8.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.7 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.6 |
The newly-promoted 007's first mission takes him to Madagascar, the Bahamas and eventually Montenegro to face Le Chiffre, a ruthless financier under threat from his terrorist clientele, who is attempting to restore his funds in a high-stakes poker game at the Casino Royale.
Starring: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Judi Dench, Jeffrey WrightAction | 100% |
Adventure | 81% |
Thriller | 62% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
French: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Bonus View (PiP)
BD-Live
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
As excitement builds for the second film in the rebooted 007 saga, Quantum of Solace, Sony has revisited its prequel, Casino Royale. Boasting a two-disc release with a Dolby TrueHD audio track, the "Collector's Edition" also adds BD Live capability, picture-in-picture, more bonus content than you can watch in one sitting, and an e-Movie cash offer toward a Quantum of Solace ticket. But the best thing about the new edition Blu-ray release may not be the bevy of bonuses. It could be the different audio track (more on that later). Or maybe it's simply the celebration of the franchise reboot starring Daniel Craig, the actor many critics believe to be closest to the original Ian Fleming character. Of all the previous Bonds, Craig is the first to have the boorish personality and ruthlessness of Fleming's spy. The new Bond can still come off as charming or funny when the situation dictates it. But one cannot escape the more solitary, physical demeanor of Craig's 007. Humor, sophistication, and passion are not in his nature. Those attributes seem to come about by pure accident, unlike Sean Connery's Bond, or any of the other predecessors who focused more on charm than on the real characteristics of Fleming's spy. The rebooted series would do away with this suave charade once and for all and start the spy off where Fleming himself started: a little story named Casino Royale.
In Daniel Craig, a tougher, more physical James Bond emerges. Upon earning double-0 status, he wastes little time in exercising his license to kill.
Since the video content remains the same 1080p transfer as the original Blu-ray release, sporting
an AVC MPEG-4 encode, it gets the same rating as in the previous review. The opening black-and-
white introduction showing Bond's initial kills appear sharp, icy and grainy. The flashback
sequences in this intro are stylized as if the picture is printed on black-and-white litho film. The
following credits sequence shows a fantastic palette of colors, and good sharpness in the digital
graphics. Once the credits end and the more exotic locales are featured, the realism is startling.
The opening chase scene only shows one moment of compression artifacts, visible in a jungle
plant as Bond begins his chase of the bomb maker. But for a scene featuring nonstop movement,
the near lack of digital artifacts is impressive. Casino Royale features a rare transfer that
compares favorably with other quality BDs, such as X-Men III. While the latter achieves a more
gritty look, the Bond film appears less grainy--almost glossy in its treatment of sweeping vistas,
tropical resorts and elegant Old World luxury. The quality picture helps transport us into Bond's
world.
In addition to the tonal range and color, sharpness and resolution also contribute to the detailed
presentation. These factors help render lifelike definition, revealing that the focal point of the
camera is often not on the actors' faces on some shots but on their necks. This cinematic
technique is used in shots of the Bond girls as a sort of "beauty shot". Fine grain is visible, which
also contributes to the film-like definition. Contrary to some accusation of "grain smoothing", the
digital transfer stays true to a first generation print. Many viewers are more accustomed to grain
from a normal theatrical print, which is often fourth generation from the negative duplications.
Even a transfer from a digital intermediate made from the negative has more pronounced grain.
But Casino Royale's transfer appears sourced from the original print and boasts an image
far superior to a regular print. It shows no evidence of grain smoothing or digital noise reduction.
Nor is it held back by unnatural grain movement that can be distracting in objects moving in a
scene.
Watch the scene where M is briefing Bond on the beach near the Bahama resort and pause the
picture. The sharpness is so extraordinary and the picture so vivid, it tricks the eye into believing
instead of 35 mm film, it is watching an 8" x 10" large format transparency on a light box. The
transfer is so clear that it highlights a different "look" between consecutive shots--probably the
result of the scenes being shot on different days, in different locations or angles, using different
cameras, emulsions, ambient light or camera aperture. But the editing ensures these differences
are not jarring, and the honesty of the picture makes the imagery even more powerful. Some
viewers have said the colors are oversaturated. But the picture is within the limits of color
accuracy and harkens back to the old master of color photography Ernst Hass, who strove to
achieve vibrant yet accurate color in his dye transfer prints. At the time, photo buffs asked if he
exaggerated the colors. He didn't. Colors in nature can appear naturally vibrant and Casino
Royale features a color scheme that is neither muted nor exaggerated. Rather, it achieves a
natural, glossy appearance.
