007-Casino Royale (PG-13) :

      The 21st installment of the ever popular James Bond series is quite a change from previous Bond movies. Those of us who thought that this movie would contain some more of the fancy gadgets that we associate with 007, well, we were wrong. Instead, the movie focuses more on character and action. Daniel Craig turns in a great performance as the new, reinvented Bond.

       Casino Royale is a fine attempt in bringing back James Bond back to life. The film hits the right chord straight from the beginning, where there is a thrilling chase scene. In fact, none of the action sequences in the whole movie seem to match up to the excitement of this scene. However, some of the stunts seen in the movie are truly jaw-dropping.

         Daniel Craig delivers a stunning portrayal of the intense, dark side of 007. He truly delivers in what is clearly one of the most dramatic Bond films to date. The beauty of his performance lies in the fact that he never seems to lose sight of Ian Fleming’s original characterization of James Bond.

          Casino Royale also introduces the first Bond girl, Vesper Lynd. The character is played by French actress, Eva Green. James Bond (Daniel Craig) has to work with her, in order to hunt down a terrorist financier. The on-screen chemistry between the two is quite brilliant.

          Casino Royale is definitely one of the year’s best movies. The only problem is, at 144 minutes, it is a bit too long. Viewers might feel edgy and restless towards the end of the movie.