When it was announced the James Bond franchise would be getting a restart with CASINO ROYALE, I was a bit leery since the series went so far into fantasyland in those last few films.

So here we are with a new Bond and a new actor (Daniel Craig) portraying our beloved hero. The great thing in the movie is how much of Ian Fleming’s original novel made it in to the storyline. Sure, there are some changes to it, but for the most part, the filmmakers keep the basic plot that ran throughout the book. Better yet, the movie finally shows Bond exactly how he is in the books: a cold-blooded thug ready to carry out any mission. That’s right, folks, Bond is not some happy-go-lucky, wisecracking fellow as Roger Moore potrayed him.

For those unfamiliar, the basic gist of the ROYALE plot is that Bond is sent to take down Le Chiffe in a card game. Naturally, the filmmakers have changed the game from Fleming’s baccarat to Texas Hold ‘Em; well, at least people can follow Texas Hold ‘Em, and the game is still the major plot point on which the story hinges. There also is the betrayal that makes Bond the kind of man he is. So for those fans who’ve been hesitant for thinking the film would be in name only, I’m here to tell you different. They have added stuff to make the film more exciting, since the book pretty much all takes place at a card table and with one brutal torture sequence. Those sequences are both here and done quite well. Hopefully, they will continue with the reality-based angle and not get saddled down with over-the-top gadgetry like the recent films.

But I’m really hopeful they’ll just remake all of Fleming’s books and actually use his plots since they are so different from what actually ended up onscreen. –Bruce Grossman

Buy it at Amazon.
Discuss it in our forums.

MISS EARLIER INSTALLMENTS OF ‘BOOKS 2 FILM’? REGASM THESE:
• BOOKS 2 FILM >> Derailed
• BOOKS 2 FILM >> Poseidon
• BOOKS 2 FILM >> Ten Little Indians