Spies wrap the year in Bond fashion

Bakang Israel | Friday December 11, 2015 15:06

The film is also Daniel Craig’s fourth bite at the cherry as Bond, after taking the Bond role from Pierce Brosnan. Craig has so far featured in the following James Bond series, Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, and Skyfall. This time Bond is put to the ultimate challenge with superhuman foes such as iconic wrestler Batista. It all starts when a cryptic message from the past that sends agent 007 Bond (Daniel Craig) on a rogue mission to Mexico City and eventually Rome. While in Rome, Bond meets Lucia Sciarra (Monica Bellucci), the beautiful and forbidden widow of an infamous criminal. Bond infiltrates a secret meeting and uncovers the existence of the sinister organisation known as Spectre.

Meanwhile back in London, Max Denbigh (Andrew Scott), the new head of the Centre for National Security, questions Bond’s actions and challenges the relevance of MI6, led by M (Ralph Fiennes). Bond covertly enlists Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and Q (Ben Whishaw) to help him seek out Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), the daughter of his old nemesis Mr. White (Jesper Christensen), who may hold the clue to untangling the web of Spectre. As the daughter of an assassin, she understands Bond in a way most cannot. As Bond ventures towards the heart of Spectre, he learns of a chilling connection between himself and the enemy he seeks in Christoph Waltz.

 

Action

If you are as obsessed about movies as I am, you will sense lack of originality in the sense that the script is carbon copy of Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. Bond is after a crime organisation Spectre whilst Rogue Nation also pursued a similar nemesis in the syndicate. Another hint of such is that agent 007 tracks down villains to Africa, which is similar to Tom Cruise infiltrating the world’s most secure information hub in Morocco. Now that we have gotten the main bad deed out the way there is plenty to enjoy.

The film is so fascinating with a number of scary moments, such as the day of the dead carnival. Spectre is also very funny.

The film derives its humour from rude remarks at inappropriate times. For instance, Bond taunts Lucia Sciarra (Monica Bellucci) at the funeral of her husband for information. Lucia at some point asks Bond if he can’t see that she is mourning, to which he laughs off, as assassins have no respect for death much to the delight of the audience. The movie conveys themes of terrorism, extortion, revenge, and survival among others.

The action is just too loud, which makes the film adventurous. There are gunfights, martial arts plus hot car chases as Bond evades danger in his Aston Martin D10 while the danger is also hot on his heels on a Jaguar C-X75. The scene had the cinema engulfed in flames with the sound of horsepower of these multi-million dollar hybrid cars. The stunts though far fetched look epic, planes chase cars and so forth. As for the bad guys, Batista stole the show as a ruthless maniac. The villains this time around are pretty cool. If you watch wrestling Batista is an imposing figure of a man who makes Daniel Craig look like a coward. Batista played a big muscular henchman for the international terrorist organisation Spectre who prevented agent 007 from accomplishing his mission.

Spectre had a huge budget of $250 million dollars and the picture quality looks the part in 2D. It has shots of Mexico carnivals, Rome, snowy Austrian mountains, Tokyo sky scrappers, and African deserts, which complement the adventure element. Sam Smith did extremely well on the sound track.

 

Reception

Spectre has earned a worldwide sum of $750 million, which is impressive. It has now slipped down the pecking order at box office.

 

New movies in circuit leading at box office:

1.The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2

2.Krampus

3.The Good Dinosaur

4.Creed

5.Spectre

 

Ratings

I give the film a 7/10 for a top billed spy genre release of the year.

 

Movie: James Bond: Spectre

Genre: Action Adventure Thriller

Duration: 2hour 28 minutes

Age Restriction: 13

Release Date:  27th November

Director: Sam Mendes  

Main Cast: Daniel Craig (James Bond), Christoph Waltz (Franz Oberhauser), Léa Seydoux (Madeleine Swann), Ralph Fiennes (M), Dave Bautista Mr. Hinx)