As I left my chair to leave the only thought going through my head was "OMG, Daniel Craig has finally made a James Bond film"
CR Good
QoS Crap
SF Very Good
SP Outstanding
Casino Royale is quite easily superior to Spectre. I find some fans are giving Spectre great reviews simply because it features the Bond tropes that have been mostly missing during the Craig era. Spectre has undeniable flaws.
My eldest son and my best mate went with me last night. Afterwards they both said they enjoyed it thoroughly and felt that they had seen a great Bond movie, but in their opinion CR is still top dog.
I then asked them both to forget CR as that is based on the excellent Fleming novel and asked them was it better than QOS which they both agreed it was, I then asked was it better Skyfall my son said the same, my mate said better.
Like I said last night this will be in my top three Bond movies of the entire series.
FRWL-GF-SF all on an equal par imo, and now joined by SPECTRE.
Interesting that reviews are ranging from glowing, to average, to utterly dire. Which makes it...a Bond film!
I'm in the average camp
I went to a early showing in the morning and myself and my brother as the credits rolled just look at each other and just said "it wasn't very good was it".
I just driven crazy when I read some reviews on here saying it's better then Skyfall (a film that should be far more respected on these forums) and Casino Royale ) . Sorry the worse thing about Spectre was the worse thing for a Bond film in my eyes, boring. But it had some good moments, Craig was great as per usual, as was the likes of Fiennes and Wilshaw. Felt Waltz and Batista weren't used as much, especially Batista. That Sam Smith song is bloody awful though. The Bond ladies were fine, poor Monica Belluci was wasted while Lea Seydoux did well with what she was given. Is it me or was the ending very boring, the worse in Craig's Bond films. The film could have done with some editing badly in the middle of it.
Not in the same ballpark as Casino Royale or Skyfall, I have to watch Spectre again cause at the moment I can't decide if I would put QOS above it (a Bond film I think isn't as bad as many people think it is).
Im starting to realize having the movie get good reviews is our equivalent of a soccer or football team doing good. Help me pray to the universal powers that be or whatever you believe that it goes from 82% to 85% positive reviews when it hits the States! Maybe American critics will like it more! 3 more percents!
it is really weird but Skyfall is getting a better percentage of positive reviews, but spectre is getting a better ave. score than skyfall. For instance, Skyfall has 93% positive reviews, Spectre has 82% and counting. But Skyfall has a 7.9 on IMDB and Spectre has an 8.5. According to Rotten Tomatoes, Critics prefer Skyfall over Spectre but audience prefer Spectre over Skyfall, giving it a 4.5/5 ave.
it is really weird but Skyfall is getting a better percentage of positive reviews, but spectre is getting a better ave. score than skyfall. For instance, Skyfall has 93% positive reviews, Spectre has 82% and counting. But Skyfall has a 7.9 on IMDB and Spectre has an 8.5. According to Rotten Tomatoes, Critics prefer Skyfall over Spectre but audience prefer Spectre over Skyfall, giving it a 4.5/5 ave.
I'm one of the fans that prefer's Skyfall over Spectre, I'm really confused why many liked Spectre over Skyfall. I really enjoyed Skyfall and saw it 4 times in the cinema. I probably go back and see Spectre one more time but I'm not really that pushed. I think Spectre will end been in either lower 7's or higher 6's on IMDB, it won't be troubling Skyfall or Casino Royale.
it is really weird but Skyfall is getting a better percentage of positive reviews, but spectre is getting a better ave. score than skyfall. For instance, Skyfall has 93% positive reviews, Spectre has 82% and counting. But Skyfall has a 7.9 on IMDB and Spectre has an 8.5. According to Rotten Tomatoes, Critics prefer Skyfall over Spectre but audience prefer Spectre over Skyfall, giving it a 4.5/5 ave.
From my very personal point of view I understand this, simply because I never understood why Skyfall was heralded as being so great. I'm sure some folks on here will vehemently disagree with me but I actually think QoS is even better than Skyfall. I'm actually counting on the fact that critics aren't liking Spectre as much as Skyfall as an indicator that I will actually love Spectre.
Just got back and I loved it. Miles better than Skyfall (which I enjoyed) for me and felt like I was watching a proper Bond film for once. Even the man sitting next to me breathing like Darth Vader with asthma couldn't spoil it. If I had one bit of feedback it would be that the score seemed a little loud at time but this could be the "good old" local Odean I was in.
it is really weird but Skyfall is getting a better percentage of positive reviews, but spectre is getting a better ave. score than skyfall. For instance, Skyfall has 93% positive reviews, Spectre has 82% and counting. But Skyfall has a 7.9 on IMDB and Spectre has an 8.5. According to Rotten Tomatoes, Critics prefer Skyfall over Spectre but audience prefer Spectre over Skyfall, giving it a 4.5/5 ave.
