Review from a different perspective.

Asp9mm

Let me start by saying that I am a huge Fleming Bond fan and not a huge film Bond fan. Yes I like the fims, and some of them -Dr No, FRWL, GF, TB, OHMSS are film-Fleming Bond to a certain degree.

I enjoyed GE after it was released on video and had time to come to terms with an updated Bond. But I have long given up hope of seeing Flemings Bond after Eon stated they would never do a period TV series.

And then I saw Casino Royale...

If you are a die-hard Fleming/Young/Connery/Bond lover that can actualy smell the smoke and sweat in a Casino when you close your eyes, then this is going to be an emotional time. This film is going to emotionaly entangle you from start to finish.

Now, I've never cried in the cinema 8-), or anywhere else I can think of for that matter, but this will drag you in, caress the emotional strings, and spit you out wanting the next film RIGHT NOW!!! And when Craig said his name was Bond, and the music piped up, my eyes were definately moist.

When DC was announced as Bond, I really thought " are you ****ing joking!!!"

Let me say, I've met him, and spent time with him too, but he did not seem like MY Bond with the dark hair, athletic knife edge masculinity etc. Nice bloke and committed to what he does to a fantastic degree - yes, Bond - NO.

That opinion was with me right up until Saturday night (although the poster where he walks away from the Casino with Vesper on the steps did look Femingesque and Bondlike).

Last night, Daniel Craig became Bond. No doubt.

When I read the books, I don't see Connery, George, Rog, Dalton or Brozza. I see my Bond a la Fleming, even when reading Benson and Gardner. From now on it may be difficult not to picture DC. He has it in spades as never seen before.

This may not be 100% Flemings Bond, but if Fleming were writing thrillers today, Daniel Craig WOULD be Flemings Bond.

This film is bloody brilliant.

Gassy Man

Thanks for writing in, Asp9mm. I'd hoped this would be the case with Craig and his debut as 007, as I've waiting for many years for just this sort of Bond film. Glad to hear it didn't disappoint.

Asp9mm

I tell you what GM, in the last few months I have been getting excited, but held back just in case it was another DAD disapointment.

In the last few weeks, with the trailer and everything else happening, I had become highly hopeful, with doubts being set aside as they usually do.

Over the last 10 years those doubts have usually disappeared during the PTS and opening credits, to be resurrected in the last half of the film. Not so here. Every step you take into the film gets better. And as sad as it may be, you will never view Brosnan in the same light. I rated him just under Connery, now he seems like a pretentious buffoon. I watched GE this morning, and it is credible. The first half of TND is great. Twine, I thought was a good film. But now I have seen it again, Brosnan just cannot act, and is a parody. Brosnan plays Brosnan in the last 3 films. It could be argued that he played himself as Bond in ALL the films , but GE was an introduction, we didn't know him. Credit to him for giving us HIS Bond and opening up and continuing the series.

Daniel Craig can act, and he does. Daniel Craig is'nt Bond, but he acts Bond, becomes Bond on screen, and in your mind as you watch it.

Jackanaples

Great review! Your reaction sounds exactly like what I think mine will be! Woohoo!

i expect u2 die

Thanks for writing that, Asp9mm!

I almost wish I wasn't so excited for the film, just so I could experience such a pleasant change of heart!

Gassy Man

Asp9mm wrote:

I tell you what GM, in the last few months I have been getting excited, but held back just in case it was another DAD disapointment.

In the last few weeks, with the trailer and everything else happening, I had become highly hopeful, with doubts being set aside as they usually do.

Over the last 10 years those doubts have usually disappeared during the PTS and opening credits, to be resurrected in the last half of the film. Not so here. Every step you take into the film gets better. And as sad as it may be, you will never view Brosnan in the same light. I rated him just under Connery, now he seems like a pretentious buffoon. I watched GE this morning, and it is credible. The first half of TND is great. Twine, I thought was a good film. But now I have seen it again, Brosnan just cannot act, and is a parody. Brosnan plays Brosnan in the last 3 films. It could be argued that he played himself as Bond in ALL the films , but GE was an introduction, we didn't know him. Credit to him for giving us HIS Bond and opening up and continuing the series.

