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This isn't always true.
For the fans on this site, it certainly isn't with SP. We have all been discussing and dissecting and analyzing everything about the film since it was announced 11 months ago. We have pored over photos from the set, run through the videologs, focused on every little aspect of the trailers and TV spots. This has been, for most of us, an 11 month obsession.
The first viewing of the film wasn't enough for me. I wasn't able to relax...I was too busy trying to predict what would happen next, based on everything I'd seen and read. This has been a VERY different experience compared to other Bond films, especially in the Craig era, where I went into it blind.
I will need to see SP at least three times to form a solid opinion of it.
Anyway, I'm kind of iffy on the film. I liked it but wasn't blown away like I was by SF. I'll need to watch it again.
The mental image of you getting toasted behind the theater is rich. Consistency is key!
I hope it's better to any degree for you the second time around.
It's odd. "THUNDERBALL" is my second favorite Connery movie, after "FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE". And since I despise "SKYFALL", I am curious to see how "SPECTRE" turned out.
Very true. I get where @patb is coming from in that the first viewing can have quite an impact if it provokes extreme emotion, love/hate, but like you I think it's impossible to outright claim 'failure' immediately. In fact I find that quite tragic. This is my hobby, if I were to not like a Bond film I'd try to find the positives in it, I'd want to like it. Thankfully I've never hated a Bond film.
You've yet to see it? Those of us who also despised SF loved SP, so you may be in luck.
I loved the "SPECTRE" base scenes. It felt very Dr No-esque. How Madeleine and Bond were picked up by that Rolls, got their own independent rooms, then Blofeld getting horny on a comet stone, Blofeld showing the suicide of Mr White, and that fantastic torture scene....God, I was sweaty afterwards.
I suppose to be more accurate is that the end felt incomplete. I remember mentally being upset that the film was ending so soon, as the Spectre Base felt like a climax. Then the film kept going with the London sequences and I was relieved. Then that felt like the end of the second act of a larger movie and ending the movie there fell flat for me.
Really good review this, and refreshingly positive (in-fact it’s practically gushing with praise and enthusiasm for Spectre!).
He makes what I think are a couple of really good points:
“There is one moment where Bond is in dire danger of being thrown from a train - this is after the best fistfight I’ve ever seen in the Bond franchise with actor Dave Bautista - and Madeleine Swann comes in to save the day. It’s not so much a convenience as it is a character-building moment for Swann, as up to that point her skills as the daughter of assassin Mr. White were only hinted at. With this scene, we see a little bit of Bond in her, and it makes their budding relationship only stronger and their connection easier to understand”
“I think the issue most of the reviews I read are facing is that they’ve seen the previous three Craig films, they see that Sam Mendes is directing this, they see the marketing of the film selling it as some sort of character drama, and then the movie delivers something that takes it’s time (no pacing issues, as far as I’m concerned), has a laugh, and doesn’t complicate the plot. It has the looks of an Oscar winner with the material of the best-of-the-best James Bond stories”.
Anyway, I agree that Swann saving Bond from being jettisoned from the train was a good moment in that it didn't rob Bond of the victory of eventually besting Hinx, unlike catwoman killing Bane (tsk tsk) but this woman who was the daughter of a ruthless killer, who didn't want to even touch a gun expertly lands a shot on Hinx without the guilt and mental tax of taking a life herself.
I think SPECTRE could be one of the best Bond films of all time... BUT, it missed the mark on 4 scenes which, for me, completely ruined the film. I'm interested to see what other serious fans think about these same 4 scenes. Not trying to troll, I LOVE BOND, what's up with these scenes? Anyone picking up on a purpose for them that I'm missing?
1. The "drilling into Bond's head" scene.. Seriously, what did this accomplish? You take us to this beautiful and mostly "classic" villain lair and then waste it on some matrix style medical torture? UGH who wrote this?
2. The destruction of MI6 with the girl tied up with det cord? You are kidding me right! The classic pick yourself or the princess nonsense. I thought you were better than this scene! WHY did you even take us back to MI6 in the first place? It served no purpose. Blofeld made his apparent escape already and set it up for the perfect next film!!!
3. The return of Blofeld in his helicopter directly tied to scene I mentioned above... While I love that Bond switched from the Sig to the Walther to shoot down the bird (homage to Dr. No perhaps when only the PPK is good enough for the job) WHY in ALL THAT IS HOLY do you have Blofeld back, crash his helicopter, and then Bond have this horrible interaction with him. We could go on a lot here, Like why make them freaking "brothers"... but seriously, this scene... NO
4. The end of film... In the past, Bond and the girl make love as the sun goes down, in a space shuttle, in a row boat, etc... But they end with the hint that Bond will return, they even tell you, "JAMES BOND WILL RETURN" most of the time. Now, Craig takes the girl (who must be another Vesper Lynd traitor character) runs off with the DB5 and says to Q that he's left. For now, or for good? will Bond be back?
