Mark Kermode review Spectre

[@BenCol]

My problem with 'Spectre' is that it felt like they were reintroducing Blofeld and SPECTRE only because they could. See, Blofeld wasn't created by Ian Fleming, but by another guy called Kevin McClory. The Bond producers couldn't then use Blofeld because McClory owned the rights (McClory is the one who made the unofficial 'Never Say Never Again' in 1983). Only in 2013 did the Bond producers manage to secure the rights to Blofeld from McClory's estate. What made Blofeld so effective in the Connery/Lazenby days was because they took their time. He was established him as an unseen behind-the-scenes figure in 'Russia' and 'Thunderball', revealing him in 'Twice', before making him the main baddie in 'Majesty's', which ends with him killing Bond's wife. Then 'Diamonds' ruined it by caving in to public outcry that 'Majesty's' wasn't camp enough and the revenge plot that it should have had got completely ruined. Anyway... 'Spectre' feels like they're trying to do the whole thing in one go, and it feels rushed as a result. Why? Because Craig's tenure is almost over and they had to hurry up. You can tell they wanted to use Blofeld and SPECTRE from the outset, from 'Casino Royale', but for legal reasons they had to use Mr. White and Quantum. But when they secured the rights, they reveled at the fact they could finally use Blofeld, and had to make up for lost time. If they had waited until Craig's tenure was over and started the whole plot thread with Bond actor #7, I think it would have been stronger. But no, they were impatient, and thus we were left with this. A good film, but not anything more than that. Also why is Blofeld Bond's brother now? I really felt that wasn't necessary. It smacks of trying too hard to be "deep". And look, I've rambled on for far too long...again.

[@ThemeParkChomp]

Zemplin Castellan Blofeld could have been brilliant but they really over-burdened it and then under delivered anything remotely intimidating or memorable that Blofeld does. It was just Blofeld for the sake of it

[@wtessler]

I think Kermode saw a different Spectre than everyone else did.

[@fiddledotgoth]

Yup, he sold his credibility for this film; hope it was worth it...

[@pts5217]

True Gooner I seemed to be in the minority, but I enjoyed Spectre quite a bit despite its obvious flaws, although Kermode seems to be selling his credibility here. I place it firmly above QOS in my Daniel Craig Bonds. QOS was ruined by its pretentious/hipster director.

[@h.b.smith_writer]

@@fiddledotgoth Sold his credibility? Wow aren't you the smarter critic.👨‍🏫

[@fiddledotgoth]

@@h.b.smith_writer Out of all the many and various expressions of disappointment at this review, you appear to not only disagree but have actually taken considerable offense at my admittedly brief but not unusually disdainful assessment; I have to say I'm somewhat baffled...

[@65g4]

I actually like Spectre quite a bit yeah it wasnt good as Skyfall but skyfall set a pretty high mark. I think it had great action and really good stuff going on

[@livingreminder101]

I seldom disagree with Mr. Kermode, but I thought Spectre was almost unbearably bad. And it's one thing to like it, but to say that Swann was fully-rounded, that the plot made sense and that there were several laugh-out-loud zingers is ludicrous. But I imagine it would be somewhat awkward to trash the film at a live, Bond-themed special.

[@TheHolyMackarel]

I loved Skyfall and was blown away by the first 30 mintues of Spectre, but then... oh god the last 2/3 of this movie was awful. Such cheesy, cliche, contrived dialogue, and the plot was done 10x better by Mission Impossible earlier this year, which is a critique I never thought I'd make of a Bond film.

[@bunkerbill]

Casino Royale was just amazing. That's all you need to know.

[@eddiecampion2410]

So true

[@jazzx251]

+Alec Kerrell Casino Royale was a kick in the balls for James Bond.

[@shawklan27]

+Mai Nem I see what you did there.....

[@eddiecampion2410]

***** Sorry I have to disagree with u there .ok the watch was bad but apart from that I didn't notice it all that much.The film was brillant and martin campbell is a brillant bond director better than sam mendes in my opinion.

[@eddiecampion2410]

bighands69 casino royale was much better than spectre I think

[@Doogal_UK]

Love the bags over the laptop to prevent product placement

[@percdann]

+Haniff Din You need some charisma and a hint of charm, bud.

[@BigAlFiGala]

+percdann Dont waste your time, he's a moron :)

[@AScannerDarkly22]

I saw this last night and I honestly have no idea Mark is so full of praise for this. It's by no means a terrible movie, it's solidly put together, but it has numerous problems that took me out of the film. As for the jumps, I have no idea what Mark is talking about, I saw them coming a mile off.

