That could be, though I suspect a lot of it went to pay exorbitant salaries to a lot of the talents involved -- as the actors got smaller, the paychecks correspondingly got bigger when the studio system went away. There is quite a bit they could look at that hasn't been used, but given that they're doing a reboot, they could certainly recycle any number of things. Certainly, Spectre liberally reinvented On Her Majesty's Secret Service and other Bond films. I do appreciate that the Bond films are among the few anymore that still rely on real stunts!
I see that a lot of the American reviewers are not as enamored with the film. That's a good sign. A lot of them are the reason we get such awful films in the first place, as they seem to endorse pablum too often, and then Hollywood goes and makes even more of the same. I was just reading the GQ review, and a complaint among many is that the conference scene went on too long (while the reviewer later complains there wasn't as much cat-and-mouse dialogue at the lair). This is what I'm talking about. That scene was pivotal in the film, both as an homage to the similar scene in Thunderball and in introducing us to just how terrified everyone except Hinx was of
The problem, of course, was that after that scene, there isn't as much for Blofeld to do that seems to confirm the conference room scene. Weak writing. But I thought the pacing was just right for that important scene.
I would welcome shorter timescales and smaller budgets to get tighter scripts. We would lose all the plaines and helicopter stuff but I could live with that. We might get more genuine tension on a smaller scale. I'm thinking along the lines of the scene in North By Northwest where all that tension is created just out of being unobserved in the house and the lurking danger. BTW I am aware of the pivotal nature of a plane in this movie has the capacity to undermine my argument B-)
I also would welcome this, every film nowadays seems to have to be 2.5 hours plus, even if the story of the film does not warrant that amount of running time.
I often find myself bored in general films nowadays, Interstellar was a prime example of this for me.
Don't get me wrong, I will happily watch a four hour film if at least a good percentage of the film is of interest to me and the story warrants it -{
I enjoyed it definitely more then I expected -{ Still a great Bond film so I do like all four of them now. A lot of guys are posting long reviews so I'm not going to do that, the movie is not perfect but definitely worth watching and I'm going to watch it today again
If you actually just saw the plane as bond walked inside it would've worked a little better, or if you saw him running for it. But no, it just cuts from Q on the ski lift and bam hes magically in a plane. It did that with the boat chase at the end too. You knew the boat was down there because of when he rode it in with Tanner at the beginning, but it still could've shown him going to it. Anyways those are just minor little things that took me out of the movie. Again the wardrobe changes didn't even cross my mind
Everyone else seemed to like it more than me. I think it was great the whole way through but just built up to nothing. My main concern is i would've rather have them scrapped the London finale and just focused more time into Morocco and Austria. Part of me wants to love it but another part of me thinks it is worse than Quantum, which I didn't completely hate. Maybe I will enjoy it more with time like you say
but if you look at say the roger moore era, that is a good example of how to pack in a lot of story and action into a short amount of time. The Moore era moved from action scene to action scene as well, but there was at least a coherent mission about them. Blofeld seemed to want Bond to show up, so why didn't he just give Bond the coordinates to the evil lair if bond was just going to walk right in the front door.
I was smiling the whole way through the film, so yes i was entertained, its only in retrospect that I see all the action didn't build up to a great finale or a big world threat.
I saw it last night--I was too tired to write a review then--and I pronounce myself a happy Hardyboy.
This is Craig's Thunderball or The Spy Who Loved Me--a huge, globetrotting epic with mammoth sets, sweeping camerawork, and lightning-fast pace. . .really, those 150 minutes went by very fast. But the approach to the material is one I've wanted to see for a long time--instead of the hokey-jokeyness of Roger Moore (or, for that matter, Pierce Brosnan), the silliness of the story is taken seriously. As usual, Craig looks like he's going through hell--in his fight with Hinx Craig's Bond clearly is getting the $#!& beaten out of him--and, as a result, you care about him and his mission.
I also like that the film continues the Craig-era theme of reinvention. In previous films we've seen the reinvention of Bond, Moneypenny, M, and Q; and now the title organization gets a reboot. At first I found myself wondering what SPECTRE's scheme is and then I realized it was in front of me the whole time. . .surveillance. This movie is Julian Assange's and Edward Snowden's collective nightmare--information is being cultivated and stored NOT for the public good, but for manipulation, control, and terror. . .and our governments are in on it! (I enjoyed the way the SPECTRE meeting and the "Nine Eyes" conference are real mirrors of each other.) The film promotes the power of the individual--Bond, as well as M, Moneypenny, and Q who all now seem to be field operatives--to take charge against greater, "official" powers that threaten to micromanage and destroy peoples' lives. This is SPECTRE for the 21st century.
