'Casino Royale' is not just a good James Bond film, it's a good film altogether. There are many elements of cinematography utilized, like lighting/colors/camera angles, that perfectly complement the storytelling aspect of the film. There are so many small moments scattered throughout the film that add massive amounts of depth to the story.

The characters are interesting, relatable, and have depth. Every part of 'Casino Royale' is extraordinarily well-written. These scenes at the card table are so perfectly crafted, the audience is left with even greater anticipation and excitement than any action scene in the film. The high stakes poker game itself unfolds in a way that creates enormous suspense and excitement.

However, some of the most suspenseful scenes in the film aren't even the scenes with action. The action sequences are perfectly placed throughout the film and choreographed beautifully. The women in the James Bond franchise have historically been shallow sex objects, but Vesper's character contains significantly depth than female characters in prior films. Not much can be said without getting into spoiler territory, but I will say her story arc is one of the highlights of the movie. Not only is Eva Green stunningly beautiful, she also perfectly portrays the charm, wit, determination, and overall likeability of Vesper. Eva Green plays Vesper Lynd, who is assigned to supervise James Bond during his mission. This is the antithesis of traditional Bond villains that have a tendency to be very over-the-top and evil just for the sake of being evil. Le Chiffre is humanized because the audience simply understands his reasons for being 'the bad guy', which makes him much more relatable and interesting as a character. The film actually provides insight into his backstory to shed some light on the motivations behind his actions.

Mads Mikkelsen plays the main antagonist Le Chiffre, who is one of my favorite James Bond villains. He just has a very powerful aura about him from that start that easily establishes him as the next James Bond. Daniel Craig proves he has the charm, elegance, presence, and confidence that the fans have come to expect from James Bond. Funny how once 'Casino Royale' was actually released, those skeptics immediately disappeared. Fans were up in arms because Daniel Craig has blonde hair and baby blue eyes, instead of themore traditional darker traits that were synonymous with the James Bond character. I distinctly remember the collective groan from the James Bond fan base back in the mid 2000's when the announcement came that Daniel Craig would replace Pierce Brosnan as the new James Bond.

England cast of Casino Royaletts0