Not a classic, but my favorite of the Craig Bonds

Rating: 7/10 (18 November 2015)

I haven't been the biggest fan of the Daniel Craig James Bond films, but "Spectre", while flawed, is my favorite of his four on the whole. It's the first one that pits Bond against a villain of his own stature and a henchman of superior strength, the first one that makes him look vulnerable or like he's in any danger. It's also more jam-packed with action and less heavy on the psychodrama than the overrated "Skyfall"; psychoanalysis is still there, but done in a more discreet way (like in the scene where Bond is "interrogating" a mouse). There are flaws: an atrocious title song, an underdeveloped love story, some illogical moments. But there are also some great scenes, like Bond landing on a couch, the train fight, or the final three minutes which really do bring Craig's Bond full-circle and send you out of the theater with a big grin on your face. The cast is terrific (Craig is rather blasè in this one, but also more relaxed than usual), and I wouldn't mind seeing some key players of this film return in Bond 25. All in all, an entertaining Bond epic. *** out of 4.