A satisfying, though flawed, entry into the James Bond canon (SPOILERS)

Rating: 7/10 (12 November 2015)

The hype surrounding "Spectre" for me was something unseen since...well, Skyfall. I counted down the days and was ready to yell from the highest peak, "Spectre is spectacular!" Alas, it was not to be. After the first screening, I felt my expectations had not been met, especially considering how amazing CR and SF were. Upon subsequent viewings, I can confidently say that my initial disappointment was caused by all of my build up and excitement. "Spectre" is a solid Bond film that uses franchise tropes and expectations to great effect.
That's perhaps why a lot of viewers had a lukewarm response to the film--it's not as "dark, gritty or serious" as Craig's previous three films and is the actor's most "traditional" outing for the series yet. "It's all a matter of perspective". If the older films don't appeal to someone, then SP's embrace of genre conventions can be seen as old hat and as two steps backwards in comparison to the rest of the rebooted Craig era. However, anyone familiar with Bond history knows that Bond can only be serious for so long before resorting to a lighter tone. It's a cyclical thing because Bond is constantly evolving and not meant to only appeal to one audience or niche. I'm not advocating for a complete disregard of audience patience and goodwill ala DAD and thankfully SP is just entertaining enough that it all works.
The film opens with what is truly one of the best PTS in the entire series; after the glorious return of the gun barrel sequence at the start of the film (MIA since DAD), we find our dashing hero Bond (Craig) in the middle of a Day of the Dead Celebration in Mexico. This cold opening is the best part of the film and though nothing matches the intensity of this first ten minutes, the rest of the film offers an entertaining travelogue as Bond follows clue after clue in his quest to stop the latest nefarious scheme from everyone's favourite cult of shady and deranged criminals, led by Franz Oberhauser (Christoph Waltz). Anyone even remotely familiar with Bond lore can likely guess the film's big twist. Even obliquely gesturing towards it is a huge spoiler. Along the way, Bond encounters Mr. White (an old foe from his past), seduces his alluring daughter (Lea Seydoux), and tackles the requisite Big Bad Hulking Henchman Who Never Speaks (Dave Bautista).
Anyone who complained about the darker tone of Craig's films in comparison to his predecessors should be pleased with the results here. A villainous base that blows up. Gadgets. More outright humour (though not camp in the least and that fits in perfectly with Craig's portrayal of the Bond character). Lots of action and a plot that doesn't quite hold up to closer scrutiny (which probably applies to 100% of the series anyway). The scripting has a few problems but none that are insurmountable and actually probably less than the critically lauded Skyfall. On the surface, the mass appeal execution of the film could definitely turn off those who had grown tired of the formulaic approach by the end of Brosnan's run.
But SP has a lot going for it. The photography is frequently splendid to behold. The long vista shots are great and every locale is also imbued with its own colour scheme and sense of composition (tighter in Morocco, more serene and unsettling in Rome, etc.). Craig continues to impress as Bond, giving the experienced, world weary, and aloof performance perfected by Moore and Connery in their best outings. Craig nails the comedic beats and is convincing as a killer (I liked the focus on Bond as assassin/smooth operative, like when he infiltrates a widow's property and stealthily disposes of two killers in order to gain some intelligence from said widow). The supporting cast is great, with Bautista being a formidable threat to Bond (they have a terrific fight on board a train) and Waltz doing the best with his limited screen time. Most seem to forget that Joseph Wiseman is only in Dr. No for about 15 minutes, so it's not imperative that the villain have lots to do. I loved how the MI6 cast was utilized (especially Q's very funny part) and Lea Seydoux positively sizzles in the role of a decently written Bond girl. The character was smart and independent and Seydoux pulls it off quite well.
The biggest disappointments of the film for me were the score by returning composer Thomas Newman and a major revelation in the third act. Gone are the beautifully sweeping and melodic scores of the Barry days or even the bombastic David Arnold scores that had some memorable cues. The score here is highly derivative of Skyfall and not memorable at all. Pretty lazy on Newman's part. Furthermore, after the absolutely breathtakingly paced first two acts (which really go by obscenely fast, outside of an odd car chase), the film stumbles in the last act. I can't quite put my finger on it but a familial connection doesn't sit well with me. I've also grown weary of all of the reference, homages, and winking moments that have seemingly populated every movie since DAD. We know Bond is iconic enough already and I don't need any more fan service.
Personally, I think SP is as good as GF and rate it about the same. For better or worse, it's a throwback to old school Bond conventions and announces that Craig, Mendes, and the producers still have enough faith in this character to branch out into territory that is different for Craig, through familiar for the series. I'm not sure what direction the series can possibly take (let's hope it's something along the lines of a mini-shake-up ala CR. To try to go bigger and more comedic than SP or to otherwise top it I feel would be a mistake), but will anticipate the next entry all the same 7.5/10