[@Daskaar]

Spectre is a weirdly emotionless movie, Bond is stoic and none of the actors seem to 'be there'. Just about all jokes fell flat to me and the packed cinema i was in. I like the idea of going back to the old goofier bond, but this just didnt work for me. I felt like i felt as a kid watching Bond on TV, i got distracted and bored halfway through. Good for you if you enjoyed it though!

[@fringelilyfringelily391]

You might as well leave after the admittedly excellent Day of The Dead sequence.

[@delbongo]

I saw Spectre with nine other people, and every last one of us hated it. I usually trust Kermode, but this show's close affiliation with Bond (specials about Bond music et al) and the fact that Sam Mendes was basically in the room when he reviewed it, makes me really suspicious. Most of all though: were these zingers he speaks of? This is one morose and humourless movie...

[@stevemaru9561]

+delbongo There were a few...The most memorable, for me was, 'I guess we know what C stands for...' Hardiharhar...ugh.

[@saltycrunch]

+steve maru But M ruined the zinger by saying "...Careless". The script should have just left the line hanging in the air - the humor comes from everyone knowing what "c" word he means.

[@stevemaru9561]

Yeah totally, it was made a bit too family friendly.

[@superdudeo]

How could Kermode honestly give an impartial review for this after the show got to interview Mendes and Craig? The Kermode I know would not have given it such high praise, there are manifold issues with Spectre. Seydoux, Waltz and Bellucci - all great actors had nothing to do and I suspect the rewrites the film had to go through are the problem. It makes it seem like Skyfall was a fluke for Mendes.

[@superdudeo]

+bighands69 Don't speak for other people. You may be pleased by watching Transformers but most are not. I'm not asking for deep character development, only that the 5 mins of time that Madeline Swann spent with Bond ( and for her to then claim she loved him) to be fleshed out at least a little.

[@superdudeo]

+thedocak 7 Again, I'm not asking for a complex love story, only that we as an audience can believe why Bellucci slept with Bond after knowing him 2 mins and why Seydoux loved him after knowing him a few days. It's not that hard to understand.

[@halflucan]

+Chris C (cossy) *spoilers* Admittedly, Bellucci having

[@ChrisDyn1]

+Chris C (cossy) No, Skyfall sucks too, you just noticed this time.

[@phelimheming8593]

+Chris C (cossy) Right. Either he has been spoken to or he is losing it

[@Redem10]

That moment when a movie you were hyped for get a good critic by a reviewer you love

[@PauLtus_B]

+Redem10 … But don't get too exited. Really high expectations can kill a good experience.

[@PauLtus_B]

Full Metal Hobbit If you go in expecting to be dissapointed you won't be dissapointed fast.

[@jingham9]

+Jack Tilley why should you have the only opinion I personally preferred skyfall but if you don't that's fine just don't say everyone is wrong if they have a different taste in movie's

[@phelimheming8593]

+DevilMaskMedia it really sucks

[@jingham9]

Phelim Heming it's not that bad

[@f1delio]

this film was so disappointing, what the heck mark?!

[@pigknickers]

+Lively bought and paid for I shouldn't wonder

[@unicornonthecob4302]

+Lively As a lifelong Bond fan, I sadly have to totally agree.

[@fiddledotgoth]

@@pigknickers Yup, he sold his credibility for this film; hope it was worth it...

[@paulrawes]

Spectre is systemic garbage!

[@MagikarpMaestro]

Thought Spectre was very bland and appeared to have no substance. the action was dull and held no tension. The characters were also very bland and had no development or explanation as to why and what they're doing (villains especially). Overall I'd give it a 5/10 but my opinion is invalid amongst the rest.

[@BoxyTheSpaceDog]

+Nathan Smith I heard bad reviews from others too but don't let fanboys hear us.

[@sleepyazathoth5238]

The movie starts with a long tracking shot? That's awesome.

[@sonofliberty1]

+The Wilfred Money for old Rope. Thank you, I'm here all week.

[@simonthebison]

+The Wilfred Always a good sign.

[@MikeMJPMUNCH]

+The Wilfred Not that the rest of the film isn't great but the opening is certainly a big highlight, so well done.

[@JasonPerryman]

+The Wilfred It's a great tracking one shot. Starts from a wide angle of the festival then follows Bond into a room and keeps going. You wonder how they did it.