It also seems that SPECTRE manages to do well what Die Another Day did only sporadically well--pay tribute to previous Bond films. There are similarities to Live and Let Die, From Russia with Love, The Spy Who Loved Me, Licence to Kill (and I'm sure there are more), as well as specific references to the three Craig films that came before; but these are smoothly integrated into the narrative. Unlike DAD, the film doesn't scream out, "Look! This is a postmodern reference to an earlier film!" ("Diamonds are for everybody," anyone?)
What doesn't work so well--as I see a lot of people have commented on--is the plot itself. There are holes in the story big enough to drive an Aston Martin through. A second after information is given I found myself saying, "Huh?" Judi Dench's M apparently knew about SPECTRE all along? So why did she leave instructions for Bond to do something about it only if something happens to her? How did she know Sciarra's funeral would lead to answers? Why is SPECTRE now trying to kill Sciarra's widow? (And how disappointing is it that La Belucci's role is so small?) Why is SPECTRE also trying to kill Madeline Swan? And--wait a minute--are we supposed to believe SPECTRE was really founded mainly as a way for a disappointed daddy's boy to get back at his father for favoring James Bond over him? Then again, as I wrote above, this is a movie that champions the individual over the group--in that respect, it makes some sense that SPECTRE is more a personal, existential threat to Bond than it is a world threat.
Still and all, I'm not too upset over the lack of logic. In a lot of ways, illogic is also part of the Bond tradition; and at times I'd swear SPECTRE is embracing it, magnifying it, saying it will do illogic better than any Bond film that came before. I enjoyed the film, I look forward to seeing it again, and I'm hoping we'll see more of Craig. . .and Christoph Waltz.
I agree about the car chase - it all stopped dead when he called Moneypenny. I, however, weren't even impressed with the high speeds - it just needed that one stunt like TMWTGG that could have made it great, but it was just "driving fast, try some gadgets, call Moneypenny" and that's it.
And the plane as well, they should have had Bond fly IN on that plane, saying he rented it.
Why is SPECTRE now trying to kill Sciarra's widow?
Not sure if Spectre is really after her.
I interprete this as a reference to the Mafia ( that part plays in Rome) tradition to kill the wife after the death of a "Big Boss"
This " tradition" may be followed by Spectre or by his other Mafia friends
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
- I have to imagine Lucia was killed off screen, unless she got on a plane immediately and went off the grid
That's the beauty of it: as it stands, there's no wrong answer. Without her dead body onscreen, it's all conjecture B-)
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I think like that: persumably SPECTRE sent the two assasins, Bond kills them. Bond promises to get her out. Felix sent a local colleague to bring her to a safe location. the two dead assasins don't report, SP sends other agentd, but they don't find her anymore
"You see Mr.Bond, you can't kill my dreams...but my dreams can kill you.Time to face destiny" - "Time to face gravity"
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,992Quartermasters
Seven years ago I wouldn't have believe I would ever say this, but 'I miss Judi Dench
Not me. I enjoyed her a lot, but Ralph Feinnes is great as well.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I know, I like Rayph Fines too, but Skyfall made me actually care for M for the first time in the series' history.
That's fair. But she had a worthy Shakespearean sendoff.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I think Lucia knew she was a dead woman walking. Even at the funeral with the men following her, she almost seemed to know it then. Obviously when she's home I got the sense that she knew she was walking into her death, maybe I'm wrong but that is what I took. I'm assuming that once her husband died she knew she was going to die as well.
Monica Belluci was a great actress when she wasn't talking. I thought when she was walking through the house her acting was top notch but when she started talking she just sounded stupid. She definetely had accepted her fate before Bond shows up to save her
Just saw the movie. Highlights for me.
- Amazing PTS one of the best in the series, and one of the most beautiful scenes.
- Humor was great. Awesome to see it injected back in. Bond falling on sofa. His interactions with Q and Moneypenny. Then when the film got serious the humor stopped which is good. In past Bond films the humor continued at moments not needed.
