I agree with most of the other comments about Eva Green. I don't think she did that great a job. I was not attached to her one bit; she has a bright future ahead, but she doesn't yet have the acting maturity or skill needed for the role.
If she hadn't already come out in a Bond film ... actually, even though she did ... I'd choose Famke Jansen as Vesper. She'd be perfect.
I thought everyone else did a fine job, but Craig just outshined them all.
I don't see Eva Green as a real weak link. She's a worthy Vesper Lynd. The only real problem I had regards Green as Lynd was the way she was talking to Bond in the train scene. Most notably where she is working out his background. It's hard to explain, but she just sounded weird to me.
Before Green was cast I was all in favour of Rose Byrne when she was rumoured to be in the running. I really think she looked the part, but I am not certain she would have acted the part any better than Green did.
I don't see Eva Green as a worthy Vesper Lynd. There are two reasons:
First, she struck me as cold the entire time. It wasn't at all a shock to me that she would betray Bond. I don't know, I guess, Eva Green is an actress whom I associate more with smutty French films than I do with a Bond film. Even though I knew the story, it was still incredibly obvious to me that she would go bad. If Caterino Murino had been cast, it would have been a different story.
Second, I don't think her performance was all that impressive. For one thing, she didn't convince me that she was in love with Bond at all. Not in the way that Diana Rigg convinced me that she was in love with Bond. There were also a few times when her vocal expression struck me as odd. For example when she said "smart?" in response to Bond's saying that she wasn't his type, I didn't get the ? either of the times that I saw the film. When she committed suicide, I found it to be rather unconvincing and not particularly satisfying on an emotional level. I blame the writers but I also blame Green.
As for Judi Dench. Originally, I was not happy at all with her casting. My opinion was that if Eon are doing a re-boot then do it properly, not half-arsed. When it actually came to watching Casino Royale her appearance as M did not bother me in the slightest. After all, if I can accept Charles Gray and Maud Adams (amongst others) as two seperate characters then it doesn't take a great leap of faith to accept Judi Dench as M in CR. Continuity has hardly been a strong suit throughout the Bond films.
This should probably go into the acceptable/unacceptable thread , but while I have no problem with Charles Gray and Maud Adams playing different characters in two different films, I do have a problem with Judy Dench playing M in two different 'series.' I probably wouldn't have had a problem (well maybe a little) if Dench had played a different character. Nonetheless, considering that CR is a reboot, I thought that it messes up the continuity (which IMO exists, up to a certain point) far too much. I am willing to overlook alot of things about CR; such as a black Felix, his getting an Aston Martin in a poker game etc... However I can not overlook the fact that the producers IMO wimped out when it came to casting M and as a result prevented CR from being IMO a complete reboot. It must also be said, that some of the things that this M said weren't all that different to what her other M said in GE (the psychoanalysis.)
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
I don't see Eva Green as a real weak link. She's a worthy Vesper Lynd. The only real problem I had regards Green as Lynd was the way she was talking to Bond in the train scene. Most notably where she is working out his background. It's hard to explain, but she just sounded weird to me.
Before Green was cast I was all in favour of Rose Byrne when she was rumoured to be in the running. I really think she looked the part, but I am not certain she would have acted the part any better than Green did.
I don't see Eva Green as a worthy Vesper Lynd. There are two reasons:
First, she struck me as cold the entire time. It wasn't at all a shock to me that she would betray Bond. I don't know, I guess, Eva Green is an actress whom I associate more with smutty French films than I do with a Bond film. Even though I knew the story, it was still incredibly obvious to me that she would go bad. If Caterino Murino had been cast, it would have been a different story.
Second, I don't think her performance was all that impressive. For one thing, she didn't convince me that she was in love with Bond at all. Not in the way that Diana Rigg convinced me that she was in love with Bond. There were also a few times when her vocal expression struck me as odd. For example when she said "smart?" in response to Bond's saying that she wasn't his type, I didn't get the ? either of the times that I saw the film. When she committed suicide, I found it to be rather unconvincing and not particularly satisfying on an emotional level. I blame the writers but I also blame Green.
Eva Green did not strike me as cold the entire time. There was an element of that in the beginning before she really began to know Bond. As for Caterina Murino, she does look more like a natural Bond beauty to me but I don't think she is as good an actress as Green.
I do agree with you that Diana Rigg is more convincing when it comes to portraying her love for Bond. I also agree regarding Green's vocal expression. However, I disagree regarding her suicide. I found it to be rather convincing and satisfying on all levels.
I do have a problem with Judy Dench playing M in two different 'series.' I probably wouldn't have had a problem (well maybe a little) if Dench had played a different character. Nonetheless, considering that CR is a reboot, I thought that it messes up the continuity (which IMO exists, up to a certain point) far too much. I am willing to overlook alot of things about CR; such as a black Felix, his getting an Aston Martin in a poker game etc... However I can not overlook the fact that the producers IMO wimped out when it came to casting M and as a result prevented CR from being IMO a complete reboot. It must also be said, that some of the things that this M said weren't all that different to what her other M said in GE (the psychoanalysis.)
I have a little sympathy with you here. Although I was not bothered by Judi Dench's presence when it actually came to watching Casino Royale, it may well have made for even more satisfying viewing if Eon had done a complete re-boot. I am not just thinking about Dench as M. I am also thinking about the nods to the past, such as the Aston Martin DB5.
