Just to clarify, though, Poucous or whatever the frell that style of free-running is called, IS a real thing. Not that every burn-scarred African can ... but if Bond were to happen upon a practitioner of the craft ... that's what would ensue.
In fact, since it's obviously a good means of personal escape, it's not a bad art for criminal types to learn. I found other set pieces far less realistic, but perhaps that's cause I knew going in that Porcupine (or
whatever) is a real thing.
I'll grant ... the movie's too long by about half an hour. I didn't get bored with it, but it seemed to drag in the third act ... and perhaps any Bond flick that's longer than 2 hours is by definition too long.
The poker scenes were sometimes a bit hokey (especially when the local contact felt he had to explain to the audience what was going on, which was already dummed-down obvious to begin with). But the high stakes card game is the centerpiece of Casino Royale, and you're not telling Casino Royale without it. I thought the episodes during the breaks in the game were involving though, and kept things moving along - actionwise.
And though I found it a great actioner, it was - believe it or not - as a character piece that I found the movie most rewarding. Lisa already put it best ...
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Not Afraid
I can see how Bond developed from this point into the Bond we all know and love.
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In this regard, it was far better than
Batman Begins ... I really felt as if this Bond was morphing into proto-Conneryness before my eyes.