-Spectre meeting. Awesome fun stuff there. Chilling. Really felt like a place you didn't want to be caught in.
-Lucia. Wow what a stunning woman. The sexual chemistry there looked natural.
-Plane scene was fun. Great visuals here especially when the plane keeps going with no wings. Pure Bond moments there.
-Train fight. No doubt one of the very best in the series. Really brilliant. Amazing.
-Blofield interactions. Very cool to have a lair back. I thought the torture scene did what it needed to. I thought he escaped rather easily. When they meet again seeing the scar and there conversation was great. EON didn't bring Spectre back just to kill Blofield in one movie. He will be back.
- The bridge scene was superb. The callback to M's quote about having a liscense to Kill immediately popped in my mind. There was even a sense of approval when Bond didn't pull the trigger. Then choosing the girl was fitting to the story.
A few Cons
- C I immediately pegged as being part of Spectre. I'm sure alot of us did. It was to obvious to me and I never doubted it.
- As much as I loved the train fight scene, was Hinx trying to kill Bond. Because it seemed like Blofield really wanted to meet him. So why have Hinx on pursuit always trying to kill him.
- I was expecting a big bang crazy escape in Blofields lair. Classic Bond stuff. Seems like they jumped out, shot a few guys and we're suddenly in London. Seemed abrubt.
-Finale wasn't great. Not bad. Not dissapointed. But seemed lacking. Bond finding Blofield and the conversation was good. The whole escape from MI6 and getting on the speedboat and shooting the chopper didn't feel like a finale to me.
Overall great film. Loved the callbacks to old films. I loved that MI6 was more involved, in particular Q. Glad more humor was back in it. Film looked fantastic, really a beautiful film.
Does the ending set up a OHMSS type opening in Bond25? Swann being killed by an escaped Blofield? Like I said they didn't bring back Bonds arch nemesis for just one movie. And the look Blofield had towards Bond on the bridge to me spells trouble. Does that sound like a satisfying next entry. Yes, but the whole Craigs Bond being on another revenge plot I'm not to sure about. We shall see!
The ending to me felt like , no they aren't going to kill Swann off in the beginning of Bond 25, and here's why, I doubt they will bother to keep Lea Seydoux on callback . Its looking to me to be just like the old bonds where he gets the girl at the end, but in the next one shes gone.
However I was thinking about them going with the amnesia opening in the man with the golden gun novel, and have Bond attempting to kill M, but they already played around with the amnesia torture device
Spectre is easily my favourite of Craig's Bond films. I watched QoS and SF in preparation and this film is so far above those two. I couldn't bear to sit through CR again.
Pros:
- PTS was beautifully created and shot. The CGI big of the building falling down was unnecessary, but overall it looked fantastic and the action was engaging.
- Q is so much better than in Skyfall. He is more professional and has a great relationship with Bond. He makes me think of Desmond Llewelyn's Q now.
- Ralph Fiennes is fantastic throughout. He has almost everything Bernard Lee had and has brings other qualities to M. And he's so well dressed!
- Spectre meeting is great to see again.
- Craig has great chemistry with both Bellucci and Seydoux. Craig never had such great chemistry with the female leads in past Bond films.
- Train fight is great, and I was so glad they left it without music for most of it. Thomas Newman ruins some of the suspense at the end when he tries to add some at the end of the fight. It's perfect until the music comes in.
- Fantastic sets/shooting locations. All of them, from the hotel in Mexico to the funeral, Spectre meeting and Lucia's home in Rome, to the clinic in Austria, to Blofeld's HQ in Morocco, to Denbigh's building and the SIS Building ruins.
- The cinematography was fantastic. It has been a long time since a Bond film has had such great locations, and they really made the most of them.
- Daniel Craig's performance was his best. He finally seems comfortable as Bond, and for the first time I can accept him as Bond. He has some personality and doesn't seem miserable the entire time. I can see his pain in the torture scene and I can see his passion in the love scenes. He doesn't seem as wooden anymore.
- Gunbarrel back at the beginning
Cons:
- Thomas Newman's score is so bland. His romantic cues are good, as are the Mexico cues before the helicopter fight. The action cues and the London cues have no character and slow down the action scenes. There are times when the music seems so inappropriate that it distracts me from the film. People told me to wait to judge it in the context of the film, and now I think it's even worse.
