It also has a better villain. I still wouldn't rank Dominic Greene as one of the top villains, but at least he was actually a threat to Bond, and displayed some actual control and authority over the story. Le Chiffre was about as menacing as a newborn puppy, and spent the entire film fretting over the debt he had to settle.
I agree. Le Chiffre was definitely the biggest disappointment of CR. As "True to the novel," has it supposedly was (An assessment I never really agreed with, but whatever.), they completely missed the mark here. The Le Chiffre in the novel was 100% sociopath.
For instance, instead of having one of his henchmen put a bullet in the back of Bond's brain right at the table, the movie LC opts for the old (weak) poison bit. Movie LC acts submissive and cowardly one pressured by the Quantum dudes and must rely on his nemesis to terminate them. Book LC blows up half a block in an attempt to kill Bond. Then there's the whole matter of the torture scene.
I know everyone ranted and raved about it, but the one in the movie was just so nerfed. For starters, it wasn't even the right kind of rug beater, but really the beating of the manhood was only one part of the whole ordeal. However, the rest of it (the really evil shit) was completely omitted from the movie. Then there's the whole Bond banter. Sure, it was funny the first time, but was really disconnecting of the tone of the scene--and just made LC the evermore bumbling fool. Then they filmed it in some cliche, undisclosed dungeon location. In the book, he ironically did the whole thing right in his posh living room while enjoying some coffee and an apple.
Now, while Mr. Greene was certianly an improvement, I think he was still a disappointment.
I know most people say with Craig Bond the Broccolis are trying to emulate the Bourne films, but I've seen it more as taking cues from Nolan Bats. If this is the case, hopefully TDK taught them a lesson.
