“Shaken, not stirred.”

That is what Daniel Craig has done to the character that is James Bond: he’s shaken, not stirred it.

The Bond films that our generation has been privy to are dull, boring and downright awful. They were just flashy, special effects-loaded summer duds with no substance.

What do fans of the film series really know about James Bond? His past was a mystery. He obviously wasn’t born in a tuxedo with silenced gun in hand. As far as character went, Bond was pretty shallow.

The one-dimensional quality of James Bond limited previous films’ story arcs. He killed the bad guy, slept with the girl and saved the world — nothing ever changed.

This year’s Bond, fresh and new, has quite literally revived the enterprise.

One could see “Casino Royale” as a prequel to all other Bond films. I know that the word “prequel” leaves a bad taste in fans’ mouths (thank you Lucas), but this prequel is more than welcome. By delving into James Bond’s past, his cold, loveless and calculating character is explained.

In the beginning of the film, Bond isn’t even 007; he has yet to earn that title. The character is raw and unrestrained, so the normal story for Bond has twists and turns that the audience never sees coming.

Bond is not yet flawless, a fact which carries the entire film.

Daniel Craig’s portrayal of Bond took the character to places it has never been. He allowed audiences inside Bond’s impenetrable armor (or they got in before Bond put that armor on).

Besides the new character depth of Bond, the film has amazing action sequences. Yes, all Bond films are known for their opening action sequences, but that of “Casino Royale” is more impressive than all others. This action sequence could make Jackie Chan, Jet Li or Tony Jaa jealous.

What’s missing from the film, some fans may say, is that there is no Q and there are no gadgets. The film doesn’t need them, and neither does Bond. There is quite a bit of advanced technology used, and Bond’s car does have hidden compartments but that’s about it — nothing flashy or absurd.

The only returning character to the series is Judi Dench as M. Her stern portrayal suits the film even better this time as, unlike all the others, this new 00 is not under her control.

“Casino Royale” has done for Bond what “Batman Begins” did for the Batman franchise: it made the film accessible for larger audiences who had no interest in previous films but are eager to see where the next few films go.

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