[@halflucan]

Opening scene is easily one of the best i have ever seen ever. The oneshot is a nice touch, but the build up and the music, its just fantastic!

[@weps8983]

I will never watch another review of any film from this man again.

[@HairyMart]

In the packed screening I saw it in - not so much holding breath moment, but plenty of fidgeting and looking at watches wondering when it was going to crawl to end

[@SN-ox6co]

This is the first time I really disagree with Kermode in the sense that I really don't even see what he's talking about. And I could even totally understand how he enjoys the Twilight series. I really did not enjoy Spectre. I thought the Craig Bond taking a step back into classical Bond style was awkward and there was too much tease towards

[@BackToBasics90s]

Audience in this look a step away from death. Guy in the middle at 1:48 looked like he was intently listening and leaning forward, but then on a second viewing, it looks more like he's trying his best to stop his head from falling off his shoulders. How were they picked for this? I would be happy to go along if there was another one, if only just to show some actual enthusiasm.

[@christopherfaulkner9197]

+MainlineDnB They look like they need a bit of sunlight.

[@shalashaskalives]

To be fair it's probably disbelief at how thick Kermode is layering it on with this one. I'm sorry but it can't possibly be as good as this description. For god's sake it's a Bond movie; guns, cars, babes and swathes of product placement. He got totally swept away here. He did this to some extent with Prometheus, dug his heels in and gave full support to an ultimately lacklustre blockbuster, then backed in a big way a year later..

[@shalashaskalives]

+Clara Going Bye Bye Yes that's fine, but the point is he admitted the film is very much flawed, having lavishing it praise upon release, with no mention of flaws.

[@sylvesterstallon3]

let us remember this as a rare example of the good doctor's missteps

[@489Acresofwheat]

I feel as if Spectre was very much a style-over-substance screenplay. Seydoux is a promising actress but was instead given a surface-level role which could only challenge the acting ability of Will Ferrell, a single example out of many. Christoph Waltz's character was totally unnecessary and really pushed him towards the 'I'm the big baddie and I'm very evil' style of presentation. This moment was captialised when he reveals his eye-scar. I honestly thought the era of cliche antagonists, with their eye-scars and furry cats (also a trait of Waltz's character), was over. I expected Spectre to enthrall me, as did Skyfall and Casino Royale, but sadly I was left a fool who spent too much on cinema tickets.

[@lycangold]

+TheSnelly101 "reveals his eye-scar" - cannot believe they did that, kill me now

[@stevemaru9561]

+TheSnelly101 Did you ever see 'Everything Must Go' or 'Stranger Than Fiction'? Will Ferrell was really good in those.

[@lagerhound]

+TheSnelly101 Christoph Waltz was wasted in this film. I didn't like Skyfall and didn't like this either, can't understand how it got all those 5-Star reviews. Also it was too far-fetched. You expect to suspend your disbelief a lot in James Bond films, but this was just rubbish.

[@Onmysheet]

Monica Belucci was wasted the most! But overall, I enjoyed it.

[@gun1987gunn]

Only listening to mark beautifully talk about how good a movie is can make me wanna go and see it.

[@mrt445]

+gun1987gunn I rarely ever watch a review on this channel that isn't done by mark.

[@MrJohncastillo1]

Yh i normally only watch Mark's reviews. But check out the Inside Out review, don't remember the guy's name but it was a fantastic review.

[@Zanders459]

I usually agree with everything the man says, but did I watch the same film. So meandering and bland

[@Sunshine-vw4xx]

After 53 years and 24 films, is it too much to, ahem, exSpectre bit more?

[@Sunshine-vw4xx]

***** Well then you must be too stupid to understand it.

[@Sunshine-vw4xx]

***** its not hipster talk its just a pun.

[@Sunshine-vw4xx]

***** well you have no sense of humour.

[@reelschannel7782]

Isn't that a quote from another critics review on RottenTomatoes?

[@Sunshine-vw4xx]

ReelsChannel well it was good and i thought people would like it,

[@kevinericsongs]

how much was Kermode paid for his bond review?

[@iposooa]

I don't think we watched the same film mate. Spectre manages to destroy the new Daniel Craig epoch that was built on realistic innovations from Casino Royal and Skyfall. I felt like I was watching a parody of bond. Lets hope this is not a return to the predictable PS Brosnan era or me and my audience will move one.

