SPECTRE's Return Isn't the Strongest but...

Rating: 7/10 (26 October 2016)

In a year that saw a brand new Star Wars, a return to Jurassic Park (well, World), and the second gathering of Marvel's Avengers, SPECTRE was my most anticipated film. While others would clamor over a new FORCE AWAKENS trailer, I was tracking early reviews for SPECTRE, hoping to see overwhelming good news for James Bond's twenty-fourth cinematic mission. I am an unapologetic 007 fan who finds even the weakest of the franchise's entries to be worth multiple viewings. I guess what I'm trying to say is my opinion is notably biased and those who aren't on the same level should probably deduct a point from my score for a more realistic grading. SPECTRE was a big deal in the world of 007; it was the first time since DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER in 1971 that Bond would find himself at odds with the evil organization since a legal dispute had the rights out of Eon Production's hands. And those of us who are excited at the idea of SPECTRE's (or just Spectre, since it's no longer an acronym) return know exactly whom it brings with it. The movie begins with 007 (Daniel Craig, in his fourth run as the secret agent) completing a more personal mission in Mexico as a final request for a respected friend. This leads him to discover a powerful organization that meets in secret and appears to have sinister influence over world events. The head of this cabal is a ghost from Bond's past, believed long dead.
I've been wishing for the return of Spectre since Le Chiffre was revealed to have been a pawn of the secret organization Quantum in CASINO ROYALE. I always hoped Quantum would've been revealed as a business front or subsidiary of Spectre (one of the tentacles, you know) and it's great to finally see that come to light. In fact, not only was Spectre behind Quantum but it was also the evil puppetmaster behind each of Daniel Craig's Bond films. That almost sounds cool until you remember that Raoul Silva felt more appropriate as a man on a mission of personal vengeance and not a Spectre operative. This is one of a handful of the chinks in the armor of SPECTRE. I really wanted this movie to be the best Daniel Craig/007 movie yet but I have to acknowledge it has its issues. At two and a half hours, the movie's slower pace becomes problematic. There is a fantastic sequence on a Spectre compound in Morocco that would've served as a fantastic finale if fleshed out a little more, but SPECTRE instead returns to London for an additional half hour that ends the movie with a fizzle. I also wish the movie had utilized Christoph Waltz more. He gets a great introduction early in the film in Rome and then disappears until nearly two hours into the film. His screen time is depressingly small and I hope that means he'll get the screen time he deserves in his next contracted film.
Yes, SPECTRE was somewhat disappointing but that doesn't mean there isn't a decent 007 adventure underneath the problems. This was the closest in feel the Craig era has come to a more traditional 007 film. It doesn't take itself as seriously as the previous three films, allowing for the occasional one-liner or visual gag. There's a moment in the opening sequence where Bond is falling through a collapsing building and lands safely on a couch in a bit that would've been at home in the Roger Moore era and there's even a gadget gag when 007 is racing through the streets of Rome in the new Aston Martin DB10. Speaking of classic 007, I was thrilled to see the movie open with the gun barrel sequence. I've missed that. Daniel Craig is still my favorite James Bond and now we have perfect casting in his arch-nemesis in the form of Christoph Waltz. Waltz's casting was absolutely perfect; my excitement for this movie skyrocketed when it was announced. I loved the little nod to Fleming's original "Octopussy" short story with the name of Franz Oberhauser, though I think we all knew what to truly expect in a movie titled SPECTRE and, again, Waltz's perfect casting. Léa Seydoux makes for a fine addition to the "Bond woman" legacy as Madeleine Swann, a strong woman with ties to Bond's previous missions. I felt like the two of them didn't have a strong enough chemistry to justify how the movie ended, but at least it sets up an interesting sequel.
SPECTRE wasn't exactly the 007 adventure I was hoping for but it's a suitable addition to the franchise. It has some great moments and pays some extra homage to the movies that came before. It's wonderful to have Spectre back in the game and, while I'd have preferred it be about 30 minutes shorter, it's another decent entry in the Daniel Craig era.