Spectre 2015

Solid entry into the 007 catalog, though not particularly as impressive as the other recent titles. To really understand why Spectre ended up like it did you have to look at the other three Craig Bond movies, Casino Royale took an extra brutal, modern take on the Bond and it was a perfect new take on an old (and arguably stale) formula. Quantum I think was a little too high brow for it's own good, it took a few more steps against the Bond formula and got a lot of backlash for being overly complicated and trying to do too much at once although in retrospect I think it's hard not to think it's a great entry into the series. Skyfall was a purposeful step back into some of the more comfortable territory of the Bond tropes, it added characters that were in the originals and met the new style with the old. Spectre took what Skyfall did and went even further back into the typical Bond territory. There are even more familiar characters added in, the gadgets are back, and other things that the older fans loved came back. However, this also meant going back to a semi-played out/generic sort of Bond story with characters that are not as complex or flushed out as we may be used to.

To be more specific, the main villain in this movie would have enough lead up if it was just a standard Bond villain with some very daunting moments and great acting however they try to convince us that he is the "author of all of Bond's pain" and I just wasn't really buying into it with what little they showed. The fact that they emphasize so much the involvement of the past couple movies was weird for me too since they just casually pretend that QoS never happened. They constantly mention/reference Vesper Lynd, M, Le Chiffre, Silva, etc. but completely ignore Dominic Green and Camile (who was supposed to actually come back as the final Bond girl before Skyfall was made). The romance was also textbook and happened faster than it should although I think Seydoux did do an incredible job and I enjoyed the way they made her so similar to Vesper Lynd. The action was as good as ever. There are sequences that have incredible cinematography but also fit perfectly into what is happening in the scene (I particularly liked the Mexico City opening sequence where Bond is treading through this stream of people dressed like they're dead like he's constantly yet effortlessly fighting against it) there's some really well thought out stuff going on. Older Bond fans will absolutely love it as well, I saw it with my dad and he thought it was one of the best he's seen. I enjoyed it a lot and was impressed with certain pieces but as a whole it didn't do it for me like Casino Royale or Quantum. Definitely worth a watch if you've watched the others though.

If you haven't picked up on it yet, I'm a pretty big 007 fan. I was so pumped up for this movie, saw it in IMAX, and ended up enjoying it quite a bit. Again, the opening credits are a really fun action sequence. I don't think any film in this franchise has messed that part up yet. After that, I had to sit through the horrible Writing's On the Wall song, but at least there was some octopus stuff to watch.

I liked just about everything in the first two acts. The new M, Q, and Moneypenny are all entertaining. They fit well with modern style while still matching the old format enough to feel right. The Bond girl is interesting and acted well, but she does feel a bit underwritten in her relationship to 007. As far as villains, I really enjoy the henchman Mr Hinx. He actually feels dangerous, but still realistic in his style/abilities. Honestly, I won't talk about Franz Oberhausen too much, because he doesn't do a lot until the final act.

That does bring me to my biggest issue. The final act seems kinda loose and out of focus. I didn't get a lot of "wow" in the end from the final battle. It didn't outright suck, but it felt lukewarm and stretched pretty long. I almost felt like they were setting up a sequel rather than just finishing the film. I can understand that since they introduced the major evil group that I'm sure we'll keep seeing now going forward, but they traditionally didn't do that in Bond films. These should be able to stand about 95% on their own, with no need to have seen previous ones.

All in all though, I would say you should go out and watch it if you have any interest in 007 at all. Or if you've just seen the recent Daniel Craig movies. This matches the style we've seen from the last couple, and overall I'd say it is simply fun to watch, despite the issues here and there. Now I just have to get into excitement for the next one.

There is a confident swagger both in the lead actor and the direction here which ensures, that despite some minor problems, this is another solid entry in the Bond franchise. Craig here steps into a film that celebrates much of what has gone before - the tone is lighter and more tongue in cheek in places and all that is missing is a Moore-esque arched eyebrow from the actor to complete the picture. Mendes seems willing to try new things here - the opening tracking shot is wonderfully done and he seems to have upped the ante in terms of the action, creating some great sequences that, whilst never quite reaching the heights of Goldeneye's opening jump or Royale's free-running, nevertheless entertain. The film may not quite match the beauty of Deakin's Skyfall photography, but it occasionally comes close - the night time sequences in Rome and an Austrian lake in particular standing out. Despite this, the tone occasionally jars with the more brutal and hard-edged aspects of the character that have come to the fore since Casino Royale and after a series of more interesting female roles, it is a shame to see Monica Bellucci reduced to a perfunctory character that Bond saves and sleeps with. The need to link the villain with Bond's past seems superfluous here and there is little surprise in how the plot develops. Perhaps this was inevitable given the nature of the villain and his organisation that has featured before. But the film is still a lot of fun, and the threads that are left suggest a potential swan song for Craig to bring his films to a fitting resolution. Let's hope so!