[@MicahYongo]

+iannish posooa So true. Felt as though what I was watching was more a cartoon than a film. The cheese and cliche in the final two thirds was overwhelming.

[@yakuza01]

+iannish posooa I agree. Even though I liked Skyfall fine, there were little things like the Komodo dragon pit fight that made me nervous about the direction they could potentially take and Spectre pretty sums up those fears. They tried to put a Bond who brutally killed 2/3 people with his bare hands in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace in a Roger Moore/Pierce Brosnan world and it just doesn't work. I know some people miss Q and his gadgets and all the silliness from older Bond movies but frankly, that one of the main things that caused the franchise to grow stale by Die Another Day. Besides, there is now competition that plays that 'game' better than Bond does (the MI franchise probably being on top of that list). I wanted Craig to stay for one more movie but if this the direction they are going with, I say let him go and let his suffering end.

[@josiahferrell5022]

Just thought I'd leave this here, 6 years later. I remember seeing the movie while sitting at home -- in less than ideal circumstances for my own viewing preference -- and not really loving it. Just now, though, I have re-watched in a better mood and setup and thought it was really good. I don't get the hate nor understand why I didn't like it that much before. It isn't the best, but still quite good. Just wanted to let Mark know that not everyone here hates his take on this, though I do admit confusion at "laugh-out-loud" moments. I don't recall any of those.

[@djuk6573]

On telly tonight, any good?

[@SolarDragon007]

What are audiences smoking in the UK? This film was disappointing as hell. Honestly, I thought it was only slightly better than Quantum of Solace, but at least that film was more ambitious in its themes. This film just tries to tie all the previous films together and ends up making a nonsensical mess out of the Craig movie continuity.

[@matthewlewis2072]

I actually thought Spectre was a bit too much like "Quantum", and frankly wasn't a patch on Skyfall

[@SnabbKassa]

The bad guy secretly being the brother was done about 15 years earlier in Austin Powers 3. It seems Blofeld is based on Dr. Evil as well as the other way round.

[@jimgreen7477]

I don't think it was inspired by Dr Evil based on behind the scenes rationale for these ideas. Supposedly, Oberhauser started off as his own thing and then at some point, the meshed that character with Blofeld and then we got Brofeld.

[@Bugster987]

People keep talking about these "laugh out loud moments" yet I was in a full cinema and only heard a laugh at M's "C" comment near the end.

[@SolarDragon007]

I was extremely disappointed by this movie. They need to bring on a new set of writers as well as a new director. Frankly, I thought this film was only slightly better than Quantum of Solace. The score was meh, Christoph Waltz was wasted, the action was mediocre, the script was full of plot holes, Bond's relationship with Madeleine wasn't earned, the tone was inconsistent, and there was an overall sense of half-assedness throughout. Also, I'm sick and tired of EVERYTHING being tied back to Bond's past. It's like the filmmakers were too lazy to make Waltz an interesting character in his own right. so they resorted to the "ghost from the past" cliche to try and make him seem more important a character than he actually was. At this point I wouldn't mind if they just brought back Martin Campbell to direct. I think he has a much better understanding of the Bond character than anyone involved with this film.

[@Stansodo]

Just seen it. Honestly i thought it was worse then quantum of solace. The whole story was so predictable and Christopher's Waltz character was much much worse then Javier Bardem. His motivations for trying to kill Bond were really weak and i felt like he was just a one dimensional character. Besides i thought the action was unimaginative and the cgi really stood out and looked fake. 5/10

[@konnyturtle]

Whose bread I eat, whose song I sing

[@BoxyTheSpaceDog]

+konnyturtle exactly right

[@JohnnyWrong]

Kermode doesn't always get it right. It's terrible.

[@JohnnyWrong]

+bighands69 I can think something is terrible without comparing it to anything in particular. It was just a dull and poorly-made film. IN MY OPINION.

[@HerbieChuckNorris]

+disgraceland uk I honestly think Quantum is better. Maybe I'm mad.

[@JohnnyWrong]

+HerbieCN I agree with you, so I must be mad too. ;)

[@Archangel0582]

Can you explain why it's terrible?

[@JohnnyWrong]

+Clinton Hummer Cliche-ridden script, abysmal action and frequently wooden acting. Worst thing is that Casino and Quantum, flawed as they were, both did a good job of dragging Bond into the modern age with some great character work and gnarly action, only to have Mendes come along and send him back to the Roger Moore era.

