Casino Royale (Blu-ray Disc, 2006)

Casino Royale, the new James Bond movie, is a reinvention of the franchise, which has gotten stale in recent years. It brings Bond back to his roots, and starts at the beginning of his 00 career, and shows you how he became the cold-hearted, womanizing killer the world has come to know.

Simply put, Daniel Craig IS James Bond. While many, including myself, were skeptical of his casting prior to the movie's release, one watch is all that is needed to realize that the casting director knew what he was doing. Craig exhibits all of the suave smoothness of the other James Bonds, but injects a raw fierceness of his own. This makes for a striking and far more developed James Bond character.

I urge anyone who is a fan of James Bond to see this movie, and to see it in High Definition on Blu-Ray disc! James Bond has never looked better!

Still not on a par with the days of Sean Connery, the new Bond is quite an improvement over effeminate versions portrayed by Pierce Brosnan and Timothy Dalton. You can finally see some of the manly qualities that Bond should have, without all of the fancy-pants poncery of the more modern Englishmen to play the part.


But enough about the acting, as that's hardly what people would buy a Bond film for!


The Bondgirls: very nice this time around. I remember hearing an uproar about Eva Green being selected for the female lead, but I think she's perfect. Quite good in this film. She was thankfully not another Xena: Warrior Princess 21st-Century female action hero stereotype. She was tough, yet vulnerable, and quite feminine. The other ladies were quite easy on the eyes, as well, though they don't get much screen time. It's a one girl show this time around.


The Plot: though I realize nobody watches Bond films for the clever plot, this one was not so ridiculous as some of its predecessors. Though not as intricate, with only mild twisting and turning, it is at least believable. Basically, the villain is a banker-to-the-warlords who takes a huge loss when his stock market scheme is foiled, and needs to make up the defecit before the warlords realize he was gambling with their money. Intro the high-stakes Texas Hold'em tournament (yeah, you heard right!) held in Montenegro - probably the most unlikely premise for Bond to appear anywhere, it is an obvious latch-on to the growing popularity of the card game. Anyway, Bond needs to win, because he's Bond, and the villain needs to win, because he doesn't want to sleep with the fishes, see. Violence and intrigue ensue. Pretty standard stuff, if you cut out the poker bit.


The Action: yes, beside the Bondgirls, this is the reason most people would spend two hours watching a Bond Film. And, for the first time in the last few installments, this edition actually lives up to expectations. After a short flashback for expository purposes, we are treated to a relatively original chase scene, something you can rarely count on in a Bond film. The action here was well-balanced between tension-building realism and the over-the-top unlikeliness Bond films are noted for. I was impressed. Later on, there is a short car chase that ends in an interesting, if somewhat Snidely Whiplash-esque, manner. A somewhat less interesting fuel truck fight (I know I've seen it in a previous installment) sets the stage for one of Bond's clever tricks that the audience isn't let in on until the end. Also, they do some interesting things to a Venician building towards the end.


The Cars: this was a little disappointing. The Astin-Martin was nice, but that's about it. One moment that tickled my fancy was when they showed bond driving a rental car that looked like a Ford Focus, or something similarly lame (no offense to Ford employees - I'm sure it gets excellent gas mileage).


The Gadgets: surprisingly few gadgets entered into the story, and nothing that allows Bond to make a MacGuyver-like escape from some holding cell. Every last deus ex machina in the film was due to something else saving Bond's bacon. I missed the laser pens, and John Cleese, but you can't have everything.


Overall, I would say this is definitely above averageon the Bond scale, and I would recommend all Bondophiles buy it. People with only a mild interest in Bond films may want to rent first.

Unbelievable!!!!
This movie should have been a whole lot bigger at the Box office then it was. Everybody was just plain sick of the James Bond movies because of the last couple of dud Bonds.... BOND IS BACK in a form never before seen on the screen, Truer to the original books and one hell of great job!!!! This one even the women will really appreciate. ALL I CAN SAY IS WOW!!! GET IT AND GET IT NOW!!!!
P.S. This bond cannot only kick all the other Bonds butts at the same time, he can also out act the others.
Sorry Sean Connery, You'll always be Bond to me, but this is the BEST BOND MOVIE EVER!!!!!!!

I really enjoy watching all the James Bonds as I grew. As soon as Casino Royal came out I really believe that it beats all of the others. Action packed and excitement everywhere. Once seen on blu ray blew my eyes away makes this one 10X better then at the movie theater.

the movies was great cant wait till nov 7th for the second one to come out. must see movie and a must have movie for the collection.

excelent product and seler, thanks, i´m very happy, i like this movie, more thanks, thanks a lot.excelent product and seler, thanks, i´m very happy, i like this movie, more thanks, thanks a lot.

Huge fan of James Bond/007 films. This movie is filled with action and carries a very well storyline.

