So finally the rebooted shadowy organization of Spectre gets its time in the spotlight. Despite leading up to this over the past 3 movies it still felt tacked on, as if this was the re-do attempt at the concept that was Quantum in the second film. Somehow manages to not really be that interesting and Spectre's full power of an organization is more alluded to than actually shown.
Whereas the opera meeting in Quantum felt fresh and neat, it totally blows out of the water the tired and overused Spectre meeting with lackeys reporting on how they're slowly taking over the world. A major step backward.
It also features probably the least exciting car chase of any of the films, literally just Craig and Bautista tooling around Rome and grimacing at each other. By the end of the film all Bautista becomes is just a punching bag for Craig to split his knuckles on, really an insult to the rogues gallery of great henchmen that populate the Bond universe. Waltz does what he can with the role but since the character itself is a reboot it just feels so lackluster and played out.
The trademark SPECTRE scene of all the minions meeting before the shadowy "#1" was a clear callback to the Connery era. Bautista's character of Mr. Hinx shows up to jar the audience out of the moment however. This scene might have worked in the early years of Bond, but tough guys killing people is nothing special anymore. Seemed like it would have been more in line if the new SPECTRE is not impressed with blunt objects in the form of near-silent henchmen.
Also, making Blofeld releated to Bond is peak lazy writing. It's all the rage to shake up a main character nowadays by making them releated to the villain and it has already become cliché because of it. It's just pure plot contrivance, the world is a big place and the good guy/bad guy being part of the same family is preposterous.
After the controversial Quantum of solace (well, I must be the only person who hasn't entirely hated it) Skyfall tightened the focus on a sleek and readable style for action sequences, and a streamlined self contained plot.
In Spectre, this approach of returning to old school bond tropes is perhaps pushed too far for this particular era of the franchise. The villain's plot is silly (nations are just too bickering to ever approve to share all intelligence data) in a way that feels very quintessentially Bond - But I liked the unexpected betrayals, the real world parallels, the rounded approach that Casino royale and quantum of solace shared.
Well I guess i'll watch No time to Die to complete the series.
Now that I've seen each of the Daniel Craig Bond movies, I'd say my order is 1-2) Skyfall and Casino Royale (probably Skyfall but it's been a bit since I've seen the first 3) Spectre 4) Quantum of Solace
Spectre is between ok and good. Quantum is probably straight-up bad. It actually was just really boring in parts, and I don't mean slow; just boring.
For those saying it's too long... it's the same length as Casino Royale. Is it as great as that and Skyfall? No, but it does not deserve the hatred I'm seeing.
It's excellent. Mendes and Hoyte van Hoytema did a great job, as did the whole cast. Exciting, well-written, leagues ahead of Quantum of Solace.
I thought SPECTRE was meant to be Craig's final two-parter, but no, I got that wrong. It's a complete film and might be Craig's last. I don't think I'm ready to say goodbye, though I do think his era has gotten away from what I so loved about it in Casino Royale. Bond #24 is a throwback to earlier eras, not just because the old criminal organization returns (Hail Hydra!), but it's got Moore-era jokes (I hate it when the comedy is driven by extras; the ones that come from Bond himself are tops though), set pieces that seem designed to evoke past films (the Austrian resort is right out of In Her Majesty's Secret Service), a villain with a metal feature (but he doesn't amount to very much), and a "follow clue A to clue B to clue C..." plot from which the worst Bonds have suffered (if this were a role-playing session, the GM would be accused of railroading; Bond even complains about the lack of choice). Bond working with a team, an anti-SPECTRE, in a sense, was the best part, with particularly active parts for M and Q, though Moneypenny necessarily takes a back seat to featured Bond girl Léa Seydoux. I'm not sure I'm behind the big revelation behind Blofeld's origins yet, just a coincidence too far, in my opinion. The Sam Smith theme is the worst since Madonna's. But though he doesn't achieve Skyfall's level of splendor, Sam Mendes still brings his visual brilliance to the film - the tentacle/tendril motif is intense! So it sounds like I'm down on the film, doesn't it? I'm not. It had plenty of good moments, fun gags, exciting action, and the required sexiness. I just wish it were the best spy film I've seen this year, you know?
I'm all about Daniel Craig and would love to be a Bond girl - either the badass version or just the eye candy haha I don’t care, sign me up! But wtf this movie bored me to tears! I wanted to like it, especially after the really amazing opening scene, but so much of this movie just draaaaags. A lot of the story is Bond trying to figure out who's behind some secret organization. It's kind of fun following along with him, but it doesn't lead to anything exciting. The payoff is SO WEAK. Plus, they try to force this whole weird backstory between Bond and the bad guy that just feels like it's from another movie/franchise.