[@harryflashman2001]

I really want to see the Mark Commode edit of the film that he obviously saw, sounds much better than the nonsense version I saw at the cinema!

[@mousehead2000]

I liked QOS and I stand by that film. Not as epic as the others by comparison but still a good stand alone movie..

[@busywl69]

as long as it's better than skyfall I'll be happy. that was time I'll never get back. it was like watching a depressing episode of mad magazine's spy vs bi spy.

[@eddiecampion2410]

Just came back from watching it and it is a lot better

[@busywl69]

+Eddie Campion I want to believe :) thanks for the early tip.

[@adamsatchwell643]

did anyone else feel like they did the equivalent of telling you the joker was actually working for bane and whats her name? i just couldnt get over the whole silver thing not making sense

[@voodoomelons]

I saw Spectre this evening. Not sure if Mark gets caught up in the fact that the Bond franchise is a British one, and as such feels obliged to find things to like, especially in the last three movies, despite them being utterly average at best. Spectre surpasses Both QoS and Skyfall by a considerable amount in my opinion, both in characters and storyline, but that would not be difficult. It falls flat on the counts of action and pace, both of which were tame and slow-footed. Sure enough it will continue to garnish rave reviews from UK critics, but I can't help but wonder if the these last three movies were standalone pieces and not part of the Bond franchise, would they succeed at the box office? I personally believe they would fall flat on their faces and be uncovered as the distinctly average action movies that they are.

[@jazzx251]

+Voodoo Melon Skyfall? Your opinion is void.

[@potterpotty01]

No way half of that audience has seen UFO.

[@wilsor90]

I thought Spectre was boring. Mark Kermode is way off on this one. He said "No country for old men" was great but it was like watching paint dry.

[@JoshRoweice]

Saying that the audience laughed isn't much when he's at the premiere with the cast and crew. They probably applauded at the end too.

[@JakeTheSnape]

+Joshua Rowe He wasn't at the premiere, he was at the press screening a few days earlier.

[@mpdalyful1]

I was puzzled by the references to 009 in the movie.

[@sMMAshzilla]

Mark didn't get bored by the film. I certainly did. If this was another movie, rather than James Bond, it wouldn't be getting this praise. It would be criticised for the role of women in this film. The gags are in no way new, they just relate back to the previous films in the series. The character that Dave Baptista (sp?) portrayed was just a rehash of the Jaws character. I'm also still trying to work out what the film was about? What was the James Bond trying to stop / achieve?I've met far more people who have not enjoyed this movie, than have enjoyed it. It was long, unoriginal, very violent for a 12a and didn't bring anything interesting or exciting to the franchise. It's a shame because they have the budget to do anything they want and this is what we end up with :(

[@thinkagainst]

He didn't mention that the big brute bond kept fighting in the first half of the film was obviously a reappearance of 'jaws', even down to his apparent (we didnt see him die) demise by being attatched to the four barrels just like the other Jaws.

[@stewartboyle4910]

The opening sequence is not one long shot, it's a film illusion. The edits are very evident, let's not kid ourselves.

[@alterbridgegod]

Martin Campbell needs to return and direct the next Bond film, he totally gets it, unfortunately Mendes doesn't.

[@ciaranh4153]

Spectre is one of the worst Bonds ever.

[@potterpotty01]

Noticeable sigh of relief from audiance, when Mark says. It's great! 😁

[@pts5217]

I loved Spectre despite its flaws. The script’s 3rd act felt undercooked (Blofeld being Bond’s stepbrother and being responsible for the past villians, plus the murky surveillance threat were all very weak ideas imo) but the otherwise I quite enjoyed the movie. Looked beautiful, great cast, fun. Almost like a wonderful dinner with disappointing dessert.

[@johnsim3722]

I must have watched a different version of Spectre from Kermode. In the one I seen it was afraid to excite the audience. It was so bad I decided to re-cut the car chase to remove the phone call he was having to see if that improved it (and take out some jokes that were so old they had a beard!). See my videos (sorry for the self-promotion!) and compare my cut of the DB10 car case. I think it holds your attention better and is much improved. Sorry to Naomi Harris for cutting her out, she's a fine actress and Moneypenny deserved better! Especially as this scene took away so much of the intensity between her and Bond.

