Spectre

An essential Bond film. I could have plenty of reservations about it (everything people hate is objectively true), but here, reason loses out on points because when all the important proprieties slowly begin to emerge from the shadows in that rambling style, and you enthusiastically tick them off, it carves itself out in the end into a full-blown epilogue of one acting decade that has reached a complexity beyond most other things. (15/11/2015)

Although bad (however nicely subversive) Bond movie, but a nice watch. And it could have been much better. However, the screenplay would have to back a way to long footage without particular reason, the tension between the 007, bond girl and the bad guy would have to work better, and the whole thing would have to be at least a little more spectre-style like the opening scene. Anyway, thanks to the open end, I would like to see another Bond movie with Daniel Craig. And even with the same team. (05/11/2015)

Probably the weakest Bond with Craig... Primarily it doesn’t make sense and yes, it’s great that it contains so much wink-wink references to older Bond movies and hidden meanings, but... it doesn’t make sense and doesn’t answer questions that the viewer asks himself during this expensive spectacle. The excellent casting is degraded by illogical changes in characters’ behavior, badly thought-through jokes in Roger Moore style Bond from the 70s which are ok for the Muppet Show, but in a dramatic action thriller this is seen as unsuitable (the villain simply says “Fuck" in the face of unavoidable death) and spoils the whole effect of an otherwise brilliantly directed scene. I don’t know if the screenwriters went on the rampage, or if Sam Mendez wanted the abandon the brand because he’s had it up to here with Bond. No consistency, just a couple of great moments that you mustn’t think too much about. It stinks of big money. (08/11/2015)

Different than Skyfall, perhaps slightly weaker, but still very, very good. Spectre reminded me most of Connery's From Russia with Love, which also doesn't have many action scenes, but has an interesting plot that is a joy to watch. Once again, everything flows beautifully, the film is lovely to watch and although there is a lot of talking, it is never wasted and the characters always have something to say. When it comes to action, it's typical Bond (plus the train fight is a reference to From Russia again), when it comes to women, it's typical Bond... The quiet, eerily calm atmosphere is atypical - but atypical certainly doesn't mean bad. I have to especially praise all the scenes with Blofeld, during which I almost didn’t even breathe, and I couldn't help but be pleased with the reasonable use of references to older Bond films (Connery's white tuxedo from Goldfinger, Bond's disguise as the villain from Live and Let Die, the Aston Martin DB5, the Thunderball-like funeral...). The only thing I could criticize is Thomas Newman's woefully unimaginative music (which is mostly apparent when listening to the soundtrack on its own); otherwise, I'm surprised at all the low ratings and bad reviews.___P.S. It's set up nicely for a sequel, which could easily be some sort of sly remake of On Her Majesty's Secret Service. (06/11/2015)

The most recent Craig film thus far is a very enjoyable part of the Bond franchise. A great opening reminds one of Live and Let Die, the first girl is the pleasant Monica Bellucci, the second - her complete contrast - Léa Seydoux (the fashionable Frenchwoman we primarily know for her blue hair), but the time period mainly favors Christoph Waltz's styling. Spectre flows nicely, developing the story already begun in Casino Royale, and I'm simply glad that James Bond will return. (22/08/2016)