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You could describe an average James Bond film using three words: “satisfying but
flawed.” To the extent that’s true, Spectre fills the mold. With an over-stuffed
plot and about 20 minutes too long, the film opens big, slogs through its middle
act, and recovers for a rousing conclusion. The fourth (and possibly last)
outing for Daniel Craig as 007, this continues the “reboot” process begun in
2006’s Casino
Royale. For the first time, we see the producers’ master plan: not only to
strip down and resurrect Bond (the character) for a new era bu t
to meticulously re-introduce all the elements of his universe. Prior to its
re-emergence here, Spectre (an acronym for “Special Executive for
Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion”), the nefarious shadow
organization that plagued the Connery Bond, has been absent for more than 40
years (largely because of copyright issues). By the end of Spectre, the pieces
are (almost) all in place for the Bond production team to start re-making the
early classics. Can a new Dr. No be far off?
Spectre is the most “traditional” of the Craig Bonds. Although a little light on
gadgets, it has everything else, including (for the first time since Brosnan’s
unfortunate final outing) the opening iris. As the film starts, M (Ralph
Fiennes) and Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) are in the office and Q (Ben Whishaw) is
in his lab. 007 is in Mexico City, tracking an assassin. His investigation,
spurred on by a tip from his former boss (a Judi Dench cameo), sends him in
pursuit of a new global threat: the organization Spectre, headed by Franz
Oberhauser (Chistoph Waltz). Oberhauser has a close connection to Bond and is
nursing a grudge. As M’s group comes under fire as obsolete by a new British
intelligence official, C (Andrew Scott, Sherlock’s Moriarty), Bond must romance
a couple of women (Monica Bellucci, Lea Seydoux), face off against Oberhauser’s
henchman, Hinx (Dave Bautista), and uncover the truth about Oberhauser (which
won’t surprise any long-time Bond fans).
If Spectre is disappointing, it’s because
Skyfall, its
immediate predecessor (also directed by Sam Mendes), was so good. In fact, two
of Craig’s outings (Skyfall
and Casino
Royale) have
represented the best Bond since Connery left. Spectre is more of a middling
affair. Much of the London-based material, with M battling C over the value of
“old-fashioned” field agents, belongs in a different movie. It’s ultimately
superfluous and serves primarily to fatten up an already bloated production.
Also, Bond’s romance with Dr. Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux) develops a little
too slowly for an action thriller.
Hinx, played by
Guardians
of the Galaxy’s Dave Bautista, is a pleasant addition to the 007 Rogues
Gallery of Henchmen. Although not as memorable as Oddjob or Jaws, he can stand
on his own. His fight scene with Bond aboard a moving train is reminiscent of
Connery’s battle with Robert Shaw’s Grant in From Russia with Love - the
similarities are undoubtedly intentional. As the man in the shadows, Christoph
Waltz is underused. His cool, urbane approach is menacing but he’s not as
ferocious as Skyfall’s
Silva.
Spectre continues the recent trend of transforming the serial womanizer into
more of a romantic hero. Bond’s relationship with Madeleine has a depth seen
only twice previously in the series’ 53-year history (On Her Majesty’s Secret
Service,
Casino Royale) and shows the producers to be cognizant that the concept of a
“love interest” has to evolve from what it once was. Although Lea Seydoux gets
the lion’s share of female screen time, Monica Bellucci’s small role as the
widow of a man killed by Bond allows her to become the first fifty-something
“Bond girl” (assuming one doesn’t count the original Miss Moneypenny, Lois
Maxwell).
In terms of its pyrotechnics, fight scenes, and stunts, Spectre outdoes anything
attempted in
Skyfall,
fulfilling director Sam Mendes’ self-imposed requirement that things needed to
be more spectacular in the follow-up. Although the film doesn’t reach the absurd
heights of rival action franchises such as The Fast and the Furious and Mission:
Impossible, there are times when it comes close. Composer Thomas Newman proves
to be a better successor to John Barry than David Arnold, who scored five of the
last seven franchise entries. He is less reluctant and more able than Arnold to
entwine the iconic Monty Norman theme into his work. (Sam Smith’s title song,
however, is unremarkable and a significant step down from Adele’s “Skyfall.”)
One point of curiosity about Spectre is how it would address the so-called
“Blofeld question.” Considering that Ernst Stavro Blofeld was Spectre’s #1 and
became Bond’s arch-rival during the Connery era, it seemed odd that there was no
mention of him in any of the publicity material related to Spectre. Rest
assured, the movie addresses this. I won’t discuss the specifics or guess
whether viewers will be satisfied with how it’s handled, but Mendes and the
screenwriters don’t ignore the character.
“James Bond will return.” So promises the end credits (as they often do).
Although Spectre is not top-flight 007, there’s nothing here to damage the
venerable franchise. It has the ingredients necessary to succeed at the box
office and offers the kind of high-voltage action that today’s movie-goers love.
If there’s too much plot and times when the pacing becomes sluggish and uneven,
those are easy traps for ambitious, would-be epics to fall into In the end, this
solid Bond does justice to the character’s long legacy while paying due
diligence to what he has become under Daniel Craig’s stewardship.
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