How does one follow-up the most successful film in the history of a twenty-plus movie franchise? If you’re James Bond, you go back to the basics and that is exactly what director Sam Mendes did with his follow-up to Skyfall, Spectre — out now on DVD and Blu-Ray.
Spectre finds Daniel Craig back as Bond and if he thinks he’s left his past behind with the events of Skyfall, he better think again.
The film begins in Mexico City with one of the more action packed and thrilling opening sequences in the series’ history. It appears that Bond’s gone rogue and that MI6 is not aware of his actions in the North American country. But what he does in Mexico, does not stay there either. It follows him back to England, where he must work outside the lines (there’s a fascinating sub-plot with an intelligence officer trying to close down the spy agency as relic of a bygone era) to figure out how a criminal organization is flourishing under the leadership of someone who could be quite close to Bond. Who is this mysterious soul?
For those who know the Bond series, you know well enough who that someone is, and the casting of you-know-who could not be better. Christoph Waltz is sublime as the iconic character and how he’s introduced for a new generation is bloody fantastic.
Although Spectre doesn’t hit all the high notes as much as Skyfall, it is still pretty impressive and incredibly entertaining — as we explain further in our theatrical Spectre review. This is also what we feel like is the beginning of a new era that hopefully finds Craig returning to Bond for at least one more film. It’s our first Bond film with Ralph Fiennes as M and Naomie Harris as Moneypenny. Ben Whishaw is fantastic as Q, and gets to do a whole lot more in this flick. Also awesome are the two main Bond girls, both terrific additions to that iconic legacy, Monica Bellucci (who is sadly underused… she is so good!) and Léa Seydoux as a woman who might just get our favorite spy to leave the business all-together when all is said and done!
Bond movies on Blu-Ray and DVD are known for their fantastic bonus features and Spectre is no different. As we mentioned, the film features the biggest and baddest opening sequence ever for the series that is known for kicking its film off with flash. Spectre: Bond’s Biggest Opening Sequence takes us inside the Mexico City shoot that begins with Bond in a skeleton suit (beyond brilliant) and has him experiencing thrills like no other one has before. And we thought the opening of Skyfall was un-toppable! Boy, were we wrong.
The many Spectre Video Blogs that were released over the course of the film’s shoot that features Mendes giving fans updates as to the production’s progress are included in the Blu-Ray and it’s great to witness them all at once, particularly after experiencing the film itself in its totality.
Truly compelling is the featurette Introducing Léa Seydoux and Monica Bellucci, which gives audiences an insightful introduction to the two new leading ladies in Bond’s life.
Our favorite, has to be the Guinness World Record. Who knew that after 50 years a James Bond film could still break records? The Middle Eastern set piece that finds Bond finally meeting his foe — face-to-face (the “author of all his pain”) — and it featured the largest explosion in the history of film. Witnessing it come together is a marvel for film fans who saw the scene in the movie and wondered, “How did they do that?”
Film: B (time has increased our opinion on the film)
Bonus Features: B