A very confused film, backtracking from the success of Casino Royale

Rating: 4/10 (21 January 2016)

There's no denying that Daniel Craig is a great bond. In fact he's probably the best, only rivaled by Connery. However there's something off-key about Spectre, despite its efforts to revert to the classic Bond roots, it just doesn't work. It feels misjudged, and the whole film is a bit confused.
Christoph Waltz is the quintessential villain, yet his lack of physical presence meant the audience weren't given much of an insight into his character. In fact, it's largely unclear the threat he poses, and as such doesn't maintain the standard of previous villains in Skyfall and Casino Royale.
Mendes makes a conscious effort to include classic Bond tropes and gimmicks, yet it's so far from the successful modern formula that Craig thrived on. Bond no longer has that satirical element; he has transitioned into a cold blooded killer, and we loved it.
Trying to revert desperately back to the Connery heydays isn't just risky, it's totally unnecessary. And with such, Spectre suffered. It is worth noting that it's an all round good acting performance however, and the cinematography is the real strong point of the film (coupled with the best scene, the festival of the Walking Dead).