I'm one of the fans that prefer's Skyfall over Spectre, I'm really confused why many liked Spectre over Skyfall. I really enjoyed Skyfall and saw it 4 times in the cinema. I probably go back and see Spectre one more time but I'm not really that pushed. I think Spectre will end been in either lower 7's or higher 6's on IMDB, it won't be troubling Skyfall or Casino Royale.
Just got back, it is truly superb. I am not the worlds greatest Skyfall fan so believe me when I say that this is in a different league. I am not the worlds greatest Daniel fan, so believe me when I say it is his best performance by miles, it looks fantastic in IMAX. Only negatives were the awful song, and that female roles were at best sketchy. None of this can detract from a very fine Bond film. Some great dialogue and genuine wit. The score was a very positive surprise as I had low expectations.
I will go again in a couple of days. The Cinema I saw it in is sold out for the next three weeks.
Of that of which we cannot speak we must pass over in silence- Ludwig Wittgenstein.
Skyfall didn't have that much emotion, they saved all the drama till the very end. If Spectre does the same, that's all i need, a 'my parents are dead', is all i need to give bond enough incentive to look good and defeat evil . 3.5/5 is Quantum of Solace level to me. I will definetely like it better than that. None of the original films were personal missions up until OHMSS. They have always been action driven rather than emotion driven and thats how it should be with just a little drama tossed at the end for good measure. I will defend Spectre to the death!
Agreed; Skyfall was trite. Simply putting lots of 'emotions' into a film doesn't make it deep; The X Factor has lots of emotional backstories, it doesn't make it profound. I was glad they moved away from that and had lighter more conventionally fun moments.
Agreed. I hated Skyfall but Spectre is an astounding Bond film on many levels. The look of it, the cinematography... the scope. Best of all it does tie up some of the disparate parts of Craig's previous three movies, so you may feel better disposed towards, say QoS. Parts of it put me in mind of that Italian art house movie, The Great Beauty, and others the Jack Nicolson film of the 70s, The Passenger. There is a real eeriness at times, there are also nods to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.
That said, there are still plot holes, just not as glaring as in SF, and it does go a bit crap for the final reel imo, in contrast to how it was previously. Some of the 'issues' it explores are dealt with in a bit of a pat way. And it is bigger on atmosphere, locale and tension than on action. I didn't mind the song really, though it was the first time I'd heard it.
My enjoyment was massively enhanced by having studiously avoided spoilers so I urge you to continue the good work if you have done the same, and hold out till you see it. It will be like when you saw the Bond films as a kid.
Star Wars trailer is shown with it though, so if you are a SW fan and trying to avoid that, be warned!
This is the first time I've come out of a Bond film with a spring in my step since TWINE, and while I know that isn't everyone's cup of tea, my point is it's a film where you feel like you are comfortable with it, it delivers the goods and you really saw a Bond movie.
But also, a large part of the film really is quite eerie in a way that I can't put my finger on.
Loved it. DC much lighter in this one. It did go a bit QOS in the middle. Opening scene wonderful. tied last 3 films together. This should have been the film after CR and then Skyfall. The song was still awful though.
i f you watch the film in an odeon cinema, you can pick up A3 posters of DC in the white tux against dark turquoise background as well as for one week only a Spectre souvenir ticket/flyer. There were loads amassed sky high on tables and counters.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Agreed. I hated Skyfall but Spectre is an astounding Bond film on many levels. The look of it, the cinematography... the scope. Best of all it does tie up some of the disparate parts of Craig's previous three movies, so you may feel better disposed towards, say QoS. Parts of it put me in mind of that Italian art house movie, The Great Beauty, and others the Jack Nicolson film of the 70s, The Passenger. There is a real eeriness at times, there are also nods to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.
That said, there are still plot holes, just not as glaring as in SF, and it does go a bit crap for the final reel imo, in contrast to how it was previously. Some of the 'issues' it explores are dealt with in a bit of a pat way. And it is bigger on atmosphere, locale and tension than on action. I didn't mind the song really, though it was the first time I'd heard it.
My enjoyment was massively enhanced by having studiously avoided spoilers so I urge you to continue the good work if you have done the same, and hold out till you see it. It will be like when you saw the Bond films as a kid.
