The casting of Daniel Craig was initially met with backlash from fans who thought he was "too blonde" or "too short". However, Craig's performance silenced critics by portraying a vulnerable, inexperienced, and "human" Bond who actually makes mistakes. Unlike his predecessors, this Bond bleeds, feels pain, and—crucially—falls in love. Back to Basics Review: Casino Royale - The Medium is Not Enough
The Reinvention of a Legend: How Casino Royale Saved 007 In 2006, the James Bond franchise faced a crisis. After the increasingly campy and gadget-heavy Die Another Day , many felt the world's most famous spy had become a parody of himself. The answer was a "hard reboot" that stripped away the invisible cars and puns, returning to the gritty roots of Ian Fleming's first novel, Casino Royale . A New Kind of Bond 007: Casino Royale