SPECTRE - Press reviews and personal reviews (BEWARE! Spoiler reviews allowed)

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  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    For me the trailers really gave too much away. The Scene of Oberhauser saying "It was me James, the author of all your pain" should have been left out the trailers. The only time you should have seen Waltz in the trailer was in the shadow scenes in Rome just saying "Welcome James".

    Yeah, this, IMO.

    Not to mention not showing 90% of the car chase and plane crash. Why cant they just hint at what is going to happen? I'm surprised they didnt have Waltz saying 'my name is Ernst Stavro Blofeld' in the trailer.
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    edited November 2015 Posts: 2,138
    For me the trailers really gave too much away. The Scene of Oberhauser saying "It was me James, the author of all your pain" should have been left out the trailers. The only time you should have seen Waltz in the trailer was in the shadow scenes in Rome just saying "Welcome James".

    Yeah, this, IMO.

    Not to mention not showing 90% of the car chase and plane crash. Why cant they just hint at what is going to happen? I'm surprised they didnt have Waltz saying 'my name is Ernst Stavro Blofeld' in the trailer.

    I miss the old days when all you had to go on was the cartoons on the posters.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    For me the trailers really gave too much away. The Scene of Oberhauser saying "It was me James, the author of all your pain" should have been left out the trailers. The only time you should have seen Waltz in the trailer was in the shadow scenes in Rome just saying "Welcome James".

    Yeah, this, IMO.

    Not to mention not showing 90% of the car chase and plane crash. Why cant they just hint at what is going to happen? I'm surprised they didnt have Waltz saying 'my name is Ernst Stavro Blofeld' in the trailer.

    I miss the old days when all you had to go on was the cartoons on the posters.

    I miss the old days when said posters were works of art not just some publicity stills with the title written across the front.
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    Posts: 2,138
    For me the trailers really gave too much away. The Scene of Oberhauser saying "It was me James, the author of all your pain" should have been left out the trailers. The only time you should have seen Waltz in the trailer was in the shadow scenes in Rome just saying "Welcome James".

    Yeah, this, IMO.

    Not to mention not showing 90% of the car chase and plane crash. Why cant they just hint at what is going to happen? I'm surprised they didnt have Waltz saying 'my name is Ernst Stavro Blofeld' in the trailer.

    I miss the old days when all you had to go on was the cartoons on the posters.

    I miss the old days when said posters were works of art not just some publicity stills with the title written across the front.

    Oh how I second that. I miss the old posters with snippet key action elements drawn behind Bond.

    Bring bank posters like this

    2isbj2w.jpg
  • edited November 2015 Posts: 389
    [img][/img]
    For me the trailers really gave too much away. The Scene of Oberhauser saying "It was me James, the author of all your pain" should have been left out the trailers. The only time you should have seen Waltz in the trailer was in the shadow scenes in Rome just saying "Welcome James".

    Yeah, this, IMO.

    Not to mention not showing 90% of the car chase and plane crash. Why cant they just hint at what is going to happen? I'm surprised they didnt have Waltz saying 'my name is Ernst Stavro Blofeld' in the trailer.

    I miss the old days when all you had to go on was the cartoons on the posters.

    I miss the old days when said posters were works of art not just some publicity stills with the title written across the front.

    Oh how I second that. I miss the old posters with snippet key action elements drawn behind Bond.

    Bring bank posters like this

    2isbj2w.jpg

    Can I third that, I remember as a young man having the FYEO poster in a frame on my bedroom wall.

    for-your-eyes-only-main-review.jpeg
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    For me the trailers really gave too much away. The Scene of Oberhauser saying "It was me James, the author of all your pain" should have been left out the trailers. The only time you should have seen Waltz in the trailer was in the shadow scenes in Rome just saying "Welcome James".

    Yeah, this, IMO.

    Not to mention not showing 90% of the car chase and plane crash. Why cant they just hint at what is going to happen? I'm surprised they didnt have Waltz saying 'my name is Ernst Stavro Blofeld' in the trailer.

    I miss the old days when all you had to go on was the cartoons on the posters.

    I miss the old days when said posters were works of art not just some publicity stills with the title written across the front.

    Oh how I second that. I miss the old posters with snippet key action elements drawn behind Bond.

    Bring bank posters like this

    2isbj2w.jpg

    Oh dont SirHilary - I'm at work. That TLD poster is practically porn!
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Live-And-Let-Die-Poster-04.jpg

    Always loved the poster for LALD. :)
  • We Bond fans at James Bond Radio are currently running 30 Days of SPECTRE, where we release a new podcast every single day talking about a different aspect of the new film. We begin with a 100% spoiler free (no hints, no insinuations...nothing) episode all about our night at the red carpet premiere at the Royal Albert Hall. Obviously it's spoiler city from day 2 onwards, so if you haven't seen the film yet, I'd hold back on listening past the first episode.

