SPECTRE

UK, 2015, 148 minutes, Colour.
Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Wishaw, Naomie Harris, Andrew Scott, Rory Kinnear, Monica Bellucci, Dave Bautista, Jesper Christensen.
Directed by Sam Mendes.

The on-screen James Bond is 53 years old, arriving in the form of Sean Connery in Dr No in 1962. Spectre is the 24th official James Bond film, though there have been some others including Sean Connery in Never Say Never Again. And this is the fourth film with Daniel Craig who has proven himself a popular, if quite different, James Bond.

The previous film, Skyfall, made quite an impact on audiences and the box office. While it had the usual ingredients, it presented a more human James Bond, especially in his relationship with M, played in all the Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig films by Judi Dench. Audiences emotions were shaken and stirred by her death at the end of Skyfall – though we are all happy that she has a few moments video glimpses in Spectre. Ralph Fiennes was taking over at the end of Skyfall and is in command here, though not entirely in command because there are moves afoot to combine MI5 and MI6 and the MI6 building is in a state of collapse.

This is the background for the action of this film, fulfilling most of the expectations of the conventions of the James Bond film – but with some differences.

As so often, the opening is quite spectacular, filmed at The Day of the Dead in Mexico City, crowds, costumes and masks to represent the dead, elaborate processions, with Bond present, using a woman to get into a hotel but with operational intentions to listen to the group planning sabotage and to shoot the leaders. He is in some danger as the whole building almost collapses on him. The main assassin gets away and there is a pursuit through the procession, and in the helicopter which came to rescue the villain, soaring over the crowds and eventually crashing – but with Bond escaping.

M is not particularly pleased and stands Bond down. Bond does his tests with Q – Ben Whishaw taking over the role effectively and having much more to do in this film, as does Miss Moneypenny, Naomie Harris, helping Bond with research, with technology. The fly in the ointment, so to speak, is C, Andrew Scott, who is all for security and surveillance but not in favour of democracy and thinks the 00 division is out of date.

Bond, taking Q’s brand-new super-technology car, follows links to Rome, goes to the funeral of the deceased assassin, encounters his wife, Monica Bellucci. The tradition of the Bond girls is changed in this film, Bond relating only to the widow and to Madeleine, Lea Seydoux, the actual sexual encounter scenes quite truncated and brief.

Further action, in the Bond tradition of multi-locations, takes place in Austria, where he encounters Mr White from Casino Royale, tracks down his daughter, Madeleine, who grew up learning about Spectre, with the action then transferring to Morocco, to the desert with a spectacular fight on a train, the headquarters of the arch-villain, played by Christoph Waltz.

More explosions in Morocco and then a finale back home in London involving the collapse of the MI6 building, helicopter pursuit and crash on Westminster Bridge, and a moral dilemma for Bond himself as to how he will treat the arch-villain on the Bridge, with M beckoning on one side and Madeleine watching on the other.

We are given small family details about Bond and his growing up, which gives the film a more humane touch, as does Daniel Craig, especially in his relationship to Madeline, even though he is still adept at doing battle with enemies.

Audiences will all welcomed the final statement, which always appears, “James Bond Will return”.

1. The 24th James Bond film? Audience expectations? Fulfilled?

2. The James Bond genre and conventions? Bond himself, MI6 and the authorities, conspiracies and villains, multi-locations, the Bond girls, the musical score, a last-minute countdown?

3. Daniel Craig as Bond? Not so suave, direct in his approach, his motivations, his reflections on his life, going into action, his independence, his relating to the authorities, his contacts and using them, relationships? The women, exercise of violence? His final decision on Westminster Bridge?

4. The action, stunts, special effects? The collapse of the building in Mexico, the chase along the Tiber, action in Austria and the chase, the plane? Morocco, the train, Blofeld’s complex and the explosion, the collapse of the MI6 building?

