The film actually provides insight into his backstory to shed some light on the motivations behind his actions. Mads Mikkelsen plays the main antagonist Le Chiffre, who is one of my favorite James Bond villains. He just has a very powerful aura about him from that start that easily establishes him as the next James Bond.
Daniel Craig proves he has the charm, elegance, presence, and confidence that the fans have come to expect from James Bond. Funny how once 'Casino Royale' was actually released, those skeptics immediately disappeared. Fans were up in arms because Daniel Craig has blonde hair and baby blue eyes, instead of themore traditional darker traits that were synonymous with the James Bond character. I distinctly remember the collective groan from the James Bond fan base back in the mid 2000's when the announcement came that Daniel Craig would replace Pierce Brosnan as the new James Bond.
