The rumour mill suggests that Daniel Craig is set to reprise the role of James Bond 007 in one more adventure. But for many, he’ll do well to top his debut in the franchise, 2006’s Casino Royale.

Casino Royale had been filmed before, just not as part of the James Bond cinematic canon. As such, it seemed a good starting place for Craig’s 007 antics, with Martin Campbell – who helmed Pierce Brosnan’s Bond debut, GoldenEye – brought back to direct.

Save for the last ten to 15 minutes or so, pretty much everything went right. Craig effortlessly slipped into the tuxedo, putting his own stamp on James Bond. What’s more, the adventure around him was a compelling, and very cinematic one.

Of particular note, though, is the centrepiece sequence in the movie, which is pivotal to how it works so well. In an era where the majority of big movies just hit you with a regular dose of crash bang wallop, Casino Royale anchors its story about a card game. Sure, there’s bits of punching and Bond action around the outskirts of said game (and time for a shower), but by having the main players all sat around a table, eyeing other up, the stakes of the story find themselves raised.

It’s compelling cinema. We’ve seen card games done well in relatively recent blockbusters with the Mel Gibson-headlined Maverick, But there’s just something about it. About the glamour of the casino, the tension of the game, the chance of winner takes all. Online casinos, such as Schmitts Casino, bring a taste of that to your computer, if you’re so inclined.

It’s telling that once the card game – and a lot of screen time is given to it – is played out, that Casino Royale feels like it’s peaked. That no matter how well staged the action is (and it really is, to give the film its due), there’s something less satisfying about the back end of the movie.

The direct follow-up to Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace, had nothing that could match the centrepiece sequence in its forerunner, and it sorely told. That whilst Craig continued to ply his trade well as Britain’s finest secret service agent, the clutter of not very good action sequences couldn’t hold much a torch to what had gone before.

But then arguably no other modern Bond outing can. In fact, strip the baggy sequence come the final act of Casino Royale, and you might have a perfect James Bond adventure. Although Skyfall fans may have something to say about that…