well , direction, performances and the brave narrative decisions taken in its script. But let me say this in advice: it may not exactly reach the same smart and complex, deeper and meaningful way achieved in the very personal Skyfall.The priceless opening sequence: Masterful. Eye popping. Five minutes or so in one tracking shot. Never seen before in the franchise. Maybe the best prologue EVER. This is how you start a movie in a truly rip- roaring fashion.Opening credits: It's a special affair to take part. Sam Smith tune has a little to compare with the epic scoop from Adele, but as a slow burning ballad is terrific for the movie and very gorgeously designed for it, culminating in a very special opening titles . Is about a man who is an assassin but at the same a time a human being with his flaws more or less in a way like Dench's M wants for Bond at their first face to face in Casino Royale and his uncertain demise to find someone pure and up to him…The rest of the movie If I'd reveal anything, I would deserve a ban from all the users of this site : it takes a little of time at some parts and it probably would affect in direct comparison to its predecessor. But this movie is able to live up the plot of Skyfall by deeper extravaganza and funnier build up even if it tries to rehash elements rather than add other news wait a while in order really meet the villain, spy games in MI6 office, Bond has to operate in the shadows again… . Taking its basis as a somewhat follow up it starts as an extended epilogue indeed with a special message from someone of the past brought back from dead "for a few moments" it develops its own big story with style, patching the whole Craig's era so far and even paying homage to certain iconic moments of his run there's a cracking torture scene this time too that may push the rating a bit too far and the franchise overall the fight in the train, a cat, iconic action sequence in the snow . Just when you think that the script is falling in a familiar territory, the film suddenly subverts your expectations using human drama very effective for Bond and Oberhauser instead the action or the fatigue. And the reveals make these characters even more likable and interesting. This smells like the truly 50th anniversary but 3 years later due to finding itself very encouraged to include references of the whole 007 story than the personal previous outing: It 's a thrilling and tragic Bond film, with best of Connery/Moore and Lazenby roots gadgets included but without becoming too campy or an absurd parody of itself. The performances Fiennes, Whishaw, Harris, the twisted Andrew Scott, Monica Bellucci in her little amount of screen time "without mercy" and obviously the Bond "new" main interest: Léa Seydoux are top notch as we could expect from Sam Mendes even better in the direction . But Christoph Waltz as insanely brilliant as we were looking for even if falls short to be as resonant as Silva and being closer to a more billed Le Chiffre , Dave Bautista perfect, brutal, ruthless and iconic and Daniel Craig he nails it: operatic complex, dark, emotional and riveting-best Bond EVER are the three best things that could ever happen to the movie in performances terms.From its orgasmic start in Mexico City to his hard hitting conclusion in London, Spectre is a gift for newcomers and classics Bond fans and a great action thriller with a heart. I don't know if it's the best Craig's Bond movie Casino Royale is still a modern classic and Skyfall maybe fell in a better context and expectations in comparison with this one , but is a perfect entertaining and that was the same exciting affair happened to the two ones mentioned. While its deep psychological punch may not being so surprising nor original this time and the effectively reliable political urgency that made Skyfall so unique is left a little underweight with the M vs. C plot, Sam Mendes and the whole team can breathe relaxed. They have wrapped up their story in a new whole level and in a spectacular victory fashion by succeeding presenting a riveting story in terms of pure emotion and action. And if this is the real farewell to Daniel Craig's run he couldn't really ask for any better final outing, as well to thank to the producers and writers to have gifted him the greatest Bond era of all. He really leaves the tux and the broken soul inside it on a beautiful high. I'm even afraid if he agrees to come back with almost the same team or another even being my favorite Bond… Because to surpass this is going to be a hell of a difficulty.

charm, style, and class. The scenery and shooting were breathtaking especially the shots in the Austrian Alps and the Train sequence was a great nod to the ghosts of Bonds past From Russia with Love and The Spy Who Loved Me . Let's hope for many more.

