Spectre
Released 11/6/15
Director Sam Mendes returns for his second go 'round at James Bond with the release of this week's Spectre. It's also the fourth installment featuring Daniel Craig as the famous (or infamous) spy. Mendes and Craig worked some incredible magic with 2012's, Skyfall, to the tune of over a billion dollar take worldwide. That's a hard act to follow, but, then again, Bond has never been more popular.
One thing Spectre does is bring the whole Daniel Craig Bond series full circle. Now, I've never claimed to be a fan of 007 prior to Craig, but, I don't think the Bond series has been as tightly woven as the last four have been. These stories aren't occurring in a vacuum. Spectre cleverly ties the previous three chapters together.
Fulfilling the final wish of the deceased former M, Bond is on an unsanctioned mission in Mexico at the start of Spectre. Stopping a plot to blow up a stadium (and killing two men in the process), Bond pursues Marco Sciarra who survives the attack. In typical 007 fashion, the pursuit isn't subtle and Sciarra doesn't survive the melee. But, Bond is able to take possession of Sciarra's ring that has the mysterious image of an octopus imprinted on it.
Of course almost causing an international incident doesn't go over very well with Bond's boss, the current agent with the codename "M (Ralph Fiennes)" There's a shakeup coming to the British Intelligence community spearheaded by "C", the head of the Joint Intelligence Service with whom M is in the midst of a contentious power struggle. C wants to create an intelligence coalition among nine countries (Nine Eyes). Unfortunately, in his mind, the 00 program has become archaic and obsolete. He's an advocate of shutting it down completely. For fear of incurring more heat on the troubled program, M grounds Bond indefinitely.
Now you know a little thing like a suspension won't deter 007 from completing his mission. Following various leads and using Sciarra's ring as an infiltration device, Bond is able to track down the organization Sciarra belonged to, a criminal enterprise calling itself "Spectre." As he will come to learn, the organization has been manipulating events in his life since the events in Casino Royale. The leader, Franz Oberhauser (Christoph Waltz), has a personal connection to Bond as well. And, Oberhauser is not his real name. His actual name might make some old school 007 fans giddy.
Spectre is an entertaining film, but, for me, lacks a little of the nasty grittiness of the previous three Daniel Craig Bond movies. It harkens back to (but not fully) some of the playful silliness of previous 007 efforts. Longtime Bond fans will be happy that there is some gadgetry, women falling into bed with him for no apparent reason at all, over-the-top henchmen (Dave Bautista is great as Mr. Hinx), and silly sight gags (Bond landing on a soft couch after falling from a crumbling building will induce a groan or two). Bond also doesn't seem to be as conflicted about his profession this fourth time around which was a dynamic to the Craig era I really liked.
There's been some speculation that Spectre might be Craig's final Bond effort. If this is true, the movie's ending does lend some credence to that conclusion, although it is still left open ended to a degree. It also lends itself to a long-rumored speculation about the James Bond series itself which I'm sure many of you have heard. You know the theory that James Bond isn't actually one man but a codename that has been used by several agents in MI-6? When you see the ending of Spectre, you would think the franchise will likely need to be rebooted again if Craig doesn't reprise the role, especially given some of the actors who have been rumored to be up for the role as the next Bond. You have to admit, it would explain why the cars, gadgets, and types of threats he puts down have changed over the years. And, why Craig's beginning in Casino Royale almost seemed like an origin story.
Spectre gives longtime fans of Bond some needed touches with the past. Personally, I didn't need that so, despite some wonderful performances by Christoph Waltz, Dave Bautista, and the steady, Craig, as Bond himself, Spectre didn't resonate with me as much as the previous three films. It is, however, still well worth your time to give it a look.
The Dark Lord of the Sith says:
***1/2 stars
Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Worth a look. Better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. I'm doing my happy dance!
5 *= Pure eye candy. I have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good
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