    Check it out...

    Day 001: The Red Carpet Premiere http://jamesbondradio.com/spectre-01-the-red-carpet-premiere/

    Day 002: The Pre-Title Sequence http://jamesbondradio.com/30-days-of-spectre-002-the-pre-title-sequence/

    PS.
    patb wrote: »
    I'm interested in which critics (if any) have the respect of the forum? For me, Kermode is THE man, if he likes it, I will like it.

    JamesBondRadio! \m/

    You're a gentleman Mendes4Lyfe ;-)
  • JWPepperJWPepper You sit on it, but you can't take it with you.
    Posts: 512
    We Bond fans at James Bond Radio are currently running 30 Days of SPECTRE, where we release a new podcast every single day talking about a different aspect of the new film. We begin with a 100% spoiler free (no hints, no insinuations...nothing) episode all about our night at the red carpet premiere at the Royal Albert Hall. Obviously it's spoiler city from day 2 onwards, so if you haven't seen the film yet, I'd hold back on listening past the first episode.

    Check it out...

    Day 001: The Red Carpet Premiere http://jamesbondradio.com/spectre-01-the-red-carpet-premiere/

    Day 002: The Pre-Title Sequence http://jamesbondradio.com/30-days-of-spectre-002-the-pre-title-sequence/

    PS.
    patb wrote: »
    I'm interested in which critics (if any) have the respect of the forum? For me, Kermode is THE man, if he likes it, I will like it.

    JamesBondRadio! \m/

    You're a gentleman Mendes4Lyfe ;-)

    Really cool! Love your podcasts!
  • aaron819aaron819 Switzerland
    Posts: 1,208
    @JamesBondRadio When will the day 3 podcast be up on Youtube and what will you talk about in the next podcast?
  • JWPepper wrote: »
    Really cool! Love your podcasts!

    Thanks JW!
    aaron819 wrote: »
    @JamesBondRadio When will the day 3 podcast be up on Youtube and what will you talk about in the next podcast?

    Today is day 2, so it'll be up early tomorrow morning...as for the topic, you'll have to wait and see ;-)
  • edited November 2015 Posts: 1,661
    SaintMark wrote: »
    Just back and thought it was a good movie, but in hindsight, me looking forward, we will name the Craig era probably the rogue years. The man did go rogue every single movie. It gets kind of tiresome.

    Craig's Bond seems like a less reckless version of Dalton's LTK Bond. Craig's Bond bends the rules a bit but never breaks them. You could argue constant 'rogue' missions is sign the writers don't have much imagination or desire to alter their approach. Perhaps a new Bond actor will force the writers and EON to shift away from Bond goes rogue and make Bond fully respectful of M's orders. I can't see a fifth Craig Bond film shifting away from the 'rogue' plot.
  • Posts: 391
    No one noticed the script similarities with the last Mission Impossible?
  • Posts: 486
    Stamper wrote: »
    No one noticed the script similarities with the last Mission Impossible?

    Some of us would have had to have seen MI first. I tend to stick to British spy fiction from Bond and Danger Man to Sandbaggers and Spooks.
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    Cowley wrote: »
    Stamper wrote: »
    No one noticed the script similarities with the last Mission Impossible?

    Some of us would have had to have seen MI first. I tend to stick to British spy fiction from Bond and Danger Man to Sandbaggers and Spooks.

    Both were produced about the same time so I don't think intentional but yeah I've heard.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,334
    Cowley wrote: »
    Stamper wrote: »
    No one noticed the script similarities with the last Mission Impossible?

    Some of us would have had to have seen MI first. I tend to stick to British spy fiction from Bond and Danger Man to Sandbaggers and Spooks.

    Indeed, "the best of British" as they say! :)
  • Posts: 3,278
    Stamper wrote: »
    No one noticed the script similarities with the last Mission Impossible?
    Indeed. At least SP abandoned the 'former agent(s) went rogue'-concept.
  • ShardlakeShardlake Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 4,043
    Just seen it and will be seeing it again on Saturday but just my thoughts on my first viewing, I wasn't disappointed. Unlike quite a few I didn't think it eclipsed Skyfall, it complemented it and equaled it, yes I prefer it to both CR & QOS but the Craig era for me is a roaring success and SPECTRE is an utter blast.

    The one factor that has been the drive of the Daniel Craig era has been the personal element and of course it's still there. Though as Mendes and Craig teased some familiar elements of the series history in Skyfall, SPECTRE see's DC go full on Bond.

