Casino Royale: Theme of Terrorism

How far does the cinematography, narrative and representations of characters meet the expectations of a contemporary audience?

Over a period of time, specific audiences construct expectations of different types of media, related to either what they have been told, or perhaps what the media have exposed them to in the past. Indeed, it could be argued that the success of a film to a large degree, rests on whether or not such expectations are met, surpassed, else the audience successfully surprised. Certainly, such expectations have to be addressed by the film, if it is to be considered satisfying for the audience, and in this way, elements within the film, such as character representations, the narrative and cinematography are all important components which allow this to be achieved. Additionally, the social and political context in which the film is being viewed must be considered, as it is against this background that their expectations will have been formed.

Most often, it is the genre of a film that initially attracts the audience. Genre classifies all types of media into identifiable categories, according to their shared elements and with the categorisation of its genre, comes certain expectations. Casino Royale presents the audience with an action, adventure and thriller and therefore crosses the boundaries of several genres. By knowing the genre of Casino Royale, the public can assume to what extent they may enjoy the film. Casino Royale appears to be aimed at both males and females as it includes various elements of action and romance. It is also clear that the film would be specifically for teenagers upwards as there are phases in the film which would be difficult for anyone younger to appreciate.

The narrative within Casino Royale centres around the theme of terrorism, and a contemporary audience would most certainly expect this to be addressed. At the time of its release, there was great public awareness and fear, following the infamous attacks