The writing's (NOT) on the wall.

Rating: 5/10 (9 May 2016)

'Spectre' is the fourth and final installment of Daniel Craig's reign as Ian Fleming's infamous spy; 'James Bond'. Does this film go out on a good note? Mostly......no.
1. From the beginning to end, it's quite clear that Daniel Craig is overly bored of this character at this point. Apart from 'Casino Royale', Craig lacks the charm and charisma that Bond carries as a main trait. His expression rarely ever charges as he wears the same face throughout the film, making you guess if he's acting or not. Nothing makes you care about Bond just by the portrayal here, so if he doesn't care, why should we as the audience?
2. I had high hopes that the villain would shine for the least, since two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz was cast. However, it would have been wiser to just re-watch 'Inglorious Basterds' instead. Waltz has few scenes in the film and rarely ever comes across as menacing or dangerous in any way. The reveal to who he actually is comes at no surprise, especially if you're a fan of the Sean Connery films.
3. The only person who seems like a genuine threat is Dave Bautista, who plays a 'Spectre' henchman called Hinx. Again, he's another character that doesn't appear enough to get a grasp of who he actually is. Nevertheless, Bautista's appearance proves to be more threatening as every encounter he has with Craig is by far the more entertaining feats of the movie. We never had a formidable henchman in the Daniel Craig 'Bond' films thus far, so Bautista's inclusion was perfect casting here. However, he is dropped near the end of the second act of the film...forever:(
4. Lastly, the story is not at all compelling even considering this is the big reveal of a huge shady organization that's been hinted at since the 1960s films. The new Bond-Girl (Lea Seydoux) plain sucks as a new campy love-story is introduced, adding absolutely nothing of benefit. There is an obvious connection to the previous three films as this one tries (and fails) to wrap things up in a decent way.
Sam Mendes should have exited the franchise when the chance arose, cause for an Oscar-winning director, this is the worst of his work. Hollywood needs to take a much needed break from anything 007 related, until they can refresh their stories and ideas to perfection before putting this character back on the screen.