Stirred, but not shaken

Rating: 8/10 (12 April 2016)

For my money, the 24th James Bond film ticks nearly every box: solid story, great arch enemy, good heavy, kick-ass heroine, interesting locations, homage to past Bonds, a nice balance of the physical and the cerebral, and a touch of wit as well as a little darkness.
All the usual elements have been stirred, but not to the point where they no longer feel like genuine Bond. Director Sam Mendes has a good handle on the franchise and continues to give the films depth.
I like the way Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) is introduced into the story, he was always the best Bond Villain anyway. "Spectre" also heralds a changing of the guard back at MI6, but Ralph Fiennes as the new M has gravitas to spare. And Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) has developed into a hotter, stronger character – the perfect foil for Bond.
If I have a criticism it is that the presence of Mr. Hinx (Dave Bautista) and the action at Blofeld's headquarters are over very quickly. By the time Bond and Madeleine Swann escape Blofeld's brain zapper, and the facility blows up, about 3 minutes has elapsed. Of course Bond has had plenty of experience taking out facilities, but this one is over and done with in less time than it takes to pour a martini cocktail.
Mr Hinx could have hung around longer as well, he is even more imposing than Richard Keil as Jaws, and the fight on the train is better than the one in "To Russia with Love".
Totally on the plus side, Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux) is one of the best Bond heroines, and has Bond's back during that train fight. She survived at the end of the movie so maybe she will do an encore later. Blofeld also survives and is bound to be back, maybe next time in a Nehru jacket with a Persian cat on his lap.
The best Bond movies always do a bit of globetrotting and "Spectre" opens out with sequences in Mexico, Morocco, Italy, London and Austria, although it always helps to have a side trip to the Bahamas.
It's the tight stories and scripts that are keeping the Bond series alive. They died a bit in the Roger Moore/Timothy Dalton era when they became too silly, but ever since Daniel Craig took over in "Casino Royale", James Bond has received the kiss of life.
To my way of thinking, "Spectre" sits pretty high in the lexicon. Not quite up there with "Casino Royale", but stronger than "Quantum of Solace" and a little more satisfying than "Skyfall".