    This is his most playful film of his time in the role so far. Christoph Waltz was a no brainer for playing a Bond villain and Dave Bautista echoes two of Bond's most famous henchman.

    The supporting cast are all fantastic, Ben Wishaw steals all his scenes as Q and Ralph Fiennes is settling nicely into the role of the new M. Naomi Harris gets to be Moneypenny full on and like Q is a very different take to her predecessors. We'll always love Lee, Maxwell & Llewelyn in their respective roles but the new guard show hopefully a promising future for these enduring characters.

    This is the most fun and also funniest Craig entry to date, a glorious, globe trotting exotic cocktail of stunts, thrills and Daniel Craig clearly now challenging Connery for the throne, lets hope this isn't his last in the role.

    This is a different film to it's predecessor but no less for it, Bond is far from being the production line xerox efforts of the past. Sam Mendes has unlike Lewis Gilbert not just copied the formula for his follow up and I for one hope he and Craig can return for one last go around or in Craig's case maybe more.
  • Posts: 127
    TonyEbik wrote: »
    Hey all! Loved the movie, gonna go again soon. I need to know (if anyone remembers) What did James say to Lucia before leaving... it was something in Italian. Anyone?

    Good luck, Mrs Sciarra.

    Saw this last night. had to go to a late night screening as all the others were full.

    The start gave me goosebumps. Didn t mind the song at all when accompanied by those titles. For me this was probably a top three Bond film, and maybe the best from Craig so far. Didn t know Ben Wishaw could be so funny. Waltz and Bautista are the best villains for decades. Sure Waltz is cartoonish, but not in the same way as Silva for instance.

    Not sure why people criticize the car chase. It was fun as hell and classic Bond.

    The subplot was also good, and Madeleine an endearing character. A few scenes here and there felt a bit forced, but is there any Bond film where this isn t true? Don t think so.

    The cinematography isn t quite up there with Skyfall, but what is? Close enough.

    As for Newman, I love his Bond music. His version of the theme is different, but really works. All in all, I loved it and expect to love it even more the second time.

    I LOVED it! Made me smile. Just like the first time I saw Goldfinger! It had everything. Like you say there was a few scenes that felt forced, yeah, thats all Bond films to behonest.

    If that was Daniel's last venture, then what a way to handover the mantle to the next Bond. Saying that What a way for Sam Mendes to bow out.

    Is it time for another director? Dunno, to be honest I hope they give Sam even more money to do the next one. Or as I have heard on the grape fine that the rights to the Bond franchise, which is with Sony, is due to expire after Spectre.... Meaning that Warner brothers could splash the cash to get rights, meaning Christopher Nolan could finally get to direct a Bond film.

    Watch this space I reckon!
  • Posts: 15,218
    For me the trailers really gave too much away. The Scene of Oberhauser saying "It was me James, the author of all your pain" should have been left out the trailers. The only time you should have seen Waltz in the trailer was in the shadow scenes in Rome just saying "Welcome James".

    The Morocco crater explosion. I just do not know why they went with rural dessert construction blowing up again. It was a painful reminder of the conclusion of QOS in which the finale in rural dessert hotel was the worst part of the film, feels odd why they would do something so similar so soon.

    I just hope Bond 25 does not have a Helicopter now we have seen one shot down in Skyfall and Spectre odd choice to repeat bringing down a helicopter twice in a row. I suppose with SPECTRE taking ideas from all prior Bond films this was a little bit of homage to Sean brining down the helicopter in FRWL.

    My biggest problem with Spectre is that it paid too much homage to all prior films rather than it standing on its own two feet with new ideas.

    I am not a huge Brosnan fan. But I watched his new film with Owen Wilson No Escape last night, the pace of the story, action and dialog was bang on the money. Brosnan's impersonation of David Bowie leaves a lot to be desired. But it's a very well directed movie and John Erick Dowdle is someone I would not mind seeing taking on a Bond movie.

