I tend to only write reviews on indie movies or less well known movies that don't have many reviews, as blockbusters already have a wealth of information readily available about them. User reviews have done a great job letting me know if I should save my time and money or give a movie a shot, so I like to repay the favor. Critic reviews have never made sense to me. I am convinced they are paid by the studios or are compensated for making reviews abstract and opaque.
Most of us movie fans will see a blockbuster, no matter what. However, with the recent Transformer movies I have come to the sad realization that a big budget and well known actors cannot make a movie watchable or enjoyable. Before spending money on a movie I like to check the user reviews on this site. I am reasonable and don't give poor ratings just because I did not like a plot point or don't understand what the director was going for. But I felt so mislead by my fellows users, that I wanted to write a review.
When you buy a ticket to a Bond movie you are going in with the expectation for great action sequences, subtle and dry humor and amazing views of exotic locales. You make a deal with studio - use that big budget on explosions and great views, have beautiful girls, a few light hearted moments and we will forgive a weak plot, contrived dialogue and small gaps in logic. I think it's a fair deal. Studios and actors make a bunch of money, audience is entertained for a couple of hours and everyone is happy.
The reboot with Daniel Craig has kind of transcended that deal. With larger budgets than in the past, a gritty more serious take on Bond and sensible plot lines, we have gotten used to a great movie experience. The recent Bond films would have been great stand alone films, without the "protection" of the Bond name. And reading my fellow user reviews, I had no reason to doubt this would not be the same experience. Unfortunately, I am beginning to realize that for wide release films, die hard fans will write most of the reviews and so you do not get a fair, trustworthy review; as if they are a critic who was flown by the studio to the movie's fancy opening and felt required to write a great review. Like propaganda almost.
OK, my tirade is over. Was just so let down by the other user reviews. On to my movie thoughts.
Spectre does deliver on some of the "deal" points I mentioned earlier for the Bond films. The action sequences are tremendous. The movie opens with a long tracking shot that is pretty impressive. Amazing costumes, set design and action scenes. Some of the panoramic vista shots are awesome. And none of the action is too ridiculous to ruin our suspension of belief. Unlike some of the older bonds movies, we could go along with and believe a super agent could pull of these fight maneuvers. The first half of the movie delivers.
None of the user reviews mention the second half flaw at all, much to my chagrin. You never want to feel hoodwinked out of your money. I was never given any warning to how the plot spiraled into nonsense and was so jarred by what happened I could not enjoy the end. None of the reviews I read touched upon how outlandish the plot got. Like I said, as long as the plot makes some sense, the audience goes along with it. I was not expecting the realism or heart of Good Will Hunting, but I was expecting a super villain to have some semblance of competence.
The plot is so bad and unbelievable in the second half, it distracts from the movie and that is a fatal flaw in my opinion. When the viewer cannot stay in the moment, and the plot is so bad you are reminded you are watching a movie, it really messes up the experience. Unfortunately, I am not exaggerating. I am a Daniel Craig fan. I am a Bond fan. The plot twist literally makes no sense at all. This flaw is all the more frustrating, because of the lost potential. This isn't some low budget indie movie. The director had one of the largest budgets of all time. He could not have used some of that $250 million to pay a team of writers to work on a script. I do not understand how Hollywood veterans with the proper financial backing, can invest so much energy into costumes, stunts and locations and not give a crap about the screenplay. Sigh.
I hope my review gave you a better understanding of the what you are in for. If I had known I would get great action scenes, but not plausible plot I still would have seen the movie. I would not have felt tricked. Or maybe I could have saved my money and seen the DVD. I hope this review tempers your expectations and lets you know what you are in for.
Most of us movie fans will see a blockbuster, no matter what. However, with the recent Transformer movies I have come to the sad realization that a big budget and well known actors cannot make a movie watchable or enjoyable. Before spending money on a movie I like to check the user reviews on this site. I am reasonable and don't give poor ratings just because I did not like a plot point or don't understand what the director was going for. But I felt so mislead by my fellows users, that I wanted to write a review.
When you buy a ticket to a Bond movie you are going in with the expectation for great action sequences, subtle and dry humor and amazing views of exotic locales. You make a deal with studio - use that big budget on explosions and great views, have beautiful girls, a few light hearted moments and we will forgive a weak plot, contrived dialogue and small gaps in logic. I think it's a fair deal. Studios and actors make a bunch of money, audience is entertained for a couple of hours and everyone is happy.
The reboot with Daniel Craig has kind of transcended that deal. With larger budgets than in the past, a gritty more serious take on Bond and sensible plot lines, we have gotten used to a great movie experience. The recent Bond films would have been great stand alone films, without the "protection" of the Bond name. And reading my fellow user reviews, I had no reason to doubt this would not be the same experience. Unfortunately, I am beginning to realize that for wide release films, die hard fans will write most of the reviews and so you do not get a fair, trustworthy review; as if they are a critic who was flown by the studio to the movie's fancy opening and felt required to write a great review. Like propaganda almost.
OK, my tirade is over. Was just so let down by the other user reviews. On to my movie thoughts.
Spectre does deliver on some of the "deal" points I mentioned earlier for the Bond films. The action sequences are tremendous. The movie opens with a long tracking shot that is pretty impressive. Amazing costumes, set design and action scenes. Some of the panoramic vista shots are awesome. And none of the action is too ridiculous to ruin our suspension of belief. Unlike some of the older bonds movies, we could go along with and believe a super agent could pull of these fight maneuvers. The first half of the movie delivers.
None of the user reviews mention the second half flaw at all, much to my chagrin. You never want to feel hoodwinked out of your money. I was never given any warning to how the plot spiraled into nonsense and was so jarred by what happened I could not enjoy the end. None of the reviews I read touched upon how outlandish the plot got. Like I said, as long as the plot makes some sense, the audience goes along with it. I was not expecting the realism or heart of Good Will Hunting, but I was expecting a super villain to have some semblance of competence.
The plot is so bad and unbelievable in the second half, it distracts from the movie and that is a fatal flaw in my opinion. When the viewer cannot stay in the moment, and the plot is so bad you are reminded you are watching a movie, it really messes up the experience. Unfortunately, I am not exaggerating. I am a Daniel Craig fan. I am a Bond fan. The plot twist literally makes no sense at all. This flaw is all the more frustrating, because of the lost potential. This isn't some low budget indie movie. The director had one of the largest budgets of all time. He could not have used some of that $250 million to pay a team of writers to work on a script. I do not understand how Hollywood veterans with the proper financial backing, can invest so much energy into costumes, stunts and locations and not give a crap about the screenplay. Sigh.
I hope my review gave you a better understanding of the what you are in for. If I had known I would get great action scenes, but not plausible plot I still would have seen the movie. I would not have felt tricked. Or maybe I could have saved my money and seen the DVD. I hope this review tempers your expectations and lets you know what you are in for.