Very Good - but not great - Bond Film

Rating: 7/10 (9 November 2015)

If you like James Bond movies - and especially if you like the Daniel Craig series of James Bond movies - then you'll like SPECTRE. If you don't, then you aren't going to spend your time anyway and are (probably) not reading this review.
SPECTRE is a VERY GOOD, but not GREAT James Bond Film. All the elements are there - thrilling action, good villain, Daniel Craig as James Bond - but at 2 hours and 40 minutes it's about 20 minutes too long and the ending was not all that satisfying.
There are many, many things to like in SPECTRE. Director Sam Mendes continues his "homage" to the Bond franchise with quite a few "echoes" of previous (non-Craig) Bond films for us Bond aficionados to appreciate. I saw references to LIVE AND LET DIE, THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN, THUNDERBALL, ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, FROM Russia WITH LOVE and GOLDFINGER. It was fun for me to spot these things, but they do not come at the expense or the enjoyment for non-aficionados.
Starting with the pre-credits sequence the action scenes are top-notch. This time, we head to Mexico City where Bond is hunting down some mysterious person. Do we care who he is hunting (and why)? Not really. At least I didn't, I just strapped in for the ride - and what a ride it was. The helicopter scene was worth the price of admission alone.
Add into that other strong action sequences - fight on a train, chase down a snowy mountain, a car chase in Italy, and there is plenty of action to keep us engaged.
The gadgets are there - and in some instances NOT there - and Q, M and Moneypenny are front and center in the action, which was fun.
Craig, of course, is strong and focused as Bond and he is ably assisted by Ralph Fiennes as M (more than adequately replacing Judy Dench), Naomi Harris, Rory Kinnear and Ben Whishaw. However, I truly did miss Jeffrey Wright's Felix Leiter character (he is mentioned, but never seen).
Every Bond film hinges on the villain, and SPECTRE has a good one in Christoph Walz character (who I will NOT name). This two time Academy Award winner is having a good time as Bond's nemesis and his acting scenes with Craig are well performed.
I was disappointed, however, by the henchman played by Dave Bautista. Oddjob, he is not. His character is strong and menacing, but didn't really have much to do and the character choice of having him silent and stoic gave him NO personality at all.
The other place that this movie misses the mark is in the "Bond women". Monica Belucci, as a 50-something love interest for Craig's Bond was a welcome addition, but was not fleshed out all that well. Lea Seydoux as the "femme fatale" was bland and not up to Bond's attention. Give me Vesper Lynde anytime.
All in all a good time in the movie theater. If you've seen - and liked - previous Bond movies, then you'll like this one.
7 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank (of Marquis)