time both have managed to get a perfect balance between that intimate psychology from the previous outing and the nostalgia from a classic Bond movie with quality, not just passable that hadn't had hit the theater in a very while. By that way we found ourselves in a very Bond centric movie perhaps the only one in the whole franchise in which Craig is the absolute protagonist without being overshadowed even by the handsome villain that explores and expands the character beyond the limits from the last third of Skyfall and a truly genuine adventure full of suspense and crazy twists to maintain the attention.Across many places Rome, Tangiers, Austria and coming back to London for a classic suspenseful climax we found Bond getting started in a personal mission out from the MI6 although later he will enlist some of his confidence partners with him that drives him from a enigmatic widow Monica Bellucci steals the scene alongside Craig to a beautiful and looking innocent Madeleine Swann Léa Seydoux until coming face to face to Franz Oberhauser Christoph Waltz doing himself stills being fitted for the role and gives chills in his scenes with Craig .The story is bigger than Skyfall, Quantum and Casino Royale all together. And that's funny because this movie is really connected to all of them another thing that makes me love Daniel Craig's Bond era . And marrying the credible word political games, drones included with the preposterous touch of any of the classic movies of Bond Oberhauser, his hidden base, his plan as well giving the Bond past a lot more of light and an effective closure by the end makes SPECTRE to succeed over any negative expectation and to give the audience the most entertaining outing coming from Craig and probably his best Bond yet anyone knows if he's returning for another one even at another studio? . It's clearly a movie for those of you who are truly fans of Craig's unique run, but for all the haters too because that lack of Bondish elements are there and most notably than ever .The humor is back a drunken conversation with a rat makes the funniest and most hilarious moment even at times that you couldn't imagine the torture scene is intense, much better than the classic one in Casino Royale, but handed with dark laughs at some parts . The action is crazy and shot with class the one shot that opens the movie is the most beautifully complex the franchise has given us so far and the script goes along the way without going down at any moment or being lazy. It tries hard to touch a lot of plots into a big one to the final part of the film and that implies to focus on some parts more than others. But all the movie wants to be seen and experienced is explored and is a hell of a ride.SPECTRE is the most enjoyable Daniel Craig Bond film and probably his farewell-with-a-bang , and the best Bond movie in recent memory. I did not exactly know what to expect for this installment after being put to sleep after the breathtaking Skyfall so all the hype surrounding it but not such a bold movie like this. If he Craig really leaves after this one, he will achieve something that Connery, Moore & Brosnan failed to do: say goodbye to the character on a stunning high. My personal ranking of Daniel Craig as James Bond: SPECTRE 1º / Skyfall - Casino Royale 2º, both deserve it / Quantum of Solace 3º .

huge James Bond fan, I've loved James Bond my entire life, so I was excited to see what Sam Mendes had done with this one. I've always saw them like superhero movies, starring an indestructible character who simply wore a tuxedo instead of tights and a cape. This film goes to epic lengths to deliver all you could conceivably want from this invincible franchise. From the gun to the other gadgets in Q's workshop, everything is back where it belongs. The "t" in Fleming's Spectre stood for terrorism - the SPecial Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge andExertion - and perhaps one of the first uses of the word in pop culture. Indeed, this is a thoroughly British movie franchise. Made of pure action mixed with a real sense of style.Bond's adventure this time is a genuine personal journey, learning more about himself and others as well. Still, the death of Dame Judi Dench's M at the climax of Skyfall raised the personal stakes for the usual impermeable Bond in a fashion that can't be automatically repeated an instalment later. When Casino Royale have taken those elements away in order to do a more compelling story, here a more traditional Bond character is bring up. Daniel Craig is probably my favourite James Bond ever - equal to Connery. He has grown into the role of the British spy with flair and a welcome lightness of touch, a mix of inconscience and playful self-awareness, just right for a character still trying to find his place in the modern age. Plus, in Spectre Craig offers his most relaxed and witty performance to date as 007. If this is his farewell to the tux, he's going out in a pretty stylish way. Another person who has grown into his part is Ben Whishaw, as the perennially stressed quartermaster and tech supreme: Q. Given much more to do this time around he has developed him as a very enjoyable comic character.Léa Seydoux and Daniel Craig have an excellent chemistry and you feel like something tangible is there in regards to a possible romance but the film doesn't explore that relationship as well as they could have. Indeed, Sorbonne-learnt psychologist Madeleine Swann skills with a gun doesn't offset the annoying damsel-in-distress role she's been assigned in the action; which at one point is so depressingly retrograde, it's a wonder Mendes didn't just tie her up to some railway tracks. David Bautista shows up every once in a while, does something incredibly bad ass and that's it: very minimal but functional character. Nonetheless his brutish physical threat leads to one of the greatest fight scene ever seen in a Bond movie. Later, we also get a horrible hi-tech torture scene, a new version of the sadism that was on display when Mads Mikkelsen was roughing 007 up in Casino Royale. Most importantly the shadowy introduction to Oberhauser was masterfully done, suspenseful and marvellously well shot, it gave us a promise for an intense character. Christoph Waltz has an almost papal presence while bringing his familiar streak of fruity menace to the role. He introduces us to the new big bad , Franz Oberhauser - aka Ernst Stavro Blofeld; please don't act surprised, neither of us were born yesterday! This new old, really villain makes Bardem's Silva look like a junior at best. Every scene he's in is amazing. You know those James Bond movies are not usually short so giving three scenes to Christoph Waltz. Three scenes! This was disappointing. You just want to see the villain and then comes this great scene and nothing for a long again. These movies need a good villain, a great villain, we got one but we need him to - like Silva in Skyfall - get things done. However Christoph Waltz just talk about how he hurt James Bond in the past and how good he HAS BEEN. Check out my blog to read the end!

