A bit too much blah in this Bond

Rating: 7/10 (21 February 2016)

Something's missing here, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Like Sam Mendes' previous Bond entry ('Skyfall'), 'Spectre' is an exceptionally well made film. The production values, the cinematography, the score--its general technical composition, all top notch. But despite this, and a plot that acts as a suitable enough vessel for the action (again, technically impressive, if not exactly fun) it doesn't click the way it should.
For all the talk of a tonal shift, this isn't a return to the Bond of Moore or even Brosnan. It does loosen its collar a bit, but the tie stays on, if you catch my drift. Craig, to me at least, is the best Bond in the series, but he seems a bit weary here. Actually, weary is a good way to describe the film. There's no thrust. No momentum. It goes through its paces, looking handsome all the while, but there's an undercurrent of lethargy to 'Spectre'. Maybe that's it. There just isn't enough juice to make this otherwise sleek machine go.
When it comes to movie spies, no one does it better than Bond (if you'll pardon the, yeah). The ever generic Ethan Hunt continues to entertain, with the 'M:I' series arguably just now hitting its stride, and 'Kingsman' was a blast, but they're cotton candy where Bond is steak. Though Spectre doesn't always work, I'll still take Bond over his competitors any day.