I recommend adding this movie to your DVD collection/library.

I loved the movie. Blu ray is the way to go baby. I recommend this title to anyone who love agent 007. Bonds at his best. Big fan of 007 and have all the movies definatelythe greatest.

Casino Royale moves James Bond into the 21st Century. Much more like a serious spy movie but with the exotic locales, fast cars, and beautiful women you'd expect in a Bond movie. The film is well acted, well directed, has a good script and tons of action. The second scene in the movie is my favorite ever in any bond film. This is not just a guy flick - women will love Bond's relationship with Vesper. A definite must-see.

This is one of the best Bond movies I have ever seen and the best bond actor in the series. Pierce was a great bond but the swagger that Daniel gives the character. I believe the High Def Blu-ray is amazing and the picture is great. Great movie to watch (even though it was my 2nd time).

When dvd first came out, the Matrix was the flagship title that perfectly embodied all that dvd was capable of. Well, for Blu-ray, Casino royale is that title (Crank is a close 2nd...). This film is a perfect demonstration of what the blu-ray experience is like. A must buy.

beautiful picture! this movie is the best James Bond movie ever! daniel craig is awesome, he is sexy and tough, just what James Bond should be!!!

I bought the Casino Royale (Blu-ray Disc, 2006) and was immediately impressed with the promptness of delivery. My only complaint is that the DVD jacket didn't contain enough information. Overall, I'd recommend everyone should the DVD in their collection.

Not your mothers Bond for sure lol. Daniel Craig is hot and the action and mood are sizzling. Awsome effects and sound trac makes this one of my favorite Bond Movies. Great evil badguys and some humor and toungue and cheek english flair.

Like many, I was horrified by the appointment of Daniel Craig but by halfway through the film, I was converted. Strip away the superficial differences - gadgets, tuxedo, looks, sleazy charm - and this is still Bond. This is Bond as he was intended to be - a spy, an assassin and a 'problem' solver.

Daniel Craig isn't as good looking or charming or in-your-face as the other Bonds, but he brings a subtlety and understated power to the role which had become sadly lacking, instead being replaced in recent years by wholly unrealistic events and characters. This Bond is an enigma and unpredictable, as a good spy should be if he wants to stay alive. The events are believable and the characters complex, what a pleasure!

I was a huge fan of Pierce Brosnan as Bond but this film has addressed issues I had with the series I didn't know I had. The film is breathtaking, raw and powerful and Daniel Craig is a resounding success. He did a truly magnificent job despite enormous negative reactions and his increased effort shows. He has reinvented a beloved character and actually improved him, which is no mean feat. I have never been so happy to be so wrong.

I like the movie, not in love with it though! Like the hero/villian angle but seemed like the movie was being stretched and taking forever to get to the point!

Being the kind of person i am i checked to see if it was really a blu-ray and i found out it was so i was happy. Worked just fine and looked great especially when you got a pretty good tv too. Honestly if your nervous about buying things like this from ebay (which i dont blame you i was nervous too) then you can rest assure that at least this is one thing you can buy safely. i recieved it quick, it was in perfect condition and it works.

If your a fan of 007, you'll appreciate this movie. D. Craig play a good Bond in this version. If you like poker, you'll like this movie. Poker played the James Bond way. A definate buy.

Item shipped in timely fashion - Great communication - would buy from again!!! The Blu-Ray was new and as expected, great quality. The price was reasonable since if I was to purchase it at Best-Buy in Ottawa, Canada it would have been more expensive - up to $10.00 more!

It was exactly as described and promptly arrived. I would definitely buy from this person again. A+++

Daniel Craig is superb as James Bond as the movie franchise takes on a whole new look as it drops the cheesiness associated with the entertaining but one-dimensional preceding movies. This movie shows us exactly how Bond became who he is and why. Great look into the personality of Bond and M and their relationship. Gritty, fast-paced action. The soundtrack is so strong that you can tell where you are in the movie just by the music.

I thought it was a good movie and am waiting for the next Bond movie coming next month. I liked the different problems that Bond encounyered especially the ending, which was exciting.

I'm a Big 007 fan and I put off seeing this movie untill now... 2 years or so after it came out in the movies. I'm really glad I saw it and was then able to see Quantum of Solace right after because these are both 2 of my now favorite bond movies ever. This one also ranks up in my top 10 movies of all time!

Casino Royale is a fresh breath of air for those of us who have followed 007 on his many movie adventures, and it opens up the Bond universe to the newcomer. It goes back to the beginning and allows us to witness the early events that shape James Bond into the man and the legend. For those who have not cared for the franchise previously, for whatever reason, this is an opportunity to set aside your preconceived notions and become captivated by the Bond mystique. A must see before experiencing "Quantum of Solace" because of the ongoing plot, it stands on its own as the new benchmark in the 007 saga.