Craig was good though imo. I know he got a lot of hate for it after saying the "I'd rather slash my wrist than do another Bond," but I thought he was still good. He seemed to be having fun with it, while still being a badass and well...hot as heck haha #crush. But yeah, the movie itself just never really amounts to anything. Beautiful locations though, but the action sequences in them are kinda lame.
I wanted to like it so much more than I did. Sad face!
After this 2h30m infomercial for clothes/cars/eau de toillette/tech/tourist destinations and how not to direct a movie is time for Bond to retire for a couple of years, and Sam Mendes to quit. Exit stage left.
Really let down by this. It's slow, the music is unnecessarily dramatic most of the time, and the story I felt was weak.
Spoilers : Man this movie has so many idiotic things in it. Like when Bond has that conversation with that guy and he shoots himself, doesn't Bond notice the huge camera with the bright red light recording the whole conversation? Because that's the first thing the other assassin notices the first thing he walks in the room. Very professional, Bond.
Didn't like the chase scenes, either. And also at the end, it's very convenient for the entire gas supply of the complex to be outside and to be taken out by a single bullet. For a multi million dollar facility, that shit should have been underground.
Bond chases the villain the entire film in order to kill him. When he has his chance, he doesn't feel like doing it. Okay.
These Bond girls are seriously annoying me now.
Seriously, this film had nothing to offer, and was an hour longer than it should have been.
Mendes needs to stop filming these like a 2hr long advert for fashion houses or eau de toilette and concentrate on the plot, scenario of peril and the villains - all have been woeful since Casino Royale
James Bond has a soft spot in my heart, so I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy Spectre. But, with that said, I did come out of the film feeling like it had squandered a lot of good will. For one thing, it felt like there was only one really unique setpiece (Dia de los muertos in Mexico City) in a film that should be filled with interesting setpieces. So that was an obvious disappointment. Going beyond that, however, the Bond girls played by Monica Belluci and Lea Seydoux both fell flat to me. In particular, Seydoux’s character felt problematic to me given that a mere two scenes after she promises to kill Bond if he tries to step into bed with her, she ends up falling into bed with him. Seydoux is a thrilling, fun-to-watch actress who can really pull off action sequences (if you’re in doubt, check out Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol) – so it seemed like a massive waste to have her here in this loser of a role.
The other major misfire of this movie for me was everything to do with Franz Oberhauser (Christoph Waltz) – or should I say, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Even ignoring the cheat the filmmakers used to get around giving away the big “surprise” reveal of his character (and it shouldn’t have surprised anyone), let’s be honest – if Blofeld’s secret origin is that he’s just got some daddy issues, that’s kind of a major letdown. Plus, why does every Bond movie need to tie into some kind of grand overarching story? There are plenty of Bond movies that stand on their own merits (Goldfinger, anyone?) – why can’t these movies also try to do that?
Like its title, Spectre is a ghost of a James Bond film: It looks the part, but lacks substance.
Featuring echoes of past Bond lives in the form of beautiful women, shadowy organizations, and giant violence-oriented men that don't speak, this ghoulish film is as tedious a Bond story as its worst predecessors.
While Spectre showcases some great action sequences, the plot of the film is elusive and silly in its attempts to be mysterious, subtle and suave while remaining skin-deep and hovering around the 95 IQ mark. Bond simply skates from one locale to the next on the flimsiest of premises learning information that is irrelevant and incomprehensible and suddenly finds himself inexplicably the guardian of a helpless young woman. Somehow she stays with him long after she's outlived her usefulness, and helps Bond confront the big baddy (played by Christoph Waltz).
And while this may sound like the formula of any James Bond film, believe me that this film lacks the narrative drive and character of Skyfall or even Casino Royale. Characters have minimal or even zero motivation. Its not as bad as the turgid Quantum of Solace, but it is close. At times, Mendes seems to be purposefully frustrating us with wide shots when close-ups are more appropriate, and close-ups when we want to see more.
In the run of this film, I went from intrigued (at an excellent opening), to confused, to bored and finally angry.
Not as messy as Quantum, but that's a pretty low bar. It was nice seeing Q in a bigger role, and Blofeld - shame about his new motivation though, I preferred the unambiguous evil genius. However, it's a little bloated and some of the writing (including plot points) has a first-draft feel.
