Should have been called 'Lacklustre'

Rating: 5/10 (30 October 2015)

Here is a film that had all of the budget and all of the cast, but lost its way badly. Of all the Daniel Craig Bond films, it is by far the most dull. So we expected an amazing car chase through Rome... except it's the most unexciting car chase Bond has ever driven. He spends the whole time making phone calls to Moneypenny and never breaking a sweat or looking remotely worried. The 'climax' of the chase is just a whimper.
Bond rarely looks anywhere out of his comfort zone. Lea Seydoux attempts to look desirable, but she has none of the pulsing femininity that Eva Green exuded when playing Vesper. The obligatory (for a Bond film) destruction of the villain's lair is such an obvious 'set piece' it makes you cringe. Do Craig or Seydoux look remotely relieved to escape? Where is the sweat, the pain and the peril?
This is film that is far less than the sum of its parts. Despite the huge budget it lacks any real flair. Everyone seems to be going through the motions with no emotion. If it was the director's intention that this was a dry, flat, deadpan Bond film with no spice, then he has excelled himself. Very disappointing.