(2006) 4 Jeremy Wheeler As both a kick start to the James Bond series and a throwback to the original vision of Ian Fleming's super-spy, 2006's Casino Royale is a sumptuous feast full of hefty courses of action, humor, and dramatics, the likes of which Bond audiences have not witnessed in some time. While nearly every fan of the series has his or her own favorite actor in the lead role, there's no denying that -- despite the early criticism -- Daniel Craig irrefutably nails his acting assignment with an assured performance that's equally magnetic in excitement and attraction levels. And while much was made of the stripping down of 007, most of what people love about the character is still there in one form or another. From the cocky looks to the crooked crooks, there's no doubt this is a Bond film through and through. As far as the action goes, director Martin Campbell takes a note from international cinema with the film's first big chase sequence, echoing the free-running sequences in District B13 as he deftly takes the awe-inspiring foot chase to a new, dizzying level. Backing up the whole ride is a solid script that throws viewers for a few loops along the way to the somewhat expected climax, which finds Bond hardened in his "00" status and, for the first time in a long stretch of the series' history, sets up a formidable villainous group for him to go up against in future installments. To put it in Hollywood terms, Casino Royale succeeds because of its skillful reinterpretation of what has attracted audiences to the character for decades now, although it is not without fault. First off, Chris Cornell's opening theme is completely misguided in its alterna-rock aesthetics, even if it's padded nicely by David Arnold's slick orchestration. Also, Bond films have always been notorious for skating the two-hour mark, but this 144-minute behemoth is just long enough for most audiences to get antsy as 007 finds love in a string of scenes that could have easily been whittled down in the script stage. Despite these hiccups, the franchise is livelier than ever with this revamp. This might be a grittier Bond full of far more emotions than gadgets, but it's hard not to be excited when the full-blown theme emerges at the end, promising more fantastic adventures to come.

cast-crew for Casino Royale on AllMovie

Casino Royale (2006)

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Casino Royale

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Violence
Nudity
Profanity
Sexual Situations

genres

Action

sub-genres

category

Feature

directed by

Martin Campbell

countries

Germany, UK, USA, Czech Republic

release date

November 17, 2006 (USA)

run time

144 min.

produced by

Babelsberg Film, Casino Royale Productions, Columbia Pictures, Eon Productions, MGM, Stillking