Star Wars trailer is shown with it though, so if you are a SW fan and trying to avoid that, be warned!
This is the first time I've come out of a Bond film with a spring in my step since TWINE, and while I know that isn't everyone's cup of tea, my point is it's a film where you feel like you are comfortable with it, it delivers the goods and you really saw a Bond movie.
But also, a large part of the film really is quite eerie in a way that I can't put my finger on.
Very nice to hear, NP. I'm all spoilered up, which doesn't bother me particularly, but I'm certainly glad to hear that you enjoyed it! -{
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
i f you watch the film in an odeon cinema, you can pick up A3 posters of DC in the white tux against dark turquoise background as well as for one week only a Spectre souvenir ticket/flyer. There were loads amassed sky high on tables and counters.
Yes, but maybe bring a little poster tube or something cos otherwise it just gets crumpled on the way back home!
"This is where we leave you Mr Bond."
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,762Chief of Staff
I enjoyed SPECTRE...the sum of its parts is better than the whole though...it does feel like two different movies bolted together...will have to see it several times before I get a good 'handle' on it...the PTS is awesome though B-)
it is really weird but Skyfall is getting a better percentage of positive reviews, but spectre is getting a better ave. score than skyfall. For instance, Skyfall has 93% positive reviews, Spectre has 82% and counting. But Skyfall has a 7.9 on IMDB and Spectre has an 8.5. According to Rotten Tomatoes, Critics prefer Skyfall over Spectre but audience prefer Spectre over Skyfall, giving it a 4.5/5 ave.
From my very personal point of view I understand this, simply because I never understood why Skyfall was heralded as being so great. I'm sure some folks on here will vehemently disagree with me but I actually think QoS is even better than Skyfall. I'm actually counting on the fact that critics aren't liking Spectre as much as Skyfall as an indicator that I will actually love Spectre.
But, I won't know anything until next week. 8-)
-{ -{
The best reviews I've seen for Spectre are on the Bond forums and the worse reviews are on the film forums. While it was the other way round for Skyfall. I just preferred Skyfall a lot more cause it's a better film and more exciting. I really can't understand the hate it gets on here.
Agreed. I hated Skyfall but Spectre is an astounding Bond film on many levels. The look of it, the cinematography... the scope. Best of all it does tie up some of the disparate parts of Craig's previous three movies, so you may feel better disposed towards, say QoS. Parts of it put me in mind of that Italian art house movie, The Great Beauty, and others the Jack Nicolson film of the 70s, The Passenger. There is a real eeriness at times, there are also nods to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.
That said, there are still plot holes, just not as glaring as in SF, and it does go a bit crap for the final reel imo, in contrast to how it was previously. Some of the 'issues' it explores are dealt with in a bit of a pat way. And it is bigger on atmosphere, locale and tension than on action. I didn't mind the song really, though it was the first time I'd heard it.
My enjoyment was massively enhanced by having studiously avoided spoilers so I urge you to continue the good work if you have done the same, and hold out till you see it. It will be like when you saw the Bond films as a kid.
Star Wars trailer is shown with it though, so if you are a SW fan and trying to avoid that, be warned!
This is the first time I've come out of a Bond film with a spring in my step since TWINE, and while I know that isn't everyone's cup of tea, my point is it's a film where you feel like you are comfortable with it, it delivers the goods and you really saw a Bond movie.
But also, a large part of the film really is quite eerie in a way that I can't put my finger on.
We will be discussing plot holes until Hell freezes over with this one, to my mind much more glaring even than Skyfall. Somehow the film managed to sweep me along with them and there was so much to like it bought it's way out of Jail. Mrs Zaphod however just could not get past them. I am really looking forward to seeing how the AJB community responds. Somehow I doubt consensus..." Let it go, let it go" did not seem to help either
Of that of which we cannot speak we must pass over in silence- Ludwig Wittgenstein.
I saw SPECTRE at 8pm Monday night and in my opinion it was Daniel Craig’s best Bond. As a life-long Bond fan, I’ve always felt like there was something missing since the Brosnan era. Craig’s films from CR to Skyfall were always worthy of being stand alone films that could have survived outside of the franchise. However, SPECTRE provided me with what I felt was missing; the true and traditional Bond format.
SPECTRE boasts a strong opening scene, colourful locations, beautiful women, an excellent villain, action-packed car chase, gadgets and the relationship with Bonds co-workers was explored. This is the formula for a James Bond film.
