Shaken Not Stirred

SPECTRE

Well everyone, number 2 on my most anticipated list (as seen here) has been finally released. What can anyone really say about Britain’s most prolific assassin? Nothing new I am afraid and the writers of the most recent Bond films feel the same. With 2012’s highly successful Skyfall, the writers chose to bring back elements of Bond that were unique to his world like Q (Ben Whishaw Paddington) and the always seductive Moneypenny (Naomie Harris Southpaw) that were left out of the reboot Casino Royale. Now the writers have taken one more step toward updating the classic spy in this year’s SPECTRE.

Now, I am sure that many of you have seen enough Bond films to know what the basic premise of his films are. So that is why I will give you just a small taste of what this film contains and quickly move on. Bond is secretly asked to track down a man in Mexico City by the previous M (previously played by Dame Judi Dench) and kill him. However, Bond’s hunt doesn’t end there when he starts to uncover a much grander plan for him being sent to Mexico City. As Bond starts to uncover secrets, he becomes very aware that some of these mysteries are linked to his childhood and the man that raised him.

Continuing on their immaculate journey of updating some of the classic pieces of the James Bond world, director Sam Mendes (American Beauty) and  the writers (John Logan, Neal Pervis, and Robert Wade), have introduced a new SPECTRE, the worldwide criminal organization known to terrorize Bond during the 60s and some of the 70s. Yet again, they have all did a marvelous job.  These four gentlemen have incorporated aspects of a world once though campy and outdated, but somehow modernized it to the point of relevancy. Like Mission: Impossible—Rogue Nation, the team behind this film introduce this criminal organization and its mastermind in a way that makes sense and never once seems too farfetched. Mendes also continues to prove that he is the perfect director of James Bond films by pacing out the action, the drama, and the laughter.

The remarkable Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained) has been brought in to breathe life into Bond’s greatest foe, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Waltz brings a wonderful mystery and a wickedly awesome sociopathic edge to the character that has never been seen before. However, we don’t see enough of it. My other real problem with the film is my second favorite Bond (Connery will always be the best Bond). Maybe it is the fact this could very well be the last time we see Daniel Craig as Bond or possibly the way the character was written for this outing, but Bond has no heart in this film. It was almost like he didn’t care enough to do much of anything. In Skyfall and even Casino Royale you can feel the sense of urgency that Craig has, but this time he just seems to be going through the motions as if he wanted this over quickly.

SPECTRE is a worthy addition to the Bond franchise. Not only because of the updates, but because it seamlessly brings Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace into the same continuity that was created with Skyfall. Even though I took a hit at Craig he is still better than some of the previous Bonds (er…Roger Moore). I do hope that Craig does come back for another James Bond flick, but it seems to me that four is the magic number, so if they do replace Craig I do hope they keep the same continuity. That being said, it is imperative that I tell all the non-Bond fans looking to change their mind on the franchise that you will have to watch at least Skyfall to have a slight clue on what Bond is going through. I will highly recommend you do because these last two films were amazing and very much worth your time.

The Verdict: See In Theatres.