- Going to black after the gunbarrel with "The dead are alive" title card. The gunbarrel looks tacked on at the beginning and not integrated with the film. The title card there adds nothing to the story and just is an distracting pause at the beginning of the film. If the circle expanded into the festival it would have looked so cool.
- Why did M not tell Bond about Sciarra when she was alive? Why was she sitting on this lead?
Once one gets past the contrivance of Blofeld being Bond's step-brother or whatever, Spectre actually holds together more logically than did Skyfall.
The motivations make sense, there is enough onscreen information to explain away the questions people have about where did he get the plane and so forth (the boat, for instance, is shown in the berth at the end before Bond takes it out), and even M contacting Bond directly and in code -- if the whole point was that she was on to the secret service being compromised, then she would be obtuse, assuming she could trust no one except Bond, an agent whose character would figure it out. Even Hinx's attack on Bond makes sense if one believes that he was there to kill Swann but only incapacitate Bond. Or just kill them both. After all, Blofeld himself was planning to lobotomize Bond anyway. That they escape leads to the meeting no longer just being bait. And, of course we're supposed to believe that Lucia gets away, as Bond has trusted her safety to Felix Leiter, who is as capable as Bond.
And what about the ending? I think it says nothing except being another example of borrowing from the Nolan Batman films, the last of which ended with Bruce Wayne happily distanced from his former life as Batman. This scene seemed to suggest the same for Bond. I wouldn't read any more into it. We don't even know that he's out of the service, as Q's line is cryptic in this regard.
I thought the movie was a lot of fun to watch, and I was able to see it in Ultra AVX which was an added bonus. Overall, I'd say it was a very good movie, but probably not a great one. It doesn't quite reach the same level as Casino Royale and Skyfall. It was quintessential Bond in every way, and it was a clear attempt to bring the Connery era back in a modern context. I'm surprised he didn't toss his hat onto the rack in Moneypenny's office.
The opening sequence was the best of any Daniel Craig film, and inspired my Halloween costume for next year. Also, It was nice to see a Bond girl play a significant role in the story, as this was really absent from Skyfalll and QoS. Madeline Swann was a solid character, and while not quite reaching Vesper-status, she was pretty damn close. Bond and Madeline had a very strong connection, and I wouldn't be surprised to see her get the Tracey treatment in the next installment if Craig returns. I thoguht the rest of the supporting cast did a good job as well. I'm a huge fan of Ralph Fiennes as M, and I liked the classic Bond/Q gadget scene.
In the most obvious twist of all time, Franz Oberhauser is revealed as Blofeld. Honestly, Blofeld didn't really stand out all that much, and did your typical villainous things. To be fair, it's tough to criticize Blofeld for feeling like a cliche, when he is a character that originally defined what a cliche movie villain/spy villain would become. In many ways, that is intrinsically what Blofeld must be. I thought the torture scene was pretty cool, and I enjoyed the fact that they went full Blofeld in terms of the cat and the scar, but I also thought that the childhood connection between Bond and Blofeld was silly and unneccessary. It's strange how Blofeld inspired Dr. Evil, and now Dr. Evil has exerted an influence on Blofeld.
As with all the Craig films, and most Bond films in general, the movie suffered from horrible pacing. Simply put, Spectre was way too long. Scenes were drawn out, the plot was drawn out, and you really felt the length. The ending was especially drawn out. Much like Skyfall it had the "okay now it's over...okay now it's over..okay NOW it's over" effect.
All that being said there's still a lot of fun to be had here. Great action, good chemistry between the leading man and lady, and in true Craig era fashion, a more personal and dramatic Bond story. Yeah it was long, but better long and good than long and awful. The same is true for sex.
Just saw it and about to see it again. It's probably my favorite Craig Bond, but repeated viewings will really determine that. I don't really see this as Craig's version of Roger Moore. There were a few quips here and there, but the overall tone was fairly serious. Also reviewers complaining that it's too formula driven- I didn't feel that at all. The formula was there but didn't draw attention to itself. In a way the film it might remind me of in that respect is TLD. I do feel the music was a copy paste of Skyfall's, though. Nice to see Craig finally get the leading lady at the end and have a gun barrel opening.
