Daniel Craig? Is Made Of Awesome
Wow, people know about James Bond movies. A lot about James Bond movies. People look at me askance each time I mentioned some innocuous bit of movie trivia. You are such a freak. But when I would mention that I got to watch the Casino Royale Wednesday night screening of Star TV, right away the question is asked: What gadgets did he have in the movie!?
Why do they know? How come this is the first bit of info they ask about? Aren't they interested on how good the movie was?
And in Casino Royale, there aren't any gadgets that'll offer vertical liftoff getaway via jetpack, a pen that contains a poison dart (oooh) or a device to render your car invisible. The niftiest and awesomest gadget this movie offers is in the glove box of the agent's Aston Martin. Which I won't spoil. Maybe not so gee-whizy, but never has a gadget seemed more vital!
Which I guess is the real story behind Casino Royale. There are no gimmicky gadgets, no silly girl shrieking "Oh James!" while the British agent does battle with nefarious henchmen (can you say Tanya Roberts in A View To A Kill?), no creaky villain wasting time jeering at our disadvantaged hero (and giving time for the hero to find his way out. Of course).
Casino Royale makes its mark as a legit, viable and terrific action movie. 007 or no 007.
I have to disclose a bit of background here. I have never been interested in the Bond franchise. I have seen three: A View To A Kill (because Duran Duran sang the theme song! Hence the familiarity with the thespian stylings of Tanya Roberts), The Living Daylights and Licence To Kill (only because Timothy Dalton possesses the most buttery voice in the business. And I love his acting). I have also seen various bits of Bond (naughty!) from the previous 20 movies in the franchise because my dad is devoted to this series and watches his DVD's all the time.
Just goes to show you I'm bereft of cool cards in this area too. (And also because I use the term "hence" regularly.)
Adding Pierce Brosnan to the mix made me even less interested. The guy has no heft whatsoever. Pretty as he is, he's just so benign.
All of which goes to say, the casting of Daniel Craig as James Bond meant: Daniel Craig's big acting break has finally arrived!
Years ago, Yeyey Cruz and I caught him at a Euro-Manila Film Festival screening, in a movie called Hotel Splendide. We didn't choose to see this movie. We just decided to catch whatever movie was playing in the 5:30 PM slot. It's a very sexy movie about cuisine and bowels (I'm not kidding!). Daniel Craig plays an oppressed chef who comes to life when he falls in love with Toni Collette, left an indelible presence. Who was that guy? Where can I see more of him?
He's slowly made his way into the limelight since then (Splendide came out in 2000). People (ie., the universe) were worried how he would fare as the secret agent. Certain Pierce Brosnan fans started an infamous Internet campaign to ditch Craig. (And they're still at it, even though the movie has been released. Too late, kids.)
My own worry was that the Bond franchise wouldn't do justice TO Daniel Craig. He was so much better than that role signified. But hiring the blond actor, plus the promise of getting back to a more grounded-in-reality plot meant Casino Royale might not just be another blow 'em up Bond movie.
And it isn't. Casino Royale makes its mark as a legit, viable and terrific action movie.
And Daniel Craig is the central reason why. He brings the smarts, the guts, the sexiness and the pathos (ding ding!) to the movie.
He might be the best Bond ever, only because I believe Daniel Craig would reject any 007 script that called for cheezy winky-wink or evil villain out to rule! The! Universe! He'd keep franchise straight.
And I finally did get to see MORE of Daniel Craig. Need I mention a certain swimming trunks scene? Daniel though, really ROCKS the T-shirt. The man can wear T-shirts all the live long day, as far as I'm concerned.
