Spectre is nice addition to James Bond franchise

Movie:    Spectre

Rating:    PG-13, 2 hours 30 minutes

Grade:   B+

In a Nutshell:    When I first heard that actor Daniel Craig recently admitted he never wanted to play James Bond again, I have to admit I was shaken…..but not stirred.   Ha ha   With gorgeous landscapes in faraway lands, exciting action, and a light social commentary, this is a respectable addition to the 007 franchise.

Filled with lots of crashes, explosions, chase scenes, cool toys, beautiful women, and even a little humor to top it all off, this 24^th installment isn’t as good as the most recent Skyfall , but gives a respectful nod to the classic Bond movie still and is still very entertaining.

Uplifting Theme:

·          “We always have a choice.” – Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux)

·          Information control vs. privacy

          

Things I liked:

·         The movie starts off at a Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico City, which makes for an intriguing backdrop.  While most Americans associate skeletons with creepy Halloween decorations, Mexicans are inspired by them to think of their honored ancestors.  With a title name of Spectre , it's the perfect opening for the film.  I liked how the ring introduced the Spectre image for the story and how there are many layers of meaning behind the word in this movie.

·         FANTASTIC camera views from interesting angles.

·         Love the stunts and action from the very beginning.

·         I really love watching Christoph Waltz work his craft.  I thought he was really great in Big Eyes  You can see my movie review of Big Eyes by clicking here.

·         ·         Cliché "lose the bad guy in a parade" scene suddenly becomes interesting with a helicopter.

·         I love all the international destinations Bond travels to.

·         Ah, Ralph Fiennes.  It’s always a pleasure to see him.

·         Those blue eyes, Daniel!
       Grammy champ Sam Smith's song is #1 in the UK now and getting Oscar buzz for "Writing's On The Wall".

Things I didn’t like:

·         I didn’t care for the naked body montage during the opening credits.  (Parents, you see skin, not naughty bits.)

·         SPOILER ALERT:  I thought it was extremely odd and inappropriate for James to sleep with a woman practically minutes after her dead husband’s funeral.  I want to admire the hero, not think he is a complete scoundrel.  I know, I know, he's an assassin.  Still.

·         Such beautiful cars destroyed!

·         It was hard to see what was going on in some of the dark scenes.

·         “What do we do now?”  Quick cut to make-out scene.  Lame.

·         It’s sort of silly that James survives all kinds of fights, crashes, and even torture without even getting a scratch.  I mean, even Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson gets scratched up sometimes.  Ha ha

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Funny lines:  

·          “I believe I said to bring it back in one piece, not bring back one piece.” – Q laughing at Bond for destroying his last car and bringing back only the steering wheel.

·         “May I remind you that I answer directly to them.  Also, a mortgage, and 2 cats to feed.” – Q (played by Ben Whishaw)

“Oh, then I suggest you trust me…for the sake of the cats.” – Bond

·         “What do you do?” – Lucia Sciarra (Monica Bellucci)

“Life insurance.” – Bond

Interesting lines:

·         “He obsessed about work.  He was never home.” – Lucia

“Then, he was a fool.” – James Bond

·         “I always knew death would wear a familiar face.  But not yours…” – Mr. White

·         “She was never going to let death get in the way of her job.” – James Bond

·         “You’re a kite, dancing in a hurricane, Mr. Bond.” – Lea’s father

Tips for Parents:

·        Lots of fighting, but mostly bloodless.  There is a yucky scene where a guy gouges out another guy’s eyes and you see dripping blood.  Ick.
      Pretty clean language, considering the violence and high body count!

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Want to catch up on the latest James Bond movies?  You can start here: