Wow. Finally, an action film that works. It has character, a good script (and more importantly a coherent plot), good lines, good acting and some great action set-pieces (without becoming over the top and cartoon like).

Casino Royale follows James Bond's first mission as a 007, as he investigates not a tyrant bent on world domination, or a madman with a nuclear bomb, but a banker who is helping terrorists invest their money. Not an obvious plot for an action movie, but the journey that the mission sends Bond on manages to be completely fresh and interesting, while still feeling inherently Bond-like.

Daniel Craig is great, though I was always a massive Pierce Brosnan fan and thought he did a great job before. Despite everyone raving about his performance, I thought he was pretty much on a level with Brosnan - ramping up the heartless bastard angle a bit, and toning down the "wealthy playboy" angle a bit, whilst still retaining the essence of Bond.

One of the best action films of the last couple of years, and definitely the best Bond since Goldeneye.

Casino Royale (movie tie-in) (James Bond 007) author: Ian Fleming

Casino Royale (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)

Casino Royale [Blu-ray]