Review of Casino Royale (1954) by Wayne H — 30 Jan 2013

Craig is fantastic as Bond, and this vehicle is an origin story of sorts for 007. James is new to MI:6 and can't seem to keep himself out of trouble. The opening 20 minutes is a foot chase that outdoes nearly any other Bond movie action sequence.

His banter with M, his chemistry with Eva Green as the sexy-smart Vesper Lynd, and a horrendus torture scene where chief villian, Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) repeatedly whacks Bond in the you-know-whats with a knotted rope make this a terrific installment in the 007 catalogue.