I didn't need a reason for the plane or boat to be their, I knew they were there. I just wanted it to show him going to the plane and boat instead of him just appearing in it magically next frame.
Pros:
Very creative title sequence
Craig's most balanced performance
Bond is a bit more lustful in this one
Great cast
Variety of locales
Classic Bond humor
Q, M and Moneypenny are well casted
Madeline Swann is a good character
The drunk scene
The desert base was a good atmosphere
Cons:
Blofeld was too easily bested
The actors were underutilized
Weakly written third act
Predictable
Just watched it in UAVX .... First let me start by saying that this one is not like a regular 007 film. It is different. Once in a while we get films such as FRWL, OHMSS, TMWTGG, LTK and CR, and this one is in that different category. Not suggesting this one is a classic but only that it is different. If you go in expecting something similar to Skyfall, you may get surprised. If you go in with an open mind, you will probably appreciate it more.
The movie is shot in a sophisticated and smart manner (say shades of Inception). The feel is also similar to the finale in TMWTGG where key characters interact with each other in a pleasant background on Scaramanga's Island. This one is like an extended version of that. You also get the Mission Impossible 1 type of feel. Things are presented in a cold and understated manner (unlike some of the other Bond films).
I had seen some reviews on IMDB criticizing Waltz performance. However, I enjoyed it. It was a well measured performance. It appears as if those who did not appreciate his performance, probably, expected one of the most powerful men in the world to do funny mannerism or shout to look mean. Bautista role is nice as well - cold and calculating.
As for the others, they play their part well. Moneypenny, M and Q get extended roles. Many folks have praised the PTS. I found the PTS to be good (not great or spectacular or something we haven't seen before). The theme song was average - but it connects with the ending - writing was on the wall.
If some folks don't like the film, it is understandable as the film tries to present itself differently. However, not all Bond films have to be similar. Overall, it is a good experience!
I'm going to have to see this movie again to be honest- I made the unfortunate decision of seeing this film with my college roommates, and it kind of ruined the experience for me. They seem to be incapable of shutting up in a movie theatre, and worse, have to go ahead and say towards the Bond vs Blofeld ending in the old MI6 about how terrible the movie is.
I quite honestly, was sucked almost immediately into it and I don't think that 2 and a half hours of film have ever passed so fast for me. I think it's a brilliant movie despite it's flaws, but I will need to see it again to confirm that.
There where a few things that where left a bit unclear for me and I would greatly appreciate it if any of the AJB members would clarify it for me.
1. Mr White's reasoning for leaving Quantum was something I didn't catch very well. He apparently had a change of heart and was trying to locate Blofeld's hideout. How he got thiamin poisoning is also a bit confusing.
2. Blofeld drills Bond inside in order to erase his memory, but why does this fail? It cant simply be Madeleine's love declaration that saves him.
Comments
I also would welcome this, every film nowadays seems to have to be 2.5 hours plus, even if the story of the film does not warrant that amount of running time.
I often find myself bored in general films nowadays, Interstellar was a prime example of this for me.
Don't get me wrong, I will happily watch a four hour film if at least a good percentage of the film is of interest to me and the story warrants it -{
Everyone else seemed to like it more than me. I think it was great the whole way through but just built up to nothing. My main concern is i would've rather have them scrapped the London finale and just focused more time into Morocco and Austria. Part of me wants to love it but another part of me thinks it is worse than Quantum, which I didn't completely hate. Maybe I will enjoy it more with time like you say
but if you look at say the roger moore era, that is a good example of how to pack in a lot of story and action into a short amount of time. The Moore era moved from action scene to action scene as well, but there was at least a coherent mission about them. Blofeld seemed to want Bond to show up, so why didn't he just give Bond the coordinates to the evil lair if bond was just going to walk right in the front door.
I was smiling the whole way through the film, so yes i was entertained, its only in retrospect that I see all the action didn't build up to a great finale or a big world threat.
This is Craig's Thunderball or The Spy Who Loved Me--a huge, globetrotting epic with mammoth sets, sweeping camerawork, and lightning-fast pace. . .really, those 150 minutes went by very fast. But the approach to the material is one I've wanted to see for a long time--instead of the hokey-jokeyness of Roger Moore (or, for that matter, Pierce Brosnan), the silliness of the story is taken seriously. As usual, Craig looks like he's going through hell--in his fight with Hinx Craig's Bond clearly is getting the $#!& beaten out of him--and, as a result, you care about him and his mission.