5. The title, Blofeld and his explanations, the link with Bond, childhood, rivalry, his alleged death, his building up the criminal empire, the villains of the previous films in his control, exercising sabotage, the attempt in Mexico City? The Rome meeting, Bond with the Spectre ring, at the table, the views of the members of Spectre, the man volunteering to be an assassin, the large man and his killing him, brutality? Austria, surveillance of Bond with Mr White, the kidnapping of Madeleine? His headquarters in Morocco, Bond arriving, taking Bond and Madeleine? The torture, the watch and the explosion, the injury to his eye and the scar, in London and the collaboration with C, the final confrontation with Bond, behind the glass, the setting of the bomb, in the helicopter, the crash, the explosion on Westminster Bridge, his being left on the road, the final words to Bond, his being arrested by M?

6. Mexico, the men walking, the Day of the Dead, the extensive pageantry, the crowds, Bond with the girl, entering the building, taking off his mask, shooting the assassins as they were planning, his overhearing? The escape of the villain, the collapse and explosion, the chase through the crowds, the helicopter overhead, the action of the helicopter flying, the fight inside, the man falling to his death? Bond going to Rome, Lucia and the funeral, going to her house, her fatalistic attitude, her dead husband, the sexual encounter, the ring, his continued pursuit?

7. The Rome meeting, getting in, listening, his being recognised, the brutality of the death of the assassin, his skill in escaping, the car, its versatility, the chase along the Tiber, pushing the slow driver, into the river, his being ejected, walking through the streets?

8. MI6, the issue of the merger, the role of M, his being unhappy, taking Bond to task about Mexico, standing him down? Moneypenny, her role, Tanner, with Bond in the launch? Bond and his quest, the previous M in the video, her urging him on? Sharing this with Moneypenny? Going to Q, the test of his strength, the blood and the insert, his being able to be traced and tracked? The car, Bond taking it?

9. C, the plans, the theory about surveillance and security, his attitude towards democracy, the discussions with M? The 00 program as obsolete? The Tokyo meeting, his speech, the vote, South Africa voting no? M confronting him, his having a second meeting, getting the vote? The new building, the demolishing of the old?

10. Austria, Bond going to see Mr White, finding him, his hut, the surveillance camera, memories of the past, his wife and daughter, wanting to save his daughter, his being poisoned, Bond’s pledge, White killing himself, the tape and its being played later for Madeleine?

11. Finding Madeleine, at the medical centre, the interview, the questions, her hostility, Bond seeing her taken, his meeting with Q, the cars, the plane, the elaborate chase, the plane in the wind and its being clipped in the forest, going down the mountain side, the snow? The rescue and her being ungrateful?

12. Morocco, finding the house, the puzzle, the mouse and false wall, finding the documents and videos? Going on the train, the glamour of the meal, the brutal fight and the man falling of the train?

13. Q, the laboratory, the car, the blood tests, his being in Austria, helping Bond and Madeleine? The threats, on the cable car, eluding the pursuers? Q and his loyalty, and doing the favours for Bond? The watch and its successful use?

14. The tradition of the Bond Girls, the sexual encounters? Being restrained here? The activity truncated? With Lucia after the funeral, Madeleine and her resistance, her change? Involved with the action, Bond trying to teach her how to use the gun, her knowledge and using it on the train, the return to London, in the street, her walking away, and her presence on the bridge at the end and Bond’s choice to go to her?

15. Moneypenny, work at the office, doing the investigation for Bond, her friends – and telling Bond to get a life? The leads, under surveillance, at the end, With M?

16. M, the discussions with C, the deadline, C and his talking about old methods being obsolete, not believing in democracy, the struggle with M, falling to his death?

17. The climax, Bond in the old building, the confrontation with Blofeld, the ticking bomb, searching for Madeleine, finding her, the escape, the explosion in the building collapsing? Shooting at the helicopter? In the boat? At Westminster Bridge?

18. Bond and his final dilemma, his choice for Madeleine, confronting Q – and taking the car?