Spectre (2015)
Now, I love Daniel Craig's portrayal of 007 more than any of theirs because it eschews the suave and smooth for realistic and cunning. He feels more human and less ideal than all of theirs, and his films reflect that. I have no problem with people loving Casino Royale and Skyfall (let's face it: Quantum of Solace was just not good) and that being it. They're great films that deserve the admiration they get from my generation.
However, I've got this sinking feeling that Spectre won't be quite as well-liked by those who have only seen Craig's films.
Why? Because Spectre is classic Bond.
Some call it formulaic; I call it a return to what's been missing. Yes, we still get Craig's gritty world in Spectre; but we also get some of the elements of the older Bond films making a comeback. And, to be honest, Craig's whole cold, distant killer thing was starting to wear on me a little. He's a great Bond for showing the vulnerability present when the famed MI6 agent was just getting his start in Casino Royale and Quantum, and he mellowed out accordingly with Skyfall. In Spectre, however, he starts to morph into a Connery-like character who can be a little witty and even warm at times. He retains enough of his prior characterization to be consistent, but this added charm is welcomed by me.
We also see the return of Miss Moneypenny, Q, and a more traditional version of M. Yes, these all came back at the end of Skyfall, but they are firmly established in this universe this time around. Naomie Harris is great as Bond's secretary, as is Ben Whishaw as Q. Ralph Fiennes, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors, is incredibly well-cast as M, delivering a performance that is charming and authoritative at the same time, which is something that anyone who plays M well needs. Also, Lea Seydoux's Dr. Madeleine Swann is the best Bond girl that Craig's incarnation has encountered. She's smart, independent, good in a fight, and very attractive without being overly attention-grabbing. I really feel like the franchise has recently come a long way in its portrayal of the Bond girls recently, with Dr. Swann being the culmination of this process that started with Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale.
One other thing returns from the old Bond films: the organization Spectre. The plot completely revolves around them, and it does a great job integrating them back into Bond's world. I will admit that at times it felt a bit like they forced Spectre into the plot just because they got the rights back for it, but I ended up happily buying it...especially with Christoph Waltz's villain. He plays Franz Oberhauser, who became head of Spectre and allegedly has been the cause of Bond's troubles over the past three films. Yes, Waltz is tragically underused, but when he's on screen, you pay attention.
As far as the filmmaking aspects of Spectre are concerned, I feel like it's safe to call this the best-directed Bond of the modern era. Sam Mendes returns for a second outing after Skyfall, but this time around I feel like he does a lot better with pacing the film. Skyfall to me felt very unevenly paced, especially right after Silva escaped from prison. The film ground to a halt right before the climax. Not so with Spectre. Throughout the film's two hour, twenty-four minute run time, it feels well-paced and even. There's also this underlying current of familiarity to Spectre that just draws me to it.
One of the best things about Spectre is something that either makes or breaks a film: the cinematography. There are so many great settings in Spectre, and it took one of the best cinematographers in the business to adequately capture them. Yes, I am now declaring Hoyte van Hoytema as one of my favorite cinematographers, as he now has Her, Interstellar, and Spectre under his belt, all three of which are some of the best shot films I have seen in the past few years. Every shot in this film is beautiful, especially the action sequences. There are so many good moments visually in this film, in particular those involving Oberhauser, and it's all thanks to van Hoytema's keen eye.
That's probably what sets Spectre apart from all of Daniel Craig's other Bond films: familiarity. There's a certain sense of the franchise returning to its roots after a little while spent playing in the sandbox of the gritty action films, which, as one with a great appreciation for the older Bond films, I warmly welcome. I hope that this doesn't lead to the old Bond formula being completely resurrected, however, as Craig's films have shown us how good Bond can be in the modern age. That being said, I feel that Spectre finds that perfect middle ground between old and new that can be enjoyed thoroughly by all.
My recommendation: Go see it in a theater.
Grade: 87
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