Unfortunately, deep flaws in the conception and execution of Casino Royale keep it from being one of the great works of the Bond filmography. Watching this supposedly radical revamped reboot of the franchise, there are so many instances of back-and-forth “yes, that’s right,” and “no, that’s completely wrong,” elements and sequences in the film, that by the end of its exhausting, too-long 144 minute running time, I wasn’t exactly entertained as much as I was a nervous wreck. Having spent a considerable amount of time over the years thinking and writing about the Bond legend, I don’t mind admitting that I’ve had a devil of a time since this past November, trying to figure out exactly where Daniel Craig and Casino Royale fit into the almost mythical, iconic James Bond canon.
