SPECTRE Review Thread

[Vlad Draculi]

Spectre - Spectre starts off with a bang with one of the best Bond openings ever produced. The shots are just flat out gorgeous, the camera work is great, and the opening bit is quite intense. Thankfully, the movie continues its flow throughout the entire thing as it is a truly enjoyable Bond film. Sadly, it is far from perfect, but no where near to the degree the critics are saying, which is due to it not being better than Skyfall. The plot is predictable, the villains are cookie cutter, and Sam Smith should never have been allowed to sing the opening theme because he sucks ass. The visuals used in the theme really save this song from being the worst Bond theme song, but still, I have no idea what they were thinking when they picked him to be kicked in the balls before singing. Nevertheless, there are a ton of great homages to the movies and novels of old and the action scenes are well done. Lots of fantastic one liners and humor too. The Bond girls are a waste of time, but at least the main one is able to hold her own. Moneypenny is easily the best female character in the movie and Q steals every scene he is in with ease. M is well done and it is pretty awesome watching Voldemort take on Moriarty (some will get this reference). Christolph Walz's performance is bittersweet because he does his role with such finess, yet, he is pretty much just playing himself as that character. It works, but it may annoy some. Oh, and Bond does have his character shields on full here. Finally, everything released under Craig's name is connected very nicely and the ending does a good job of wrapping up Craig's Bond if this does indeed turn out to be his final performance. In the end, no, it is not better than Skyfall or Casino Royale, but it is still an outstanding Bond experience and way better than anything Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan ever put out. I give it a solid 8/10.

[Azyiu]

Originally Posted by Travel4autism

I think because Daniel Craig is not sure if he will honor his contract agreement and return for one more James Bond film. But don't worry there will be more James Bond.

Hope so, and just ONE more is all I ask for.

[DanTheMan]

One thing I forgot to point out earlier that I was pleased with were the various little nods to previous Bond films. Won't point them out yet, as the majority of folks here have yet to watch the film, and I don't want to spoil it.

There were a few "Easter eggs" scattered throughout.

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by nashcameronn

Been avoiding this thread like the plague the past two weeks. Just got home from seeing it.



Here's some thoughts



Thought it was great. Loved Bautista's character. Been so long since we've had a great henchman in a Bond film.

[Show spoiler]Really enjoyed the reveal of Waltz as Blofeld. While it was expected at this point it was just awesome seeing the cat jump up on Bond. I was hoping he would get away and the last shot of the movie would be him petting the cat. At least he's still alive so I expect to see him return in more Bond films. I also really liked how Craig's previous Bonds played into this one and how SPECTRE was behind everything all along. Le Chiffre, Greene, Silva are like the equivalent of Dr. No, Klebb, Emilio Largo from the older films. The opening action sequence was fun and the theme song has really grown on me.

Also, not that I'm really worried there won't be another Bond film, but how come there was no "Bond will return" at the end. There was one in Skyfall.

It said Bond will return at the end of the credits.

[Infernal King]

Originally Posted by dantheman89

One thing I forgot to point out earlier that I was pleased with were the various little nods to previous Bond films. Won't point them out yet, as the majority of folks here have yet to watch the film, and I don't want to spoil it.

There were a few "Easter eggs" scattered throughout.

They also planted "Easter eggs" in Die Another Day, Quantum of Solace and Skyfall. I said this a long time ago but I wish the series would stop cannibalizing itself and move forward, not constantly remind of the past and bringing back old elements for nostalgia value. Between this and ripping off Bourne and Nolan, it seems like the producers and writers have nothing new to show us during this cycle, except for Craig's performance in Casino Royale.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Infernal King

No, those people were criticizing a film that they knew little information about and which had no reviews. Plenty of people have already seen Spectre and there is a ton of information about it. Big difference.

I had to deal with Jupiter Ascending being one of the biggest box office bombs ever and it getting savaged by critics, general audiences, and most people on here. I didn't act like people in this thread have been acting towards the critics who have given Spectre a negative review. This movie will not be a bomb and it's getting middling reviews at worst overall so I think you shouldn't mind me voicing my disappointment.

I'm like a kite in a hurricane.

Erm, no. When reviews came out for that one, everyone was acting like they knew the film like the back of their hand with the probability that they hadn't seen a frame of footage. You're doing the same because you've read the script and you're singling out reviews that fit within your views already.