I wish that I had an opening sentence as cool as the openings (tracking)shot of the new James Bond film 'Spectre'! Because I don't, so I will just start with sharing my opinion. I had high hopes for Spectre. Mostly because of the director, Sam Mendes, who delivered some good movies and because of the more dark and realistic tune the latest Bond films had. I have the feeling that they followed that more dark, grimy and realistic style since the success of that style on comic books films like The Dark Knight. Which is completely fine for me because I like it!

Specter matched my expectations on most area's. The film was beautiful filmed, they created awesome shots with shadows, lighting or reflections. This was one of the best aspects of the film, combined with the fluent directing/editing style of Sam Mendes. All of the camera work was done great expect a run-chasing scene after 5 minutes. That was full of shaky camera work what distracted me. Luckily they didn't filmed the other chasing/fighting scenes that way.
The storyline grabbed me from scene one until the 2/3 of the film. After that I had some small issues with the set-up of some events/confrontations. This was due by the nativity how some characters approached the situation. That when something bad happened I was like... “Yeah what did you expected if you hand over your gun at your opponents Headquarters with 100 guards”. That took my out of my mood a few times. I tried to put those thoughts away because you could say that it are just 'Bond clichés'. Which are more than likely to pop up in a Bond film.

Overall I had a great time and I'm looking forward to see Specter again. For the breath taking shots, funny Bond quotes, hot Bond girl, great acting by Mr. Craig and Mr. Waltz, smooth directing and entertaining action scenes!

The cinematography in this film is some of the most gorgeous and masterful I've ever seen. Every shot is gorgeous. I watched NTTD immediately after this, and there's no comparison with the photography and editing, which were good but uneven there, but practically perfect here.

The opening scene was also one of the most thrilling and engaging action scenes in all of cinema. If you didn't watch it on a great screen with blaring surround sound (no, not a sound bar, not with dynamic range compression turned on, and not headphones--it's not the same) then you didn't properly experience it. Compare Skyfall's pre-title action scene, and it's like comparing a fifth grader's book report to Nabokov.

The Bond films have come a long way, and I have to say that this is right up there with Quantum of Solace, but even better I think; the main plot even works in the same way as far as the setup of the antagonist and their goals. Likewise, it's the only other Bond film I've seen that had something meaningful to say about its subject matter.

The classic Bond opening title sequence is also one of the best. IMO, it's a tie between this one and NTTD's. It's got a mythic quality and is the best combination of profound aesthetic imagery and the celebration of the sensual sexuality of the human form-- this time incorporating Craig's Bond directly in the middle of the standard display of female beauty.

I'll have to watch it again, by itself, without watching another film right after to see if people are using the word "plot hole" correctly, since I didn't stop when I didn't hear something clearly, as I was thoroughly engrossed in the every-frame-a-painting cinematography and the excellent action (two things which have been major weak points with most Bond films.)

"You're a kite dancing in a hurricane, Mr Bond".

So I've just seen 'Spectre' a few days ago and it was pretty good. It wasn't as fantastic as 'Casino Royale' or 'Skyfall', but it's nowhere near "Quantum of Solace". This was my most anticipated movie of 2015 and it didn't disappoint.

Sam Mendes returns as director and once again he impresses me with the type of film making he uses in this film, because in the first sentence he uses the one shot take and it really impressive. Mendes uses the same film making from 'Skyfall' in this movie and it's great.

What I notice straight away when the movie started is it's homages and references from previous Bond films. This is a nice touch and it never felt force like some movies. It was fitting and it blended well into the film.

Daniel Craig once again nails it as Bond and I think he's the best Bond we've ever had (in my personal opinion). All through out the Bond films, Craig isn't just the good looking martini drinking guy; Craig really puts a lot into his character that made him much different to the other Bonds that we had. Making Bond a human being who feels pain and loss really adds to the character as we can relate to him better. I don't know if Daniel Craig would return as Bond (as I speak) but I hope he dose, because Daniel Craig is magnificent as James Bond.

The one thing that I was really looking forward to seeing is Christoph Waltz as the villain. If you haven't see him in 'Inglorious Bastards' then do yourself a favor and watch it, because he played such an amazing villain in that film. When I first heard the news about Waltz playing a Bond villain I was like "Yes, that's perfect. Can't wait to see it". After seeing the movie and his performance, I can say that Waltz did a terrific performance as this menacing villain. He's not one of the best Bond villains of all time like Le Chiffre, Francisco Scaramanga, Auric Goldfinger or Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Yes, I know that Waltz character is basically Ernst Stavro Blofeld in this film, but he never tried to full-on copy him in anywhere as he tried to do something new with the material that was given to him.

Léa Seydoux was also great in the movie. She played a strong female character. Still better than the female characters in the Roger Moore movies, as she wasn't a complete tool that needed a man to save her all the time. I'm so glad we've moved on from that.

Now Sam Smith's "Writing on the Wall", was a song that I wasn't such a big off at the first. I don't know, I guess I was so use to the other Bond themes that we usually get in every film. But I must say that I actually like the song and the intro that we got in this film. The song really did fit well into the movie and the intro was pretty solid.