I also like that the film continues the Craig-era theme of reinvention. In previous films we've seen the reinvention of Bond, Moneypenny, M, and Q; and now the title organization gets a reboot. At first I found myself wondering what SPECTRE's scheme is and then I realized it was in front of me the whole time. . .surveillance. This movie is Julian Assange's and Edward Snowden's collective nightmare--information is being cultivated and stored NOT for the public good, but for manipulation, control, and terror. . .and our governments are in on it! (I enjoyed the way the SPECTRE meeting and the "Nine Eyes" conference are real mirrors of each other.) The film promotes the power of the individual--Bond, as well as M, Moneypenny, and Q who all now seem to be field operatives--to take charge against greater, "official" powers that threaten to micromanage and destroy peoples' lives. This is SPECTRE for the 21st century.
It also seems that SPECTRE manages to do well what Die Another Day did only sporadically well--pay tribute to previous Bond films. There are similarities to Live and Let Die, From Russia with Love, The Spy Who Loved Me, Licence to Kill (and I'm sure there are more), as well as specific references to the three Craig films that came before; but these are smoothly integrated into the narrative. Unlike DAD, the film doesn't scream out, "Look! This is a postmodern reference to an earlier film!" ("Diamonds are for everybody," anyone?)
What doesn't work so well--as I see a lot of people have commented on--is the plot itself. There are holes in the story big enough to drive an Aston Martin through. A second after information is given I found myself saying, "Huh?" Judi Dench's M apparently knew about SPECTRE all along? So why did she leave instructions for Bond to do something about it only if something happens to her? How did she know Sciarra's funeral would lead to answers? Why is SPECTRE now trying to kill Sciarra's widow? (And how disappointing is it that La Belucci's role is so small?) Why is SPECTRE also trying to kill Madeline Swan? And--wait a minute--are we supposed to believe SPECTRE was really founded mainly as a way for a disappointed daddy's boy to get back at his father for favoring James Bond over him? Then again, as I wrote above, this is a movie that champions the individual over the group--in that respect, it makes some sense that SPECTRE is more a personal, existential threat to Bond than it is a world threat.
Still and all, I'm not too upset over the lack of logic. In a lot of ways, illogic is also part of the Bond tradition; and at times I'd swear SPECTRE is embracing it, magnifying it, saying it will do illogic better than any Bond film that came before. I enjoyed the film, I look forward to seeing it again, and I'm hoping we'll see more of Craig. . .and Christoph Waltz.
I give it 8/10
And the plane as well, they should have had Bond fly IN on that plane, saying he rented it.
Not sure if Spectre is really after her.
I interprete this as a reference to the Mafia ( that part plays in Rome) tradition to kill the wife after the death of a "Big Boss"
This " tradition" may be followed by Spectre or by his other Mafia friends
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
2. She has information
- I have to imagine Lucia was killed off screen, unless she got on a plane immediately and went off the grid
That's the beauty of it: as it stands, there's no wrong answer. Without her dead body onscreen, it's all conjecture B-)
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Not me. I enjoyed her a lot, but Ralph Feinnes is great as well.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Ralph Fiennes makes me not miss Judi Dench one bit! He brings everything to the role that Bernard Lee did and more.
That's fair. But she had a worthy Shakespearean sendoff.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
- Amazing PTS one of the best in the series, and one of the most beautiful scenes.
- Humor was great. Awesome to see it injected back in. Bond falling on sofa. His interactions with Q and Moneypenny. Then when the film got serious the humor stopped which is good. In past Bond films the humor continued at moments not needed.
-Spectre meeting. Awesome fun stuff there. Chilling. Really felt like a place you didn't want to be caught in.
-Lucia. Wow what a stunning woman. The sexual chemistry there looked natural.
-Plane scene was fun. Great visuals here especially when the plane keeps going with no wings. Pure Bond moments there.
-Train fight. No doubt one of the very best in the series. Really brilliant. Amazing.
-Blofield interactions. Very cool to have a lair back. I thought the torture scene did what it needed to. I thought he escaped rather easily. When they meet again seeing the scar and there conversation was great. EON didn't bring Spectre back just to kill Blofield in one movie. He will be back.