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Comments 1 - 15 of 35
DisneyStitch
So finally the rebooted shadowy organization of Spectre gets its time in the spotlight. Despite leading up to this over the past 3 movies it still felt tacked on, as if this was the re-do attempt at the concept that was Quantum in the second film. Somehow manages to not really be that interesting and Spectre's full power of an organization is more alluded to than actually shown.It also features probably the least exciting car chase of any of the films, literally just Craig and Bautista tooling around Rome and grimacing at each other. By the end of the film all Bautista becomes is just a punching bag for Craig to split his knuckles on, really an insult to the rogues gallery of great henchmen that populate the Bond universe. Waltz does what he can with the role but since the character itself is a reboot it just feels so lackluster and played out.
Also, making Blofeld releated to Bond is peak lazy writing. It's all the rage to shake up a main character nowadays by making them releated to the villain and it has already become cliché because of it. It's just pure plot contrivance, the world is a big place and the good guy/bad guy being part of the same family is preposterous.
Hasturion
After the controversial Quantum of solace (well, I must be the only person who hasn't entirely hated it) Skyfall tightened the focus on a sleek and readable style for action sequences, and a streamlined self contained plot.In Spectre, this approach of returning to old school bond tropes is perhaps pushed too far for this particular era of the franchise. The villain's plot is silly (nations are just too bickering to ever approve to share all intelligence data) in a way that feels very quintessentially Bond - But I liked the unexpected betrayals, the real world parallels, the rounded approach that Casino royale and quantum of solace shared.
Well I guess i'll watch No time to Die to complete the series.
richjenkins28
Now that I've seen each of the Daniel Craig Bond movies, I'd say my order is 1-2) Skyfall and Casino Royale (probably Skyfall but it's been a bit since I've seen the first 3) Spectre 4) Quantum of SolaceSpectre is between ok and good. Quantum is probably straight-up bad. It actually was just really boring in parts, and I don't mean slow; just boring.
ntan
For those saying it's too long... it's the same length as Casino Royale. Is it as great as that and Skyfall? No, but it does not deserve the hatred I'm seeing.It's excellent. Mendes and Hoyte van Hoytema did a great job, as did the whole cast. Exciting, well-written, leagues ahead of Quantum of Solace.
Siskoid
I thought SPECTRE was meant to be Craig's final two-parter, but no, I got that wrong. It's a complete film and might be Craig's last. I don't think I'm ready to say goodbye, though I do think his era has gotten away from what I so loved about it in Casino Royale. Bond #24 is a throwback to earlier eras, not just because the old criminal organization returns (Hail Hydra!), but it's got Moore-era jokes (I hate it when the comedy is driven by extras; the ones that come from Bond himself are tops though), set pieces that seem designed to evoke past films (the Austrian resort is right out of In Her Majesty's Secret Service), a villain with a metal feature (but he doesn't amount to very much), and a "follow clue A to clue B to clue C..." plot from which the worst Bonds have suffered (if this were a role-playing session, the GM would be accused of railroading; Bond even complains about the lack of choice). Bond working with a team, an anti-SPECTRE, in a sense, was the best part, with particularly active parts for M and Q, though Moneypenny necessarily takes a back seat to featured Bond girl Léa Seydoux. I'm not sure I'm behind the big revelation behind Blofeld's origins yet, just a coincidence too far, in my opinion. The Sam Smith theme is the worst since Madonna's. But though he doesn't achieve Skyfall's level of splendor, Sam Mendes still brings his visual brilliance to the film - the tentacle/tendril motif is intense! So it sounds like I'm down on the film, doesn't it? I'm not. It had plenty of good moments, fun gags, exciting action, and the required sexiness. I just wish it were the best spy film I've seen this year, you know?kimstir
I'm all about Daniel Craig and would love to be a Bond girl - either the badass version or just the eye candy haha I don’t care, sign me up! But wtf this movie bored me to tears! I wanted to like it, especially after the really amazing opening scene, but so much of this movie just draaaaags. A lot of the story is Bond trying to figure out who's behind some secret organization. It's kind of fun following along with him, but it doesn't lead to anything exciting. The payoff is SO WEAK. Plus, they try to force this whole weird backstory between Bond and the bad guy that just feels like it's from another movie/franchise.Craig was good though imo. I know he got a lot of hate for it after saying the "I'd rather slash my wrist than do another Bond," but I thought he was still good. He seemed to be having fun with it, while still being a badass and well...hot as heck haha #crush. But yeah, the movie itself just never really amounts to anything. Beautiful locations though, but the action sequences in them are kinda lame.
