Spectre (2015) - Mendes' 2nd Bond is mostly good

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Daniel Craig looks snug and ready for action on the poster for Sam Mendes' Spectre

Spectre is the 24th Bond film. It is the second by British master filmmaker Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road (2008)), his 7th film overall. It is written by Neal Purvis (Johnny English (2003)), John Logan (Skyfall (2012)), Jez Butterworth (Black Mass (2015)) and Robert Wade (Die Another Day (2002)), based on Ian Fleming's (Diamonds Are Forever (1956)) characters.

While M and his spy service is under pressure in London from a new hotshot, who thinks traditional intelligence is antiquated, Bond chases leads to find and apprehend the leader of the evil SPECTRE organization.

Spectre opens with a high-octane chase that ends in a spectacular helicopter finale at the Day of the Dead in Mexico City, one of the film's highlights.
Besides the exciting action scenes that are a key part of the films, and which don't disappoint here, Spectre is a rich serving of lots of elements of story, characters and style. Thomas Newman's (Bridge of Spies (2015)) immersive score also works its charms professionally. Spectre is a highly entertaining cocktail, which brings the new Bond back to some of the roots of the story universe, links the former three films, and throws out some of the solemnity and grey seriousness of the same three previous films. It slices the Bond babe ingredient from the 007 recipe in favor of connecting Daniel Craig's (Munich (2005)) Bond with Léa Seydoux (Blue Is the Warmest Color/La Vie D'Adèle (2013)).

Craig has grown on me, and I think he has grown into a good Bond for me by now, although I still don't appreciate his diva-ish snide comments about his character and the Bond universe (which, besides being nearly universally beloved, is also making Craig a very wealthy man.) But boy can Craig wear the hell out of a tailored suit and some awesome shades!
Magnificent Monica Bellucci (Malèna (2000)) is in the film for precious few moments, regrettably. Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)) is another newcomer that seems an obvious fit as a brutish henchman. He is great here and very exciting against Craig, who also has a fine fight scene with him on a train through North Africa, besides a fun car chase in Rome. Irish Andrew Scott (Pride (2014)) is an appropriately disgusting fellow as the surveillance-obsessed new London power-person; part of this side of the plot seems to have been directly inspired by the News of the World scandal and Britain's general surveillance obsession.
Naomie Harris (Ninja Assassin (2009)) is delightful as Miss Moneypenny; Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)) is good if barely noticeable as M; Jesper Christensen (The Bench/Bænken (2000)) returns for a frightening, strong scene as Mr. White; and Ben Whishaw (The Danish Girl (2015)) still brings personality and life to the character of Q. - Although I am disappointed that the Bond writers, who seem to here have created the first major character who is both gay and a good guy, (I can count at least 3 gay villains from past Bond movies in my memory right now), but who they don't allow a normal home life with a boyfriend or husband. Instead Whishaw's Q lives with his cats ... which sucks!
SPOILER Christoph Waltz (Carnage (2011)) brings the old heavy of Blofeld to life here again, and we are given new details about Bond and Blofeld's intricate backstory, which I had never heard before. Waltz makes sure not to overplay, but perhaps should have gone more for the jugular after all. Still it is exciting to have Blofeld back.
Spectre runs long, at 148 minutes, - a Bond movie shouldn't ever be longer than 130 minutes is my best calibration, and the pomposity of the length hurts the film.
SPOILER Waltz' Blofeld seems destined to be the cornerstone of the next Bond as well, as he probably breaks out of jail, which I am already looking forward to.

Related posts:

Sam Mendes:  Skyfall (2012) - Overly celebrated third pout from Daniel Craig as Bond in slick production
Away We Go (2009) or, Where Do We Start This Family?
American Beauty (1999) or, Escape by Death

Most of the cast with director Sam Mendes at the London premiere for Spectre

Watch the exciting trailer for the film here

Cost: 245-300 mil. $
Box office: 108.4 mil. $ and counting
= Too early to say
[Spectre is one spectacularly expensive film, ranking among the priciest of all to date: It will have to become a major, global hit to make back its budget and possibly emerge with profits. It was filmed in England, Rome, Austria, Mexico City and in Morocco. Spectre broke UK's opening day and opening week records, and it looks like it will get a warm reception in North America as well. Spectre is fresh at 62 % with a 6.4 critical average on Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Spectre?