terrorized Bond for almost all of the Sean Connery films save for Goldfinger . Due to some issues involving legal rights, the filmmakers have not been able to use SPECTRE since the early-to-mid Seventies. Ultimately, the rights were returned just a couple of years ago and now we have SPECTRE's triumphant return in a film that hits all of the beats one expects of a classic Bond adventure: exotic locales, an imposing henchman, some sultry Bond girls with troubled pasts, cool gadgets, and a maniacal villain in the form of Christoph Waltz's Franz Oberhauser. On top of all that, Spectre is chock full of great Bond moments. From an opening action sequence that features one of the finest Bond fight scenes ever, to a Swiss Alps duel between Bond in a plane and the bad guys in SUVs, Spectre finally turns Daniel Craig's Bond into the superhero the character once was, and the 12-year- old inside of me loves it. Of course, the single greatest element of Spectre is not necessarily it's throwback feel or the fact that it's the first Daniel Craig Bond that fully embraces the Bond mythos, but it's how this film effectively ties together all of Craig's Bond movies.Featuring nods to the events of Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, and Skyfall, Spectre kind of feels like the end to the whole enchilada. In some ways, that's good. It has been rumored that this might be Daniel Craig's last Bond film, and if it is, then it is an amazing end to his tenure. No other actor who has ever played Bond has had a run of films as strong as Craig's, and a large part of that is that all of these films have been direct sequels to the others. None of the other Bond films ever really acknowledged any character growth or story progressions from one film to the next, but the Daniel Craig movies all have. The Bond in Casino Royale was brash and impulsive. The Bond in Quantum of Solace was moody and violent in response to Vesper Lynd's death. As for Skyfall, Bond was tired and worn down, a relic searching for a purpose. And Spectre finds Bond struggling with the repercussions of his past while finding his heart and soul once again. By the time the credits roll on Spectre, you really feel as if a myth has been born and Bond is back in tip top shape, better than ever.I give Spectre a 9 out of 10!

deceased people who might still influence those who remained Bond, in this case . Cut to the opening sequence in Mexico City, precisely on the Day of the Dead, with the country's traditional celebration in costumes. That sequence is breathtaking not only because of the amount of extras and the gorgeous costumes involved, but also because of the way it was shot. It seems to be a long take with no edits, something like Birdman.The opening credits are always entertaining, and it also let us know that we will hear about characters from Bond's past, as their faces appear while Sam Smith's "Writing's on the Wall" is playing precisely during the verses "A million shards of glass/ That haunt me from my past". A side note about the song: is it better than Adele's "Skyfall"? No, but it's much better than previous Bond themes... besides, the way the credits roll are so entertaining that it's worth it.The movie itself is filled with references to other films from the franchise, some more subtle, others more evident. He does ask for his Martini shaken, not stirred, he says "Bond, James Bond", he has gadgets from Q Ben Whishaw , he drives an Aston Martin and he flirts with Moneypenny Naomi Harris .What I liked about this film is that M, Q and Moneypenny have more involvement with the plot, putting their jobs on the line to help Bond. The scenes between Bond and Q are priceless and I laughed in almost every interaction they had.Sam Mendes did a wonderful job again, in my opinion. The film is long, but the pacing was good. It's always changing places, from one stunning location to another. Thomas Newman's score bothered me a little bit, because it sounded much alike Skyfall's at times and I was expecting something more different.I didn't like the ending the first time I saw it. However, after the second time it grew on me a little bit. What bothered me was that there was no explanation for the word SPECTRE. So, those who don't know that it means Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion will not learn that while watching this movie. It's also good to know that this organization, recurring in older films, was led by Ernst Blofeld, who always had a white cat and satirized by Mike Myers in Austin Powers .No one knows if Daniel Craig will be back for a 5th film and I hope he does! but, in case he doesn't, SPECTRE is a nice ending to his 10-year run as 007. It solves the mysteries of his previous movies in a good way and it establishes him forever as a completely different Bond: more physical, darker, less silly and more realistic I'll never forget the crazy plot of Die Another Day… . Full review: http://wp.me/p5Rk4c-g0

