Review of Spectre (2015) by Andrew M — 14 Apr 2016

Skyfall is a tough act to follow, and Spectre certainly doesn't even come close to the same heights that film reached, but it's another solid entry in the long running 007 franchise. Sam Mendes continues to amp up the set pieces to a point that seems impossible to top, and each one (including a riveting car chase in Rome and a snowy plane chase in Austria, to name a couple) is beautifully executed and captured onscreen. Hoyte van Hoytema replaces Roger Deakins as director of photography this time around, but the difference is hardly noticeable. Hoytema shoots all of the busy action sequences in a coherent manner that never devolves into a queasy shaky cam fest: he opens the film with a bang with a striking four minute tracking shot through the streets of Mexico City.

The film is expectedly capable in terms of technical aspects, but it's the narrative where things struggle to match the success of Skyfall. Unlike that film, whose plot was fairly streamlined, Spectre attempts to tie in the previous three Daniel Craig Bond films with hit or miss results. There's a multitude of plot points to cover, causing the film to constantly jump all over the place in an attempt to create a cohesive story. Unfortunately, certain plot points are lost amid the scuffle, and are underdeveloped as a result. The major case of this is with the film's villain, played by Christoph Waltz. Waltz is as good as ever, but he doesn't get the screentime or character development he deserves. Daniel Craig, on the other hand, is as good as ever, and has the chance to deliver more quips that the character is known for without being too campy. Léa Seydoux is far from the most memorable Bond girl, but she handles the material well. Dave Bautista is a highlight as mute henchman Hinx: the train fight sequences between him and Craig is one of the film's best moments. The rest of the cast, including Ben Whishaw, Ralph Fiennes, and Andrew Scott, are commendable, if underutilized.

In terms of the Craig era Bond movies, Spectre falls comfortably in the middle. It's certainly no Skyfall, or even Casino Royale, but it's stronger than Quantum of Solace. Even in spite of its noticeable narrative flaws, this is another strong entry in the series that should be seen if only for its stunning action sequences alone.