Call me a sucker but I have watched all James Bond movies ever made. And truly, James Bond is arguably the most well-made film franchise ever. I was rather disappointed by Sky Fall which in my taste was less than spectacular. I wouldn’t have paid a premium ticket price to watch a few people shooting out in a house as the climatic sequence of the longest running action adventure movie franchise.
Comparing to Sky Fall, Spectre has just the perfect mix of action, intelligence, class and spectacle. Being a filmmaker and an astute observer of cinema, I was surprised that through its 2+ hours of running time I had never checked my watch once. I daresay this is probably the first James Bond movie that has perfected its trademark title sequence through CGI with a balance of style, taste and visual effects. Remember that awfully cheap-looking Die Another Day title sequence?
Following a spectacularly colorful opening chase sequence in Mexico City set on Day of the Dead, Spectre never disappoints with a compelling story of action, drama and romance. When you watch a James Bond movie, you know exactly what’s going to happen and who’s the good, bad and ugly. It’s really about how it’s going to happen—the process. Additional kudos to Spectre for featuring the oldest Bond girl ever, Monica Bellucci. Spectre is as good as it gets… for a James Bond movie… until the next one.
