The New Yorker by Anthony Lane
Craig has the courage to present a hollow man, flooding the empty rooms where his better nature should be with brutality and threat. His smile is more frightening than his straight face, and he doesn’t bother with the throwaway quips that were meant to endear us to the other Bonds.
Craig’s first outing as Bond remains one of his best, and Mads Mikkelsen is the perfect antagonist to oppose him. Casino Royale is a suave, action-packed homage to the classic James Bond that also manages to reinvigorate the franchise for a new generation.