Films of the decade: “Casino Royale”

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:43:00 +0000

It feels pretty strange to nominate a James Bond movie as one of the decade's best examples of filmmaking craft — the series had been photocopying the same formula over and over for decades ever since the glory days of Sean Connery, and even longtime fans like myself had given up hope that the franchise would ever feel exciting or vital again. Imagine my surprise when Martin Campbell's 2006 "Casino Royale" turned out to be a fantastic, full-service entertainment in an era when the standards for big-budget cinema have plummeted: It's a thriller with action scenes that further the character development (and how rare is that?), a romance between two leads who have movie star charisma to burn, and finally, a heartbreaking tragedy.

On one end of the spectrum, I love the deliriously fun chase sequence in which Bond pursues an acrobatic would-be terrorist through a construction site. Notable for its lack of shaky camerawork or ADD editing, the scene gradually evolves into a game of "Can you top this?" as Bond realizes he's met an opponent he'll have to outthink rather than outfight. It's his first lesson that if he's going to survive, he'll need to become something more than just a glorified hit man.

Salon.com > Jack Patrick Rodgers

Films of the decade: “Casino Royale”