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NO TIME TO DIE Countdown: SPECTRE Revisited

NO TIME TO DIE Countdown: SPECTRE Revisited

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NO TIME TO DIE Countdown: SPECTRE Revisited

In the No Time To Die Countdown, Jake Tropila takes a look back at every Bond film – official and unofficial – in anticipation of the release of the latest entry.

Well folks, we’ve reached the end. I began this enterprise eighteen months ago, back when No Time To Die was scheduled (after multiple delays) for a November 2020 release date and the world seemed just a bit less crazy. Suffice to say that everything has changed, but this countdown marched on, determined to see things through to the end, whenever that happened to be. Many thanks to the readers who have kept up with this column during these strange times – your kind words and thoughts have been tremendous.

At the time of this writing, No Time To Die has already held its world premiere and is currently out in cinemas across the UK. The official US release date is scheduled for later this week. I’ve successfully managed to avoid hearing any word about whether or not it’s good or bad (a difficult task, but not an impossible one). Whether or not it makes for a fitting end to the Daniel Craig era remains to be seen (by me, at least). All I will say is No Time To Die is officially here, and I welcome it with great anticipation.

NO TIME TO DIE Countdown: SPECTRE Revisited
source: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

But first, Spectre. Truth be told, I think time will grow to be kinder to this film. Back in its release, expectations were monumental. Not only was Bond coming off a billion-dollar victory, but EON had just secured the rights to SPECTRE, Blofeld, et al., and were planning to make the villainous organization the central focus of Bond 24. How could you not be excited for that?

And then the film came out. While the overall response was positive, Spectre drew a lot of criticism for poor plotting, dopey reveals, and the unenviable task of trying to tie everything back to Casino Royale (part of the blame can be placed squarely at EON’s marketing efforts – more on that later). “Good, but disappointing,” you might say. But now that No Time To Die has to shoulder the burden of being Craig’s swan song, I wonder if opinions on Spectre will change.

For me, personally, I’ve always enjoyed this movie. Sure, it lacks the Deakins touch of Skyfall, Christoph Waltz is certainly no Javier Bardem, and the flaws (especially in the third act) are still readily apparent. But this could be argued about any Bond film, and I like to think of these entries as comfort food cinema: warm, reliable, and a good to spend some time with. Spectre is a film I only grow fonder of the more times I see it. Let’s discuss why. The year is 2015. Hop aboard my helicopter before it spirals out of control; it’s time to meet the past.

The Dead are Alive

Spectre immediately breaks the mold with a showy, single-take sequence that sees Bond, decked out in Day of the Dead garb, navigating a crowd of people to get to the roof of a hotel and set his sights on a target. Right off the bat, we’re off to an auspicious start, showcasing a rare, go-for-broke stylistic choice that, frankly, it wouldn’t hurt for this series to entertain more of.

The opening oner is good; the helicopter fight slightly underwhelms. There’s really not much to it, aside from Bond and Sciarra grappling in an enclosed space while the aircraft dangerously curlicues over a crowd of hundreds. Spectre has also clearly been meddled with in post-production, color timing-wise. The film sports a beige sheen that does not do the greenscreen work any solid favors. (Compared to, say, the rear-screen projection used in For Your Eyes Only. Filmmakers: bring this back!).

NO TIME TO DIE Countdown: SPECTRE Revisited
source: Metro-Goldwyn Mayer

I’ll admit, I’m a big fan of Sam Smith’s “Writing’s on the Wall.” The second (and second consecutive) Bond Song to bring home Oscar gold, I’ve never quite understood the hate for Smith’s crooning ballad. It’s no “Skyfall,” but I think it’s quite nice on its own, and instrumental sections are absolutely Bond-tastic and reverberate nicely throughout the film by returning composer Thomas Newman. What I also really love is the title sequence itself, which sees Bond and babe canoodling amongst the tentacles of a giant octopus. Yowza.

The new MI6 team has settled in nicely—I still think Fiennes is such marvelous casting as M—my only question is if they’d be willing to stick around with the franchise, long after Craig has departed. I’d reckon they wouldn’t; the problem with casting these roles with big names instead of bit players is that they’d be less likely to come around for only one scene at a time. While I do enjoy the company of Fiennes, Whishaw, and Harris, there should not be a “Scooby Gang” element that operates as a B-side to Bond’s mission. (I’m curious to see how No Time To Die deals with this.)

Skyfall was all about Bond considering his place in the world; here, the existential crisis has expanded to MI6, who have recently merged with MI5 and are facing obsolescence in the modern world. This operation is being overseen by Max “C” Denbigh, head of Joint Intelligence Service and obvious bad guy, as he’s played by evil-looking Andrew “Moriarty” Scott. I don’t mind Scott in this, I just wish we weren’t supposed to act surprised when he inevitably betrays everyone. Seriously, look at the guy and tell me he isn’t sinister.