released by

Albert R. Broccoli's Eon Productions, MGM, Sony Pictures Entertainment

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cast

Daniel Craig: James Bond

Eva Green: Vesper Lynd

Mads Mikkelsen: Le Chiffre

Giancarlo Giannini: Mathis

Caterina Murino: Solange

Simon Abkarian: Alex Dimitrios

Isaach de Bankolé: Steven Obanno

Jesper Christensen: Mr. White

Ivana Milicevic: Valenka

Claudio Santamaria: Carlos

Sebastien Foucan: Mollaka

Tobias Menzies: Villiers

Jeffrey Wright: Felix Leiter

Judi Dench: M

Malcolm Sinclair: Dryden

Richard Sammel: Gettler

Ludger Pistor: Mendel

Joseph Millson: Carter

Daud Shah: Fisher

Clemens Schick: Kraft

Emmanuel Avena: Leo

Tom Chadbon: Stockbroker

Dayo Ade: Infante

Urbano Barberini: Tomelli

Madame Wu: Tsai Chin

Charlie Levi Leroy: Gallardo

Lazar Ristovski: Kaminofsky

Tom So: Fukutu

Veruschka: Gräfin von Wallenstein

Daniel Andreas: Dealer

Carlos Leal: Tournament Director

Christina Cole: Ocean Club Receptionist

Jürgen Tarrach: Schultz

John Gold: Card Player

Jerry Inzerillo: Card Player

Diane Hartford: Card Player

Jessica Miller: Dealer

Leostránsky: Tall Man

Paul Bhattacharjee: Hot Room Doctor

Crispin Bonham Carter: Hot Room Doctor

Simon Cox: Hot Room Technician

Rebecca Gethings: Hot Room Technician

Peter Notley: M16 Technician

John Chancer: Police Commander

Pater Brooke: Airport Policeman

Jason Durran: Airport Policeman

Robert Jezek: Arresting Officer

Robert G. Slade: Pilot

Félicité De Jeu: French News Reporter

Michaela Ochotská: Shop Assistant

Michael Offei: Obanno's Leutenant

Makhoudia Diaw: Obanno's Liaison

Michael G. Wilson: Chief of Police

Martina Duravolá: Police Chief's Girlfriend

Marcela Martincáková: Police Chief's Girlfriend

Vladimir Kulhavy: Croatian General

Valentine Nonyela: Nambutu Embassy Official

Dusan Pelech: Bartender

Phil Meheux: Treasury Bureaucrat

Alessandra Ambrosio: Tennis Girl

Veronika Hladikova: Tennis Girl

Regina Gabajová: Hotel Splendide Clerk

Olutunji Ebun-Cole: Cola Kid

Martin Ucik: Barman

Vlasta Svátková: Waitress

Miroslav Simünek: Disapproving Man

Ivan G'Vera: Venice Hotel Concierge

Jiri Lenc: Hotel Splendide Limo Driver

Jaroslav Jankovsky: Hermitage Waiter

Richard Branson: Miami Airport Check-in Desk

crew

Martin Campbell: Director
Barbara Broccoli: Producer
Michael G. Wilson: Producer
Ian Fleming: Book Author
Neal Purvis: Screenwriter
Paul Haggis: Screenwriter
Robert Wade: Screenwriter
Phil Meheux: Cinematographer
Chris Cornell: Songwriter
David Arnold: Composer (Music Score)
Nicolas Dodd: Composer (Music Score)
Martin Campbell: Editor
Stuart Baird: Editor
Peter Lamont: Production Designer
Alan Tomkins: Art Director
David Baxa: Art Director
Dominic Masters: Art Director
Fred Hole: Art Director
James Hambidge: Art Director
Michael Lamont: Art Director
Peter Francis: Art Director
Simon Lamont: Supervising Art Director
Steve Lawrence: Art Director
Steven Lawrence: Art Director
Susanna Codognato: Art Director
Carl L. Woebcken: Co-producer
David Minkowski: Co-producer
Henning Molfenter: Co-producer
Matthew Stillman: Co-producer
Andrew Noakes: Associate Producer
Anthony Waye: Executive Producer
Callum McDougall: Executive Producer
Flavio Bertini: Set Decorator
Lee Sandales: Set Decorator
Lindy Hemming: Costume Designer
Molly Sole: Set Decorator
Simon Wakefield: Set Decorator
Chris Munro: Sound/Sound Designer, Sound Recordist
Martin Cantwell: Sound/Sound Designer
Gino de Rossi: Special Effects
Bruce G. Moriarty: First Assistant Director
Clive Jackson: Camera Operator
Jaromir Sedina: Camera Operator, Steadicam Operator
Robert Steadman: Camera Operator
Roberto Contreras: Camera Operator
Rodrigo Gutierrez: Camera Operator
Roger Pearce: Camera Operator
Sebastien Foucan: Stunts
Debbie McWilliams: Casting
Jane Jenkins: Casting
Janet Hirshenson: Casting
Janine Modder: Production Manager
Jasmina Torbati: Production Manager
Sabrina Allaria: Production Manager
Alex Gladstone: Location Manager, Unit Production Manager
Alexander Will: Second Unit Director
Alexander Witt: Second Unit Director, Second Unit Director Of Photography
Andy Rolfe: Model Effects
Ben Schmied: Motion Control Camera
Bill Pearson: Model Effects
Billy Campbell: Visual Effects Editor
Chris Corbould: Special Effects Supervisor
Chris Cussen: Unit Production Manager, Location Manager
Chris Hayes: Model Effects
Christine Blundell: Department Head Hair
Christopher Trice: Model Effects
Daniel Kleinman: Title Design
David Boardman: Location Manager, Unit Production Manager
Eddie Forlcarelli: Unit Production Manager, Location Manager
Eddy Joseph: Supervising Sound Editor
Gary Powell: Stunts Coordinator
Gavin Milligan: Location Manager
Guido Cerasuolo: Line Producer
Hana Surkalova: Makeup
Ian Menzies: Motion Control Camera
Jean Bourne: Script Supervisor
Jeremy Johns: Unit Production Manager
Joan Carroll: Location Manager, Unit Production Manager
Joel Beckett: Location Manager
John Marzano: Aerial Photography
John Payne: Model Effects
Linzi Baltrunas: Location Manager, Unit Production Manager
Luisa Amendola: Location Manager
Mark Taylor: Re-Recording Mixer
Martin Sebík: Second Assistant Director
Michael Solinger: Post Production Supervisor
Mike Prestwood Smith: Re-Recording Mixer
Mike Valentine: Underwater Photography
Milan Chadima: Second Unit Camera
Mirek Lux: Assistant Director
Paul Engelen: Makeup Supervisor
Pauline Hume: Title Design
Pavel Mrkous: Location Manager
Pavel Sagner: Special Effects Coordinator
Peerless Camera Company: Visual Effects
Richard Cheal: Model Effects
Robin Higgs: Location Manager, Unit Production Manager
Russell Lodge: Unit Production Manager
Sharon Lark: Visual Effects
Simona Serafini: Location Manager
Steve Begg: Visual Effects Supervisor
Steve Harvey: Location Manager, Unit Production Manager
Terry Madden: Second Second Assistant Director
Tony Teiger: Properties Master
Vincent Jenkins: Model Effects