10 Most Awesome Fistfights In Movie History
7. Casino Royale - Bond's First Kill
Spy flicks love their bathroom beatdowns.
When Eon Productions announced Daniel Craig as the next James Bond, many fans weren't pleased with the new addition. Chastised for his hair colour and bland acting, Craig was lambasted by 007 fanatics, many of whom weren't hyped for Casino Royale's release. The backlash was so bad, Craig admits to crying to the initial response. Yet the first few moments of Craig's screentime set up one of the emotionally-complex and ground-breaking Bonds to date.
While sophisticated, martini-sipping gentlemen spies headlined the previous 20 instalments, the 21st film of the series explodes onto the screen with a gruesome bathroom assassination. Casino Royale uses its first precious minutes wisely to convey Daniel Craig's 007 style: brash, lawless, and brutal.
The harsh lighting and stark black-and-white filter, bookended by a nail-biting standoff, throws the film franchise into the 21st Century (we don't talk about Die Another Day) with ballsy gusto.
The film was a resounding success, becoming the highest-grossing Bond film until the release of Skyfall. While Casino Royale's financial triumph can't just be pinned on the first few minutes, this introductory fight dared to be different and firmly placed Daniel Craig as a fan-favourite Bond for years to come.