SPECTRE Review Thread

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

Bond movies have a long history of overreacting to the last one's success or failure. One is seen as too silly, the next one is deadly serious. One is seen as successful, the next one doubles-down on everything in it.

Since Skyfall was (somehow) a hit both commercially and critically I would guess we're getting more of the same until Craig leaves. By then the "get back to Bond!" cheers will probably be louder, leading them to overreact and make the new guy a clown car Bond.

That's what franchises in general tend to do, amp up what people like and tone down what they didn't.

But, like I said, they've slowly brought a lot of the old-school stuff back in so them going full villain for Craig's last one would be a natural progression and a fitting way for him to go out (IMO), and would mean that the next actor could leap straight into the role and the clown car classic Bond stuff without taking four movies to warm up.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

That's what franchises in general tend to do, amp up what people like and tone down what they didn't.

But, like I said, they've slowly brought a lot of the old-school stuff back in so them going full villain for Craig's last one would be a natural progression and a fitting way for him to go out (IMO), and would mean that the next actor could leap straight into the role and the clown car classic Bond stuff without taking four movies to warm up.

Oh I agree. If I were running it I would take Craig right to the precipice of classic Bond and then change actor, hitting the ground running with a Goldfinger style romp. I hope that's how it plays out.

[tigertron]

Originally Posted by GC Riot

Which I'm happy with. Changing the tone that drastically right in the middle of his Bond-era would feel really awkward. If they're gonna go full on classic Bond, at least wait until a new actor takes over.

Yeah, it wouldn't make sense for Craig's Bond series to change style.

I'd like to see something in between Brosnan's Bond era and Craig's with a new actor.

[Infernal King]

Yeah, I've resigned myself to just having to wait this era out and hope when they recast, I start enjoying Bond films again.

[kurtis21]

The trailer looks AWESOME to me!! I can't wait for this movie!!! And...I LOVE Craig as James Bond!!!!

[dgoswald]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

That's what franchises in general tend to do, amp up what people like and tone down what they didn't.

But, like I said, they've slowly brought a lot of the old-school stuff back in so them going full villain for Craig's last one would be a natural progression and a fitting way for him to go out (IMO), and would mean that the next actor could leap straight into the role and the clown car classic Bond stuff without taking four movies to warm up.

If that is the plan for the next Bond after Craig and the subsequent Bond film for that particular actor, I imagine walking the tight-rope of incorporating the classic tropes whilst ensuring it doesn't descend into later-era Brosnan type fluff would be a terribly difficult act to achieve. Plus, now the makers have set a precedent of hiring someone like Mendes, who could they draft in to ensure the films continue to be viewed as premium pieces of action cinema and not forgettable fluff? They'd be mad to return to the Lee Tamahori days of Bond.

I have a feeling Craig should be attributed with most of the credit for restoring some gravitas and class to the Bond franchise. I'm certain his harrying (well, harrying is too strong a word, but insistence) of Brocolli and Wilson meant they felt compelled to hire some quality folk behind the scenes and not the approach of, "Anything'll do, people will flock to a Bond film regardless."

[Infernal King]

Originally Posted by dgoswald

I think we'll have to wait for Craig (and Mendes) to move on before that happens, and I've really admired Craig's Bond films more than I ever anticipated. Although, how would you define an 'actual Bond film'? Please don't say 'like Roger Moore's Bond' because I'll come after you if you do.

Most of the pre-Craig Bond movies are what I prefer to his style of anti-Bond movies.

[Bullseye]

Been a Bond fan all my life and am equally enjoying this era of Bond. The trailer has me very excited for its release.

[Ultra_Violence]

Connery and Moore = great Bond films
Lazenby and Dalton = very good Bond films
Brosnan = passable Bond film (Goldeneye) the rest was below average
Craig = decent but not the Bond I know and love. Casino Royale was his best.

