When Casino Royale hit the screens everything seemed to be back on track. For a series that becomes more dated as time passes, it delivered. Stunts, music, drama, character development - everything was of a much higher standard than what could have been expected after the nose dive with Die Another Day. But since the subsequent films have felt like a waste of time, in spite of Skyfall improving things after the misguided Bourne wannabe Quantum of Solace. With Sam Mendes staying on to direct I wasn't too concerned, after all he'd brought some elements that had worked. But it seems as though the critical success and the fact he's such a fan have resulted in one of the weakest 007 adventures in some time. Did a lack of pressure allow things to get out of hand? The reality is probably more complicated, in a film which is mired in it's own self aware nature, tangled in a poorly thought out script full of tone deaf social commentary and awkward plot twists.
It was a long time coming, but at last they were going to catch up with sinister organisation Quantum and it's obvious parent company, as the title suggests. Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion were at last on the cards. But even my own cynical outlook could not have predicted that these returning ideas would result in such a mess. It starts to trip on those octopus tentacles almost right away, after what is a fairly strong opening sequence. The Mexico City location has plenty of spectacle, and while the first tracking shot is a little gimmicky it's visually interesting. It's a the chase that offers plenty of thrill power. However things start to feel off early on, and it's not just because of Sam Smith's wailing vocals in the credits.
Perhaps it's the odd title card which appears after the traditional gun barrel. Maybe it's the absence of Roger Deakins, with the cinematography now being drowned in sepia and grey. Maybe it's that the characters all feel so empty for some reason. The cast is passable, but it's lacking any kind of sharp edge. Daniel Craig looks tired and seems to have his mind set on leaving the series. His delivery lacks any real spirit. The character's jaded attitude now seems to have been replaced by his his own. Christoph Waltz as the big bad doesn't fare much better, lacking the menace and charisma which clearly got him noticed when they were looking at actors and came across his work with Tarantino. The choice of casting the latest big actor is nothing they haven't done before, but the material is also lacking.
His big scheme is telegraphed way ahead of his arrival which doesn't help, it's such a predictable and trite storyline. Monica Bellucci barely makes an appearance at all making her role pointless, instead of it using the potential of a villain's widow to explore this shadowy world. Conversely the rest of the MI6 ensemble seem to have far too much screen time, despite the perfunctory appearances of Q and Moneypenny getting no additional purpose or development. Ralph Fiennes gets one of the most unintentionally funny lines the series has had for a while, but for the most part it's dry and boring far too often. The mixture of these elements is all wrong, despite this being a franchise that has so much tried and tested formula options to choose from.
Action scenes come off as equally uninspired. Even the mandatory car chase is weirdly flat and devoid of tension. The exploding control room finale seeming to be there because it's expected. Bond escapes with so little effort, and which strangely perfect marksmanship. Did they forget his struggle to get back in the field last time? There's also a laughable moment where a plane flies at ground level, and somehow manages to stay in the air despite it travelling slower than the cars it's chasing. Dave Bautista shows up as the muscle for a fist-fight on a train which is just as unsatisfying. It's all so by the numbers, so why are these tropes here if they're not being polished and perfected? It makes bringing them back at all feel like a waste of time.
As a story they totally fail to capitalise on the potential of Casino Royale's ending or the scattered pieces left by it's sequel. Instead they go overboard on the contemporary issues this time around, with multiple dialogue scenes dedicated to tedious board room debates about surveillance. Previous instalments offers ideas about hacking and terrorist plots of course, but this is too far much. The sinister Mr. White returns but the idea of him being at all sympathetic is a useless gesture. The eventual twist of who is handing out all those sinister rings and how it fits in with the other Craig adventures is frankly embarrassing at best. At worst it's a badly planned retcon which undermines what came before.
It's not entirely terrible, with some attempts at humour and a few interesting moments. But in a story which debates the relevance of the 'Double-O' section again, you have to wonder if they are asking the audience the same question. It's an odd mixture of slow, dull thriller moments, along with a lot of questionable plot developments. Even the typical capture and torture set pieces are weirdly lethargic. What happened to James Bond being a human being with serious physical and mental problems? This version of the character is looking one-dimensional suddenly. Maybe they should start all over again and get back Martin Campbell and David Arnold.
2/5
BONUS REVIEW
EVEREST (2015)
Using a true story as the basis for some disaster movie spectacle is nothing new. Everest delivers a lot of this in terms of mountain scenery, Nepal cityscapes and depictions of hostile weather. For the first half or so things also manage to maintain a good level of pacing, as the situation of commercial climbing ventures is played out. Different team members and rival companies are all introduced to set the stage. It's also interesting to see how all this works in practical terms. The use of base camps, local Sherpas and equipment to combat the physical effects of high altitudes, are all given enough attention. I found all the technical elements to be pretty engaging.
It helps that the large ensemble which includes Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal and Josh Brolin are pretty likeable. The issues come later in terms of how the story of an ascent going wrong is played out. I understand it's a movie and they have to show the actors faces without snow masks, but is it necessary to have so much forced melodrama? The situations that arise are bad enough, and it's perfectly simple to understand what is at stake. There's no need for so many satellite phone calls home, or discussions with wives about missing their anniversaries. There could have been a far greater sense of urgency and isolation without all this. Even if these are actual recorded events.
The narrative becomes clunky and distracting at times. Overall though these moments don't derail the whole thing, and it's a well made battle against the forces of nature for the most part if that's your kind of thing. But it is a disaster movie in this way, a blockbuster filled with too many of the typical clichés. For a gripping look at survival in extreme cold you'd be better off watching Touching the Void.
3/5
