All sizzle no steak and formulaic

Rating: 5/10 (24 March 2020)

I huge letdown from Skyfall. I think after the box office success of Skyfall producers wanted Sam Mendes to come back and direct another one hoping for another billion dollar smash but it's always tough to duplicate that success as all the great ideas have been milked in the last one. The visuals and action are typical but the script is formulaic and terrible. The ending in particular does not work. The idea that Spectre ties together the previous entries and Bond miraculously saves the girl in a few minutes running up all the stairs then shoots down a helicopter with a Walter PPK long after the chopper has left is ridiculous beyond credulity. It's lazy writing. The story just doesn't work. It's all sizzle no steak. Just posing in formal wear and action sequences for the sake of action. A self indulgent opening long take for the sake of long takes. The story is hollow and I've forgotten the story as soon as I walked out the theatre.
In the Daniel Craig Bond filmography I'd say Casino Royale is the best. Skyfall is not too bad but overrated IMO. But Spectre and Quantum are terrible. Give this a pass.