- The bridge scene was superb. The callback to M's quote about having a liscense to Kill immediately popped in my mind. There was even a sense of approval when Bond didn't pull the trigger. Then choosing the girl was fitting to the story.
A few Cons
- C I immediately pegged as being part of Spectre. I'm sure alot of us did. It was to obvious to me and I never doubted it.
- As much as I loved the train fight scene, was Hinx trying to kill Bond. Because it seemed like Blofield really wanted to meet him. So why have Hinx on pursuit always trying to kill him.
- I was expecting a big bang crazy escape in Blofields lair. Classic Bond stuff. Seems like they jumped out, shot a few guys and we're suddenly in London. Seemed abrubt.
-Finale wasn't great. Not bad. Not dissapointed. But seemed lacking. Bond finding Blofield and the conversation was good. The whole escape from MI6 and getting on the speedboat and shooting the chopper didn't feel like a finale to me.
Overall great film. Loved the callbacks to old films. I loved that MI6 was more involved, in particular Q. Glad more humor was back in it. Film looked fantastic, really a beautiful film.
Does the ending set up a OHMSS type opening in Bond25? Swann being killed by an escaped Blofield? Like I said they didn't bring back Bonds arch nemesis for just one movie. And the look Blofield had towards Bond on the bridge to me spells trouble. Does that sound like a satisfying next entry. Yes, but the whole Craigs Bond being on another revenge plot I'm not to sure about. We shall see!
8/10
However I was thinking about them going with the amnesia opening in the man with the golden gun novel, and have Bond attempting to kill M, but they already played around with the amnesia torture device
Pros:
- PTS was beautifully created and shot. The CGI big of the building falling down was unnecessary, but overall it looked fantastic and the action was engaging.
- Q is so much better than in Skyfall. He is more professional and has a great relationship with Bond. He makes me think of Desmond Llewelyn's Q now.
- Ralph Fiennes is fantastic throughout. He has almost everything Bernard Lee had and has brings other qualities to M. And he's so well dressed!
- Spectre meeting is great to see again.
- Craig has great chemistry with both Bellucci and Seydoux. Craig never had such great chemistry with the female leads in past Bond films.
- Train fight is great, and I was so glad they left it without music for most of it. Thomas Newman ruins some of the suspense at the end when he tries to add some at the end of the fight. It's perfect until the music comes in.
- Fantastic sets/shooting locations. All of them, from the hotel in Mexico to the funeral, Spectre meeting and Lucia's home in Rome, to the clinic in Austria, to Blofeld's HQ in Morocco, to Denbigh's building and the SIS Building ruins.
- The cinematography was fantastic. It has been a long time since a Bond film has had such great locations, and they really made the most of them.
- Daniel Craig's performance was his best. He finally seems comfortable as Bond, and for the first time I can accept him as Bond. He has some personality and doesn't seem miserable the entire time. I can see his pain in the torture scene and I can see his passion in the love scenes. He doesn't seem as wooden anymore.
- Gunbarrel back at the beginning
Cons:
- Thomas Newman's score is so bland. His romantic cues are good, as are the Mexico cues before the helicopter fight. The action cues and the London cues have no character and slow down the action scenes. There are times when the music seems so inappropriate that it distracts me from the film. People told me to wait to judge it in the context of the film, and now I think it's even worse.
- Going to black after the gunbarrel with "The dead are alive" title card. The gunbarrel looks tacked on at the beginning and not integrated with the film. The title card there adds nothing to the story and just is an distracting pause at the beginning of the film. If the circle expanded into the festival it would have looked so cool.
- Why did M not tell Bond about Sciarra when she was alive? Why was she sitting on this lead?
The motivations make sense, there is enough onscreen information to explain away the questions people have about where did he get the plane and so forth (the boat, for instance, is shown in the berth at the end before Bond takes it out), and even M contacting Bond directly and in code -- if the whole point was that she was on to the secret service being compromised, then she would be obtuse, assuming she could trust no one except Bond, an agent whose character would figure it out. Even Hinx's attack on Bond makes sense if one believes that he was there to kill Swann but only incapacitate Bond. Or just kill them both. After all, Blofeld himself was planning to lobotomize Bond anyway. That they escape leads to the meeting no longer just being bait. And, of course we're supposed to believe that Lucia gets away, as Bond has trusted her safety to Felix Leiter, who is as capable as Bond.
