Planes lose their propellers and beautiful sports cars are pushed to their structural limits. Mendes takes the train compartment scene in From Russia with Love and turns it up to 11, with the combatants literally tearing through the entire dining car. A standout is the bruising fistfight between Craig and SPECTRE’s top henchman, Hinx (Dave Bautista). If you’re planning a trip, it’s wise to cross-reference your reservation for the name ‘Bond’ because no plane, train, or automobile is safe! Again, none of these set pieces are going to re-define the franchise, but all are expertly choreographed and suitably thrilling. Whether this trend continues with future adventures remains unclear, but it’s nice to see some fresh faces helping out.Īs usual, Bond saves most of his action exploits for transportation vehicles. Ralph Fiennes shepherds the transformation of ‘M’ from desk jockey to capable field agent. Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and Q (Ben Whishaw) actually further the plot in Spectre, sticking around long enough to incur legitimate risk. Given his 45 year absence and the complete shift in geopolitical climate, this was probably the best reformulation of Blofeld possible.īond’s allies, meanwhile, continue to get their hands dirty in the field.

When he tortures Bond, it’s more as a curious clinician than a giddy psychopath. This is not the mustache-twirling villain that Michael Myers skewered in Austin Powers this is an amoral puppeteer who takes pleasure in creating chaos and crushing his enemies. Waltz is the perfect candidate to play Blofeld, as he exudes madness, menace, and brilliance with every witticism and gesture. Well, Blofeld is back, and he’s Christoph Waltz! The filmmakers carefully guarded the secret (despite the infamous Sony leaks of the script), disguising Waltz as Franz Oberhauser the vindictive son of Bond’s adoptive parents. More specifically, they’ve been waiting for the re-emergence of Blofeld. This forces him to do something that might leave younger audiences baffled actual spying! Bond will need both brawn and brains to capture his ultimate target.īond fans have been waiting patiently for MGM to resolve its dispute with the Kevin McClory estate over the rights to use SPECTRE in their films. After MI6 is effectively absorbed into a centralized surveillance network codenamed ‘Nine Eyes,’ Bond must collect his clues ‘off the grid’ to avoid Big Brother’s watchful eye. Mendes and a stable of screenwriters (including Skyfall architect, John Logan) give their spy plenty of chances to chew the scenery.

From its elaborate set designs and lush cinematography (Hoyte van Hoytema capable takes the reins from Roger Deakins), to globetrotting exploits in Austria and Morocco, Bond has never looked better. ‘Elegant’ is a word that describes much of Spectre. It’s the sort of iconic show-stopper we’ve come to expect from Bond, which Mendes delivers with assured elegance. The sequence culminates with some breathtaking stunt work in a spinning helicopter. Spectacular visuals are accompanied by a rhythmic drumbeat that harkens back to the opening titles from Dr. Mendes uses one long tracking shot to follow Bond’s serpentine route through crowded streets, luxurious hotel hallways, and along crumbling rooftops.

The bravura pre-title sequence finds Bond hunting a terrorist in Mexico City during the chaotic Day of the Dead festival. James Bond (Craig) doesn’t have time for all that political nonsense he’s got his own agenda. The events following Skyfall have left MI6 in ruins, the 00-Division in flux, and the international community screaming for a unified intelligence apparatus. Not only is it Craig’s best Bond film, it’s the most definitive artistic statement on the super-spy since On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Spectre succeeds as a complete story rather than standing on the shoulders of innovative set pieces. Disciples of Bond, however, will love director Sam Mendes’ tribute to the franchise’s more classical elements. General audiences attracted to the simple, action-driven engines of Daniel Craig’s previous efforts will be disappointed by the methodical pacing. Whether or not it meets those lofty standards probably depends upon your affinity for the franchise. After the critical and commercial success of 2012’s Skyfall, expectations were soaring for the latest Bond adventure, Spectre.

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