Plot: Bond strives to uncover the mystery of Spectre, a deadly organisation with links to his past.
From the opening moments of Spectre it’s made clear that this is a Bond film with a sense of scale; epic locations, huge fights and a villain that poses a worldwide threat. Also looming large are the shadows of Spectre’s predecessors. Spectre comes after fan favourites Casino Royal and Skyfall, and styles itself as a direct follow up to the latter. It seems appropriate then, that this film is helmed by Skyfall director Sam Mendes, who certainly knows how to make a great looking Bond film.
Spectre is a cinematic spectacle. Its set pieces offer a variety of intense action full of signature Bond moments. The film’s car chases, henchman showdowns and stealthy infiltrations are all well shot and exciting to behold. Daniel Craig himself is, to nobody’s surprise, still a perfect fit for Bond. Ben Whishaw’s Q and Ralph Fiennes’ M bring some much appreciated charisma and humour to the faces of MI6 and Monica Bellucci’s Lucia Sciarra is a decent Bond girl with more than just a pretty face.
Spectre ticks a lot of Bond boxes but suffers from its timing. The film is bogged down by unnecessary scenes that push back the screen time of its villain, played by Christoph Waltz, resulting in what ultimately feels like a forced relationship between the character and Bond within the film’s third act. This is a shame, because Waltz’s performance is on point, he brings a sense of cunning and power to what could have been the greatest villain in the Craig era of 007. And here’s the thing: the film thinks he is. Spectre will keep telling you that this is the big boss, this is the man behind all of 007’s pain, but its script hasn’t earned him that title. It’s disappointing that a two and a half hour long film ultimately fails to find time to establish a strong relationship between two of its main characters. JC
Verdict:
A decent watch, but this 007 isn’t quite on target.
3/5
Screened 