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Product Reviews:
Casino Royale (2-Disc Widescreen Edition) |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: Casino Royale in Blu-Ray...I Love It!!
Comments: This was the 1st ever movie I have watched in Blu-Ray and it did not disappoint. You will not find some technical review from me here, however I will tell you about my experience.
I invited a friend over, who was a little skeptical about the whole Blu-Ray thing. He just felt that it could not really be any better than an upconverted DVD on an HDTV. So, we popped in Casino Royale, which I had read was a pretty great Blu-Ray release. Just to give something to compare to, we watched a few minutes of something on Disco Channel HD. I think it was Dirty Jobs. Anyway, then I started Casino Royale. I was impressed with the picture and sound, however what would my skeptical friend think? After about 5 minutes, my friend weighed in on his experience, "Ok, this is better than I thought. I appears so clear!! Fine, Blu-Ray is better." And there you have it. I was open to the new format and was impressed. My friend was a skeptic and he was impressed. Casino Royale is an exceptional port to Blu-Ray, so if you have a Blu-Ray player and you are a Bond fan, this is a must have!! |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: A NEW JAMES BOND WITH STEROIDS!!
Comments: Critics gave the film a positive response, in particular Craig's performance and credibility. During production this had been subject to debate by the media and the public, as Craig did not appear to fit Ian Fleming's original portrait of the character as tall, dark, and suave. The Daily Telegraph compared the quality of Craig's characterization of Bond to Sean Connery's and praised the script as smartly written, noting how the film departed from the series' conventions. The Times compared the more assertive portrayal by Craig to Timothy Dalton, and praised the action as edgy,[64] with another reviewer citing in particular the action sequence involving the cranes in Madagascar.[65] Critics Paul Arendt of BBC Films,[66] Kim Newman of Empire[67] and Todd McCarthy of Variety[68] all described Craig as the 1st actor to honestly embody Ian Fleming's James Bond from the original novel: ironic, brutal, and cold.
The film was similarly well received in North America. MSNBC gave the movie a perfect 5 star rating.[69] The film was described as taking James Bond "back to his roots", similar to From Russia with Love,[70] where the focus was on character and plot rather than the high-tech gadgets and visual effects that were strongly criticised in Die Another Day.[68] Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie an aggregate rating of 94%, the highest rating for a wide-release of the year. It is the fifth-highest rating for a Bond film on the site behind Goldfinger which received a 95%, The Spy Who Loved Me and From Russia with Love which both received a 96%,[71][72] and Dr. No, with a 97% score.[73] Metacritic gave the movie a Metascore of 81, signifying "Universal Acclaim."[74] Entertainment Weekly named the film as the fifth best of the series,[75] and chose Vesper Lynd as the fourth best Bond girl in the series.[76] Some newspaper columnists and critics were impressed enough by Craig's performance to consider him a viable candidate for an Academy Award nomination.[77][78][79] Roger Ebert gave the film a4out of4star rating, the 1st for any of the James Bond films he reviewed. Ebert stated that Casino Royale answered many of the questions he had begun to ask himself about the 45-year-old series, like why no character seems to have any real emotions. Ebert also felt that this was the 1st Bond film that got him to care about Bond, and the rest of the characters.[80]
However, the film met several mixed reactions. Though American radio personality Michael Medved gave the film3stars out of four, describing it as "intriguing, audacious and original... more believable and less cartoonish, than previous 007 extravaganzas", he commented that the "sometimes sluggish pacing will frustrate some Bond fanatics."[81] Similarly, a reviewer for The Sun praised the film for its darkness and Craig's performance, however felt that "like the novel, it suffers from a lack of sharpness in the plot" and believed that it required additional editing, particularly the finale.[82] Commentators such as Emanuel Levy concurred, feeling the ending was too long, and that the film's terrorist villains lacked depth, although he praised Craig and gave the film a B+ overall.[83] Other reviewers responded negatively, including Tim Adams of The Observer who felt the film came off uncomfortably in an attempt to make the series grittier.[84]
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Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: Bourne or Bond: That Is The Question
Comments: What this film comes down to, in terms of whether it will appeal to you or not, is the simple question of which type of spy you prefer: classic Bond (Sean Connery, Moore) or that of Jason Bourne. Personally, I hated the classic Bond films with their portrayal of a spy who can supposedly save the earth however is so flabby and out of shape (not to mention has a drinking problem and smokes too much). I also detested the unbelievable villians and the chicks with genital names. Austin Powers really nailed exactly what the classic Bond films presented as our superspy and how silly it is that anyone would rely on this man.
Now, what about the new Bond? He appears pumped and conditioned, as1would imagine a superspy would be. He is cold and brutal, however with an emotional depth hidden right beneath the surface. Craig is amazing and delivers a fantastic performance (and do not bring up the hair. It's not as if the man were as blond as Flash Gordon, not the hair colour should matter).
The film itself is quick paced and much more realistic than the early Bond films, with the villians' goals being global terrorism and destabilization of the markets. While not as flashy as taking over the world with a giant laser, it is much more believable. I understand that the early Bonds were closer to the author's original vision, however sometimes, rarely, scripts are better than the material on which they are based. This is1of those times. To end, if you love the classic Bonds, you almost all likely will hate this. However, if you under 50 like me and loved the quick pace, kicking major derriere of the Bourne films, you will absolutely love this. Do you want a killer spy or do you want a cheesy pick up artist? The choice is yours. |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: The almost all brutal and viscerally exciting James Bond film yet!!
Comments: James Bond seemed dead, however along came Daniel Craig who brought the best in the business back, however giving us a lean, mean 007 that blows previous Bonds away. As well as giving the performance of his career in the process. Daniel Craig gives a galvanizing performance as the freshly minted double-0 agent. Suave, reckless, and possessed with an ego that compromises his judgment during his 1st mission to root out the mastermind behind an operation that funds international terrorists. There is also1of the best villains in recent years with Mads Mikkelsen as the cold blooded Le Chiffre. He heads an international cartel not so much bent on world destruction as on taking advantage of the chaos in which we live.
For longtime fans of the franchise, Casino Royale offers some retro kicks. Bond wins his iconic Astin-Martin at the gaming table, and when a bartender asks if he wants his martini "shaken or stirred," he disdainfully replies, "Do I look like I give a damn?" there is no Moneypenny or "Q," however Dame Judi Dench is back as the exasperated M, who1senses, admires Bond's "bloody cheek." It is also refreshing to see Bond have a real love interest in Eva Green, not the usual banter that rings hollow. Bond is not afraid to expose himself in this movie, revealing a much more vulnerable figure than we have seen before.
From its punishing violence and virtuoso action sequences to its romance, Casino Royale is a Bond film that, in the words of1character, makes you feel it, particularly during an excruciating torture sequence. Double-0s, Bond observes early on, "have a short life expectancy." however with Craig, there is new life in the old franchise yet, as well as genuine anticipation for the next1when, at last, the signature James Bond theme kicks in following the best last line ever in any Bond film. |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: Simply Awesome
Comments: This is a must-have. The movie itself is incredible as usual. The action sequences take it to the limit. Craig is better than expected as Bond. The disc itself is great - plenty of features - although I have not sampled that content as of yet. |
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