And what about the ending? I think it says nothing except being another example of borrowing from the Nolan Batman films, the last of which ended with Bruce Wayne happily distanced from his former life as Batman. This scene seemed to suggest the same for Bond. I wouldn't read any more into it. We don't even know that he's out of the service, as Q's line is cryptic in this regard.
The opening sequence was the best of any Daniel Craig film, and inspired my Halloween costume for next year. Also, It was nice to see a Bond girl play a significant role in the story, as this was really absent from Skyfalll and QoS. Madeline Swann was a solid character, and while not quite reaching Vesper-status, she was pretty damn close. Bond and Madeline had a very strong connection, and I wouldn't be surprised to see her get the Tracey treatment in the next installment if Craig returns. I thoguht the rest of the supporting cast did a good job as well. I'm a huge fan of Ralph Fiennes as M, and I liked the classic Bond/Q gadget scene.
In the most obvious twist of all time, Franz Oberhauser is revealed as Blofeld. Honestly, Blofeld didn't really stand out all that much, and did your typical villainous things. To be fair, it's tough to criticize Blofeld for feeling like a cliche, when he is a character that originally defined what a cliche movie villain/spy villain would become. In many ways, that is intrinsically what Blofeld must be. I thought the torture scene was pretty cool, and I enjoyed the fact that they went full Blofeld in terms of the cat and the scar, but I also thought that the childhood connection between Bond and Blofeld was silly and unneccessary. It's strange how Blofeld inspired Dr. Evil, and now Dr. Evil has exerted an influence on Blofeld.
As with all the Craig films, and most Bond films in general, the movie suffered from horrible pacing. Simply put, Spectre was way too long. Scenes were drawn out, the plot was drawn out, and you really felt the length. The ending was especially drawn out. Much like Skyfall it had the "okay now it's over...okay now it's over..okay NOW it's over" effect.
All that being said there's still a lot of fun to be had here. Great action, good chemistry between the leading man and lady, and in true Craig era fashion, a more personal and dramatic Bond story. Yeah it was long, but better long and good than long and awful. The same is true for sex.
Pros:
Very creative title sequence
Craig's most balanced performance
Bond is a bit more lustful in this one
Great cast
Variety of locales
Classic Bond humor
Q, M and Moneypenny are well casted
Madeline Swann is a good character
The drunk scene
The desert base was a good atmosphere
Cons:
Blofeld was too easily bested
The actors were underutilized
Weakly written third act
Predictable
AJB007 Favorite Film Rankings
Pros and Cons Compendium (50 Years)
The movie is shot in a sophisticated and smart manner (say shades of Inception). The feel is also similar to the finale in TMWTGG where key characters interact with each other in a pleasant background on Scaramanga's Island. This one is like an extended version of that. You also get the Mission Impossible 1 type of feel. Things are presented in a cold and understated manner (unlike some of the other Bond films).
I had seen some reviews on IMDB criticizing Waltz performance. However, I enjoyed it. It was a well measured performance. It appears as if those who did not appreciate his performance, probably, expected one of the most powerful men in the world to do funny mannerism or shout to look mean. Bautista role is nice as well - cold and calculating.
As for the others, they play their part well. Moneypenny, M and Q get extended roles. Many folks have praised the PTS. I found the PTS to be good (not great or spectacular or something we haven't seen before). The theme song was average - but it connects with the ending - writing was on the wall.
If some folks don't like the film, it is understandable as the film tries to present itself differently. However, not all Bond films have to be similar. Overall, it is a good experience!
I quite honestly, was sucked almost immediately into it and I don't think that 2 and a half hours of film have ever passed so fast for me. I think it's a brilliant movie despite it's flaws, but I will need to see it again to confirm that.
There where a few things that where left a bit unclear for me and I would greatly appreciate it if any of the AJB members would clarify it for me.
1. Mr White's reasoning for leaving Quantum was something I didn't catch very well. He apparently had a change of heart and was trying to locate Blofeld's hideout. How he got thiamin poisoning is also a bit confusing.
2. Blofeld drills Bond inside in order to erase his memory, but why does this fail? It cant simply be Madeleine's love declaration that saves him.