Daniel Craig can act, and he does. Daniel Craig is'nt Bond, but he acts Bond, becomes Bond on screen, and in your mind as you watch it.

I've suggested on this board and elsewhere that Brosnan was a better Bond (the smooth, charming sort -- his forte) in "The Thomas Crown Affair" than in any of his outtings as 007. It's tough to talk about him without inciting wrath here, and that is not my purpose now, but suffice it to say, I find Craig a breath of fresh air. It was my hope that with his casting, the films would have to work all the more harder to take things in the right direction. Sounds like that is exactly what is happening, and I couldn't be more excited.

Nightshooter

I dunno, ASP, I still hope that after I watch these that I will still love Brosnan, I don't want Craig to be better, just different. I mean, I hope I love Craig, but truth be told I love every Bond, and I don;t want to like Craig SO MUCH that I won't like other Bonds, because that would be a tragedy for me.

i expect u2 die

benskelly wrote:

8-)

Yeah, Brosnan is sh-t. Craig is god. Boy, the hyperbole is really flying now.

Thats probably quite inevitable with the launch of a new Bond, just like we always leave the last film thinking it was the best. With time, we'll regain a balanced viewpoint... i hope

Asp9mm

Night, Brosnan will become classic Bond just like ole Rog. What Craig does is take Bond back to reality and Fleming. I didn't want Craig to be better, just good. But you won't look at Brozza in the same light again, and you will be happy with that believe me.

Imagine watching Moonraker with Rog, and then watching a new film called Goldfinger starring Sean Connery. That is the feeling that is left. You can't say Connery was better than Moore because they played different characters, you can't compare Craig to Brosnan for the same reasons.

It just so happens that the time is right for Flemings hard, cynical and cruel Bond to make a reappearance A little more sophistication, reality, emotion and one great rollercoaster of a ride. Nothing predictable here, this is new, yet familiar, this is exciting.

Loeffelholz

Wow, that sounds great. Thanks for the review, Asp9mm {[]

highhopes

It is nice to see something as risky as messing with the wildly successful Bond formula apparently succeeding on so many levels. Eon really deserves a pat on the back for taking the risk. I also hope the experience liberates the producers and scriptwriters to look for other ways to surprise the audience.

Monique

Asp9mm wrote:

Let me say, I've met him, and spent time with him too, but he did not seem like MY Bond with the dark hair, athletic knife edge masculinity etc. Nice bloke and committed to what he does to a fantastic degree - yes, Bond - NO.

That opinion was with me right up until Saturday night (although the poster where he walks away from the Casino with Vesper on the steps did look Femingesque and Bondlike).

Last night, Daniel Craig became Bond. No doubt.

When I read the books, I don't see Connery, George, Rog, Dalton or Brozza. I see my Bond a la Fleming, even when reading Benson and Gardner. From now on it may be difficult not to picture DC. He has it in spades as never seen before.

This may not be 100% Flemings Bond, but if Fleming were writing thrillers today, Daniel Craig WOULD be Flemings Bond.

This film is bloody brilliant.

Thanks for sharing that Asp9mm. It's very exciting, and encouraging. So, how did you come to spend time with him?

blueman

benskelly wrote:

8-)

Yeah, Brosnan is sh-t. Craig is god. Boy, the hyperbole is really flying now.

Ben, the only hyperbole I've found in this thread is in your post above, actually. Just saying...not sure dissatisfaction with Brosnan and enthusiasm for Craig qualifies as wild exaggeration. More like, personal preference IMO.

Monique

Uh oh..I went back to see what ben meant...I missed Asp's "pretentious buffoon" comment in his second post. I thought his review was excellent, but when you have to follow it up by trashing Brosnan to belabor the point, that kind of demeans it.

Asp9mm

I did'nt trash Brosnan, merely commenting on Brosnans Bond. Maybe I could have made that point clearer. That is how Brozza's Bond (not Brozza himself) came across to me after watching Craig's Bond a few hours before. I also never said I hated Brosnan or his Bond, just disappointed after the second half of TND and slightly bemused by TWINE. DAD though, that's a different matter

Just to make my point clear ... it's akin to watching Christian Bale's Batman in Batman Begins and then watching Val Kilmer's Batman in Batman Forever.

