In this video essay, I explore what made Casino Royale such a special film in the James Bond saga. I explore how the film's darker, more grounded tone helped to breathe new life into the franchise, as well as discussing how the film humanises its characters really well.

The video also discusses performances from the cast, action sequences and some trivia on the Bond series where relevant.

Thank you very much for clicking on this video and I do hope you enjoy!

Links to other content from the channel mentioned in this video:

Batman Begins:
   • The significance of Batman Begins  

The Man From U.N.C.L.E:
   • The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Review  

0:00 Intro
0:40 Brief History
1:14 Casting Daniel Craig
2:16 Tone
2:33 Early 2000s tonal shifts
2:54 Opening Sequence
3:23 The Craig films
3:43 Future of Bond
4:12 Tonal Consistency
4:23 Torture Scene
5:34 Stairwell Fight
7:08 Shower Scene
8:54 Bond's Character
9:50 Creating Believable Characters
10:38 Character Arcs
14:12 A New Style of Origin Storytelling
14:46 Love vs The Mission
15:04 Nostalgia and respect for the franchise
15:46 Conclusion
16:16 Outro