Like come on, you're smarter than to believe that they've made a Bond film with shit jokes and pratfalls. That reviews makes it sound like James Bond falls into a pit of shit and says "oh this job is bullshit" or he goes to the toilet and sprays nasty diarrhoea everywhere and Lea Seydoux waves her hand across her face and goes "Pewee, someone's certainly be more shaken than stirred".

Like if I was to write something like this, "When Bond reaches his first interaction with Spectre, the scene plays like a wonderful marriage between the surreal and the menacing, a shadowy room featuring strange ritualistic sense of organised misery in the world, controlled for profit, with it's own language. Mendes pits the scene with a shocking act of violence that seems to come as abrupt and out of whack, yet makes sense with this sinister organisation where violence is not only a loud vocal language but one of elegance and principle."

But then if I followed that up with "...but then Mendes ruins the scene by having James Bond leap onto the table below and lay a big fat ****ing corny bastard right in front of Waltz and says "Smoke on that Blofield". Just so I could reach my 1000 word quota and there was a reference to a toilet somewhere in the film, you would then share that and be like "Really? That happens? Man, I knew this film sucks".

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

and the last shot of the movie doesn't make much sense unless they're setting up the next movie to be a semi-remake of

[Show spoiler]OHMSS

.

That was exactly what went through my head.

I can see it happening...

[LegacyCosts]

Spectre's opening sequence is definitely one of the best moments in film this year. Shit was amazing. Good flick too. 4/5. wasted a great actress though

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by Infernal King

They also planted "Easter eggs" in Die Another Day, Quantum of Solace and Skyfall. I said this a long time ago but I wish the series would stop cannibalizing itself and move forward, not constantly remind of the past and bringing back old elements for nostalgia value. Between this and ripping off Bourne and Nolan, it seems like the producers and writers have nothing new to show us during this cycle, except for Craig's performance in Casino Royale.

Seriously, mate... either go see the film or stop posting nonsense. I can take it when someone who's seen the film slags it off (and then I can debate them) but it seems like you're here just to pour bile on something you're apparently not even interested in. Smells like trolling.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by Tony208

Casino Royale is the best Bond movie ever.

Your "best Bond movie ever" is barely a Bond movie at all.

[LegacyCosts]

Originally Posted by Markgway

Seriously, mate... either go see the film or stop posting nonsense. I can take it when someone who's seen the film slags it off (and then I can debate them) but it seems like you're here just to pour bile on something you're apparently not even interested in. Smells like trolling.

I'd recommend it. I imagine reading the script would make this come off as unwatchable but it's quite the opposite.

[Desk.]

Initial impressions is that this was a good film, and one which, for me, surpasses Skyfall by virtue of having a story which makes sense, and a hero who attempts to be heroic and whose actions actually have some impact on the fundamental outcomes of the plot.

That said, it's not a film without problems. One which struck me very quickly is that Craig's Bond is still swaggering about with the same attitude he had in Skyfall - that is, sullen, surly and a bit of a pr*ck.

Bond has never had the greatest respect for authority figures, but his early exchange with M is just downright rude, hostile and insubordinate. The fact that M allows such behavior, and then an even worse exchange with 'C', just doesn't strike me as believable.

In Skyfall, Bond looked on dispassionately as a woman he'd just bedded was gunned down. In Spectre, he

[Show spoiler]saves Belluci's character

from a similar fate, and I wondered if this was in response to the Skyfall criticism. But with his generally callous demeanour you're left with the impression this heroism was ONLY because it served his wider agenda.

It just strikes me that there's a sense of humanity missing from Craig's Bond, and none of the playful humour that I associate with the cinematic character and which featured in Casino Royale.

It seems that the producers have decided that the loss of Vesper has robbed him of that humanity. As a consequence, Craig's po-faced 007 can come across as unsympathetic and unlikable. Although Dalton played the role close to the source material, you still got a sense of warmth, compassion, and some playfulness and fun.

Back to Spectre, and I think the greatest problem is the central romance. Madeline Swann is introduced far too late in the game, and given no real character. Let's face it, she's pretty bland and anemic, and it's difficult to imagine her ever replacing Vesper as the great love in Bond's life, let alone doing that so quickly. Bond and Swan share one train journey, devoid of any of the spark clearly seen between Bond and Vesper on their brief train encounter in Casino Royale, and yet you've suddenly got Swann declaring her love for this man she's known for five minutes.