Finally, remember how all the old films were mostly independent.... In my opinion, please go back to this. You aren't producing twilight or the hunger games with some interconnecting plot bullshit 4 years apart. This is BOND! Let Blofeld sneak off after destroying his compound ( which could have taken up about 15 more minutes of action and destruction), then take the plot entirely to taking down C since you decided to play that crazy card, and restore the glory that is MI6, Q, and the future. In the next film, now Blofeld has another crazy story to tell about taking over the world and the franchise can resume it's greatness!!!!!! WHY... WHY did you not do it this way?
Sure... It's not really a complaint, sorry if it reads that way.. as I stated, I was posing a question. I have no idea how I could have missed the credits that say he will return... I've seen it 4 times and was looking for that. Of course he'll be back... but why this ending....
100% agree with that. I wish they'd spent more time there and had that be the ending to the film rather the London bit.
Agree
I'm still seeing new things. For example, it wasn't until the fifth viewing that I noticed Michael G's blink and you'll miss it cameo. Of course, with each screening I'm picking up on more credulity-straining moments. The latest one (and somebody else may well have already mentioned this) is when Moneypenny is in her flat reading the old newspaper article about the death of Oberhauser and his father on her laptop. She highlights the article, hits "translate" and it changes from Swiss (or German?) into English. Well, given that it's a scanned page surely the computer wouldn't be able to do that. Wouldn't it see the whole page as a single picture? And it certainly wouldn't be able to change the actual text itself. Also it's unlikely that the article could translate from one language into another and still fit into exactly the same space. Maybe technology has moved on further than I knew. Still, plot holes and such aside I'm still absolutely loving SP to bits.
I really was hoping for a proper SPECTRE execution scene for the first time in decades, so I'd say I was disappointed, although the physicality of his performance throughout the film was awesome.
I also read somewhere that the German woman (who did seem to go on quite a bit, and therefore maybe she is significant long-term?) is possibly the proto-Irma Bunt? I know a lesbian Irma was originally scripted for the Moroccan sequences.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/alisonwillmore/spectre-review?bftwnews&utm_term=.neymalVymv#.dbKdK3G4d8
The film as a whole felt kind of weird to me in terms of its tone, but the ending did especially. Up until the last 3 minutes of the film I would've said it was Craig's last one. But then he goes and quits MI6 again and drives off with Swann in the DB5. Makes me think Craig is 100% back for one more.
Can you say more about why you have this feeling? Just curious. I didn't really pick up on the whole him returning bit. Although I'm sure he will... The ending left me desiring more.
Good god, I hope not. I originally thought she would be a member of Spectre in the end, but now having seen the film ("I love you"), I hope she is a Tracy (or a Tiffany).
Bond could easily be brought back into the service by a "Blofeld escapes" twist. And Madeleine, if she reappears, could be dispatched by Blofeld. And then...Magic 44, anyone? We could be getting a faithful YOLT adaptation at last.
At least Fiennes had the good sense not to let the filmmakers make him bad. I suppose that's why they created C.
In few words: I love it. It's a great Bond movie. Right now it's place on the 4th or 5th place on my ranking (only FRWL, OHMSS and CR are confortably above). But it might climb with more view.
Story: good, interesting, classic structure but I doesn't feel repetitive. I like the subtle nodes to previous movies and Fleming themes.
Acting: Craig was superb, Fiennes, Harris and Whishaw also excelent. I like both women, Bellucci and Seydoux. Bautista portrayed one of the best henchmen ever. Regarding Waltz... that wasn't easy with too many great villains before (including 4 Blofelds). I think he didn't surpass himself and maybe was a litte too repetitive.
Music: it wasn't great, just a couple of good themes. I like the re-use of material from SF, it gives it unity. The theme song - which I don't like too much - didn't sound that bad.
Title sequence: one of my favorite ever.
The end... well it is open for continuity or for reboot. But...
The only thing I didn't like was the family thing between Blofeld and Bond. It was unneeded for. But it could have been worst (e.g. Blofeld killing Bond's parents).
I'm looking forward to see it again and again. Top Bond in my opinion!
Greetings to all!
I'll focus on the scar upon my next viewing, didn't have any standout complaints about it the first time around. Agreed about Bond's face during the SF PTS bike chase.
(first French reviews - this summary also include some US ones)