[@BadMouseProductions]

IMO, Spectre was a better Bond movie, now you could definitely make an argument that Skyfall was the better 'movie' but when it comes down to Bond as a formula, Spectre did it much better. Just sayin :)

[@jamesluby6705]

I don't know how I feel about Spectre, neither love or loathing, having said that, I can remember so many of the scenes in Skyfall, which I loved, I can't recall much, if any from Spectre...

[@MGSBigBoss77]

Kermode's loved this far more than i expected. Most Spectre reviews online have been quite mixed to be very honest.

[@321Hamzah]

I sat in the cinema watching it and literally thinking "I don't know what to think about this film. I don't know how I feel"

[@nemohalperin]

Can't trust Mark's review of this because he loved Skyfall. Perhaps the most patronising and lazy Bond film ever made. It was full of incredulous ideas that waterlogged the film to such an extent that it went beyond the point that even Quantum of Solace couldn't - which is to completely trash and depart from the believable dramatic tensions set up and played to visceral effect in Casino Royale. It's often said that just because a film grosses a huge amount this doesn't denote quality, and if Spectre is anything like Skyfall it's worrying to think it will be another case in point. Mendes needs to get back to making faux art house films that pretend to be meaningful but like the swirling plastic bag; are just disposable directionless dramas.

[@BoxyTheSpaceDog]

+captaincomps Mark become sellout,clear as day.

[@nemohalperin]

+Paul Johnson please stop this stupidity and get a life. My comment was as valid as anyone else's. In fact if you asked everyone on this thread if they preferred Casino Royale or Skyfall, you would have your answer already. If you're going to be snippy and catty and not add anything of any value to the comment thread then frankly it is incredibly boring and ugly to witness. I'm glad you liked Skyfall, as that shows the money you spent on it wasn't wasted, but please don't expect everyone else to agree with you.

[@nemohalperin]

+Paul Johnson You've lost control (this is clear because you're resorting to insults) and you're just showing yourself up. Please stop spamming everyone with these pointless retorts.

[@relinquis]

film was solid, parts of it were pure sex until they arrived at the waltz's lair... it loses momentum and waltz's character becomes over-explained and unthreatening. that opening scene though... and the whole train sequence... that dress, that fight... so good.

[@tenchimasake]

While I think the action was pretty much on-point this movie was kinda messy. They could have kept it going good from Skyfall but it all fell apart. The whole "THEY WERE BROTHERS AND EVERYTHING WAS HIS FAULT THIS WHOLE TIME!" plot point was absolutely awful and is representative of what is wrong with this film. Really really hope that Bond 25 is going to fix some things.

[@ricduncombe]

I felt that this film was a mess from start to finish. Set piece after set piece with nonsensical filler in between and devoid of anything remotely relating to character development. It's frustrating to see Kermode relating most of his review to the action sequences as it makes me either think I'm missing something or he is, as that's all the film has to it. The actual plot seemed to be summed up every 20 minutes by a quick revelation from one of the characters. Blink and you really do miss it. All the old bond tropes are back with a storyline not unlike something from GI Joe. It's so frustrating that after the brilliant Casino Royale, that all the studios seem to really care about is how many teenagers can we haul in on their way out of the latest Transformers. Watched for a second time last night after Octopussy which happened to be on TV and amazingly made more sense.

[@phelimheming8593]

He's a fan of Batman and Mendes. this has clouded his judgement of crappy bond films.

[@h.b.smith_writer]

Not exactly. He only loves a few Batman movies, and doesn't like every Bond film (look to his review of Quantum of Solace). Big deal.

[@maxeverett931]

1. Casino royale 2. Spectre 3. Skyfall 4. Quantum of solace

[@maxeverett931]

Btw that's my opinion

[@iaimtofly]

Kermode sold out. I was bored throughout Spectre and came here for assurance that my thoughts are alike with the 'great' critic Kermode, he sadly turned a blind eye to his real thoughts and played his critique safe.

[@julienperonne2347]

In what way did he sell out ? What on earth does that mean ? I didn't like Spectre for one minute, but if you listen to a critic to look for assurance that your thoughts are alike with his, you're the one who sold out, and renounced to any attempt at critical thinking. As a human being or as a critic, any person can be wrong about a film. I think Mark Kermode is wrong in that instance. Deal with it, instead of calling him a sell-out.

[@Albert_O_Balsam]

Jesus I thought Skyfall was absolutely appalling.

[@JohnnyWrong]

+Michael Martin Agreed! Mendes is a terrible action director.

[@zeke1707]

+Michael Martin Me too, why would you do an origin story in the 23rd film? It makes no sense at all.

