Royale with a Side of Hot Damn
This was an old post that I had written before my ftp troubles.
Yes, I finally saw Casino Royale. Being a huge James Bond fan was I concerned that Craig could pull it off at first? Yes. Just because I had always pictured Brosnan since his Remington Steele days as playing Bond. Suave, sophisticated, utterly British Brosnan seemed the perfect pick to carry on the Bond legacy. And Craig, well, he's British but rougher, edgier. Would he transform into the sophisticate, able to blend in with high society filled with villianous moguls?
Oh, yeah and more so.
The movie starts off with a bang and Bond's wry wit, which is one of the things that always sets Bond movies apart from other action/spy films. The beginning is in black and white and seemed a homage to the cold war era Bonds. He's going for his double "0" status which gives him a license to kill when deemed necessary. According to the rules he needs to assassinate two people in the line of duty to move up to "00" agent.
And I'm sure you know what happens.
We get insight into what makes Bond tick and why he shies away from relationships. There's a depth to Bond which is revealed in this movie that Brosnan touched on in Tomorrow Never Dies but which Daniel Craig takes a step further in showing us Bond's inner (and physical) strength to make him the cool, calcualting Bond we have all come to love. Having your heart and country betrayed by the one you love would harden any person, and James Bond is no exception. This vulnerability makes him all the more desirable and human.
Terrorists and arms traders are the villains of this movie. Just watch the Bond movies from the beginning to the present and you can see what political fears are gripping the country, if not the world, at the time. And I think that's what makes Bond so popular. We all wish for someone (maybe even ourselves) to right the wrongs in the world and take down the bad guys working behind the scenes to destroy the world. And do it with style, while sipping a shaken Martini with a cool, kick-butt women (or man) on your arm.
The only thing missing were the array of gadgets and Q. It gave the movie a more serious tone and kept the fighting scenes focused on Bond's hands-on skills, but I do miss a few sharks with freakin' laser beams coming out of their heads.
As for my writing. Well, I'm still plugging away on revisions. I was stuck on this latest chapter, yet again. It wasn't flowing with the others, so I rewrote the beginnning and I hope it works now. And I hope to pick it back up tomorrow. Between work, buying Christmas gifts, parties, and visiting with friends ... my writing's been pushed to the side for now. Love the holidays, but definitely need more time!
Yes, I finally saw Casino Royale. Being a huge James Bond fan was I concerned that Craig could pull it off at first? Yes. Just because I had always pictured Brosnan since his Remington Steele days as playing Bond. Suave, sophisticated, utterly British Brosnan seemed the perfect pick to carry on the Bond legacy. And Craig, well, he's British but rougher, edgier. Would he transform into the sophisticate, able to blend in with high society filled with villianous moguls?
Oh, yeah and more so.
The movie starts off with a bang and Bond's wry wit, which is one of the things that always sets Bond movies apart from other action/spy films. The beginning is in black and white and seemed a homage to the cold war era Bonds. He's going for his double "0" status which gives him a license to kill when deemed necessary. According to the rules he needs to assassinate two people in the line of duty to move up to "00" agent.
And I'm sure you know what happens.
We get insight into what makes Bond tick and why he shies away from relationships. There's a depth to Bond which is revealed in this movie that Brosnan touched on in Tomorrow Never Dies but which Daniel Craig takes a step further in showing us Bond's inner (and physical) strength to make him the cool, calcualting Bond we have all come to love. Having your heart and country betrayed by the one you love would harden any person, and James Bond is no exception. This vulnerability makes him all the more desirable and human.
Terrorists and arms traders are the villains of this movie. Just watch the Bond movies from the beginning to the present and you can see what political fears are gripping the country, if not the world, at the time. And I think that's what makes Bond so popular. We all wish for someone (maybe even ourselves) to right the wrongs in the world and take down the bad guys working behind the scenes to destroy the world. And do it with style, while sipping a shaken Martini with a cool, kick-butt women (or man) on your arm.
The only thing missing were the array of gadgets and Q. It gave the movie a more serious tone and kept the fighting scenes focused on Bond's hands-on skills, but I do miss a few sharks with freakin' laser beams coming out of their heads.
As for my writing. Well, I'm still plugging away on revisions. I was stuck on this latest chapter, yet again. It wasn't flowing with the others, so I rewrote the beginnning and I hope it works now. And I hope to pick it back up tomorrow. Between work, buying Christmas gifts, parties, and visiting with friends ... my writing's been pushed to the side for now. Love the holidays, but definitely need more time!
posted by J.T. Bock at 11:26 AM
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