[Bullseye]

Originally Posted by Ultra_Violence

Connery and Moore = great Bond films
Lazenby and Dalton = very good Bond films
Brosnan = passable Bond film (Goldeneye) the rest was below average
Craig = decent but not the Bond I know and love. Casino Royale was his best.

For me Brosnan was the best bond but had the worst writers and directors. My favourite movies are mainly Connerys and a couple of Moores but there was a few dodgy ones among the good ones too. I quite enjoyed Lazenby and Dalton. Craig has a totally different feel to the previous outings and is a reaction to the Bourne franchise. But I've enjoyed his movies.

[Ultra_Violence]

Originally Posted by Bullseye

For me Brosnan was the best bond but had the worst writers and directors.

Yeah I'm more just going on the films than Bond himself. Brosnan's Bond films were among the weakest, as you said down to the writers mostly and very poor directors.

[Makarov]

I rank Brosnan's Tomorrow Never Dies as the best bond movie of all time, with Skyfall after that.

[dgoswald]

Originally Posted by Bullseye

Been a Bond fan all my life and am equally enjoying this era of Bond. The trailer has me very excited for its release.

Yeah, I agree with that. You've just got to go with something if it's good, even if it doesn't quite mesh with personal expectations. I'd be fibbing if I said Craig is how I imagine Bond, but for the overall package it's not a problem.

[Dunemoon]

Originally Posted by Infernal King

Yeah, I've resigned myself to just having to wait this era out and hope when they recast, I start enjoying Bond films again.

Casino Royale had its moments but it's too drab now. 26 years is a long time to wait...

[Samus Aran]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

They're slowly drip-feeding us all the tropes though, what with Q, Penny and a male M in his wood-panelled office (which is even blocked the same way, with M on the left and Bond on the right), so if they went full-villain in the last Craig film after having set up Blofeld in this one then it won't seem so jarring.

I've been the first in line to defend the Craig films from not being Bond-ian enough but we're soon to be four films in and even I'm starting to get a bit antsy about when/if that classic style of Bond will ever return. It'll never be like it was - it simply can't be in this post-Austin Powers world - but I'm jonesing for a hollowed-out volcano lair right about now.

It seems like Bond going all Bourne actually resulted in the Mission: Impossible franchise to go the other direction with the fun and outrageous stunts.

[Infernal King]

Originally Posted by Makarov

I rank Brosnan's Tomorrow Never Dies as the best bond movie of all time, with Skyfall after that.

I'm always glad to find anyone else who puts TND at the top of their Bond rankings!

Originally Posted by Dunemoon

Casino Royale had its moments but it's too drab now. 26 years is a long time to wait...

Most of what I enjoyed about Casino Royale was from the book.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Samus Aran

It seems like Bond going all Bourne actually resulted in the Mission: Impossible franchise to go the other direction with the fun and outrageous stunts.

Perhaps, but I think the intention all along with the Mission Impossibles was to out-Bond Bond in the jaw-dropping action stakes, even in the first one. So many people have the image of Cruise dangling in the vault as the big set-piece - and it's certainly a thrilling sequence - but the bit when he blows up the restaurant is my favourite in that movie by far, as seeing all that water cascade down behind Cruise without a safety wire or CG double in sight is breathtaking.

[Geoff D]

Additionally, the ongoing success of the MI movies shows that a series can retain its signature tropes that have been around for donkey's years (the face masks, the 'self destruct in five seconds' and all of that) and do some utterly outrageous stunts and still create a thrilling piece of entertainment that people will go and see in their droves.

I get that some people don't actually want Bond to go back to that sort of style after having such 'grounded' (I'm starting to hate that word ) entries, but the success of the series has got nothing to fear IMO if they do decide to cut loose in the coming years.

[jscoggins]

I'm actually tired of seeing Cruise dangling from a rope. He does it in every MI movie.

[Geoff D]

In this one he's also underwater for like 6 minutes. Woo.