Logan Lucky hit theaters on Friday, August 18th. The Steven Soderbergh film, starring Channing Tatum and Adam Driver, is Daniel Craig’s first non-Bond outing since 2011’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. What should James Bond fans expect from the film and from Craig? Enough to check it out before it leaves theaters.
So as not to give away too much, let’s just say that Logan Lucky is crafted in similar ways to Soderbergh’s Ocean’s films. But the emphasis here is on the heart of Appalachia and race tracks, rather than the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas and casinos. Most will get the idea strictly from the trailer. What Soderbergh gets right is the tone and pace of the film. We are introduced to down-on-his-luck Jimmy Logan (Tatum) who not only loses his job, but may also lose his daughter — or, at least, the ability to see her as much as he would like. Brother Clyde (Driver) has his own share of bad luck, having lost half his left arm in Iraq. But Clyde, a bartender in a dive called Duck Tape, can pour a mean drink.
Winter is Coming
And that is one of many ironic nods to Bond (intentional or not) as Soderbergh’s film unfolds. On the surface, Logan Lucky is as removed from the world of James Bond as anything Daniel Craig has done, since accepting the role in 2005. But this doesn’t mean James Bond fans will not notice some connections. Soderbergh’s closeup of a martini, poured for Max Chilblain (played to the hilt by Seth MacFarlane) is just one of them. There may be an attempt, here, to take some gentle digs at Craig’s iconic character.
In Logan Lucky, Craig plays Joe Bang, one of many, colorful supporting characters. A demolitions expert, with just enough a hint of madness, Bang is broken out of prison in order to find a way into the vault at Charlotte Motor Speedway. And does he ever. But first, the Logans must visit him and make sure he can do the job. Bang’s favorite snack is hardboiled eggs, pre-packaged, in a vending machine. What number on the machine needs to be pushed?
“J-7,” Bang says.
Of course.
Once at the track, Bang demonstrates a Bond-like moment: he stops at the concession stand and orders a beer. It isn’t the act itself, which doesn’t resemble Bond at all. But there is a coolness in Joe Bang that is indeed eerily similar to Bond: he shows off the coolness and charm, at a time when he should be an emotional wreck. Daniel Craig appears to take some delight in this trait, in the same way that he does with Bond’s own coolness under pressure. Bang orders the drink as Bond has ordered drinks in similar situations — think in terms of the Macau casino in Skyfall.
Our final glimpse of Joe Bang is also quite Bond-like…but let’s leave it at that. See for yourself. Logan Lucky is not an awe-inspiring film, but it is high-quality entertainment, nonetheless. No wonder Daniel Craig was attracted to the project. And Bond fans, curious about Craig’s “transformation” for the role, will be find themselves smiling.