Another flaw is the screenwriters and producers' apparent desire to turn what was a series of standalone movies into an ongoing melodrama. The idea that

[Show spoiler]Blofeld is Bond's adopted brother

is something straight out of a soap opera, and a completely unnecessary personalisation of the threat. It's a big world, but all of Bond's adventures are now tied into a family feud?

Spectre is largely an investigatory film, with Bond probing this mysterious threat, but the threat itself is so poorly defined until late in the day that there isn't a really pressing sense of danger, jeopardy and what's truly at stake.

Also, it unfolds in the style of a computer game like Uncharted, developing hugely episodically, stopping and starting. It moves from one location to the next, with a lot of talking heads delivering exposition before some furious action sequence button pressing, the level is complete, and we move on to the next location.

As to the other supporting cast? Again, it suffers the same problem as Skyfall, in that Bond tends to feel like the lead character in an ongoing ensemble TV series, reminiscent of Spooks. I long for the days when the likes of M, Q and Moneypenny were merely the comfortable, familiar framing devices for a story which sent Bond off largely on his own solo adventure.

Now it may seem that I'm very down on Spectre, but for all this I did enjoy it. The opening pre-titles sequence is one of the all-time best, there's some great casting, and a story that actually does hold together.

I just can't help but feel that the script should, and very easily could, have been so much better with some judicious editing and restructuring.

And while it's nowhere near as good as Casino Royale, it is, for me, a step-up over the style-over-substance entry Skyfall.

Desk

[imsounoriginal]

Originally Posted by dantheman89

Got this sexy collectible ticket at Regal IMAX:

[Show spoiler]

damn that looks nice, I was expecting to get that as a poster like they gave out for Skyfall.

[SilentNight]

I'm guessing this has been answered but just curious, how do the two organizations Quantum and Spectre tie into each other? I watched it last night and I'm sure it was addressed but I must have missed it in a bathroom break or being annoyed at people around me talking.

[imsounoriginal]

Originally Posted by SilentNight

I'm guessing this has been answered but just curious, how do the two organizations Quantum and Spectre tie into each other? I watched it last night and I'm sure it was addressed but I must have missed it in a bathroom break or being annoyed at people around me talking.

Quantum is

[Show spoiler]a subsidiary of SPECTRE, which is larger and more global

. There's no real clarification beyond that (at least that I could tell).

Also the movie doesn't explain how

[Show spoiler]Silva ties into SPECTRE, and I kinda think it cheapens Skyfall to make Silva's war against MI6/M a little less personal, but it does explain how he was able to have minions everywhere in London

.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by SilentNight

I'm guessing this has been answered but just curious, how do the two organizations Quantum and Spectre tie into each other? I watched it last night and I'm sure it was addressed but I must have missed it in a bathroom break or being annoyed at people around me talking.

Every villain in the last three films was a tool/arm of Spectre.

[Vlad Draculi]

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

Quantum is

[Show spoiler]a subsidiary of SPECTRE, which is larger and more global

. There's no real clarification beyond that (at least that I could tell).

Also the movie doesn't explain how

[Show spoiler]Silva ties into SPECTRE, and I kinda think it cheapens Skyfall to make Silva's war against MI6/M a little less personal, but it does explain how he was able to have minions everywhere in London

.

Actually, I disagree there. I feel it strengthens

[Show spoiler]Silva because it makes sense of how he was able to do all of it. Plus, it was a nod to the books as all of the books that seemed like they had nothing to do with SMERSH (Mr Big, The Spangled Gang, Goldfinger, Drax) are revealed to have been working for them the entire time. This movie did just that.

Originally Posted by Infernal King

They also planted "Easter eggs" in Die Another Day, Quantum of Solace and Skyfall. I said this a long time ago but I wish the series would stop cannibalizing itself and move forward, not constantly remind of the past and bringing back old elements for nostalgia value. Between this and ripping off Bourne and Nolan, it seems like the producers and writers have nothing new to show us during this cycle, except for Craig's performance in Casino Royale.

No, not easter eggs like that. They did them differently with subtlety. For example,

[Show spoiler]there is a safe house called the Hildebrand.

Anyway:

[Show spoiler]

Best line - "When I told you to bring it back in one piece, I didn't mean bring me one piece."

