The Usual Bond

Rating: 6/10 (27 February 2016)

This Bond was the usual stuff. Daniel Craig returns his usual low-key Bond who travels the world seeking the bad guys. In this trilogy-like wrap up, Bond gets a clue that leads him on a chase of the group Spectre. He learns of ties to his past. We learn that this group has multiple ties to the last few Bond films in various ways.
There weren't too many Bond girls in this one. Lea Seydoux is a bit young for Bond, who's getting on a bit, but still delivers the rough physical Bond that Craig is known for. There are plane, train, and automobile chases.
For an action thriller, I don't know, it's hard to get excited because it's all basically been done before. I think Ralph Fiennes makes a good M, but I want to learn more about him, like we did with Judi Dench. Skyfall revealed a lot about Bond. Spectre wanted to add to that, but in the end, just fizzled. Will Bond turn over a kinder, gentler leaf like the ending portends? Ha, I doubt it.
So A for effort, but the plot in the end is so so. The best new character was Dave Bautista as the bad guy Mr Hinx, who stands toe to toe with Bond. Kind of recalls Top Hat and the Lurch character from earlier Bonds. I liked Spectre, but in the end, it was so so. Enjoy.