Netflix is expanding its library with new series and movies each and every month. Later this month, a long-awaited James Bond classic will arrive on the streaming service: Casino Royale.
One of the greatest Bond movies of all time
Casino Royale is considered by many to be among the greatest Bond movies of all time, putting it on the same level as Goldfinger and From Russia With Love. Directed by Martin Campbell, the movie was Daniel Craig’s first film as James Bond, and it was met with critical acclaim when it released in 2006. The movie won several awards, including the BAFTA award for the best sound. Furthermore, the movie has an IMDB rating of 8.0, making it one of the highest-rated Bond movies to date.
The plot follows James Bond on his first mission as Agent 007. His mission is to uncover and take down Le Chiffre (played by Mads Mikkelsen), a private banker that funds terrorist operations. Le Chiffre is a die-hard poker enthusiast, and the mission takes Bond to Las Vegas where he must face the criminal in a high-stakes poker tournament. MI6 believes that losing the tournament will force Le Chiffre to cooperate with them and give them valuable information.
We all know that James Bond is no stranger to visiting the local casinos once in a while. The agent can be seen playing craps, roulette, and other casino games in movies like Diamonds Are Forever and GoldenEye. In Casino Royale, Bond has to summon his poker skills in order to take down the bad guy. It all comes down to an epic showdown that we won’t spoil here – let’s just say that the movie has one of the most iconic poker hands in cinema history. If you like to play poker or online casino games, you will appreciate this scene.
Casino Royale is based on a 1953’s novel by Ian Fleming. In fact, this is the third movie adaptation of the book. The first Casino Royale movie was released in 1967, but had a very poor reception – currently sitting on a rating of 26% on Rotten Tomatoes. The 2006 adaptation was both a critical and commercial success, making more than $600 million at the box office. The movie boasts a great cast of famous actors, including Eva Green, Judi Dench, and Giancarlo Giannini. Le Chiffre is masterfully played by the Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen.
Casino Royale was Daniel Craig’s first Bond film, and his outstanding performance in the movie secured him the leading role in Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), and Spectre (2015). His fifth Bond adventure, No Time to Die, is set to release in November 2020. In the meantime, be sure to check out Casino Royale on Netflix. The movie will be available on the service a bit later this month.
