Maybe it was the title, maybe it was my older brother talking about James Bond all the time, but I will never forget Octopussy, my first James Bond film. I must have watched it 50 times on HBO before finally seeing 007 on the big screen in 1985 in “A View to a Kill.” I was hooked, and have been ever since, but what red-blooded male couldn't be? The Bond marathons on TNT, USA and now Spike TV are on 12 times a year for a reason.

When it comes to the super spy, nothing is anticipated as much as the announcement of the next actor to play this mythical legend. I grew up with Roger Moore, so it was a serious blow when Timothy Dalton was announced as the next man in line. But he wasn’t bad, and he definitely made you appreciate Sean Connery and Roger Moore that much more.

Then, after a 6 year lay off, Pierce Brosnan landed the role in the 1995 “GoldenEye”, a film that still to this day is one of the most successful movies in the series, both in ticket sales and merchandising. Bond was back, and people loved Brosnan as Her Majesty’s number one spy. But I always thought Pierce was a bit soft, sometimes not even showing up to locations, allowing the stunt doubles to even do scenes where Bond was being filmed simply “running around”. Brosnan was Bond 4 times, which finally brings us to the present day, and the 6th incarnation of James Bond, Daniel Craig.

If you saw Layer Cake, you were excited to hear that Craig landed the role of 007. Unfortunately, most people haven't seen it, and the relatively unknown actor ended up bringing plenty of scrutiny to the makers of the Bond series. The initial reviews from people who had seen the movie, as well as those who were simply commenting on the choice of Craig as Bond, were for the most part negative. They said he wasn’t pretty enough, he was too blond, wasn’t well known enough, or simply didn’t have the “it” that was required to play the coveted role. Nevertheless, I went in with an open mind.

Casino Royale, for those who don’t know, is the first book that the creator of James Bond, Ian Flemming, ever wrote. As the film starts, you are brought up to speed on Bond being promoted to 007 status. For someone like me, seeing Bond right in his beginning, whether it was Daniel Craig or Sean Connery, was something I had been waiting for for some time. The action, as in most Bond flicks, does not disappoint. It starts early and continues throughout the movie. The women as usual, are gorgeous and charismatic, and of course, Bond has his gadgets and super slick, super spy ride. The storyline is probably the only complaint, as it bounces around a bit, but when was the last time you expected an Oscar out of a Bond flick anyway?

So aside from feeling satisfied in my quest of the origination of James Bond, what did I think of this movie? Awesome. Craig is excellent as Bond. He performs most of his stunts and is definitely a much more athletic version than any of his predecessors were. He might not be as dashing as Sean Connery in his heyday, but his physique, intensity, and charm more than make up for it.

The movie itself has some very cool twists in it, from the bad guy that isn’t revealed until the end, to a surprise appearance by the C.I.A, and a member of a ninja street team that is part of one of the best foot chase scenes I’ve seen since “Point Break”.

What really made this movie great for me was the presentation of the more human side of Bond that was shown in this early chapter of the spy’s life. The audience is given a glimpse of how Bond became the man we came to know. A violent, impatient, but more caring Bond is introduced, only to be changed by the course of events that take place in the movie.

If you ask me, it’s more than worth the price of the ticket. In fact, I will definitely own this installment on DVD. But if you don’t trust a Bond slappy like myself, you can ask my girlfriend, she loved it. Either way, it makes for a great date movie, he will love the movie and she will love Daniel Craig.

Grade: A