Craig’s previous films lacked one or more of these ingredients but SPECTRE provided all of them. The relationship/partnership he formed with Lea Seydoux’s character made the film what it was. Reminiscent of the classics such as Goldeneye, Dr. No, Live and Let Die and The World is Not Enough. The female character that inspires Bond to do what he does, and a strong woman who can work alongside him, make for cinematic excellence. As far as I’m concerned the James Bond franchise created this format, and they are the only ones worthy of continuing to do it justice.
If Craig doesn't return and fulfil his contract of a 5th film, then it would be the perfect film to end it all on. They have brought it back to the beginning with more traditional Bond flair - and that's what I missed the most.
What counts is what the heroine provokes, or rather what she represents. She is the one, or rather the love or fear she inspires in the hero , or else the concern he feels for her, who makes him act the way he does.
Author of 'Pussy Galore - A Representation of Women in James Bond Films'.
Active tweeter and tumbler - https://twitter.com/surrie_fullard
I saw SPECTRE at 8pm Monday night and in my opinion it was Daniel Craig’s best Bond. As a life-long Bond fan, I’ve always felt like there was something missing since the Brosnan era. Craig’s films from CR to Skyfall were always worthy of being stand alone films that could have survived outside of the franchise. However, SPECTRE provided me with what I felt was missing; the true and traditional Bond format.
SPECTRE boasts a strong opening scene, colourful locations, beautiful women, an excellent villain, action-packed car chase, gadgets and the relationship with Bonds co-workers was explored. This is the formula for a James Bond film.
Craig’s previous films lacked one or more of these ingredients but SPECTRE provided all of them. The relationship/partnership he formed with Lea Seydoux’s character made the film what it was. Reminiscent of the classics such as Goldeneye, Dr. No, Live and Let Die and The World is Not Enough. The female character that inspires Bond to do what he does, and a strong woman who can work alongside him, make for cinematic excellence. As far as I’m concerned the James Bond franchise created this format, and they are the only ones worthy of continuing to do it justice.
If Craig doesn't return and fulfil his contract of a 5th film, then it would be the perfect film to end it all on. They have brought it back to the beginning with more traditional Bond flair - and that's what I missed the most.
Great review Surrie. The points you mentioned are what make a Bond film great for me too. I must agree that the Bond girl is the most important aspect of the film for me, and she can easily make or break the film. To me, it is Bond's constant search for love, family, and normalcy that I like the most about the character. I like that his only chance of finding that love is with the women he meets on his dangerous adventures, and yet it is exactly that same lifestyle that ultimately keeps him alone. I love the cyclical nature of it all, the insanity of the repetition of love and loss, of the crazy villian he has to babysit and ultimately dispose of. I love that quote you have at the bottom of your post; I couldn't agree more with it. It's the female characters that expose the deepest realms of Bonds character. They define him. They allow us to see into pieces of the broken humanity of the character, and the humanity that remains. I'm in the US, so I haven't seen the movie yet, but from the reviews I'm reading, I think I'll be very happy with it.
The best reviews I've seen for Spectre are on the Bond forums and the worse reviews are on the film forums. While it was the other way round for Skyfall. I just preferred Skyfall a lot more cause it's a better film and more exciting. I really can't understand the hate it gets on here.
That's what concerns me. A lot of Bond fanboys are just like fanboys in general and don't care about quality, they just want to see the familiar tropes every time. That's why mediocre Bond films are so highly overpraised on forums like these. Spectre is good but it's not great. Casino Royale, for example, is objectively better than Spectre so any claim to the contrary needs to be taken with a big pinch of salt.
The best reviews I've seen for Spectre are on the Bond forums and the worse reviews are on the film forums. While it was the other way round for Skyfall. I just preferred Skyfall a lot more cause it's a better film and more exciting. I really can't understand the hate it gets on here.
That's what concerns me. A lot of Bond fanboys are just like fanboys in general and don't care about quality, they just want to see the familiar tropes every time. That's why mediocre Bond films are so highly overpraised on forums like these. Spectre is good but it's not great. Casino Royale, for example, is objectively better than Spectre so any claim to the contrary needs to be taken with a big pinch of salt.
I agree to an extent, yet there are limits to what "fanboys" will accept in terms of fan service over quality. The Star Wars prequels, for instance, are loaded with fan service. But good luck finding a Star Wars fan that has anything positive to say about those films.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
edited October 2015
Well, all opinions---even professional ones---should be taken with that same grain of salt. Subjective preference is the natural default: we like what we like, and generally disregard what critics deem is better, or what we ought to like, based on someone's idealized notion, be it based on film education or simply a lifetime of watching films. Some will prefer SP to CR. Some prefer AVTAK to GF, or TMWTGG to TSWLM. It's one of the many reasons that so many people still talk about these things, when other films from 1962 or 1977 have been forgotten altogether.
