Why did Casini Royale represent the peak rather than the start of the Craig era?
-
Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — General Discussion
coolslowhand — 9 years ago(October 06, 2016 11:26 AM)
Much too much was always made about the man playing James Bond. I believe (like many) that Connery was the iconic Bond. Only he was able to combine suave, good looks, and rugged masculinity with a boyish charm. That is a very difficult thing to do - Clark Gable?s former wife said that the combination of unquestioned masculinity with a little boy was what made Gable such an icon.
However, every single man who played Bond made better Bond films than DaF and NSNA. Roger Moore is lambasted by many for his portrayal of Bond, but many think TSWLM is the best of the entire franchise. Lazenby was an amateur actor and looked more like a scared boy than an iconic spy, but many consider his sole effort the best movie in the entire franchise as well. In short, one actor does not a Bond movie make or ruin???
So, when Daniel Craig signed on to play Bond I was intrigued ? he wouldn?t have the good looks, screen presence, or boyish charm of Connery, but he might be able to play a more complicated and exciting Bond for the modern times. As soon as Casino Royale was released everyone fixated on Craig, saying he was instantly at least the 2nd best and perhaps the best Bond of all. Looking back ? Casino Royale was a VERY good story. It was also the first Bond ever written by Fleming and had a lot of magic to it. One of the best in the entire canon of Bond. Bond was more human (like in OHMSS) but also very edgy. The movie itself had less gadgets, less clowning around, one-liners, etc. It was just what was needed after Brosnan?s tenure (which had a steep decline after Golden Eye)
After that, however, they have been searching for an identity. Part of this has been tone ? Most appreciate the fact we are seeing more realism and less camp. But starting with QoS this era has been a disappointment for many fans, as Bond lost much of the fun many fans search for. James Bond has never been Bruce Wayne, after all??.
The bigger issue, however, is that the writing has not been very good. QoS should have been written for Charles Bronson because it would be better than the later entries but not as good as the first of the Deathwish movie. Skyfall makes M extremely unsympathetic, has her rely on Bond to protect her, and then he allows her to be killed. So many better ways to bring in a new M (such as having her dying not be due to his failure. After all, it?s sort of hard to be the best 00 agent when you let your boss get killed?..) Finally, the latest entry decided to turn a long-time rivalry between Bond and his most hated rival villain (the one who killed his wife and appeared in several movies, after all??.) into something based on??sibling rivalry. Like something from a soap opera or a cartoon.
Looking back now 10 year later, when Casino Royale was more about the last great Fleming novel being turned into a movie then the start of a great new era. The four Craig films as a whole are better than the four Brosnan films as a whole (although golden eye is better than at least 2 of the Craig films) and the short-live Dalton era, but it did not turn out to be the promising group of films we all believed
Why do you thinks this was? Not as inspired stories? -
coolslowhand — 9 years ago(October 10, 2016 09:53 PM)
I enjoyed your post. Thats a very good point about the first 4 films. By the time you get to Thunderball you go from masterpieces to a film that has parts of it which have the magic and greatness, but is much too flabby and indulgent. I think you are spot-on with the evolution of the series.
Its also interesting to note that Connery and Moore not only had long runs but actually grew and improved in the role before becoming played out. On the other hand, the Brosnan, Craig, and Dalton eras came out with their best stuff and never took another step up.
QOS attempted something no other Bond movie had ever attempted to continue an old story. Even after Bonds wife is murdered in OHMSS its not really carried over to the next movie (yeah, he kills at the beginning, but we dont know why, because its a different actor playing both men.
I hate to compare Bond to a comic book character, but I think a little bit of Batmans history. Batman is the drawing card of that franchise. Sometimes, however, movies, comics, etc. have involved too much of the bat family and given them so much screen time or book time that Batman ends up weaker as a result. At the end of the day, Batman is the strongest character they have, after all I see a similar thing with Bond
Looking at the original M it was a fun relationship with Bond he was sort of an annoyed father figure with the son who was so talented but sometimes a little irresponsible He showed up once or twice per film and it was enjoyable. Same thing with Q and Moneypenny. The writers knew their role and kept them at that. No one really cares about them that much - they are plot devices and nostalgia, not suddenly co-stars.
What do you think will be the next direction the franchise takes? -
mariakelly-04164 — 9 years ago(December 20, 2016 07:14 PM)
Casino Royale was the first James Bond novel, and since it describes his first mission, the producers may have thought it would be a good way to introduce Daniel Craig.
Laugh while you can, Monkey Boy! -
Melton1 — 3 months ago(December 27, 2025 10:26 PM)
Because Craig was new and hungry, and the film was based on Flemming material.
As time went on Craig became more powerful and had more of a say in the films, so he lazily dialled back the fight scenes and obnoxiously dialled up the woke.
At the same time, they had no more Flemming material to provide a solid foundation, so Barbara Broccoli’s worst creative instincts were unmoored. She allowed Craig to dictate terms, and as a woman leaned into the emotion-relationship-family storylines which are anti-Bond (Blofeld is Bond’s long lost step-brother? Really?)
By No Time To Die Bond was a loser who got dominated by tough women instead of ****ing them, and lost and died. Cubby Broccoli is spinning in his grave
️ -
CountJohn — 2 months ago(January 29, 2026 11:11 PM)
Most Bonds peak early on, within the first 3 films. Eventually you need new blood to change it up. Don't see what the big deal is. Connery's first three are clearly better than the next three. TSWLM for Moore, GoldenEye for Brosnan, and then Casino Royale and Skyfall for Craig. If they'd waited a year for the writers strike to end I think QoS could have been up there as well, good basic concept but they needed to smooth the script out.