New Bond Casino Royale. Recommended. The new Bond movie, Casino Royale, is not to be missed. This movie is not a formulaic re-tread and it doesn't feature many of the elements that we've come to expect in a Bond movie - and yet, it works!

Why, then, does a movie with very little resemblance to previous Bond movies work? Why did this radical new formula impress me, having seen the previous twenty films? This is a hard question to answer. I will offer two possible explanations. 1) This movie works as a standalone film. If you've never seen a Bond film you can enjoy this movie. You don't need to know anything about James Bond or previous Bond villains. The movie has a complete story and character arc. 2) Casino Royale is chronologically positioned before all previous Bond movies. Dr. No, the very first Bond movie contained only a few of the elements that we've come to expect in a Bond movie. This film takes place before Dr. No. Therefore, the 'formula' has not been established. This movie is about the genesis of Bond.

What were some of the highlights of the movie? The first extended action sequence (chase scene) is a marvel to behold. The scene involving the fuel truck at the Miami airport is also very good, and it even has a Bond ending. Daniel Craig, almost unknown to American audiences, is a terrific actor and he demonstrates that he can turn on the charm, when needed. Eva Green will emerge as one of the more memorable Bond girls, as she is quite beautiful and her character, Vesper Lynd, is complex. The infrequent moments of dry humor were excellent, with one of them being quite unexpected. (I won't spoil the particular scene.)

I do not buy the argument that the Bond franchise needed revamping. To the contrary, if done right, a Bond movie can contain all of the formulaic elements and still be a great movie. However, Casino Royale proves that a Bond movie can also work as something completely different than what we've come to expect.