Good Bye Daniel Craig...Hello Idris Elba!

Rating: Null/10 (6 November 2015)

"Quantum Solace" is a better movie than "Spectre"... there I said it... and you read it! First, before all the Bond purists and fanboys tear my head off, let me say that I myself am not, nor ever was a Bond fan. I am more particular to one guy... Bourne... Jason Bourne! However after Daniel Craig stepped into Bond's shoes and after what was arguably a solid, well made movie, "Casino Royale" (one of the best Bond movies to date), I couldn't help but take notice, and just as a moviefan in general, I cannot and will not ignore a good movie and not give credit where credit is due, Bond included, fan or not. I have seen the subsequent movies under Craig's tenure as Bond, not on the big screen, except "Skyfall" and this latest instalment, "Spectre", and enjoyed them to various degrees.
Not "Spectre"! I did not go in to this movie with high expectations, as I am not a Bond fan, as I've already said. As such, I did not have a lot ridding on this movie. But after the fun spectacle that was "Skyfall",I did at least expect to be entertained... and that did not happen on this occasion.
I knew something was off right out the gate, with the opening credit sequence which is soo pompous to a degree that it parodies itself, even though the Bond opening credits are meant to be over the top. In this case it did not work. Also, Sam Smith's "Writing's On The Wall" is a generic, self-congratulatory audio mediocrity basically screaming at you and pointing to itself, "See, see, I'm a Bond song!" ugh... too bad because Sam Smith's vocals and reliability as a crooner, paired with the right lyrics and rhythms usual produce a decent pop song. Not this one.
A special mention must go to the soundtrack... as in how bad and annoying it is. The continuous, grinding, grating up-tempo of the soundtrack starts out being a minor annoyance and ends up making you want to get out of your seat and leave the theatre. It is incessant and it feels like it never stops, like you are meant to always expect something jumping at you from the screen... I was exhausted by the end of the movie, in large part because of the soundtrack, it made me feel while watching this movie, that there was never a moment of peace and quiet throughout.
So yes, "Spectre"... is too long...and too boring. It does have some highlights and some bright spots here and there, but I don't want to give anything away except to say that for me if there was a standout scene, it was the opening of the movie which takes place in Mexico City... and then the movie goes downhill from there and flounders all over the place. A mediocre villain, an always reliable but largely interchangeable and forgettable supporting cast (gone is the larger than life on screen presence Dame Judy Dench brought to these movies)and not much else.
The Bond girls, or I should say women... well, besides Monica Bellucci who actually seemed appropriate for the movie in her oh so brief appearance, the rest are well, they aren't. Naomi Harris has always been a "meh" for me. And Lea Seydoux, while a good actress, is completely miscast in this movie.
As I said above, the villain is mediocre...(nothing even approaching Javier Bardem's baddie!) yes indeed... as seems to be the curse of many movies these days... movie studios just don't seem to want to be good at portraying bad... In "Spectre", the bad guy, is meant to be this all-powerful and almost omni-present arch- villain to Bond, a barely there, shadowy figure existing in the background twilight only... well, again... it doesn't work! Christoph Waltz, another usually reliable, and good actor, just fades quickly in this movie after he is revealed and becomes a generic cliché.
If you haven't seen any of the previous Bond movies with Daniel Craig, "Casino Royale", "Quantum Of Solace" and "Skyfall", then my advice is to try and see them beforehand, because in "Spectre", characters, events and places from the previous three movies are mentioned at various points, and if you don't know what they mean, you won't get an explanation. "Spectre" is NOT really a standalone movie. Point being, that everything that has happened in the previous three movies, and everything that has befallen James Bond, has had one continuous thread, one leading to this one organization which is behind everything, that organization being Spectre...
So yes, the movie is too long, all over the place and just feels flat and not that exciting, which is what Bond movies usually trade on to be successful. If I had to classify Daniel Craig's Bond movies they would come out like this: 1. "Casino Royale", 2. "Skyfall", 3. "Quantum Of Solace", 4. "Spectre".
The main problem is also Daniel Craig himself. While usually competent in his delivery,unfortunately in this movie, more than in the other three before, it feels like he is just phoning his performance in.
In a recent interview Craig said something to the effect that "he would rather slash his wrists" than act in another Bond movie, pretty much signalling that he is kind of done with the franchise... or as the Sam Smith song would say, "Writing's On The Wall"... and it is time for Craig to bow out and exit! "Spectre" is not exactly the best way to end things for him as Bond... but better this than another, potentially worse, instalment down the road! On that note, yeah, we need a change...so please bring in Idris Elba!!!! I'll settle for Tom Hardy... but no Damian Lewis...
6 out of 10