casino royale
I think the fact is that the minute they didn't make it the first Bond film back in the 1960s, it was always a doomed film - it introduces Bond and the book isn't exactly riveting. In fact, it's main function is to introduce the character of Bond and I think it is revered so much nowadays because we can see that book as where Bond began. Personally, I'd rather read the Young Bond series by Charlie Higson than a lot of Fleming's works, but Casino Royale is a mediocre book, translates into a poor film (the whole thing is about a game of baccharat, but they have now changed it to poker?!?)and was all rather dull.

Personally, I don't think Bond needed a "reboot". Let's face it, the Bourne films do realistic spy work far better than bond, as does Macgyver, for chrissakes. What people want from a James Bond film is a lot of one-liners, live-action stunts, a fit bird to go "ooo, James", a tasty car, some gadgets and a few knob gags. It lasted a 40 year franchise on that basis, because people always knew a Bond film would entertain them - it didn't try to educate them, lecture them, moralise at them or do anything other than take a few hours of your life and make it fun. I think the new Bond is going to have to work hard to get over the sour-faced half-assed, mish-mash of non-family-friendly twaddle that Daniel Craig just ruined. Any time the leading man gets on more posters than his Bond Girl, you know the film is broken from the depths of it's soul. Bond films are for watching on Boxing Day with the family, much like Indiana Jones films - they are good Bank Holiday fair. But the new Bond film doesn't know whether to to be a gritty noir-esque thriller, an extended episode of Spooks, or an S&M gay man's fantasy with daniel craig in his pants on a chair being whipped in the knackers. In fact, the only good thing was the car. Which they crashed.

I don't hold out hope for The Quantum of Solace, as it seems they have hit the "pretentious" button and since Barbara Broccoli basically let the septics take over the franchise, I'm just waiting for the day they announce it'll be played by Will Smith and set in LA...
(Chad, Wed 23 Jul 2008, 15:39, Reply)