the stunts in Casino Royale.
*Bond Girls Are Forever - An extended version of the 2002 AMC television special, with new footage and interviews of the new Bond Girls.

---Featurettes---
*The Art of Freerunning - An in-depth look at the freerunning chase and the freerunning technique with the sport's founder, Sebastien Foucan.

---Filmmaker Profiles: in-depth conversations with key creative forces behind Casino Royale, including never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage:
*Martin Campbell, Director
*Chris Corbould, Special Effects
*Phil Meheux, Director of Photography
*Gary Powell, Stunt Coordinator
*Alexander Witt, Second Unit Director
*David Arnold, Composer

---Deleted/Extended Scenes---
"Rescue & Recovery"
"Squandering Government Funds"
"Cricket Pavilion"
"Gettler Raises Bond's Suspicions"

---Storyboard Sequence---
Freerunning Chase -- Watch the storyboards presented in animatic form, or view them in comparison to the finished film sequence.

---Scene Deconstruction---
Catching a Plane: From Storyboard to Screen, featuring outtakes and never-before-seen footage.

---Music Video: Chris Cornell "You Know My Name"

---Crew Commentary: Audio Commentary with scene-specific comments and observations from many of Casino Royale's creative team.

I like James Bond as much as the next guy. I've read a couple of Ian Fleming's novels, have seen all the films (many in the theater), and have all the box set DVDs. I don't consider myself obsessive, however, Bond to me has always been a bit of a lark--adrenaline style entertainment. From the serious Bond to the cheesy Bond, there's always some action or outrageousness to admire. So I was mystified when so many people were absolutely indignant that Daniel Craig was signed for the role. I'm not saying I supported the ouster of Brosnan, I'm just saying I was pleased that a talented actor was taking his place. And the idea of rebooting the series wasn't controversial to me, but an ingenious way to reinvigorate the franchise.

Now having seen "Casino Royale," I stand firm in my opinion that Craig makes an excellent 007 (even though he's blonde and not Clive Owen). He demonstrates a real brashness as the newly promoted Bond--defiant, cocky and tough as nails. But the character has many shadings which Craig pulls off effortlessly. The flirtatious womanizer, the tender romantic, the brutal killer, and the betrayed lover are all well played and believable. He inhabits Bond with a realness, a personality--it's more than the casual quip, there's something going on in his brain. But maybe Craig's strongest asset is his physicality. Not only has he given Bond emotional resonance, but his physical presence make his action scenes and tough guy performance much more realistic.

The movie's plot is somewhat superfluous to me--it's a pretty standard setup. The film kicks off with a tremendously staged chase, however. The stunts and choreography are excellent--it's exciting when necessary and amusing where appropriate. You know instantly that you're in for a thrill ride. As we settle in for the main story, Bond meets with Vesper Lynd--played by Eva Green. Green is a good match for Craig, and her character is written well--their relationship can be surprisingly sweet. The major plot point revolves around a poker game which Bond must win. Within this card game, an interesting psychological contest is developed with the villain. I liked the blend of action and cunning gameplay.

The third act for me, while necessary to the development of Bond's character, did play on a little long and held no real surprises. But that said, it was particularly well acted. Overall, I found the Bond reboot amazingly successful. Craig makes Bond human again and ruthless, too. Recommended as a solid action picture, and one of the stronger entries in the series! KGHarris, 11/06.