The audio is a crucial draw of any Bond film. Consider the throaty revving of engines during car
chases; the opening signature songs featuring many legends of radio; the bass response as a
plane takes off or a missile is launched; the soft voices and sexy accents of bond girls; and of
course the trademark 007 theme. Throughout its entire Dolby TrueHD track, Casino
Royale does not disappoint. But the big question is exactly how the new version differs from
the earlier one? Oddly, I found the TrueHD version to be better than the previous release's PCM
track. This made me eat my own words that I expressed previously--that all things being equal,
PCM is preferable to TrueHD. But were all things equal? It was not the definition or resolution
that I found preferable in the new version, but the mix or prominence of certain elements within
the soundstage. I'm not saying Sony used a new mix for the TrueHD version, but at times it sure
sounded that way.
The most notable difference was the level. The audio track of the "Collector's Edition" was
mastered at a higher volume than the previous version, but even after level matching, the two
versions had different tonal characteristics. Let me preface my further comments by saying the
mix of "You Know My Name" always seemed a bit off to me in the initial release. Former
Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell's voice never properly cut through the large-ensemble
instrumentation. The entire presentation of the theme song appeared a bit narrow and
constricted. So I was pleasantly surprised when the new Blu-ray Dolby TrueHD track presented
"You Know My Name" in all its minor-key melodic majesty, open and wide in the soundstage with
sufficient air around Cornell's vocals. The mix also featured good separation between guitar,
strings, drums and bass. It was a subtle improvement, but an important one that I believe
justifies a slightly higher rating than the audio received on the previous review.
The improved sound carries over into other elements of the audio performance, including the
prodigious LFE content. Of all the dynamic audio sequences in Casino Royale, the
storming shootout/chase scene as Bond pursues Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) in a palazzo under
construction in Venice, Italy is worth noting. The audio content is nearly unrivaled. It will tax to
the max any audio system's performance. Throughout the scene, various elements of the track
intertwine and compete, without getting in the way or drowning out the other sounds: the
musical score; deep bass groaning of the demolition; large splashes as bits of the structure crash
into the water; blasts of small arms fire; and hissing of air out of industrial flotation devices that
structurally shore up the Palazzo and keep the building from sinking. Many of these elements
have a deep bass factor and the use of the subwoofer is tight, controlled and powerful, ranging
from short, deep blasts, to sustained response that shifts in the low frequency, shaking the
floorboards and rattling the windows. In the previous PCM mix, the LFE content was more
monochromatic, but here it is tighter and appears to have slightly more variability in the low Hz
frequencies. In a word, it's more dynamic and realistic. (Not that I know what it really sounds like
to be in a palazzo falling into the water, but Casino Royale convinced me.) The
underwater segments that end the scene feature another unique audioscape that was
engineered especially well, with haunting ambient sounds.
One immediately visible improvement to the new version is the menu featuring cards flying at
the screen, with views from the movie appearing as the card's freeze. Compared to the early
2007 BD release of Casino Royale, the Collector's Edition offers far more bonus content.
It also provides BD-Live functionality, featuring Sony trailers for other titles and links to online
James Bond sites. The new trivia quiz is another "Collector's Edition" bonus, with a one-player or
two-player version of "Know Your Double-0". If you have a profile 1.1 capable player, you can also
take advantage of the picture-in-picture content included on the reissue. Outlined as "Visual
Commentary" in the menu, it features director Martin Campbell and producer Michael G. Wilson,
and while there is a wealth of information, it's a bit underwealming. It also overlaps considerably
with the documentaries and audio commentary, but that is to be expected. Unfortunately, Sony
still gives us a bit of standard definition content, along with the new 1080 documentaries. Then
there's the Audio Commentary on disc one, featuring producers Michael Wilson and Barbara
Broccoli, as well as effects supervisor Chris Corbol, director of photography Phil Mayhew, costume
designer Lindy Hemming, production designer Peter Lamont and others (except the lead actor
and director). The commentators each contribute a bit haphazardly, offering details directly on
the action and more technically on every scene. As such, the audio track serves up a wealth of
information that renders moot most of the other supplementary featurettes.