They all have their place in Bond/Bat history. Brosnan was right for the character of Bond he played at the time, and was able to continue the series to the point where we are at present.

emtiem

Wonderful! Sounds like excellent stuff- really looking forward to this. It's nice to hear that Craig is convincing from someone who had doubts; so far no-one who's seen it and reviewed it has said they believe anything less than him being Bond- even the worst review said the film around Craig isn't quite able to match him.

emtiem

benskelly wrote:

I don't know how much more of this ridiculous competition between Bonds I can take - maybe this site will never be unified ever again. Maybe we should leave it to you and Em and a handful of people who agree with everything you say.

I don't know how many times I can say I thought Brosnan was great. But I'm happy to enjoy more than one idea and interpretation of Bond. Both Brosnan and Craig can be great in different ways and I can enjoy both. But drop one into a film designed for the other and they both look equally stupid- Craig adjusting his tie whilst driving a tank through a city? I think he'd look stupid. Brosnan having a viceral fight on a tower crane with a man half his age? Just the same.

Napoleon Plural

But this sort of thing can happen anyway. I watched a Moore film like AVTAK after TLD, and he seems horribly oily and smarmy. It's an acquired taste, a difference of flavour, and you can get used to it, so it is with Craig and Brosnan.

A bit miffed still that EON didn't give Brosnan better flicks, it's not his fault.

Moore Not Less

If I watch Casino Royale and were then to believe it to be the best Bond film and Daniel Craig to be the best Bond ever it wouldn't change my opinion about the other Bond films or actors in any way.

I can happily watch AVTAK after TLD, or MR after LTK. I enjoy the contrasting styles of the films, and the actors. For me, it's been one of the series greatest strength's. Variety is the spice of life.

Loeffelholz

It's history repeating itself, plain and simple. When Dalton took over, Moore was sneered upon. Dalton had his turn in the barrel when Brozzer took the reins. Now it's Brozzer's turn to be the 'old guy.' Happens to all of them, and when Bond #7 takes over, guess what? C'est la vie.

"Same as it ever was." - Talking Heads

Andy A 007

Thanks for the good news Asp9mm. Its really good to know that CR is staying so true to the novel like I had hoped.

But let me ask you this, Asp; How much dialogue is there that comes straight from the book?

Monique

Loeffelholz wrote:

"Same as it ever was." - Talking Heads

And you may tell yourself,
this is not my beautiful Bond!



Remember that? ) )

Loeffelholz

Monique wrote:

Loeffelholz wrote:

"Same as it ever was." - Talking Heads

And you may tell yourself,
this is not my beautiful Bond!



Remember that? ) )

I do indeed ) I was flattered when errathofkosh adopted it, for a time, as his signature... )

blueman

Loeffelholz wrote:

It's history repeating itself, plain and simple. When Dalton took over, Moore was sneered upon. Dalton had his turn in the barrel when Brozzer took the reins. Now it's Brozzer's turn to be the 'old guy.' Happens to all of them, and when Bond #7 takes over, guess what? C'est la vie.

"Same as it ever was." - Talking Heads

Interesting thing about the reviews so far: a big concern back when Craig was cast was that critics and audiences would reject him because he wasn't like Bond, or at least not like the Brosnan Bond we'd been getting. Yet critics are praising Craig for not being like Brosnan, and for being a very different Bond. Who'd have thought.

A week till we see if the general movie-going public feels the same way...

Monique

Ya know what blue? Do me a favor and do not mention the word Brosnan EVER AGAIN.

Even if it KILLS you, resist the temptation to bring him up. Find a way to express your Craig love without obsessing over your hatred for Pierce. Free yourself of it..cleanse your soul. Then maybe..JUST MAYBE... this nagging desire of mine...wanting to reach through the computer screen and choke you will finally fade away.

blueman

Monique wrote:

Ya know what blue? Do me a favor and do not mention the word Brosnan EVER AGAIN.

