The film also benefits considerably by the presence of the magnetic Eva Green who fights hard against Bond's proverbial sex appeal. There are hardly any swimsuit shots in the movie and she is not the classic Bond girl who oozes sex and fires exotic guns.
But Green's allure more than makes up for young women in skimpy clothes. Far from a sex kitten, Green brings electricity and passion to her character. Her interaction with Bond offers plenty of fun and diversion, giving the adventure some humanity.
Seen in small European films, she could become a major international star with this film.
The Sphinx like character Green plays is also vulnerable at times and the script provides for many moments for her and Bond to ooze chemistry. She is also the first woman Ian Fleming, the creator of Bond novels, wrote about, and the film reveals how she came to have great impact on Bond's life and suggests why he behaves the way he does with those women.
Martin Campbell, who also directed Pierce Brosnan in his first outing as Bond in Golden Eye, extracts solid work from Craig whose rugged and brooding personality makes him perhaps the best Bond. Though he is not handsome like Brosnan, Craig still towers over half a dozen actors including the now legendary Sean Connery who have played the reckless and womanising spy in the movies based on Fleming's bestsellers.
One key reason why the new Bond adventure is not over-produced and its fight sequences rely more on Hong Kong style realistic action is because veteran Bond screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade are joined by Paul Haggis. He is after all the man who created two atmospheric thrillers and saw them triumph at the box-office. Haggis co-wrote and directed the 2005 best-picture Oscar winner Crash and wrote the screenplay for 2004 Oscar hit Million Dollar Baby for actor-director Clint Eastwood.
Don't Miss! Explore Casino Royale
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