For the first time in four films, Daniel Craig for a lack of a better word looks tired and somewhat old. The energy and sense of renewal that Casino Royale provided to this 5-decade old spy series is missing with its latest entry, Spectre. For the record, Casino Royale remains Craig’s best work as 007 and arguably one of the top five Bond films of all-time. Warning, spoilers ahead…
The opening in Mexico City during the Day of the Dead celebration may have been one of the best action sequences in recent Bond memory. A staple of the Bond films beyond of course beautiful women, fast cars and lots of vodka martinis shaken not stirred, is the beautiful and breathtaking sceneries. Spectre is not short on any of these things. Where it does fall slightly short, is in the execution of its overall storyline that followed this incredible start.
Picking up where Skyfall left off and the death of the previous M (Judi Dench), who gives Bond a final mission from the grave. This mission puts Bond on the trail of a sinister organization called SPECTRE, who has a personal secret behind it. Bond’s quest for the truth leads him to Mr. White, who was first introduced in Casino Royale and continued in Quantum of Solace. Mr. White had worked for Quantum, a subsidiary of Spectre. Mr. White is suffering from thallium poisoning and is on borrowed time. Mr. White tells Bond that his daughter, Dr. Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux) could lead him to SPECTRE.
At the center of the story is the future of not only British Intelligence but also Global. It’s actually pretty relevant to today’s world of electronic surveillance and the proverbial “Big Brother is watching” cliché. The mastermind behind this “new world order” is Ernst Stavros Blofeld (Christoph Waltz). As it turns out it was Blofeld’s father who helped raise James after Bond’s parents died in a climbing accident. Blofeld’s whose birth name was Franz Oberhauser didn’t take too kindly of his father’s fondness towards a young James Bond. So he killed his father and faked his own death nearly 20 years ago. A little extreme if you ask me. This childhood link between Bond-Blofeld is preposterous at best and completely unnecessary.
Like all previous Bond films, a confrontation between hero and villain takes place. A game of cat and mouse ensues and in the end Blofeld is arrested taken into custody and Bond drives off in style with the beautiful girl. And in between all of that, there are lots and lots of explosions and stylized action.
One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about the Craig Bond films is that they all share a single narrative. Spectre links all the previous films together. With a running time of nearly 2.5 hours, this is the longest Bond film to date and at times, it feels that way. If this turns out as many have speculated to be Daniel Craig’s last ride as 007, then it’s only mildly disappointing. Especially how the franchise restarted it grand way in 2006. Only time will tell.
Directed by: Sam Mendes
Starring: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Dave Bautista, Monica Bellucci and Ralph Fiennes
PG13 148 Mins
SPECTRE – ***1/2 (Out of 5 stars)
May the Dork be with you,
JPB
The Dork Knight