Even if it KILLS you, resist the temptation to bring him up. Find a way to express your Craig love without obsessing over your hatred for Pierce. Free yourself of it..cleanse your soul. Then maybe..JUST MAYBE... this nagging desire of mine...wanting to reach through the computer screen and choke you will finally fade away.

I dunno Monique, it's a Bond forum...I recognize that you like Brosnan as Bond, but I'm not a big fan of his protrayal and I'm liking that Craig is the new Bond AND that I don't have to sit through another Brosnan borefest.

But ya know, if I did have to sit through another Brosnan borefest, I would. There's always some uniquely Bond moment in every Bond film yet IMHO, his included. Funny how not worshipping a guy equals hating him, just don't get that at all...

You don't like what the critics are saying or how they're putting it, talk to them. I made an observation--a pretty pointed one, sure, but that WAS a fear expressed by many here, that Craig would not work as Bond because he was too unlike the established bloke, or heck even a reasonable approximation of the cinematic character. Seems that was dead wrong. So I dunno, deal with it maybe? Not making the point to **** anybody off, but to address a big concern. Got it?

Hey did ya know, TND is one of my favorite Bond films? After DN, FRWL, GF, TB, and OHMSS, thereabouts. Gee, I guess that makes it #6 or so on my list.

The negative comparisons to Brosnan will keep on coming if CR is successful. Should we shield you from them? C'mon.

Monique

Ok, that's it. I guess I'm going to have to choke you.

I wasn't talking about the critics you insipid twit, but you already knew that. I was talking to YOU about your ****ing agenda, and your passive aggressive attempts at pretending it's not coming from you, it's just relevant to the subject matter. Trust me, half the things you say aren't. You go out of your way to bring him up just to be mean spirited and to PROVOKE. You've been warned 500 times. Are you that thick??

Next time you get the urge to spout your miserable point of view, SPARE US. Or better yet, stick to trashing him on IMDB. That way I don't have to see it.

Andy A 007

Monique wrote:

Ok, that's it. I guess I'm going to have to choke you.

I wasn't talking about the critics you insipid twit, but you already knew that. I was talking to YOU about your ****ing agenda, and your passive aggressive attempts at pretending it's not coming from you, it's just relevant to the subject matter. Trust me, half the things you say aren't. You go out of your way to bring him up just to be mean spirited and to PROVOKE. You've been warned 500 times. Are you that thick??

Next time you get the urge to spout your miserable point of view, SPARE US. Or better yet, stick to trashing him on IMDB. That way I don't have to see it.

Whoa! You two really need to calm down. Especially you, Monique. C'mon, I thought this was a civilized forum here. I've never seen such ignorant banter from members of AJB in my time as a member. We all have our opinions, so just accept each others without being so hateful!

Monique

Stay out of it Andy. You shouldn't comment on things you don't know about.

Blue knows exactly what I mean.

Lazenby880

Andy A 007 wrote:

Monique wrote:

Ok, that's it. I guess I'm going to have to choke you.

I wasn't talking about the critics you insipid twit, but you already knew that. I was talking to YOU about your ****ing agenda, and your passive aggressive attempts at pretending it's not coming from you, it's just relevant to the subject matter. Trust me, half the things you say aren't. You go out of your way to bring him up just to be mean spirited and to PROVOKE. You've been warned 500 times. Are you that thick??

Next time you get the urge to spout your miserable point of view, SPARE US. Or better yet, stick to trashing him on IMDB. That way I don't have to see it.

Whoa! You two really need to calm down. Especially you, Monique. C'mon, I thought this was a civilized forum here. I've never seen such ignorant banter from members of AJB in my time as a member. We all have our opinions, so just accept each others without being so hateful!

I agree Andy A 007. This is getting beyond parody now, and I really do wonder why some people seem to get so explicitly upset over something said by a complete stranger.

Almost every Casino Royale thread I go into is ruined by this sort of stuff. Isn't name-calling at this level against the rules? Regardless, it is incredibly off-putting and, by now, boring.

Monique

Maybe a mod should come over here and enlighten you guys how many hundreds of times blueman has been warned within an inch of his life to stop riling people with those comments.

But thanks, it's nice to know what gentleman you aren't.