It looks like SP has been designed as a fan pleaser, and I certainly appreciate that, but IMO that doesn't mean that it's crap if some fanboys or critics don't like it. It will succeed, or fail, in millions of brain-sized cinemas around the world.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Well, all opinions---even professional ones---should be taken with that same grain of salt. Subjective preference is the natural default: we like what we like, and generally disregard what critics deem is better, or what we ought to like, based on someone's idealized notion, be it based on film education or simply a lifetime of watching films. Some will prefer SP to CR. Some prefer AVTAK to GF, or TMWTGG to TSWLM. It's one of the many reasons that so many people still talk about these things, when other films from 1962 or 1977 have been forgotten altogether.
It looks like SP has been designed as a fan pleaser, and I certainly appreciate that, but IMO that doesn't mean that it's crap if some fanboys or critics don't like it. It will succeed, or fail, in millions of brain-sized cinemas around the world.
I agree SP has been designed as a fan pleaser. I see nothing wrong in that - if they aren't able to please the fans time and time again then would the franchise really have lasted this long?
What counts is what the heroine provokes, or rather what she represents. She is the one, or rather the love or fear she inspires in the hero , or else the concern he feels for her, who makes him act the way he does.
Author of 'Pussy Galore - A Representation of Women in James Bond Films'.
Active tweeter and tumbler - https://twitter.com/surrie_fullard
My son made a great analogy of the film and he compared it with your football/soccer team scoring two goals in the last 5 minutes of the final game of the season, when your team is 2-1 down and you need to win, to win you the league over your City rivals, as my football team did a couple of seasons ago here in England. The joy and jubilation at the win was like nothing I had ever witnessed or felt before, so thats how my sons feels about Casino Royale film . Two years later we won the League again in a lot more sedate and gentle fashion, still on the last day and the joy and jubilation was still there and it was a great moment, but it wasn't as intense as the moment 2 years previously thats how he feels about both SPECTRE and Skyfall.
I'm a Bond fan and have seen every film in the series at the Cinema and I have enjoyed every single one of them. I was blown away in 1966ish when my elder brother took me to see Goldfinger/Thunder double bill I've been a fan ever since!! Do I still think those two films are the best in the series no, but I did 30 odd years ago.
The best reviews I've seen for Spectre are on the Bond forums and the worse reviews are on the film forums. While it was the other way round for Skyfall. I just preferred Skyfall a lot more cause it's a better film and more exciting. I really can't understand the hate it gets on here.
That's what concerns me. A lot of Bond fanboys are just like fanboys in general and don't care about quality, they just want to see the familiar tropes every time. That's why mediocre Bond films are so highly overpraised on forums like these. Spectre is good but it's not great. Casino Royale, for example, is objectively better than Spectre so any claim to the contrary needs to be taken with a big pinch of salt.
I agree to an extent, yet there are limits to what "fanboys" will accept in terms of fan service over quality. The Star Wars prequels, for instance, are loaded with fan service. But good luck finding a Star Wars fan that has anything positive to say about those films.
Sorry, but I think you need to take a peak at the Jedi Council Forums, or some other SW fan site. There are plenty of Star Wars fans that appreciate all six films (including myself) it's just that the hateboys took over the internet like the bullies that they are.
If there's one thing I appreciate about Bond fandom, is that it isn't as divided as it is in SW. It's the Marianna Trench on that side of the universe
Well, all opinions---even professional ones---should be taken with that same grain of salt. Subjective preference is the natural default: we like what we like, and generally disregard what critics deem is better, or what we ought to like, based on someone's idealized notion, be it based on film education or simply a lifetime of watching films. Some will prefer SP to CR. Some prefer AVTAK to GF, or TMWTGG to TSWLM. It's one of the many reasons that so many people still talk about these things, when other films from 1962 or 1977 have been forgotten altogether.
It looks like SP has been designed as a fan pleaser, and I certainly appreciate that, but IMO that doesn't mean that it's crap if some fanboys or critics don't like it. It will succeed, or fail, in millions of brain-sized cinemas around the world.