[@shalashaskalives]

+zeke creese (Toppingsaucer7) couldn't agree more, it was nonsensical drivel from start to finish.

[@filmneek]

+Michael Martin are you broken?

[@zeke1707]

filmneek no, he just has something called an opinion.

[@SuperClarkeWGriswold]

Is Mr Kermode going to write and direct a film soon and show us all how it's done?

[@Slarti]

Well after listening to this the only conclusion I can come to is that the film is probably mediocre. This was a word-salad which conveyed nothing other than a knowledge of English vocabulary.

[@MattSaysHello]

The opening one take tracking shot is brilliant.

[@VinylSamuraisMusic]

Just seen it. 7/10. Good film not great. Little disappointing as Waltz really didn't have enough screen time to be the great psycho we know he is. It's still good but like Bardem I have seen them totally control the screen and terrify you. I didn't see that here and was gutted Waltz wasn't on screen more.

[@BFMachine]

Yes the plot was ludicrous. Undeveloped characters. Unjustified motives. Forced romance.

[@paulhiggins105]

I stopped listening after he said On Her Majesty's Secret Service was his joint favourite Bond film

[@MikeTHFC]

Just saw it and absolutely loved it, even though they seemed to have ripped off Austin Powers: Goldmember with a part of the storyline.

[@wezzers84]

I totally agreed with kermode when he reviewed Skyfall, when he reviewed Spectre I couldn’t see why he liked it, it felt lazy and badly put together, there are some great moments eg the opening shot but none of the depth of plot that skyfall had

[@chobber]

Was it a nod to Jaws (the film and the Richard Kiel character) when the villain gets strapped to the chained up beer kegs?

[@jimmygoode9482]

On her majesty’s secret service? Are you kidding?

[@Bluebuthappy182]

MMMMMMMM sounds like Mark enjoyed Spectre a lot more that I did.

[@mikejlr]

this honestly sounds like a review by gregg turkington

[@eddiecampion2410]

Just saw it and liked it a lot but not as much as casino royale. But that would be a tough nut to crack cause I loved it so much. But it is better in my opinion than skyfall which I thought was only ok overhyped movie but so much better than the terrible quantum of solace. I would give it 7 OUT 10.

[@disneyinspiredhairstyles1784]

Couldn't have said it better myself

[@aaronhinton3446]

I felt spectre started off brilliantly but almost too brilliantly, and the rest of the film (other than the train fight, which was mindblowingly good) just didn't match

[@eddiecampion2410]

Aaron Hinton that is very true Aaron

[@mousehead2000]

I actually like QoS. I couldn't care less about long, pretentious, unedited tracking shots but I am looking forward to this.

[@mickmerr]

All credibility destroyed in the opening statement "fav bond is OHMSS" , that was a car crash of a film. 💩💩

[@christianmatheron6444]

Skyfall was okay. I felt it was too long, and I thought Bond was the least interesting character in the film.

[@1727Hammer]

its a real shame that Kermode couldnt give a fair review, this film absolutely sucked

[@anthonyfins7519]

It was alright. The visuals and choreography are fantastic, but the story is pretty thin and I found the villain quite disappointing/predictable. Fantastic opening sequence though, even past the tracking shot.

[@SolarDragon007]

Didn't like it. HUGELY disappointed. After decades, EON has finally reacquired the rights to one of the most iconic villains in film history, and THIS is how they reintroduce him?!

[@chrislewis7]

Saw this on Friday night. I thought to was overly long and should have been edited down from 2:30 to 2:00. Given Mark's views on many films being too long I was surprised he did not mention this in his review. I don't think Mark would've been so lenient had this not been a Bond film. P.S. I enjoyed the film but I think the 2 hour film within would've been better.

[@bobthegrinch]

I couldn't disagree with this review more. It was terribly paced and incredibly dull. An hour and a half in I couldn't wait for it to end. I absolutely can't understand what he's talking about with the action scenes. I though the action lacked any suspense or excitement. Flat and dull. They wasted Christoph Waltz. Maybe it's just that I can't appreciate such a misogynistic offensively smug main character. Maybe it's the jarring tones at work between super serious (Daniel Craig can only do intense) and the inherent ridiculousness of the franchise as it is on film. I will say I liked Casino Royale a lot, maybe because it seemed to tone down all those horrible elements, but it feels like Sam Mendes loves Roger Moore Bond and Daniel Craig doesn't want to play that. Either way this was way over long (first half drags more than any film I've seen this year) and unspectacular (really that car chase? Just one car following another then Bond trashes his despite never seeming to be under threat). I feel a bit like Daniel Craig, I can't stand the thought of going through it again.

