James Bond, 007 (Daniel Craig), returned to our cinema screens last night in SPECTRE the latest in the Bond franchise and we popped along to the Scala Cinema Prestatyn, to check out the new movie and find out how the movie was going to pull in the earlier movies, Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace and Skyfall, in to the world of SPECTRE.
In true Scala style, the staff of the cinema put on another amazing evening for the first sold out night showing of the movie and along with the movie, the Scala Cinema opened up the relaunched Saronies bar with a special Cocktails & Mocktails evening for Bond and movie fans, the event included fun casino tables, live Bond themed music from Matty Roberts, some delicious cocktails & mocktails (for those that were driving or don’t drink alcohol).
SPECTRE: You are a kite dancing in a hurricane, Mr Bond
So the last time we saw James Bond in Skyfall, he was reeling from the loss of M (played by Judi Dench), now a cryptic message from Bond’s past send him on a mission that hasn’t been sanctioned by MI6 and here is where the movie opens up, we join Bond in Mexico City on the day of the dead for an amazing pre-credit sequence to the film which had me on the edge of my seat throughout, probably one of the best openings for a Bond film I’ve seen.
Bond heads to Rome and infiltrates a secret meeting and uncovers the existence of the sinister organisation known as SPECTRE. But back in London, Max Denbigh (Andre Scott), the new head of the Centre of National Security, questions Bond’s actions and challenges the relevance of MI6 led by M (Ralph Fiennes). Bond covertly enlists Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and Q (Ben Wishsaw) to help him seek out Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), the daughter of his old nemesis Mr White (Jesper Christensen), who may hold the clue to untangling the web of SPECTRE. As the daughter of the assassin, she understands Bond in a way most others cannot. As Bond ventures towards the heart of SPECTRE, he learns of a chilling connection between himself and the enemy he seeks.
With SPECTRE running at 150 mins it really doesn’t let you down for the running time, with great villains played by the amazing Christoph Watlz as Franz Oberhauser, a character that you really don’t want to get on the wrong side of, with his sarcastic charm and Dave Bautista as Mr. Hinx, a silent but deadly killer (a bit like Oddjob) that when we first see is straight in with a rather gruesome murder.
“You are a kite dancing in a hurricane, Mr Bond.” – Mr. White #SPECTRE
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Although there have been cuts made to the film to bring it down to a 12A, yes bums on seats seems to be more important than leaving a few seconds in a movie these days to take it from a 15 to a film for kids to join their folks to see, SPECTRE is still one heck of a film.
I never really thought that the Daniel Craig’s Bond could get any better, but as the movies have come along, each one is exciting, fun and great to watch. The script by John Logan, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Jez Butterworth has some great twists, turns and gags where some great one liners are thrown in to lighten up the mood of the film and these do work, the audience was certainly laughing away during the screening last night, always nice to break the tension in an action movie.
Director, Sam Mendes, has proved yet again that he has the touch when it comes to the 007 movies and SPECTRE is no exception, with the movie showing what can be done and how it should be done to make a Bond movie not only exciting but also visually good as well, with rumours going around that Mendes will be directing the as yet untitled “Bond 25“, here at Blazing Minds we only hope that him and Daniel Craig return for more action and adventure in the 007 franchise.
My only gripe for SPECTRE is Sam Smith’s Writing on the Wall, the official track for the film, after the amazing pre-credit start to the film and all the excitement and adrenalin that is rushing through your veins, the credits start and for me I felt let down by the song, I was hoping that the credits would work with the song, very much how Adele’s Skyfall worked perfectly with the opening visuals, but sadly no.
The track still doesn’t sound or feel like a Bond theme, it just lacks something that I can’t really put my finger on, but it is popular with the many Sam Smith fans and it is only a few minutes taken away from the film.
Overall SPECTRE is a great roller-coaster of a ride, it has everything you could possibly want from the new Bond movies, action, exotic locations (Mexico, Rome, Tangiers, Austria and of course good old London), great villains, links to earlier Bond movies (Live And Let Die, From Russia With Love and Goldfinger) and let’s not forget the Aston Martin.
If you love Bond then SPECTRE is certainly a movie you will want to see, love action movies then go see it, just don’t expect too many silly gadgets.
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