The thing for me is I actually became a Bond fan cause of the darker more gritty take of the Craig early efforts, so I came late to the table (I'm 33) I did see the Bond films when they were shown on ITV back in the 90's on a Wednsday night. I wasn't that blown away aside from Connery's first four films but thanks to Casino Royale I just bought all the films on DVD and Blu ray.
I know a lot of fans wanted the fun bought back into the Bond Films, for me give me dark and gritty and downbeat over silly Bond anyday, That's why I love early Connery, Dalton and Craig and I just can't stand Moore Later Connery and Bronsan's films. Maybe that's why I couldn't quite take to Spectre as I wanted too, I just found those things creeping back in again. Maybe I'm just a miserable git )
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Well, all opinions---even professional ones---should be taken with that same grain of salt. Subjective preference is the natural default: we like what we like, and generally disregard what critics deem is better, or what we ought to like, based on someone's idealized notion, be it based on film education or simply a lifetime of watching films. Some will prefer SP to CR. Some prefer AVTAK to GF, or TMWTGG to TSWLM. It's one of the many reasons that so many people still talk about these things, when other films from 1962 or 1977 have been forgotten altogether.
It looks like SP has been designed as a fan pleaser, and I certainly appreciate that, but IMO that doesn't mean that it's crap if some fanboys or critics don't like it. It will succeed, or fail, in millions of brain-sized cinemas around the world.
The thing for me is I actually became a Bond fan cause of the darker more gritty take of the Craig early efforts, so I came late to the table (I'm 33) I did see the Bond films when they were shown on ITV back in the 90's on a Wednsday night. I wasn't that blown away aside from Connery's first four films but thanks to Casino Royale I just bought all the films on DVD and Blu ray.
I know a lot of fans wanted the fun bought back into the Bond Films, for me give me dark and gritty and downbeat over silly Bond anyday, That's why I love early Connery, Dalton and Craig and I just can't stand Moore Later Connery and Bronsan's films. Maybe that's why I couldn't quite take to Spectre as I wanted too, I just found those things creeping back in again. Maybe I'm just a miserable git )
I'm 53, the same age as the franchise, so I've seen it evolve, devolve, and wax and wane over the years. Sounds like our tastes are very similar, actually! I too prefer dark & gritty, but IMO it's important to maintain a balance, if only to distinguish themselves from the competition. A bit of fun is okay :007)
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I'm 53, the same age as the franchise, so I've seen it evolve, devolve, and wax and wane over the years. Sounds like our tastes are very similar, actually! I too prefer dark & gritty, but IMO it's important to maintain a balance, if only to distinguish themselves from the competition. A bit of fun is okay :007)
I'm a little older, but I agree with all that. Saw the film today, loved all the little touches (Hildebrand, Oberhauser, a scene from CS right down to actual dialogue), and the slightly lighter feel.
I'm 53, the same age as the franchise, so I've seen it evolve, devolve, and wax and wane over the years. Sounds like our tastes are very similar, actually! I too prefer dark & gritty, but IMO it's important to maintain a balance, if only to distinguish themselves from the competition. A bit of fun is okay :007)
I'm a little older, but I agree with all that. Saw the film today, loved all the little touches (Hildebrand, Oberhauser, a scene from CS right down to actual dialogue), and the slightly lighter feel.
I liken this to a refreshing dessert during a 5 course meal...I've loved the complex starter (CR) the unusual fish course, that not everyone liked (qos) the interesting main course (SF) - although I prefer my steak blue, to the over cooked version we got...and now this, Spectre, the refreshing, tangy trusty lemon meringue tart, you're somewhat familiar with, which add a bit of light relief and allow you to sit back and enjoy, before the final cheese and coffee course, which is no doubt being served in Bond 25. :007)
Loeffs, don't expect a complex, gritty and dark movie...think a bit frothy and tangy with overtones of the familiar...
She's worth whatever chaos she brings to the table and you know it. ~ Mark Anthony
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
I liken this to a refreshing dessert during a 5 course meal...I've loved the complex starter (CR) the unusual fish course, that not everyone liked (qos) the interesting main course (SF) - although I prefer my steak blue, to the over cooked version we got...and now this, Spectre, the refreshing, tangy trusty lemon meringue tart, you're somewhat familiar with, which add a bit of light relief and allow you to sit back and enjoy, before the final cheese and coffee course, which is no doubt being served in Bond 25. :007)
Loeffs, don't expect a complex, gritty and dark movie...think a bit frothy and tangy with overtones of the familiar...
