James Bond: Spectre

GENERAL INFORMATION

Release Info: 6 Nov 2015

Director: Sam Mendes
Writer: John Logan and Neal Purvis
Running Time: 148 Minutes

Staring:  Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz

Rating? PG-13

SPOILERS? YES

REVIEWS

IMDB: 7.2 of 10

MY RATING: 8

STORYLINE

A cryptic message from Bond's past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organization. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.

MY REVIEW

Entertainment comes in all shapes and sizes; smart, profound, intellectual or just plain escapist fun. I have been a James Bond watcher from when I was a kid and I really loved the fun! The last three 007 instalments fell a bit short in that department (at least for my taste), and since I expected this new film to be more of the same, I didn't exactly get my hopes up.

I was pleasantly surprised (although judging from most reviews I've read, I seem to be in the minority). Instead of further exploring the somewhat dark, dramatic route the previous three films took - which, I must admit, worked very well in Casino Royale - Spectre unexpectedly goes in the exact opposite direction. 

So my verdict: Spectre is a love letter to the classic Bond films, and while it might not be the masterpiece many people seem to have expected, there is a lot to enjoy here. It's a solid, almost classic Bond film with insane action, great set-pieces and a fantastic cast!

This is supposed to be a spoiler-free review, so I won't go into any of the story details, but what 
unfolds after the introduction plays like a combination of the more grounded, serious Bond we've come to associate with Daniel Craig's films, and the more self-aware spy-romps of the Roger Moore era.

What I DID LIKE about this movie:

• Don't get me wrong; it's not suddenly ALL fun and games, but the new film is a virtual celebration of the whole James Bond universe, from past to present, including the less grounded and over-the-top elements from the older films. In fact, after a stand-out intro sequence in classic fashion, the spy with a license to kill takes us on a ride which - tonally - feels like travelling back in time to the glory days of such classics as You Only Live Twice, Goldfinger or The Spy Who Loved Me (and it's a ride back in time in more senses than one).
• Spectre largely succeeds in paying homage to many of the classic Bond films while still delivering the gritty action people come to expect from the newer instalments and staying true to the character Craig has so successfully made his own.
• And despite all the references and callbacks to classic 007 adventures, Spectre still manages to continue the storyline of the three previous films. So while his second entry in the world's longest living franchise is far from a perfect film, I believe Sam Mendes achieves exactly what he wants: he intentionally embraces the old Bond formula, but he also plays with it, twists it and introduces new story elements. 

What I DID NOT LIKE about this movie:

• Some flaws with the storytelling in the 3rd act. Tone and pacing seem a little off from the first two acts.

On a more personal note..... Had girls night a the house a few days ago, well, girls night plug Jeff. We love him like he's one of the girls! Me, Katie and Missy had a wonderful time~ Baby Dexter is just over 4 months old now and ridiculously adorable.  I love his big green eyes and his cute little kitten face! Then there's Majestic big Jinx!!