thing we will ever get to matching the best Bond of all time. He feels comfortable in the role now and moves through each scene with swagger.The gadgets are finally back and so is the escapist nonsense of the originals. I loved Casino Royale and Skyfall but both are dark and serious movies with heavy themes. It's nice to get away from that sometimes and just go along for a fun ride. My biggest problem with the movie is the lack of development in the love story with Madeline Swan. Their just simply isn't enough shown to make me feel like Bond truly cares more about her than the other women he has encountered. Overall I loved Spectre and plan on seeing it multiple times in theaters. I give it 10 stars not because it is the best movie out their with a deep meaning and reinvents the genre, but because it isn't and doesn't. It is my idea of the perfect fun movie to watch and escape reality.

double-O PR disaster like a hole in the head as he tries to fight internal organizational proposals oh my, doesn't that sound dull?! . Rather than have his passport confiscated, Bond hops around several exotic locations pursuing the enigmatic Franz Oberhauser Christophe Waltz building to a dramatic - albeit rather atypical - Bond finale.As you would expect, the film has a number of stunning set pieces. The opening Mexico City scenes - during the 'Day of the Dead' festival - are spectacular with a glorious five minute tracking shot that gives "Birdman" a run for its money in the style stakes. And there are some truly spectacular locations visited, superbly photographed by Hoyte Van Hoytema "Interstellar" . In particular the glorious or perhaps I should say Piz Glorious - bit of a joke there for Bond trivia geeks ICE Q Restaurant at the Sölden ski resort in Austria and an impressive desert location which I'm unclear whether is 'real' or created .Craig is magnificent as Bond. He moves like a cat and has the steely edge of instability and danger that Bond needs. I quickly forgot his rather petulant and unwise "slit my wrists" comments of recent weeks. Fiennes also bites a great chunk out of the role of 'M' - a fine choice to follow the acting chops of Dame Judy. And Naomie Harris as Moneypenny and Ben Whishaw like a cinema rash this month as 'Q' gel brilliantly with the rest of the cast. Together with Bond long-timer Rory Kinnear as Tanner, the ensemble acts as a double-O support family you can genuinely believe in.Christophe Waltz as the bad guy is as good as you would expect, oozing psychopathic juices from every pore, and Dave Bautista "Guardians of the Galaxy" plays the heavyweight henchman Mr Hinx, delivering the best train-fight since "From Russia With Love".Where I had bigger issues was in the casting of Andrew Scott as the new character Denbigh. While Scott "Sherlock", "Pride" is one of my favorite character actors, he just doesn't have the gravitas to be convincing in the job role he's portraying.The "Bond girls" reverting to the sexist terminology of the genre are Léa Seydoux looking tidier than her role in "The Lobster" and Monica Bellucci, making Bond history - albeit briefly - as the oldest Bond conquest that he will let on to . Also decorous in the earlier scenes is Mexican beauty Stephanie Sigman.The plot, by John Logan, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, is rather patchy and vaguely preposterous in places. It doesn't bear close scrutiny. Aside from the broader leaps of improbable survivability, 'Q's analysis of a Spectre ring seems to be a magic plot 'McGuffin' that doesn't bear the same level of scientific analysis. The screenplay though adding Jez Butterworth is whip-crack smart in places, with some excellent laugh-out-loud moments. Note, for the squeamish, that as well as the lighter moments there are a few instances of extreme violence in the film that is in 'peek through the hands' territory.The music by composer Thomas Newman is novel and striking, blending in his "Skyfall" themes nicely to a new and urgent electronic drum beat. And whilst I'm not a great fan of the rather whiny Sam Smith vocal can we have a Muse or a Manic Street Preachers title song next time please? it does work well over the impressive opening titles.In summary, for me this was on a par with the excellent "Skyfall" and is a great swan song for Sam Mendes in his directorial stint at Bond. Please check out the graphical version of this review at bob-the-movie-man.com and sign up to receive future reviews. Thanks.

Waltz in particular, was an excellent Bond villain, I loved his performance. Only gripe is that he didn't seem to get a huge amount of screen time, maybe he did, and just deserved more.I'm not going to give the plot away, but what I will say is you get to see a different side of the character, it was a gamble and it paid off. The story itself belongs to a bygone era of James Bond films.Go and see it!! 8/10