It’s a tough assignment requiring nerves of steel, a cocksure attitude and a view to kill anyone who gets in my way, writes the Express & Star’s Sunita Patel. Well, almost.
The mission: To get a perfect look at 144 minutes of Casino Royale.
The venue cannot be revealed - classified information and all that. Although how top secret a preview screening can be in front of 1,700 journalists is anyone’s guess.
Hacks are not normally known to be On Her Majesty’s Secret Service at times like this - more a case of Thunderballs to studio embargoes.
Still, I don’t want my press licence revoked so I can only keep this brief.
But without giving too much away; this film is a belter and Daniel Craig is rightly being tipped as the best Bond since Sean Connery.
As a snippet, try this ice-cold exchange to a hapless bartender asking the famous line “shaken or stirred?”
“Do I look like I care?” snarls the new 007. Mean. Moody. Magnificent.
Sorry but I can’t tell you much more about the special top secret preview screening in London. After all, we were sworn to secrecy.
But boy did we lap up the return of the phenomenally successful 44-year-old franchise complete with its sexy MI6 British Secret Service agent, twists and turns, vodka martinis, Aston Martins, English wit and charm, gadgets, explosions, action, glamour, beauty and romance.
Filmed on location in the Bahamas, Czech Republic, Italy and at Pinewood Studios here in England, Casino Royale is the 21st Bond movie and is based on Ian Fleming’s first novel of the same name.
More importantly, it marks the introduction of actor Daniel Craig as the new face of Bond - joining the elite group of actors who have donned the impeccably-tailored tuxedo of superspy James Bond. However, he does not step in to fill in from where Pierce Brosnan left off, for Casino Royale showcases the beginning of Bond, before he holds his licence to kill.
It makes no difference. Bond is no less dangerous and with two professional assassinations in quick succession, he is elevated to ‘00′ status and embarks on his mission.
And the question of course on everyone’s lips is: Can Craig pull it off? Well, while die-hard Brosnan fans like yours truly would argue that as far as looks and sex appeal go, Craig lacks that ‘zsa, zsa, zu’ which not only stirs you, but shakes you to your very core - he probably resembles, to be honest, much more the OO7 Fleming envisaged. A slightly harder and darker character.
The 38-year-old has taken some serious flak since he was chosen to succeed Brosnan last year. It is not long now before Craig has the chance to answer his critics, and the legion of 007 fans can get their teeth stuck into this latest offering of unique villains, outlandish plots and voluptuous women.
You will find out for yourselves what the new Bond is capable of when the film opens nationwide on November 17. Until then, our official review will appear in the Express & Star next week.
Keep it under your hat.
Share this article:
What are these?