Casino Royale -or- The Return of the Guy’s Movie

Movies for guys who like movies: Casino Royale is absolutely excellent. None of the smirking prettiness of Pierce Brosnan or the almost-obscene gadgetry of Roger Moore, just a flick with an almost-dour Daniel Craig trading blows with the bad guys, ordering the perfect drink (known as the James Bond Martini, also known as the “Vesper”) and frequenting many exotic, beautiful locations. Many “guys” will fault the film for showing Bond’s less-masculine touchy-feely side, but I’d say that goes right in line with the legend that Ian Flemming built, or at least returns to the roots of Bond’s nature. Besides, heroes need flaws too. It’s a fact.

And what of the Bond men? Connery was the best so far, and I’m not here to put Craig up above his head–yet. But if Craig pulls off a couple more performances like this one he will stand head and shoulders above the rest, even the indomitable Connery. Roger Moore was a methuselah when he began his run and with his final Bond film twelve years later he was a hundred and seventeen years old. The most painful thing to watch in the entire series was Roger Moore hobbling on those poor arthritic knees. Timothy Dalton–no comment. The Dalton movies were a dark period in the franchise, for me. Brosnan was just too pretty to be Bond. Don’t get me wrong, I like Brosnan, I’ve liked many of his movies–even the Bond movies, although they got a little too gaudy for my tastes. Loved the Matador–but during his Bond run the focus was just too heavily laid on a large-set dramatic sequence which would define the entire film. I’d much rather see the emphasis on the exotic locales and the plot, plot, PLOT! Casino Royale provides on all fronts: villain, Bond Girl, exotic locales, plot; it has it all. Was Casino Royale the best Bond movie ever? In my opinion: Yes. Irrefutably.

Some of the “guy movies” I hear about lately are of the XXX/Fast and the Furious ilk, or worse. Mission Impossible II (or pretty much anything directed by John Woo) was a huge-budget, high-explosive drabfest. MI:III kind of got back to its roots, but it’s so hard to take Tom Cruise seriously any more. I’ll spend my money on the Bourne franchise with its flawed hero and the rejuvenated Bond franchise, thanks in large part to Mr. Craig.

Keep a watch this summer for the Bourne Ultimatum starring Matt Damon, and in ‘08 for Bond22 with Daniel Craig.

And now, the Bond Martini, ala Ian Flemming in 1953’s Casino Royale (the book):

“A dry martini,” he said. “One. In a deep champagne goblet.”
“Oui, monsieur.”
“Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?”
“Certainly monsieur.” The barman seemed pleased with the idea.
“Gosh, that’s certainly a drink,” said Leiter.
Bond laughed. “When I’m…er…concentrating,” he explained, “I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold, and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink’s my own invention. I’m going to patent it when I think of a good name.”