When Casino Royale was released in 2006 it was to the surprise of many that it achieved widespread critical acclaim. Although the James Bond films have been enormously popular for half a century now, the escapist entertainment they have generally provided has been looked down upon by many critics.
There are a number of reasons that the film was so well received, with movie goers flocking to see it, sometimes several times. There had been some alarm when Daniel Craig was cast as James Bond, but his hard edged portrayal won most fans over.
Also, the film makers had abandoned the direction that the series had drifted since the 1970s, during which time the plots became less plausible and the humour over the top.
And while the casting of Eva Green as the Algerian Love Knot wearing Vesper Lynd was a great bonus, the fact that the plot returned to an original Ian Fleming story helped too.