    I think it might have been inspired of the climax of the DAF novel, where the villain tries to escape in a helicopter to be destroyed by Bond.
  • quantumofsolacequantumofsolace England
    Posts: 279
    Wait 007 days to see SP for a second time? That's enough to make one weak! Nevertheless that's exactly what I did. It's nothing to do with a lack of enthusiasm on my part... and everything to do with last week being the dreaded half-term holidays. The thought of seeing this wonderful film in the company of a cinema full of noisy little brats (or delightful cherubs, if you prefer) was simply too much to contemplate - so I reluctantly held back until today. I recall having to take a week out from SF - although if memory serves me right it was the second week of release when the same thing happened. As others have noted, the Craig Bond's aren't really suitable for kids. It's not the violence (heaven knows they see infinitely worse on the internet and in the video games they play) - it's the "talkiness" of the films. I could well see youngsters getting distinctly fidgety during the numerous moody, dramatic scenes in what is undeniably a quite lengthy movie (that I, of course, wish was much, much longer!). Maybe I'm doing the nippers a disservice - after all, I first read Fleming's undeniably adult novels when I was just 11 and absolutely adored them. Still, I decided to err on the side of caution and hang on until today to satisfy my overwhelming desire to see SP again.
    So how do I feel about the film after a second viewing? Well, I've gone from loving it... to REALLY loving it! I honestly enjoyed it more this time round. Maybe it's because the huge weight of expectation has been lifted. Or perhaps it's because I'm aware of it's few faults now and thus know there are no unpleasant surprises waiting in the wings. Either way I relished every frame (lacklustre car chase excepted - but even that wasn't as bad as the first viewing) and find SP edging ever closer to SF in my affections. Roll on Wednesday when I'll be seeing it for the 3rd and 4th time!

  • Posts: 15,218
    A fitting day to see it a second time, @quantumofsolace : It's The Day of the Dead in Mexico.
  • quantumofsolacequantumofsolace England
    Posts: 279
    I never knew that, Ludovico. You see, this forum isn't just good fun - it's educational! Actually as I watched the PTS I found myself wondering just what this film is going to do for the Mexican tourist industry and in particular the Day of the Dead festival. Got to boost interest, surely.
  • Posts: 1,068
    Maybe without realising it Mexico City will really have to pull their finger out for the real one as they won't have Sony EON bankrolling the whole thing!!? I hadn't thought to check the festival online now but I hope it looks like SP! It was truly an inspired OTS

    It's very telling that every time I read a review now the comment always pops up that SP just keeps on giving getting better and better! Why is that?

    When I saw SP the first time I was truly impressed yet on the second time I loved it even more. DC just is so effortless yet not smug/arrogant, something I have trouble with SC's later Bond. I really have no trouble placing SP ahead if CR in my DC ratings - it seemed to really miss a gear in the final phase but SP is more even to me

    I think we're extremely lucky to have DC hitting the right pace / theme perfectly every time (I really have grown to love QOS but admit it needed time) and additionally M, Q, MP are impeccable too. With the hope that ESB, Hinx and Madeleine return for another in this amazing Bond arc I'm already hoping to see when EON can deliver it for us.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    What I heard from various people is that this is the best Craig film, because it has a sense of humour.
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,584
    Well I saw it for the second time yesterday in a proper cinema, and it was a wholly different experience. I have always embraced the varying styles that we have seen in the films over the decades (Moonraker and LTK were only 10 years apart after all), so I wasn't put off by the prospect of the more extreme humour of the early 70s re-appearing (not the late 70s, we aren't ready for that yet).

    In fact I loved the sofa gag in the PTS and the airbag gag during the car chase. I loved Q's one liners (even though M gets the biggest laugh with his C joke). And I felt the humour sat nicely within the structure of the film.

    Most of all I was impressed with the cast. The MI6 team were terrific especially Ralph Fiennes. Also Lea Seydoux showed strength and vulnerability in equal measures and the criticism over her uttering those three little words? Everything she had been through up to that point, maybe it wasn't out of the question.
    Bautista was superb. The train fight will become a classic Bond scene I have no doubt.

    Locations. Isn't that what Bond is about? One critic said the use of locations was forced, yet I felt that the plot incorporated them perfectly naturally.

    Titles. I loved these and the song - much better than the overly busy SP titles.

    Running time. When I saw it first I felt it could lose 15 minutes quite easily. After my second viewing I could have watched another 10 minutes I was enjoying it that much.

    Problems I have?
    The colours were sometimes too muted, Monica Ballucci was under-used (maybe a later scene to be assured of her safety?), the large empty cities were baffling (when the MI6 building blows at the end there were a few token people watching), the sheer size of Spectre alluded to often enough wasn't apparent when Blofeld was brought down.
    Small criticisms.

    And finally, one thing that I failed to understand even after two viewings. Where did the net come from when Bond and Madeline jump through the collapsing building?

    This is a Bond film for Bond fans. A gloriously mad romp offering nods to the past (especially YOLT - one of my favourite Bond films) and a nudge to the future. Loved it.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    SPECTRE : Ramblings of a Bond fan.

