Director: Sam Mendes
Starring: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes
Release Date: 26th October (UK) | 6th November (US)
Studio: Columbia/MGM
The fourth James Bond movie to star Daniel Craig, and the twenty-fourth installment in the iconic spy franchise overall, Spectre takes 007 back to his roots - in more ways than one. Prompted by a cryptic message from his past, Bond finds himself hot on the trail of a sinister terrorist organization, known as SPECTRE. As he weaves his way through their web of secrecy and deceit, his allies at MI6 face the threat of extinction at the hands of new political reforms.
"You are a kite dancing in a hurricane, Mr Bond." - Mr. White
Spectre harkens back to the classic Bond movies far more so than Skyfall ever did. While the latter served as an homage to 007's rich and extensive cinematic history through subtle nods and call-backs, its sequel is firmly rooted in the wacky, larger-than-life nature of the pre-Craig era. The film does update some elements of its plot to fit its 21st Century setting, but tonally, it's far more similar to a Goldfinger than a Casino Royale. As a result, longtime fans may be pleasantly surprised by its more light-hearted approach to the spy genre - though others may struggle to get on board.
Regardless of how you feel about tone, there are still some pretty gaping holes in Spectre's story that prevent it from reaching the upper echelon of Bond movies. Despite its 148 minute runtime, it feels strangely incomplete. Too little time is spent fleshing out the characters, and consequently certain parts of their narrative come across as rushed or out of place. Additionally, while the secondary MI6 plot works as a continuation of Skyfall's themes on the obselete nature of the secret service, it also feels like a bit of an unnecessary re-tread.
"If you go there, you will cross over into a place where there is no mercy..." - Lucia Sciarra
Spectre also struggles to sustain momentum over the course of its prolonged runtime. Following an explosive opening, the first act teases a tense and intriguing match-up between Bond and his most deadly foes yet. However, any excitement generated early on gradually dissipates during a slow middle section, and screenwriting quartet John Logan, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade & Jez Butterworth begin to undermine their story's stakes with one too many over-the-top set pieces.
Despite the film's narrative woes, Daniel Craig's lead performance remains unaffected. As cool and charismatic as ever, he's at his snarky best here, pulling in more laughs than ever before and bouncing off his fellow cast members with genuine ease - particularly Ben Whishaw's delightful Q. The pair forged a fun friendship in Skyfall, and build on that here to entertaining effect. It's a shame both Q and Naomi Harris' Moneypenny are sidelined for so much of this movie.
Sadly, the same could also be said for almost all of the supporting characters. Dave Bautista has a few memorable moments, but is never allowed to reach his full potential as the formidable Mr Hinx - while Monica Belluci's assassin's widow is shamefully underused. Ralph Fiennes and Andrew Scott's contradictory intelligence officers are fun to watch though, and Léa Seydoux' alluring Madeline Swann is arguably the best Bond girl since Eva Green's Vesper (though she's bogged down by her fairly clichéd, one-dimensional relationship with 007).
"It was me, James. The author of all your pain." – Franz Oberhauser
However, the main talking point was always going to be Christoph Waltz' ominous Franz Oberhauser. While he lacks the chaotic theatricality of Javier Bardem's Silva or the devilish cunning of Mads Mikkelsen's Le Chiffre, the two-time Academy Award winner brings his own special kind of quiet malevolence to the enigmatic head of SPECTRE. There are some elements of his conflict with 007 that feel painfully contrived, but he makes for a solid antagonist in the end.
Sam Mendes smashed it out of the park with Skyfall, garnering widespread critical and commercial success. It remains to be seen if Spectre will find as much of either, given its departure from what has become the norm for this franchise. At the very least, he's crafted an enjoyable Bond flick - that also happens to be the funniest in some time. Hoyte Van Hoytema's stunning cinematography is a personal highlight, while special mention must go to Daniel Kleinman's mesmerizing opening titles (which helped me finally accept Sam Smith's much-maligned main theme).
The Verdict
No longer pandering to the Bourne crowd, Spectre is easily the most playful Bond in over a decade - but in spite of all its boisterous charm, it still fails to live up to its superior predecessor.
Result: "Decent"
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