The action was good, rest of the cast were great, the cinematography was excellent and the movie is 148 minutes long and it flow by.

There were some scenes in this movie that felt a bit rushed and one of those scenes was the ending. Dave Bautista was awesome in the movie, but I do wish there was more of him. Some of the actions scenes were a bit lackluster at times.

Overall rating: 'Spectre' is an enjoyable Bond flick with some little miss steps. This movie could have been just as great as 'Skyfall', but I still think 'Skyfall' and 'Casino Royale' are better movies if I have to compare. I highly recommend seeing it.

Daniel Craig's fourth mile on the Bond treadmill, and with each installment he's gradually become more gentleman spy and less Jason Bourne in a tux. This time he's squared up against a reimagined Blofeld, played by a characteristically snooty, Machiavellian Christoph Waltz. On the surface that seems like good casting, but in practice it's something of an awkward fit.

Perhaps the villain's somewhat uninspired master plan has something to do with his struggles. I know the threats of leaked personal data and unwarranted surveillance are hot topics in today's political spectrum, but this hardly seems like a grand scheme worthy of a vast, international criminal enterprise and the dogged attention of MI-6. Still, Bond and Blofeld find a way to spin that into a deranged torture scene, giant fireballs in the desert and a helicopter chase through the heart of London, so props for navigating such a bizarre progression.

In fact, each of Spectre's action scenes are spectacular when removed from the larger narrative. We're rarely more than ten or fifteen minutes from the next chase via land, sea or air, and though we revisit several vehicles and locations, each pursuit feels fresh and original. There's a great sense of power and impact in each, but also an impressive knack for scale and, surprisingly, grace that ties it all together. Too bad the accompanying plot is overlong and monotonous, somehow both thin and under-explained. We skim from one location to the next like a sightseeing tour, but that often seems like it's more for show than to further the story.

It's a shame, because in some senses this is the franchise is at its best - Dave Bautista's Mr. Hinx, for example, fits in right alongside the franchise's classic henchmen - but in others it's an undercooked egg. A more daring conspiracy and deeper character motivation would've made this worlds better.

"You're a kite dancing in a hurricane, Mr Bond".

The story in Spectre is about a cryptic message from Bond's past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organisation. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind Spectre.

So I've just seen "Spectre" a few days ago and it was pretty good. It wasn't as fantastic as "Casino Royale" or "Skyfall", but it's nowhere near "Quantum of Solace". This was my most anticipated movie of 2015 and it didn't disappoint.

Sam Mendes returns as director and once again he impresses me with the type of film making he uses in this film, because in the first sentence he uses the one shot take and it really impressive. Mendes uses the same film making from Skyfall in this movie and it's great.

What I notice straight away when the movie started is it's homages and references from previous Bond films. This is a nice touch and it never felt force like some movies. It was fitting and it blended well into the film.

Daniel Craig once again nails it as Bond and I think he's the best Bond we've ever had (in my personal opinion). All through out the Bond films, Craig isn't just the good looking martini drinking guy; Craig really puts a lot into his character that made him much different to the other Bonds that we had. Making Bond a human being who feels pain and loss really adds to the character as we can relate to him better. I don't know if Daniel Craig would return as Bond (as I speak) but I hope he dose, because Daniel Craig is magnificent as James Bond.

The one thing that I was really looking forward to seeing is Christoph Waltz as the villain. If you haven't see him in "Inglorious Bastards" then do yourself a favor and watch it, because he played such an amazing villain in that film. When I first heard the news about Waltz playing a Bond villain I was like "Yes, that's perfect. Can't wait to see it". After seeing the movie and he's performance, I can say that Waltz did a terrific performance as this menacing villain. He's not one of the best Bond villains of all time like Le Chiffre, Francisco Scaramanga, Auric Goldfinger or Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Yes, I know that Waltz character is basically Ernst Stavro Blofeld in this film, but he never tried to full-on copy him in anywhere as he tried to do something new with the material that was given to him.

Léa Seydoux was also great in the movie. She played a strong female character. Still better than the female characters in the Roger Moore movies, as she wasn't a complete tool that needed a man to save her all the time. I'm so glad we've moved on from that.

Now Sam Smith's "Writing on the Wall", was a song that I wasn't such a big off at the first. I don't know, I guess I was so use to the other Bond themes that we usually get in every film. But I must say that I actually like the song and the intro that we got in this film. The song really did fit well into the movie and the intro was pretty solid.

The action was good, rest of the cast were great, the cinematography was excellent and the movie is 148 minutes long and it flow by.

There were some scenes in this movie that felt a bit rushed and one of those scenes was the ending. Dave Bautista was awesome in the movie, but I do wish there was more of him. Some of the actions scenes were a bit lackluster at times.

Overall rating: Spectre is an enjoyable Bond flick with some little miss steps. This movie could have been just as great as "Skyfall", but I still think "Skyfall" and "Casino Royale" are better movies if I have to compare. I highly recommend seeing it.