Famed screenwriter William Goldman once declared, “If you can’t tell your story in an hour fifty, you’d better be David Lean.” With that, and the recent worrying trend of elongated running times, in mind, the announcement that Spectre would clock in at just under 2 hours and 30 minutes left me feeling instantly tired.
It’s a relief, then, that Sam Mendes - a composed and holistic filmmaker - oversees Spectre, and, like the equally Mendes directed Skyfall before it, he never allows the film to drop in enjoyment, providing utterly gorgeous visuals and slick editing throughout while also creating a haunting mood and atmosphere that is unsettling but appealing.
That being said, while Spectre is thoroughly riveting, it never quite ups the ante. Starting off at break-neck speed with a Mexican-based opening sequence that is grandiose, luscious and just downright absorbing( while also paying homage to Touch Of Evil), Spectre then follows this up with a number of captivating action set-pieces that just about match the opener, but never top it. Instead, rather than blasting its way through proceedings, it coolly saunters.
Because of this, while you will almost certainly leave Spectre feeling wholeheartedly entertained, you might also feel just a tiny bit unsatisfied because of the fact that it doesn’t build into an orgasmic climax. But there’s too much else that’s great about Spectre for that to ever come close to derailing it.
At the top of Spectre’s crowning achievements is Daniel Craig, who with his fourth outing as 007 gives the most complete, beguiling yet still complex portrayal of the spy yet. Those of you looking for proof that the average-sized, blonde-haired and blue-eyed Daniel Craig is genuinely the definitive Bond will now forever be able to present Spectre as the definitive piece of evidence. Those of you who are still doubtful probably need to question all of your previous life decisions.
Craig is unrelenting as James Bond, dismissing his superiors and taking advantage of his peers, as well as anyone else that can assist him, to make sure that he can get to his man and save the world. Is he getting the former to preserve his ego? Or saving the latter, because it’s the right thing to do? It’s murky, which makes Spectre that extra bit intriguing.
He does all this while still teasing an emotional depth and fatigue that makes his incarnation glisten with a relatability that sets him apart from previous versions. It’s almost as if John Wayne and Don Draper have merged together, put on a suave suit, and decided to save the world.