Well...that just happens to be what I'm hungry for I've seen Craig deliver everything I've wanted, and have been looking forward to a smile or two! :007)
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Comments
My eldest son and my best mate went with me last night. Afterwards they both said they enjoyed it thoroughly and felt that they had seen a great Bond movie, but in their opinion CR is still top dog.
I then asked them both to forget CR as that is based on the excellent Fleming novel and asked them was it better than QOS which they both agreed it was, I then asked was it better Skyfall my son said the same, my mate said better.
Like I said last night this will be in my top three Bond movies of the entire series.
FRWL-GF-SF all on an equal par imo, and now joined by SPECTRE.
"Do you expect me to talk? "No Mister Bond I expect you to die"
I'm in the average camp
I went to a early showing in the morning and myself and my brother as the credits rolled just look at each other and just said "it wasn't very good was it".
I just driven crazy when I read some reviews on here saying it's better then Skyfall (a film that should be far more respected on these forums) and Casino Royale
Not in the same ballpark as Casino Royale or Skyfall, I have to watch Spectre again cause at the moment I can't decide if I would put QOS above it (a Bond film I think isn't as bad as many people think it is).
I'm one of the fans that prefer's Skyfall over Spectre, I'm really confused why many liked Spectre over Skyfall. I really enjoyed Skyfall and saw it 4 times in the cinema. I probably go back and see Spectre one more time but I'm not really that pushed. I think Spectre will end been in either lower 7's or higher 6's on IMDB, it won't be troubling Skyfall or Casino Royale.
From my very personal point of view I understand this, simply because I never understood why Skyfall was heralded as being so great. I'm sure some folks on here will vehemently disagree with me but I actually think QoS is even better than Skyfall. I'm actually counting on the fact that critics aren't liking Spectre as much as Skyfall as an indicator that I will actually love Spectre.
But, I won't know anything until next week. 8-)
-{ -{
Agreed - I'm expecting it to get 7.1/7.2 on IMDB.
I will go again in a couple of days. The Cinema I saw it in is sold out for the next three weeks.
Agreed; Skyfall was trite. Simply putting lots of 'emotions' into a film doesn't make it deep; The X Factor has lots of emotional backstories, it doesn't make it profound. I was glad they moved away from that and had lighter more conventionally fun moments.
That said, there are still plot holes, just not as glaring as in SF, and it does go a bit crap for the final reel imo, in contrast to how it was previously. Some of the 'issues' it explores are dealt with in a bit of a pat way. And it is bigger on atmosphere, locale and tension than on action. I didn't mind the song really, though it was the first time I'd heard it.
My enjoyment was massively enhanced by having studiously avoided spoilers so I urge you to continue the good work if you have done the same, and hold out till you see it. It will be like when you saw the Bond films as a kid.
Star Wars trailer is shown with it though, so if you are a SW fan and trying to avoid that, be warned!
This is the first time I've come out of a Bond film with a spring in my step since TWINE, and while I know that isn't everyone's cup of tea, my point is it's a film where you feel like you are comfortable with it, it delivers the goods and you really saw a Bond movie.
But also, a large part of the film really is quite eerie in a way that I can't put my finger on.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
i f you watch the film in an odeon cinema, you can pick up A3 posters of DC in the white tux against dark turquoise background as well as for one week only a Spectre souvenir ticket/flyer. There were loads amassed sky high on tables and counters.
Very nice to hear, NP. I'm all spoilered up, which doesn't bother me particularly, but I'm certainly glad to hear that you enjoyed it! -{
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Yes, but maybe bring a little poster tube or something cos otherwise it just gets crumpled on the way back home!
Roger Moore 1927-2017
The best reviews I've seen for Spectre are on the Bond forums and the worse reviews are on the film forums. While it was the other way round for Skyfall. I just preferred Skyfall a lot more cause it's a better film and more exciting. I really can't understand the hate it gets on here.
SPECTRE boasts a strong opening scene, colourful locations, beautiful women, an excellent villain, action-packed car chase, gadgets and the relationship with Bonds co-workers was explored. This is the formula for a James Bond film.
Craig’s previous films lacked one or more of these ingredients but SPECTRE provided all of them. The relationship/partnership he formed with Lea Seydoux’s character made the film what it was. Reminiscent of the classics such as Goldeneye, Dr. No, Live and Let Die and The World is Not Enough. The female character that inspires Bond to do what he does, and a strong woman who can work alongside him, make for cinematic excellence. As far as I’m concerned the James Bond franchise created this format, and they are the only ones worthy of continuing to do it justice.
If Craig doesn't return and fulfil his contract of a 5th film, then it would be the perfect film to end it all on. They have brought it back to the beginning with more traditional Bond flair - and that's what I missed the most.