[@sbitavcomplexitysimplified5744]

Mark Kermode - Spectre "This is great" - Is he getting paid or has he just got no credentials.

[@xansmusic2829]

Now we know for sure that Kermode has truly lost his mind, this film was terrible.

[@DUFMAN123]

This film was completely contrived, with totally ludicrous characters and motivations. It held promise in its first act but quickly lost me. Also was it me or did the film keep failing to end - scene after scene it went on 20 minutes too long. While it looked stunning as we've come to expect from Sam Mendes, for the most part it was lazy film making. Everything was too convenient - even for a Bond film. Paint by numbers indeed.

[@JasonPerryman]

This clip cuts out before Mark tells us what he thought of the last 3rd of the film. For me the first 2 3rds weren't that great, but the movie gets better and there is a good suspenseful last act where you do feel the dramatic sweep of a great director at work. I just think that the 'love story' of Bond and Madeleine was too forced and trying to be what Bond and Vesper was in Casino Royale, but without the complication, depth and time to earn what it wanted to be. God knows what laughs Kermode is on about though. I never had them or heard them from the audience.

[@MattMarshallUK]

"Skyfall is my joint favourite Bond movie".... Aaaand that's when I finally lost all respect for Mark Kermode.

[@pricklyphlox]

More playful? The humorless darker edgier Nolanization of Hollywood is ending! WOOOOO!

[@james5995]

+pricklyphlox I'm sorry, but most movies in Hollywood are playful. I don't understand how every film need to be funny to be admirable. I shed a tear with Interstellar. I rarely go to the cinema nowadays but I always put my trust in him to move and motivate me and if that's not a good thing then I don't know what is. Most movies coming out of Hollywood these days are Marvel, and most if not all of those are comedies. Dark and edgy films are pretty rare.

[@pricklyphlox]

+Billy Roadhouse Potato Elephant That's fair. It's an interesting response. Thank you.

[@james5995]

+pricklyphlox I should've said before - I respect your opinion. You're a true gentleman sir.

[@BoxyTheSpaceDog]

+Billy Roadhouse Potato Elephant Not every Nolan's film is good.

[@pricklyphlox]

+Billy Roadhouse Potato Elephant I look forward to more of your comments!

[@matthewmelange]

This guy likes Spectre, therefore he's wrong.

[@FascinatedByTheSky]

I just watched it, sorry but it's about an hour too long, they dragged it out far too much.

[@gevalero]

You ask how he got those clothes for the train trip in Morocco? How about getting a stolen car (the DB10) from London to Rome in less than the 48 hours that Q gave him? Where do you steal a plane when you are at a mountan's week and more importantly, how do you take-off from there? All valid questions I think, in what is regardless, as you state, a fantastic film.

[@ChrisWilliams-rc9ic]

I thought Skyfall was immensely disappointing, so hearing it was Mr Kermode's joint favourite Bond doesn't fill me with huge optimism for this outing. The plot was confused and convoluted, the self-referential stuff came across as lame rather than clever [to me at any rate] and it was of course also hideously sentimental. Given that this series is all about escapism, the last thing I want from them is self-conscious allusions to the franchise's history. I did rate Casino Royale very highly, but I'm afraid it's been downhill ever since. Perhaps Spectre will come as a pleasant surprise: in spite of the hype the fact that it is in the hands of the same team as Skyfall means this time I will not go into it with any great expectations.

[@brendansmith3851]

Wow 😅

[@BrotherJosephus]

Daniel Craig reminded me of Ed Bishop (who appeared in 'Diamonds Are Forever').

[@paulbakerma61]

I thought it was good compared to most Bond films but most Bond films don’t have to follow the exceptional Skyfall. This is a very good Bond movie. I love Bond but Craig has stared in 2 of the best which raises my expectations.

[@davidshead1323]

Wow, I was expecting Kermode to lay waste to this very pretty mess of a film.

[@Kratos40595]

It's a real shame but Spectre has a contrived plot and is on its way to going back to the terrible old format of the old Bonds. No wonder Craig wants to quit

[@DamnFineCupOfCoffee]

Mendes was the best thing about this film. The script was the biggest problem.

[@potterpotty01]

Waltz was the best thing about this film.