Video
The quality of the transfer is fantastic with crisp sharp edges, perfect colour balance and no noticeable encoding artifacts - helped in part by utilizing the entire first disc for the film giving it plenty of space to breathe. Explosions, fast cuts and the water sequences all look as good as they did in the theatre. Blacks are deep and true, and there is no evidence of softness on the image unless it was a creative effect. Casino Royale is probably the best transfer of a James Bond film to date, and the Blu-Ray edition displayed on a HD screen will not disappoint. Casino Royale is presented in a 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen format.

Audio
The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is licenced to thrill - and annoy your neighbours if you enjoy it to its fullest. The mix is extremely lively with the spot effects delivered clearly during action sequences with the bass levels rocking, but not excessively so. Levels are built up nicely through sequences and not topped out at every opportunity like most action films. Dialogue sequences are nicely delivered with no noise or perceptible volume changes. Language track availability will vary by region, but the USA & Canada release comes with a Spanish 5.1 track and French surround mix. Subtitles are provided for English, Spanish and French in Region 1.

James Bond For Real
Just under 30 minutes, this documentary takes a close look at the stunt work on the movie and the 'back to basics' approach the filmmakers took to give Bond's action scenes a realistic and gritty look. The spotlight is thrown on three key sequences in the film: the opening chase to the construction site, the runway near-miss with the jet, and the sinking of the house in Venice. This documentary was originally broadcast on UK television in November 2006.

Bond Girls Are Forever
Maryam d'Abo, who played Kara Milovy in "The Living Daylights", travels around the world to interview past Bond Girls about their experience on the films and what it means to be one of 007's leading ladies. Interviewees include Maud Adams, Ursula Andress, Halle Berry, Honor Blackman, Lois Chiles, Carey Lowell, Luciana Paluzzi, Jane Seymour, Jill St. John, and Michelle Yeoh. This documentary was originally broadcast on television around the world in 2002, and has been previously distributed on DVD and various promotional tie-ins. Only a few minutes of this 'updated' documentary is fresh, with footage featuring new Bond girls Eva Green and Caterina Murino.

Conclusion
For the vast majority of Bond fans, purchasing Casino Royale on DVD, Blu-Ray or UMD is a given, and the picture and sound quality are fantastic and will not disappoint.

Sadly though, this edition is very light on special features, especially considering it is a two-disc volume with plenty of capacity. The two leading documentaries will already be familiar to UK viewers, and the Bond Girls Are Forever feature has been over exposed. The additional material adds up to approximately 100 minutes and will leave most fans wanting.

There are no audio commentary tracks, 'making of' documentary (as seen on the Special and Ultimate Editions of previous films), photo galleries, cut scenes, press conferences, trailers, TV spots, screen tests, or publicity materials....

The message is clear: prepare to be 'double dipped' by a fuller edition down the road with more special features, most likely to coincide with the release of Bond 22 in theatres next year - leaving this "Collectors Edition" to collect dust in a year's time.