I wanted to like it so much more than I did. Sad face!
Dawizz
After this 2h30m infomercial for clothes/cars/eau de toillette/tech/tourist destinations and how not to direct a movie is time for Bond to retire for a couple of years, and Sam Mendes to quit. Exit stage left.PolarCow
Predictable and not at all in the same league as Skyfall... To bad - James Bond deserves more than this.ynrozturk said everything I thought throughout the movie... :)
cangelm1
Ho, hum. Just another Bond movie. None of them are a big deal to begin withynrozturk
Really let down by this. It's slow, the music is unnecessarily dramatic most of the time, and the story I felt was weak.Spoilers : Man this movie has so many idiotic things in it. Like when Bond has that conversation with that guy and he shoots himself, doesn't Bond notice the huge camera with the bright red light recording the whole conversation? Because that's the first thing the other assassin notices the first thing he walks in the room. Very professional, Bond.
Didn't like the chase scenes, either. And also at the end, it's very convenient for the entire gas supply of the complex to be outside and to be taken out by a single bullet. For a multi million dollar facility, that shit should have been underground.
Bond chases the villain the entire film in order to kill him. When he has his chance, he doesn't feel like doing it. Okay.
These Bond girls are seriously annoying me now.
Seriously, this film had nothing to offer, and was an hour longer than it should have been.
royalspikey77
not great.Mendes needs to stop filming these like a 2hr long advert for fashion houses or eau de toilette and concentrate on the plot, scenario of peril and the villains - all have been woeful since Casino Royale
nymusix
James Bond has a soft spot in my heart, so I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy Spectre. But, with that said, I did come out of the film feeling like it had squandered a lot of good will. For one thing, it felt like there was only one really unique setpiece (Dia de los muertos in Mexico City) in a film that should be filled with interesting setpieces. So that was an obvious disappointment. Going beyond that, however, the Bond girls played by Monica Belluci and Lea Seydoux both fell flat to me. In particular, Seydoux’s character felt problematic to me given that a mere two scenes after she promises to kill Bond if he tries to step into bed with her, she ends up falling into bed with him. Seydoux is a thrilling, fun-to-watch actress who can really pull off action sequences (if you’re in doubt, check out Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol) – so it seemed like a massive waste to have her here in this loser of a role.The other major misfire of this movie for me was everything to do with Franz Oberhauser (Christoph Waltz) – or should I say, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Even ignoring the cheat the filmmakers used to get around giving away the big “surprise” reveal of his character (and it shouldn’t have surprised anyone), let’s be honest – if Blofeld’s secret origin is that he’s just got some daddy issues, that’s kind of a major letdown. Plus, why does every Bond movie need to tie into some kind of grand overarching story? There are plenty of Bond movies that stand on their own merits (Goldfinger, anyone?) – why can’t these movies also try to do that?
frankqb
Like its title, Spectre is a ghost of a James Bond film: It looks the part, but lacks substance.Featuring echoes of past Bond lives in the form of beautiful women, shadowy organizations, and giant violence-oriented men that don't speak, this ghoulish film is as tedious a Bond story as its worst predecessors.
While Spectre showcases some great action sequences, the plot of the film is elusive and silly in its attempts to be mysterious, subtle and suave while remaining skin-deep and hovering around the 95 IQ mark. Bond simply skates from one locale to the next on the flimsiest of premises learning information that is irrelevant and incomprehensible and suddenly finds himself inexplicably the guardian of a helpless young woman. Somehow she stays with him long after she's outlived her usefulness, and helps Bond confront the big baddy (played by Christoph Waltz).
And while this may sound like the formula of any James Bond film, believe me that this film lacks the narrative drive and character of Skyfall or even Casino Royale. Characters have minimal or even zero motivation. Its not as bad as the turgid Quantum of Solace, but it is close. At times, Mendes seems to be purposefully frustrating us with wide shots when close-ups are more appropriate, and close-ups when we want to see more.
In the run of this film, I went from intrigued (at an excellent opening), to confused, to bored and finally angry.
2 stars out of 5
americanadian25
Love the Bond films, but this one just didn't do it for me.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9BHv0G8Cro
Larkspire
Not as messy as Quantum, but that's a pretty low bar. It was nice seeing Q in a bigger role, and Blofeld - shame about his new motivation though, I preferred the unambiguous evil genius. However, it's a little bloated and some of the writing (including plot points) has a first-draft feel.Showing items 1 – 15 of 35