Back to the Formula

Rating: 8/10 (8 November 2015)

I think that Spectre is a great installment to the Bond franchise, that went back to the formula that has made many Bond movies great. If you have only been a fan since the creation of Daniel Craig's Casino Royale, then you may not understand the essence that is James Bond. In recent years, Bond has followed the path of other action movies of this time such as the Bourne, and Mission Impossible movies. While this was a great respite from the stereotypical Bond movies it does not mean that when the creators revert back to the old ways that it is unacceptable. I felt they did it very gently. This movie was no where near as cheesy or full of innuendo as movies like Die another day and Octopussy. Nor was it as raw and real as Casino Royale and License to Kill. I felt it was a great mix of old and new Bond.
One thing they did that I loved, was add in the soul of many other Bond movies. As I was watching Spectre, I found myself not only enjoying it, but also enjoying thinking of the earlier Bond movies that influenced some of the scenes of the film. The fact that I could sit there, turn to the person sitting next to me and say, "That's from (insert earlier Bond film here)," made me giddy.
The only problem I had with the movie is the length. While I personally have no problem watching Bond for as long as humanly possible, I can understand why someone who isn't me would start to loose interest. Especially if you don't care for the Bond movies of old.