You’d think after more than 50 years of a franchise, the filmmakers would start running out of ideas. After all, there’s only so many world-saving missions that one would expect and want to see featuring a suave secret agent. And yet, the James Bond 007 films have used the same formula over and over again and we’re still handing over millions of dollars to keep on seeing the world’s favorite secret agent drive fancy cars, interact with beautiful women and take down diabolical villains. Unlike its predecessor “Skyfall,” “Spectre” doesn’t explore anything particularly new in the character of James Bond, but still continues the style of a gritty, real-world, post-9/11 Bond while also paying homage to the classic Bond we once knew.
“Spectre” acts as a sort of finale to the previous three films, connecting all the story arcs and characters by pointing to one man as the mastermind: Franz Oberhauser, portrayed by Christoph Waltz (“Django Unchained”), the leader of the mysterious organization Spectre. The problem, however, is that this “reveal” of there being a mastermind responsible for the events of previous films doesn’t feel satisfactory, as it’s clear this was not a plan the producers of the series had all along since “Casino Royale.” It’s a nice afterthought to make this film come off as the culmination of Daniel Craig’s run (even though he might have one more film after this). And if you’re familiar with Spectre, which was the original evil organization Sean Connery’s Bond fought against, then the big “reveal” of Waltz’s character is not going to be all that surprising to you, but it’s still enjoyable to see this Bond film paying homage to its roots.
In a modern world of drones and constant surveillance, the Daniel Craig era of the Bond series is unlike any of the other Bond films from “Dr. No” to “Die Another Day.” Grounded in a dark and realistic world, gone are the campy gadgets, punny one-liners and women with oddly sexual names (Pussy Galore, Agent Triple X, Holly Goodhead). Craig’s Bond is a brutish assassin who has more than his share of inner demons — he is essentially a bad guy who works for the good guys. While “Spectre” still has a similar tone to the previous Craig installments, it’s also the most fun out of them all, being by far the most Bond-like entry in Craig’s run. Craig’s biggest flaw in his portrayal of Bond has been his inability to capture the secret agent’s humor as well as his predecessors. While not entirely remedied, this is probably the most lighthearted his portrayal has ever been.
“Spectre” doesn’t quite reach the same heights as “Skyfall,” but that doesn’t make it a bad film. Other Bond actors have had that one film that none of their subsequent entries could top (Connery, “Goldfinger”; Roger Moore, “The Spy Who Loved Me”; Pierce Brosnan, “GoldenEye”), but that doesn’t mean their following films weren’t nearly as fun and enjoyable. “Spectre” is no different; it is still a strong entry in the series and continues to secure Agent 007 as a relevant character in the modern world. Looking back at the character’s filmography, the series has certainly had its ups and downs, but “Spectre” only helps the series continue on its long-running wave of quality and success.