    Sitting on Monday night in the cinema, having to wait half an hour before the film began, with rising excitement and anticipation,This chubby, 51 year old was gradually transported back to when he was a blond haired blue eyed 9 year old sitting in the local flea pit waiting for LALD to begin.
    Finally it began, Gun barrel back in its traditional place, oh the joy of hearing the theme blasting out again. The pre title sequence, is fantastic, beautifully filmed and edited ( It has been announced that the “One continuous shot” used to introduce Bond. Was in fact three cleverly edited together ) To be honest I had already though that on first viewing . On entering the Hotel ( Panning to poster) and the girl in the hotel room asking Bond where he was going ( another panning shot) is where I think the cuts were made, as you have to change from out door to indoor lighting, only a guess on my part and in no way detracts from an inventive and skilful sequence. The establishing shot of the street full of people enjoying the festival is splendid ( and on second viewing ) you can see Bond waiting for the villain to walk through the crowd and pass by him.
    The opening stunt section is fantastic; I didn’t notice any glaringly bad cgi work, although others have. Leading into Daniel Kleinman’s beautifully stylish Titles. I have loved all his work for Bond and Sam Smith’s haunting theme merges so well with the images. ( I’m one of the few who love the song).
    A brief review of the film itself, It’s a mix of the very traditional Bond film. An opening scene with Bond and M, a Q lab sequence. In which Ben Whishaw gives a truly great performance as Q. No one can ever replace dear old Desmond but Ben has given us a very different character, very contemporary but also eager and funny. I love his DB5 joke, which he obviously finds hilarious , the others, …. Not so much ( I can identify with that ). Later on Q has his own moment of peril and I found my self, genuinely worried for him. ( Fans of Ben can see him in his own BBC spy series starting on 9th November).
    The locations are beautiful, the cinematography in spectre is outstanding, it gives us almost a visual representation of the “ Fleming sweep” from the novels. The spectre board meeting, so much a part of some of the earlier films, with a silhouetted villain, speaking in a dull voice asking about the mundane business of fixing the price of much needed drugs and people trafficking. The introduction of the Henchman, a truly unsettling scene, almost from a horror film. Mr Hinx is the latest in a long line of wonderfully bizarre characters from the Series.
    Lots of action, humour, romance. Even if not a Bond fan, spectre gives you your moneys worth. The second half of the movie, the pace changes, a more serious tone settles in, a little more dept to the characters is added, the romance between the two is enforced.
    A familiar Villain’s liar, ( Base in a Volcano, now where have I see that ), with the
    Usual Bond villain’s touch of having vibrant green grass in the middle of a desert. The
    Design of the control room, I loved, even the act of at one point the lights dimming and all the control staff rising from their seats to turn to face their leader. Visually it was very effective.
    The torture scene was very effective (for me anyway) I think most of us have a fear of drills, and the idea of someone drilling into your head, is as scary as hell. (I had a dental appointment the next day, so that didn’t help my anxiety).
    It also uses some lines from the torture scene from Col Sun, as Bond begins his escape you can see the drills positioning themselves to drill out Bond’s eyes !
    I simply love Bond’s escape from the villain’s compound. There’s just something about a Man in a white shirt firing a machine gun protecting a lady. That simply fills me with so many nostalgic memories of all those spy films from the 60s.
    The final sequence back in London, is equally exciting. The safe house with the well know name to Bond fans, was a nice little touch. I was genuinely surprised to see the scar on the villains’ Face, I wasn’t expecting that. One last battle and Bond drives off with his latest romantic conquest.

    I enjoyed spectre more the second time of watching, and was able to make a note of some of the little things that, just “tweaked my nipple of enjoyment “ ……….

    As Bond and pretty lady are about to leave the lift in Mexico, they sway to the music.
    I only realised that the laser attached to Bond’s gun wasn’t for targeting but rather was his vibration bug to hear the conversation.
    Q, …… I just love the character. Congratulations to Ben for making the role his own.
    Bond giving a friendly wave to one of the spectre thugs at the graveyard.
    In the Villa as Bond and Monica are kissing and Bond explains he can help her. A tear rolls down her cheek, which I think is a way of showing that the lady has gone from despair, to having the chance of “Hope” being brought to her by Bond.
    This may have been “Digitally” put in ( you can’t tell these days) but I prefer to believe this is just a consummate actress giving a role, everything she’s got !
    The Car chase, so many funny moments, but especially Bond intrigued by who is in Moneypenny’s flat .
    :)
  • SirHilaryBraySirHilaryBray Scotland
    Posts: 2,138
    I genuinely believed it was Q that was in her bed.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    I genuinely believed it was Q that was in her bed.

    I always assumed that Q, like Whishaw, was gay.
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