"Death in Venice" clocks in at 23 minutes and boasts interviews with Daniel Craig and Eva Green
during the film's production. The documentary covers the final sequence featuring the collapsing
building scene. "Death in Venice" is fascinating because the power of the scene is almost
unrivaled as a demo sequence in the Blu-ray library. The scene was very challenging in
production, as one might imagine, and the documentary provides important information about it.
The "Collector's Edition" also five different documentaries in 1080p. The segments show
interviews with director Campbell, producers Wilson and Broccoli, screenwriters Haggis and Purvis,
Bond historian John Cork, authors John Pearson and Peter Biskind, and even early Bond girls
Linda Christian Power, Diane Hartford, and Maureen O'Connell. It provides some insight into the
film and beyond, which wasn't available on the earlier edition.
"The Road to Casino Royale", is a 28-minute exploration of the original Fleming story and details
the long and winding road to the film's production. As discussed elsewhere, this documentary is
quite comprehensive, covering missteps along the road to the 20th sequel to the original 007
movie. "The Road to Casino Royale" shows plenty of material from the Bond archives, including
rare photographs. If you didn't see it in the original blu-ray, check it out here.
Producer Barbara Broccoli says Casino Royale is the "holy grail" of Fleming novels. "Ian
Fleming's Incredible Creation" is a 21-minute documentary explaining why she thinks so. First it
details the story, Fleming's influences and bio, and then the challenges for adapting his story to
film and bringing it into modern times. Certainly a brilliant idea for rebooting the Bond series,
producing the movie presented both unique opportunities and challenges that clearly piqued
Broccoli's interests.
"Bond in the Bahamas" and "Ian Fleming: The Secret Road to Paradise", clock in at 24 minutes
each. These featurettes focus on the Caribbean location where parts of Casino Royale
and other Bond films--including The Spy Who Loved Me, For Your Eyes Only and
Thunderball--take place. tackles the location where a good portion of 'Casino Royale'
takes place. The two documentaries tend to overlap and come across as a bit promotional of the
Bahamas as a travel destination.
"Becoming Bond", a standard definition, 24-minute documentary, delivers all the requisite
"making of" material. It includes interviews with Craig, Broccoli, Wilson, director Martin Campbell,
screenwriters Haggis, Purvis and Wade, co-star Green and others. Featuring rare, still photos of
Ian Fleming and footage from Craig's first day working on the film, the documentary attempts to
put Craig into the perspective of Bond legacy and does a good job of it.
"James Bond for Real", another 24-minute, standard definition documentary from the previous
Blu-ray release, focuses on the stunt work that went into Casino Royale from a technical
standpoint. It uses pieces of many of the same interviews that were used for "Becoming Bond".
For me, it's more fun to watch the film and enjoy the finished effect of the stunts than to go
through all the technical production issues.
New to the "Collector's Edition" reissue are four deleted scenes in 1080p, totaling eight minutes
in length. These include "Rescue and Recovery," "Squandering Government Funds," "Cricket
Pavilion" and "Gettler Raisers Bond's Suspicions." None of these scenes are particularly important
and it's easy to see why they ended up on the cutting room floor.
A standard definition music video is included to highlight former Soundgarden singer Chris
Cornell's "You Know My Name" theme song. Great tune, in the tradition of other minor-key
compositions that become Bond themes over the years, and the video delivers a good preview of
the movie. Wish it was produced in 1080p.
Casino Royale reboots James Bond into a thick plot of terrorist brokerage crime, high-stakes gambling and of course international espionage. In the midst of it, we come to know the new 007 and his brand of action, brutality and loyalty. His relationship with Vesper Lynd shows him to be capable of love, but fundamentally distrustful of anyone--and that probably includes his own boss, M (Judy Dench). The new brand of violence and less sociable psychology of Bond highlight a welcome change. Previous incarnations of 007 were at their best when they emulated the wit and charm that made Sean Connery's Bond so popular. But he was not the scrappy, blue eyed Bond from Ian Fleming's spy thrillers. Daniel Craig is--or at least he comes far closer than any previous actor. And the virtual absence of any silly gadgets, contraptions, overelaborate torture schemes, tired car chases and other formulaic Bond fare make Casino Royale appear fresh and new. It retains moments of humor and levity, but overall has a darker, more serious aura. I recommend this new "Collector's Edition" reissue as a slightly better package to catch up on the newly rebooted 007. Familiarize yourself with it now. In Quantum of Solace, we are set to see the full wrath of revenge from Bond. I can't wait to see what Craig does with it.
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