I loved that they turned Blofeld into something more than a one dimensional villain and Waltz played it quite well, even if he was playing himself. OH, and he got his signature scar!

The safe house called the Hildebrand!!

Everything is revealed to be connected to Spectre just like how everything in the original novels was revealed to be connected to SMERSH later on before Spectre took over.

[tigertron]

Now that a lot of you have seen it, ranking?

1. Casino Royale
2. Spectre
3. Quantum of Solace
4. Skyfall

[imsounoriginal]

Originally Posted by Vlad Draculi

Actually, I disagree there. I feel it strengthens

[Show spoiler]Silva because it makes sense of how he was able to do all of it. Plus, it was a nod to the books as all of the books that seemed like they had nothing to do with SMERSH (Mr Big, The Spangled Gang, Goldfinger, Drax) are revealed to have been working for them the entire time. This movie did just that.

Good point about the books, I hadn't considered that. But to your other point,

[Show spoiler]one of the big strengths of Skyfall was that it was dealing with a villain that was very personal to M/MI6/Bond, and that his anger was understandable and somewhat justified. For him to become just another arm of SPECTRE kinda takes the wind out of that a bit; he's just another baddie sent out to take care of MI6 so SPECTRE can further its goals

.

Also, I'm dying to know what was on that

[Show spoiler]Vesper Lynd interrogation tape

.

Originally Posted by tigertron

Now that a lot of you have seen it, ranking?

1. Casino Royale
2. Spectre
3. Quantum of Solace
4. Skyfall

Casino Royale > Skyfall > SPECTRE > Quantum of Solace

Skyfall and SPECTRE could switch places after I give the latter another watch or two. All of Craig's movies are at least good, even Quantum. It's not great, but if that remains his weakest movie, Craig will have had the most solid tenure of any of the Bond actors.

[Adam_ME]

Originally Posted by Desk.

It just strikes me that there's a sense of humanity missing from Craig's Bond, and none of the playful humour that I associate with the cinematic character and which featured in Casino Royale.

It seems that the producers have decided that the loss of Vesper has robbed him of that humanity. As a consequence, Craig's po-faced 007 can come across as unsympathetic and unlikable. Although Dalton played the role close to the source material, you still got a sense of warmth, compassion, and some playfulness and fun.

Back to Spectre, and I think the greatest problem is the central romance. Madeline Swann is introduced far too late in the game, and given no real character. Let's face it, she's pretty bland and anemic, and it's difficult to imagine her ever replacing Vesper as the great love in Bond's life, let alone doing that so quickly. Bond and Swan share one train journey, devoid of any of the spark clearly seen between Bond and Vesper on their brief train encounter in Casino Royale, and yet you've suddenly got Swann declaring her love for this man she's known for five minutes.

Dalton's Bond definitely had compassion. He was serious in The Living Daylights, but he seemed to genuinely care for Kara. And he absolutely was compassionate in Licence to Kill. His friendship with Felix and Della(not to mention a reminder of his own personal loss with Tracy) drove him to extreme lengths in seeking revenge in that movie.

The "romance" with Dr. Swann was a joke in SPECTRE. What's sad is they really could've done something interesting with that subplot had they tried. Seydoux is a capable actress. If they'd dumped the garbage with C and gotten rid of Bellucci's superfluous grieving widow, there would've been an opportunity to develop their relationship like what was done with Bond and Tracy in the first act of OHMSS.

In Bond movies, there are generally three types of relationships he has with women. There are the ones he beds immediately and then disregards(Bellucci in SPECTRE, that chick early on in Tomorrow Never Dies). There are the ones he genuinely cares for and tries to protect(XXX in The Spy Who Loved Me, Camille in Quantum of Solace) and he doesn't even necessarily sleep with them as is the case with Camille. And then there are the ones he winds up falling in love with like Vesper and Tracy. Of course those always end badly for him.

The problem with SPECTRE is that Swann is treated like the 2nd type for almost the entire movie and then suddenly becomes the 3rd without any foundation being laid in earlier scenes. That shot of them at the end is completely unearned and doesn't fit in this movie. Especially with the way Craig portrays Bond. I could absolutely buy Lazenby's Bond wanting to retire to private life with Tracy. Craig's Bond in SPECTRE? Absolutely not.