NO TIME TO DIE Countdown: SPECTRE Revisited
source: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Regulars of this column will know I like my Bond films leisurely paced, and reader, Spectre is easy like Sunday morning. The film is more in line with From Russia with Love and Thunderball, and less in line with something as recent as Craig’s very own Quantum of Solace. At 148 minutes, it was comfortably the longest Bond film yet (a record that has now since been broken by No Time To Die), and it goes about its business in an enjoyably languorous way. Put simply: I prefer my Bond films as hangout movies, rather than watch them blitz through everything as quickly as possible.

This relaxed vibe is echoed in Craig’s performance. The once implacable killing machine has now mellowed to the levels of Roger Moore (I particularly enjoy him waving at the random henchman at Sciarra’s funeral). Even if I don’t particularly like the film he’s in, I always find Craig to be the most suitable man for the job. My heart will always be with Dalton, but Craig is consistently strong enough on his own to elevate the material considerably (even Connery had his off days).

Monica Bellucci is a very much welcome addition to the franchise. Along with being unbelievably gorgeous, she’s also a rare Bond Woman to be age-appropriate for our Bond (see also: Adams, Maude). It’s just a shame that her much-hyped appearance amounts to nothing more than a cameo. Any film would do better to feature more Bellucci.

A Kite Dancing in a Hurricane

Onto Rome. The SPECTRE meeting is wonderful, oozing atmosphere and intrigue. I do wish the organization hung around more (better yet, I’d prefer if we saw it away from Bond’s POV — even Thunderball stepped away from Connery every now and again), but what we get here is tantalizing enough. I especially love the introduction of Hinx. A silent hulk with razors embedded on the tips of his thumbs, Hinx is as deadly as they come, and Dave Bautista is terrifically menacing in the part.

It’s nice to see Mr. White again. Of all the endless connections to the past, his is the easiest to swallow, and makes for a smooth transition from QUANTUM to SPECTRE. He kills himself to protect his daughter, Dr. Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux). She’s no Vesper, but Madeleine can take care of herself — think Natalya from Goldeneye. Smart, beautiful, capable with a handgun; a real triple threat. No wonder Bond falls for her.

NO TIME TO DIE Countdown: SPECTRE Revisited
source: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

The plane chase offers some nice sequences of destruction, but the train fight is even better. A clear homage to the Bond v. Red Grant fight of yesteryear, Bond taking on Hinx is a sight to behold, as the two impeccably dressed killers smash everything in sight to try to put the other one down. I mentioned that Spectre operates on a very measured and tranquil level, but the film roars to life on the train, spiking the EKG machine and delivering a kickass highlight. As much as I enjoy Spectre, the film sure could have used more of these.

Alright, let’s talk Blofeld. Six years divorced from the release, and the ultimate name reveal is no longer hard to swallow. In case you don’t remember: after the title was announced, Waltz was announced to be the lead villain, a guy named Franz Oberhauser, the son of Bond’s old ski instructor. Nobody was fooled; everyone suspected him to be Blofeld, but EON assured us that was not the case. And then it was the case. How about that.

Look, you can’t have SPECTRE without Blofeld. I have no problem with Waltz’s casting; Waltz does his creepy Waltz thing well. I do take umbrage with him being retconned as Bond’s foster brother; was this really necessary? But I think my biggest issue with the character is that I just never found Blofeld to be that interesting. Think of all the great Bond villains—Goldfinger, Scaramanga, Zorin—all are more exciting and memorable than any iteration of Ernst Stavro. (The cat and the eye also seem like steps to far – if you’re gonna keep Blofeld, make him his own man!)

NO TIME TO DIE Countdown: SPECTRE Revisited
source: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Tying everything back to Casino Royale also seems like a mistake. Le Chiffre and Dominic Greene being a part of QUANTUM, a branch of SPECTRE, is fine, but why drag Silva into this? His motivation was purely a personal vendetta against M — no need to retroactively make him a member of this criminal organization. The “author of all your pain” business feels a little clunky, and also, how the hell did Blofeld kidnap Madeleine and set-up that funhouse maze in the old MI6 building so quickly? Seems like an unnecessary bit of work just to kill a guy.

Rest assured, all of these are minor quibbles, not earth-shattering revelations. I still enjoy the climax of Spectre a great deal. M sends Denbigh off with a choice line (“Now we know what ‘C’ stands for”) and Bond shoots a helicopter down with a handgun, a choice that is so stupid I actually like it. Blofeld is apprehended and SPECTRE’s plot to take over the world’s surveillance is foiled.

Conclusion: Spectre

So, that’s Spectre. The film ends with Bond riding off into the sunset with Madeleine, destination unknown. Where he ends up, we shall see. As for the film itself, I’ve always been a fan, even with the flaws considered. This being the most recent film makes it the most difficult to discuss. Was it unfairly maligned at the time? I wouldn’t go that far, but I do think people will look back on Spectre more fondly. For me, the fact remains: Spectre is an immensely enjoyable Bond outing, and grows stronger with each passing viewing.

And that’s a wrap for the countdown! Stay tuned for my official review of No Time To Die. I will return!

What do you think? Is Spectre better than people gave it credit for? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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