Exclusive: Bond Plot Details The pre-credit action sequence and more!
Details are emerging of the set-up of Casino Royale, the new Bond film, as filming continues in the Bahamas – and we have the scoop on a few of the details from our intrepid reporter onset, the jammy git. There are a few minor spoilers below, so don’t read any further if you want to avoid all knowledge.
First of all, the traditional pre-credits action sequence will show how Bond got his 00-rating, showing the (required) two kills that he carries out. We’d heard that – but the news that it is in black and white is new, as is the news that the change to colour will come at a crucial point.
That whole sequence, however, is backstory, aimed at giving the film a back to basics feel. There will be no Q and no gadgets, and since it’s the first book, Bond makes mistakes and develops into the character we all know.
Although the first part is wildly different to the book (there's a lot more scuba diving!), director Martin Campbell claims the film is very faithful to the book’s third act – which, as readers will know, contains some rather shocking scenes. In the meantime we can expect lots of handheld cameras and equally un-Bond lighting/camerawork.
The story is this: after earning his 00, Bond goes to Madagascar to spy on a terrorist. Things go wrong and Bond sets up his own mission, heading to the Bahamas where he meets a man who is involved with Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), banker to the world's terrorists. Le Chiffre (as in the book) is trying to raise money by gambling, and is taking part in a high-stakes poker game in Montenegro. Bond goes after him, accompanied by Vesper Lind (Eva Green) who has been assigned to him by M (Judi Dench, who gets a quick trip to de Bahamas). Much as in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Bond falls in love, the big girl's blouse.
Everyone on board was saying the franchise had become too fantastical, so the emphasis here is on a return to stunt work, less CG and more credibility. We’ll keep you up to date on any and all Bond news between now and release.
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Great news that Bond will be returning to the type of character that we saw in From Russia with Love, OHMSS and For Your Eyes Only. The popular opinion is that Timothy Dalton was a poor Bond but I thought he was more in keeping with Fleming's vision and I hope Campbell/Brocolli/Wilson are brave enough to go back to that style. The Judi Dench 'M' thing puzzles me, unless the pre-credit sequence covers the whole origin story and she's not in it. ... Read More
After watching Munich, my brother and I agreed that our faith in the Bond decision was in good hands. As for minor problems you all seem to have with Dench returning etc, I remind, that we are not Bond fans due to the actor protraying M or Q. We go to watch Bond kick ass. I am looking forward to a fresh reinvention of the Bond character because we expect alot more then Bond wind surfing on giant CG title waves. Read the books, he was a hands on agent who fought grueling bare fisted battles firs... Read More
I think Timothy Dalton was very good in his second outing as bond and was unfortunate not to be given a third outing.Although Pierce Brosnan was very watchable i dont think he was allowed to push the role as far as he wanted and in the end the CGI aspects became too overblown and tried too hard to compete with films they should not have been competing with. ... Read More
You only try to renew something when it becomes trite and boring... In the case of the Bond franchise it just doesn't apply. Yes, it's true most fans would like a return to dark, edgier, less fantastic storylines, but there is not need to go back to Bond early days as a secret agent (specially if they're keeping Judi Dench as M, where's your sense of continuity???) It worked for Batman Begins, since WB & Joel Schumacher were ruining the series, but Bond remained strong... I'm not gonna ma... Read More
Glad to see I'm not the only person who thought Timothy Dalton was great as bond - played gritty, dark and tough. Good to hear of a director and actor shying away from CGI! Let's wait and see what Craig has to offer to the role. ... Read More
Timothy Dalton was a fantastic Bond, Pierce was good until the awful Die Another Day, which was the worst bond movie ever. I think Penelope Wilton should play M. If you want to start again, you have to replace everyone. As for Craig, he looks like Wilfred Brambell (old Steptoe) As for Martin Campbell his last decent film was The Mask Of Zorro, And what a flop he made of the sequal. I think it's brave of the producers to use more stuntmen and less CGI. I also think its brave to go for a grittier ... Read More
Well lately it's become more like an ageing version Spy Kids... an effort to pack in as many advertisements and "cool gadgets" spoiled the flow and completely ruined any believability the films might have had. Hopefully, this grittier "back to basics" approach will do for Bond what it did for Batman and return some credibility to the franchise... ... Read More
But I won't form an opinion about Craig as Bond, the movie itself, etc. until I have seen it. Head to www.joblo.com to see some videoclips they have gathered in one article. Looks promising and hardcore spy stuff to me. ... Read More
Bond is past it, leave it be. A desperate attempt to keep some money coming in by ignoring the previous Bond movies and trying to re-imagine Bond's beginnings in the now. At least they could have done was get rid of Judi Dench. ... Read More
