Casino Royale

Bond, James Bond.
Those words are the trademark phrase of debonair secret service agent James Bond, played over the years by Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and now blond-haired Daniel Craig.
Consternation ensued when Craig was chosen as the next James Bond. Forget his intense ocean-blue eyes. Critics, instead, focused on his blonde hair and less-than-smooth look.
Could this be the James Bond of the 21st century? Indeed, he could be, as Craig ably shows in Casino Royale.
As directed by Martin Campbell, this movie reimagines James Bond, strips away the boring invincibility and replaces it with a skin-scrapped vulnerability.
This Bond is much darker and more human than we have ever seen him. He gets tortured; he gets his heart broken; and he fouls up big time.
We see a man primed to kill slowly and painfully learn the sophisticated art of being a British spy.
Eva Green is the love interest and she is no mere Bond girl. Green bristles with intelligence, and the chemistry between her and Craig is hot and more importantly, believable.
And unlike other Bond movies, their relationship is the emotional core of the film.
What Campbell has done is ground Bond in a bit more reality. No huge special effects are found here, thankfully.
And they are not needed. The action sequences are well-done, Campbell putting enough suspense to keep interest.
But it is Craig's Bond that you can't take your eyes off, a refreshingly darker Bond who we see just finding his fit in a tuxedo.