James Bond: Why Casino Royale Rebooted The 007 Franchise

1. Casino Royale And The Idea Of Death

Casino Royale takes a different approach to death. When Bond engages in combat, he emerges victorious albeit wounded. Death leaves an impact in this movie, a motif that many of the previous movie’s stray away from. The movie is violent; unnerving at times to watch, especially the barge scene which is ripped straight out of Fleming’s novel.

When there is a fistfight in Casino Royale, it is tense and gripping. Of course, the viewers know that Bond will win, however what is at stake is how Bond will react. Minutes of the movie are spent with Bond as he recuperates from his experiences. Fights are an array of panic and adrenaline, aided by the fast edits. Gunfights, although a rarity, are brief and impactful. This is nothing like Die Another Day or any of the other Bond movies. With this scene, an easy-to-miss cut of the camera shows a photo frame of Dryden and his family as he jerks back in his chair and abruptly draws his last. Casino Royale does something that the Bond franchise has only hinted at, but never followed through with.

James Bond is human and so are the adversaries he faces.

This simple concept is what the Bond franchise needed. The necessity of realism and morality turns an invincible super spy into a flawed and cold-blooded killer. Casino Royale’s interpretation of the character of James Bond is the closest to Ian Fleming’s original character. Craig’s performance in the role perfectly encapsulates the ‘blunt instrument’ that Fleming describes his own character as; Ruthless and cold but weakened by his ego and pride.

Casino Royale remains as a fan favourite by many. However, it’s significance as a reboot and a necessary reimagining that harkens back to the roots of Ian Flemings novels is due to the one thing that James Bond never really exhibited: Humanity.