Do you expect me to ripple?
Bond goes to the gym
I was, like the rest of the world (barring some purists), looking forward to Casino Royale. Saw it last night at a special Radio Times screening, and all round, it's a tremendously well-made series of action sequences. And a game of cards. I'd be interested to know from poker players how realistic this long, drawn-out section was. I admire the filmmakers for taking Bond in a new direction, rather than just attempting to recapture old glories with a new actor. Directed by Martin Campbell (who made such a regenerative job of Goldeneye), whose handling of the bit on the cranes in Uganda is impeccable, this is a brutal kind of Bond movie, with a lot of blood and some really tactile punch-ups. Daniel Craig's Bond is a right bruiser. He is seen with cut knuckles and scars all over his face, not to mention blood all down his evening wear. There are very few witticims or stingers. No sign of John Cleese as Q. (That was a brief fling, it seems.) And without spoiling anything, there's a homoerotic torture scene that takes the 12A certificate to new levels of violence that I'm not too sure about. The female lead, Eva Green, is charismatic and sexy, but she's not there to provide the eye candy.
That'll be Daniel Craig. He's been pumped up to a ridiculous degree, as seen now iconically emerging from the surf in his powder blue trunks, and ogled in the way Ursula Andress and Halle Berry were there to be ogled. Does this make this the first gay Bond movie? If so that would be very modern. But I fear that Daniel Craig might be the potential weak link. He looks tough, brooding and armour-plated, with a touch of enigmatic in his blue eyes, and his repeated penchant for married women ("You're not my type" "Smart?" "No, single") increases the roguishness. But would it be disloyal of me to say that looking like a body builder at worst, and a window cleaner in a Diet Coke advert at best, does not become the international superspy? For a start, how is he to blend in like that? He's bursting out of his shirt!
I still enjoyed the film. But we shall have to see whether another performance like this can carry the franchise. I've always liked Craig as an actor, ever since Our Friends In The North, and he's lent class to many a Hollywood film (if not the terminal Tomb Raider). I applauded his casting as 007 - although I preferred the idea of Clive Owen - and have no problems with him being different. I am no Fleming or even Connery purist. I'm just not 100% sure we're on the right track yet.
Oh, and the film's 20 minutes too long. But aren't they all?
posted by Andrew Collins @ 12:53 PM
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15 Comments:
Would it be churlish to point out that Sean Connery actually was a body builder?
(Mr Universe 1953 contestant)
Yes, I thought it would.
Still, glad to hear you enjoyed it.
I have never seen a Bond Film in all my 37 years. And until now, it has become something of a badge of dubious honour, however, I've been toying with the idea of actually going to see this film. Question is, do I? Is it going to be worth me losing my Bond virginity over, or should I give it a miss, because let's face it, once it's gone it's gone.
Mind you, our local cinema has just closed down, and the nearest now is 50 miles away, is it worth the trip. Or should I just move nearer a bigger town?
JP, by correctly pointing out that Connery was a body builder (apparently they gave him the part of Bond because of the way he walked), you have thrown up an interesting difference between what passed for muscly then, and what passes for it now.
Gari, pleeeeeeease don't throw your Bond cherry away on a modern one. If you're going to do it, do it properly and rent Dr No or Goldfinger and enjoy the best Bond, not the fourth best! (My own personal favourite remains You Only Live Twice, but I suspect others will have their own.)
I am yet to see the latest Bond movie but I do intend to as I think the series needs a zesty boost to revitalise what has become a rather trivial exercise in crowd pleasing techniques.
I cannot comment on whether Daniel Craig (Why do I always want to say 'Craig David'? Now there's a frightful thought!) will be a good Bond or not, but I must admit I have been very keen to see James Purefoy in the role.
I'm new to your website Andrew, but I have been a fan of yours for some time now. Keep up the fantastic work (And I am praying they'll air 'Not Going Out' here in Australia!)
Craig David, hmmm
"Ello my name's Bond, James Bond, and this is Kes"
Gari - I've never seen a Bond film either. Well I've seen bits of them on TV - they're hard to avoid - but never watched one.
I too was considering seeing this, the first one that's appealed to me. I think the hype may win...
I want to go to see this at the pictures, rather than on dvd. We don't go to the pictures very often and we did see the last Bond film there and it makes the film more exciting.
I do think that Daniel Craig looks too pumped up. I've only seen the photo you have shown on your blog, but it looks like his head has been added to someone elses body. It looks too small for the body. Don't they know that less is more - a simple toned body would have been good enough.
I have heard people on the radio say it is the best Bond film ever, blah blah blah. But they are so over enthusiastic about it, that I fear it probably isn't as good as they are making out.
He may be wrong and bulky and blonde,
He may not have the Brosnan charm,
He may be butch and rough to the touch,
But a girl can't help but say 'Phwoooor!'
Well what do you know, end of the working week and I finally do something creative :D
I'm looking forward to this, won't be seeing it until next weekend though so nobody spoil it too much eh! :D
I think I might have been tempted to let the hype win too Ians, had our cinema not shut up shop, still got 5 years of it's lease to run, but they feel it's more viable to pay the lease and keep it shut! Ah well. Thanks for the advice Andrew, I shall, for now, keep myself pure.
I had some doubts about it, he does dress in a very contemporary stylish manner in some scenes (I've always seen Bond as Man at C & A rather than Paul Smith), part of the plot is taken from an episode of Thunderbirds, and it is one action sequence too long, but Craig was magnificent and the verve with which Eon handled the "trademarks" (the gun barrel, the theme, Moneypenny, the drinks and the introductory line) all made me grin like a loon.
Infinitely better than Die Another Day - which I now read was critically panned which isn't my recollection of the time at all. Probably sitting up between OHMSS and Goldeneye for me.
You Only Live Twice is my favourite too, but I'd recommend Goldfinger, Goldeneye, The World Is Not Enough, For Your Eyes Only and The Spy Who Loved Me before it to Newbies - in order that a fuller appreciation of it's subversion of the "formula" can be enjoyed.
There's a billboard up in Bristol (near Temple Meads Station) which looks like an advertisment for Marks and Sparks menswear until you notice that Daniel Craig is holding a gun.
With that and the Bond friendly M&S ad. campaign I'm wondering if there is some sinister corporate cross selling going on,
I finally saw this, after very kindly giving up my preview tickets a couple of weeks ago, and I have to say it was worth the wait. I really loved it from start to finish.
I think it's totally reinvigorated the Bond franchise, and it left me in no doubt that Daniel Craig makes a great Bond, which surprised me, as usually I think he's a plank of wood, much like the overrated Clive Owen.
There were elements of old Bond films there, but new touches like James Bond in hospital or patching himself up after a fight. But it was still preposterous enough to be Bond.
I can't wait for the next one.
I thought it was absoultely brilliant. I hated the invisible car bit in Die Another Day and I'm very pleased they've finally got it back to basics. The Bond girls were finally more than just something good to look at and the whole thing was great.
I saw it last night! (finally)
Although I am not a huge Bond fan, I thought Casino Royale was superb. (A bit over-long, but so many films are these days!)
Daniel Craig is magnificent!
Why is it such a problem that he is such a fine physical specimen?? He looks sensational in those trunks! Good on him!!
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