Eva Green did not strike me as cold the entire time. There was an element of that in the beginning before she really began to know Bond. As for Caterina Murino, she does look more like a natural Bond beauty to me but I don't think she is as good an actress as Green.
I do agree with you that Diana Rigg is more convincing when it comes to portraying her love for Bond. I also agree regarding Green's vocal expression. However, I disagree regarding her suicide. I found it to be rather convincing and satisfying on all levels.
Fair enough. I'm happy that you were satisfied with Green. If I may make one comment; "As for Caterina Murino, she does look more like a natural Bond beauty to me but I don't think she is as good an actress as Green." I don't think either actresses are all that good.
I have a little sympathy with you here. Although I was not bothered by Judi Dench's presence when it actually came to watching Casino Royale, it may well have made for even more satisfying viewing if Eon had done a complete re-boot. I am not just thinking about Dench as M. I am also thinking about the nods to the past, such as the Aston Martin DB5.
I loved that car, but yeh, I agree with you here. A different M could have provided him with a Ferrari.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Eva Green & Caterina Murino are good enough for a Bond film. That doesn't seem very complimentary, but Bond and heavy duty acting hardly go hand in hand.
And we can't have M providing Bond with a foreign car. He must have British. By the way, are there any British cars left?
Eva Green & Caterina Murino are good enough for a Bond film. That doesn't seem very complimentary, but Bond and heavy duty acting hardly go hand in hand.
Well, I don't know about that. I think Connery was pretty good, and as for Eva Green being good enough for a Bond film, no comment. I will say this. In regards to Eva Green's Vesper, I'm glad the film was faithful to the novel in terms of her committing suicide.
And we can't have M providing Bond with a foreign car. He must have British. By the way, are there any British cars left?
Probably not. ) BTW I'm not sure why Bond can't be provided with a Ferrari. He was given a BMW in the Brosnan films.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
I would cast Timothy Dalton as Bond, since I have always felt he best captured the spirit of the James Bond that Ian Fleming created.
Many fans have often wondered how things mite have been if Dalton had a third film, if his third outing was Casino Royale I am sure it would have been his best film.
Also I would cast either Robert Brown or an unkowen male actor from the U.K. as M, no disrespect to Judi Dench but her M is really wasted character wise. At times it seams like the writers treat her as if she got in over her head when she joined MI6,also her treating Bond like a leashed attack dog bit is getting tiresome. Can't the writers find something better for her to do other than yell at Bond after he does something that does not sit well with her?
Other than that I think the casting is pretty sound if you ask me. I would however recommend more polishing to the script, Felix Leiter did very little compared to the novel, his identity should been established sooner,rather than midway through the big game.
Comments
If she hadn't already come out in a Bond film ... actually, even though she did ... I'd choose Famke Jansen as Vesper. She'd be perfect.
I thought everyone else did a fine job, but Craig just outshined them all.
First, she struck me as cold the entire time. It wasn't at all a shock to me that she would betray Bond. I don't know, I guess, Eva Green is an actress whom I associate more with smutty French films than I do with a Bond film. Even though I knew the story, it was still incredibly obvious to me that she would go bad. If Caterino Murino had been cast, it would have been a different story.
Second, I don't think her performance was all that impressive. For one thing, she didn't convince me that she was in love with Bond at all. Not in the way that Diana Rigg convinced me that she was in love with Bond. There were also a few times when her vocal expression struck me as odd. For example when she said "smart?" in response to Bond's saying that she wasn't his type, I didn't get the ? either of the times that I saw the film. When she committed suicide, I found it to be rather unconvincing and not particularly satisfying on an emotional level. I blame the writers but I also blame Green.
This should probably go into the acceptable/unacceptable thread
Eva Green did not strike me as cold the entire time. There was an element of that in the beginning before she really began to know Bond. As for Caterina Murino, she does look more like a natural Bond beauty to me but I don't think she is as good an actress as Green.
I do agree with you that Diana Rigg is more convincing when it comes to portraying her love for Bond. I also agree regarding Green's vocal expression. However, I disagree regarding her suicide. I found it to be rather convincing and satisfying on all levels.
I have a little sympathy with you here. Although I was not bothered by Judi Dench's presence when it actually came to watching Casino Royale, it may well have made for even more satisfying viewing if Eon had done a complete re-boot. I am not just thinking about Dench as M. I am also thinking about the nods to the past, such as the Aston Martin DB5.
I loved that car, but yeh, I agree with you here. A different M could have provided him with a Ferrari.
And we can't have M providing Bond with a foreign car. He must have British. By the way, are there any British cars left?
Probably not.
Many fans have often wondered how things mite have been if Dalton had a third film, if his third outing was Casino Royale I am sure it would have been his best film.
Also I would cast either Robert Brown or an unkowen male actor from the U.K. as M, no disrespect to Judi Dench but her M is really wasted character wise. At times it seams like the writers treat her as if she got in over her head when she joined MI6,also her treating Bond like a leashed attack dog bit is getting tiresome. Can't the writers find something better for her to do other than yell at Bond after he does something that does not sit well with her?
Other than that I think the casting is pretty sound if you ask me. I would however recommend more polishing to the script, Felix Leiter did very little compared to the novel, his identity should been established sooner,rather than midway through the big game.