Best. Bond. Ever. Period.

The heading makes it obvious, I went and saw Casino Royale on opening night. I've been thinking about it since and have come to the simple conclusion that it's the best Bond film ever, period, end of story, the end.

This is an origins film. As in: See...how Bond earns his Double-Oh status. See...why he likes Aston Martins. See...what he likes to drink. See...why it's a Vesper martini. See...why Bond is a cold, calculating killer, a blunt instrument in service to the Crown.

Daniel Craig simply is Ian Fleming's James Bond. He's utterly believeable from Frame #1. This is made more so by the way one of his early opponents just prances about a construction site, while Bond heaves and grunts in pursuit. I loved it how after a fight, Bond looked bruised, his knuckles and face cut. Even when he reappeared all "cleaned" up, there were signs of the fracas. And Craig just tosses 'em off (with a grunt and a little whince) and pushes on.

Excellent.

Now, saying this is the best Bond film doesn't mean that, as a film, it doesn't have some issues. The plot is murky, the motivations of the "villains" pretty much unknown. In fact, the villains remain a mystery throughout, which just means they'll be back in the next film. There is also a lull near the end before the wham-o finish and I've heard two lines of thought. One is that it is straight Zzzzz-City, while the other says that it makes the finishing act all the more poignant. I lean toward the latter and was amazed that they kept that cold, cold line in the film.

Things of note: The cinematography is excellent, of the sort that keeps you in the action and in the know without drawing attention to itself. David Arnold, doing the music, at times sounds like he's channeling John Barry at the height of Barry's Bond involvement; in other words, the music is awesome.

I was happy to sit in a packed theatre and I hope Casino Royale does well at the box office, well enough for the producers to commit to another film and include Craig along for the ride. If so, I'll be back in line again.