Since the brilliant rejuvenation of James Bond with Daniel Craig, he's been an "every other one" kinda Bond. While I feel like Spectre is at the lower end of the Craig totem, a low grade Daniel Craig bond is still better than almost every single Dalton and Brosnan Bond (we all know Goldeneye was great). To me, Casino Royale is one of the best Bond films ever made... not just of Craig's filmography, but the entirety of the Bond universe. Since then it's been every other movie that has lived up to expectation. Quantum of Solace had a lot of pressure to be just as good and while the first hour was decent, the entire film fell flat in the last hour. No more action. No more fun. Just blah. Then came Skyfall to remind us how awesome Daniel Craig actually is and what a superb Bond villain looks like. So, naturally how do we follow up a stellar Bond villain performance by Javier Bardem? The greatest acting villain of the 20-tweens... Christoph Waltz. And while Waltz was born to be a Bond villain, unfortunately the movie around him doesn't really stack up to the par we know Craig and Co. can live up to.
Since Skyfall, MI6 has rebuilt, but they've also been corporate'd up. With a new head boss trying to eliminate the double-O program, Bond is off to solve a mystery surrounding the late M's death. This leads him to a secret society headed by Waltz's character, Blofeld. He casually announces he's been the catalyst surrounding all of the deaths of women Bond has loved (though it's never explained exactly how...). This spirals Bond's adventure off to meet former villains, a new Bond girl (meh), a new henchman (kinda cool), and a lot of explosions that may or may not make a lot of sense. It isn't the best put together Bond of the bunch, but it does have its moments and it's still a hell of a lot better than Quantum.
What works well: The cinematography is brilliant. Every shot is gorgeous and the set pieces are breath-taking. Sam Mendes proves once again that he is a master of his craft and has definitely earned the right to make two Bond films in a row. The opening sequence is one of the best of any Bond films. It's right up there with the parkour scene in Casino Royale. The opening of this film (mostly done in a one-shot take) is the most memorable scene of the film. The action sequences (including a helicopter scene) are better than expected and definitely live up to the Bond name. Daniel Craig, though he's getting a little older, a little more tired, is still a very likable and capable Bond himself. Christoph Waltz is a great villain, both calm and ferocious. And Dave Bautista brings his own silent charm as a stereotypical henchman a la Oddjob.
What's not working in the film: Pretty much everything else. Starting with the song after the opening sequence... it sucks. A lot. Sam Smith has no business affiliating with any Bond film ever. The story, while definitely intriguing throughout, is still a little bit strange. The new Bond girl, while gorgeous and a great actress, has very little chemistry with Craig. I didn't believe their love for a second. The last forty minutes of the film or so have a very strange feel to it. While it isn't bad, it just takes a weird left turn to camp-town instead of staying grounded in reality like the previous Bonds have done. I see what they're trying to do with it with the barrage of homages to past Bond films (like an injury to the villain that cuts his face, and the appearance of a white fluffy cat, and the big henchman that doesn't talk) but with the Daniel Craig Bond films, we've been led to expect reality within the world. Once you get to "No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die", we giggle at the reference, but it takes us out of the reality of this Bond.
Then there's just stupid moments like when one pipe in a giant volcanic underground laboratory gets bashed... the entire thing blows up. Or when a henchman is killed after a huge fistfight and Bond asks, "What now?" and it cuts to him and the girl in bed... it starts to feel weird. At the very climax of the film at the end, there's just this strange aura around it where it doesn't feel like any of the previous Craig films, but has gone right back to campy, silly, improbable Bond.
I'm not saying that this is what kills the movie, but it sticks out like a sore thumb and gives the movie a strange feel. I still enjoyed watching it and was amazed by the spectacle of the action, but I was left confused and wanting more. If this is the last Bond with Craig... I suppose it's a decent send-off. I, however, would like one more because if history tells us that he's an "every other movie" kind of Bond... the fifth one will be the perfect send off.
C+
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