Author of 'Pussy Galore - A Representation of Women in James Bond Films'.
Active tweeter and tumbler - https://twitter.com/surrie_fullard
Great review Surrie. The points you mentioned are what make a Bond film great for me too. I must agree that the Bond girl is the most important aspect of the film for me, and she can easily make or break the film. To me, it is Bond's constant search for love, family, and normalcy that I like the most about the character. I like that his only chance of finding that love is with the women he meets on his dangerous adventures, and yet it is exactly that same lifestyle that ultimately keeps him alone. I love the cyclical nature of it all, the insanity of the repetition of love and loss, of the crazy villian he has to babysit and ultimately dispose of. I love that quote you have at the bottom of your post; I couldn't agree more with it. It's the female characters that expose the deepest realms of Bonds character. They define him. They allow us to see into pieces of the broken humanity of the character, and the humanity that remains. I'm in the US, so I haven't seen the movie yet, but from the reviews I'm reading, I think I'll be very happy with it.
CR/QoS, TLD, DN, GE, TSWLM, LTK, TND, TWiNE, TMWTGG, TB
http://www.iconicalternatives.com/author/james-brosnan/
https://www.instagram.com/shawn.michael.bongiorno/
I agree to an extent, yet there are limits to what "fanboys" will accept in terms of fan service over quality. The Star Wars prequels, for instance, are loaded with fan service. But good luck finding a Star Wars fan that has anything positive to say about those films.
It looks like SP has been designed as a fan pleaser, and I certainly appreciate that, but IMO that doesn't mean that it's crap if some fanboys or critics don't like it. It will succeed, or fail, in millions of brain-sized cinemas around the world.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I agree SP has been designed as a fan pleaser. I see nothing wrong in that - if they aren't able to please the fans time and time again then would the franchise really have lasted this long?
Author of 'Pussy Galore - A Representation of Women in James Bond Films'.
Active tweeter and tumbler - https://twitter.com/surrie_fullard
I'm a Bond fan and have seen every film in the series at the Cinema and I have enjoyed every single one of them. I was blown away in 1966ish when my elder brother took me to see Goldfinger/Thunder double bill I've been a fan ever since!! Do I still think those two films are the best in the series no, but I did 30 odd years ago.
"Do you expect me to talk? "No Mister Bond I expect you to die"
Sorry, but I think you need to take a peak at the Jedi Council Forums, or some other SW fan site. There are plenty of Star Wars fans that appreciate all six films (including myself) it's just that the hateboys took over the internet like the bullies that they are.
If there's one thing I appreciate about Bond fandom, is that it isn't as divided as it is in SW. It's the Marianna Trench on that side of the universe
The thing for me is I actually became a Bond fan cause of the darker more gritty take of the Craig early efforts, so I came late to the table (I'm 33) I did see the Bond films when they were shown on ITV back in the 90's on a Wednsday night. I wasn't that blown away aside from Connery's first four films but thanks to Casino Royale I just bought all the films on DVD and Blu ray.
I know a lot of fans wanted the fun bought back into the Bond Films, for me give me dark and gritty and downbeat over silly Bond anyday, That's why I love early Connery, Dalton and Craig and I just can't stand Moore Later Connery and Bronsan's films. Maybe that's why I couldn't quite take to Spectre as I wanted too, I just found those things creeping back in again. Maybe I'm just a miserable git
I'm 53, the same age as the franchise, so I've seen it evolve, devolve, and wax and wane over the years. Sounds like our tastes are very similar, actually! I too prefer dark & gritty, but IMO it's important to maintain a balance, if only to distinguish themselves from the competition. A bit of fun is okay :007)
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I'm a little older, but I agree with all that. Saw the film today, loved all the little touches (Hildebrand, Oberhauser, a scene from CS right down to actual dialogue), and the slightly lighter feel.
I liken this to a refreshing dessert during a 5 course meal...I've loved the complex starter (CR) the unusual fish course, that not everyone liked (qos) the interesting main course (SF) - although I prefer my steak blue, to the over cooked version we got...and now this, Spectre, the refreshing, tangy trusty lemon meringue tart, you're somewhat familiar with, which add a bit of light relief and allow you to sit back and enjoy, before the final cheese and coffee course, which is no doubt being served in Bond 25. :007)
Loeffs, don't expect a complex, gritty and dark movie...think a bit frothy and tangy with overtones of the familiar...
Well...that just happens to be what I'm hungry for
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM