Spectre [4K Ultra-HD] [2015] [Blu-ray] [2020]

Delivered in exact likely probable time. At first bought to rewatch in view not seen a while and considered this developed well plot,on back of not so impressed with skyfall had no great shakes compared to this one is more the level. Cast top notch put togeither. Intense action packed adventure as bond goes on darkest personal journeys,nevertheless everything he does is his own way whim,constant thrills atmosphere to it is the norm usually the case in bond film,cast is fitting ideal roles his charastimatic stern at times balance is light joined by terrific cast Ben whishaw steals show as q Ralph Fiennes filling in m boss or may take over reigns. Christopher waltz breathtaking villain you would see in thrilling sense, but it's actually unclear who he really is and motives are, adds curious edge to movie, compelling well acted on that note. Craig proves the worth to precious bond franchise just keep rolling unsurprising too much hype that it's last outing,since then it's not after all.

Well what can I say without too many spoilers & I really don't want to raise expectations after the hype that was given to Quantum of Solace & especially Skyfall which although had their moments came nowhere near close to the spectacular introduction of Daniel Craig as 007 in Casino Royale. I was born in 1960 so for me there was only one Bond & that was Sean Connery. It is a real shame we never saw the planned final 3rd film with Timothy Dalton due the legal battle because apparently it was the best Bond film never screened as Timothy spent the first two clearing up the mess of Roger Moore's ridiculous pastiche of 007 ... Bond had become a joke & as a kid who read all Ian Fleming's books I will never forgive the casting of Moore as our hardened secret agent. Pierce Brosnan didn't make a bad fist of things (the original choice to replace Moore but Remington Steele refused to release him from his contract) but Daniel Craig in my humble opinion is the first actor since Connery to absolutely nail the part. It's a shame the last two scripts didn't serve him as well as his first outing but Sceptre simply has to be the best Bond film of all time ... oops ... so much for lowering expectations. Here we have something for everyone & unlike Skyfall the pace is relentless. There are so many references to the past I couldn't possibly list them all (for those who remember From Russia With Love the fight on the train is one of them). It is intelligently written, the entire cast are magnificent, the special effects are spot on ... they don't detract from the plot, are not OTT, & have that instant wow factor ... this is Bond back at it's best ... or at least what I expect from a Bond film. I found the ending both poignant & a tad sad as it seems this will definitely be Daniel's final appearance as the man with a license to kill ... I would go as far to say this should be the final ever Bond film in the franchise because I cannot see them ever topping this. If you have ever been a fan of the "real" James Bond as depicted in Ian Fleming's novel you are in for a real treat but if you are a fan of the Roger Moore era I suggest you give it a wide berth because this is Bond back at his grittiest best!

good

Having been less than impressed with Skyfall, I was hoping for something better for Daniel Craig's fourth outing as the suave spy with the 00 prefix. There's no doubting that a Bond film is a major cinematic event, you only have to look at the pre credit sequence to realise how much the producers realise that. However, there does seem to be a difference between seeing this on an Imax screen during it's first week of release with other Bond fans, and sitting down at home to watch it on your own TV screen. The thrill factor seems to be missing. Spectre is very much a Bond's greatest hits, throwing in references to previous films, be it throwaway lines or variations on scenes. However, as a story arc, tying up threads from Craig's previous three films, seems more like film for the fans than one for a general audience and that is the major stumbling block for the series these days. Craig's Bond is a more human, flawed character than the vodka martini drinking, gadget laden, skirt chasing character of yesteryear, which can only have been introduced to satisfy the demands of the modern day demographic, audiences wanting more rounded characters than escapism. However, if you neuter the character, do you risk losing the edge he has?. There's no doubt Craig has the potential to be the Bond Connery was, but he needs stronger material both from a character and a screenplay perspective than a lot of flash sequences. Two elements of this film disappointed me. Firstly, the theme song. Orchestrally, it is very strong, however, Sam Smith's vocal delivery is too weak. It may be an Oscar winner, but that does'nt make it a classic, not these days. Theme song wise, Bond films have tended to struggle since Chris Cornell's powerful You Know My Name in Casino Royale, and have tended to be like the films, not very memorable or memorable for the wrong reasons. Then, there's the Aston Martin DB10. If, as Q indicates in the film, it is a £3 million prototype, surely it should be showcased better than seen in Q's laboratory, then for 10 minutes during a car chase, in dimly lit streets, used as a plot device for Bond to have a telephone conversation with Moneypenny for Bond to then dump it in the bottom of a river. When I watch a car chase in a film, I want to feel alive, I want to put myself behind the wheel, I want to feel 10 years old again, not sit there thinking, my god what a rubbish looking car!. In the case of the Bond women, they seem to be becoming less and less memorable with every film. Monica Belluci's widow of the assassin Bond kills in the films opening sequence,in particular seems underused. He character is bedded by Bond, told to contact Felix Leiter to ensure her safety from those wanting to kill her, then forgotten about. Whilst there are some "typically Bond" touches in the film, such as when Bond nonchalantly drops from the sky, after dumping his car, unhooks his parachute and casually says "Good evening" to a bemused passer by before walking off, there are'nt really enough to sustain a film of 2 and a half hours. With uncertainty as to whether Craig will continue in the role, maybe a change of direction is needed for the series, with fresh ideas. The films have become somewhat po-faced.

Good movie!

Good film