Spectre review roundup: critics left shaken and stirred

Dinner jackets, gunplay, a frenetic carousel of exotic locations — even an Alpine chase scene. As a legion of fans await the release of Daniel Craig’s fourth (and, he insists, final) outing as James Bond, the first reviews of Spectre on Wednesday have been quick to check off its classic 007 ingredients.But is it one of the franchise’s occasional duds or a crowd-pleasing firecracker?

The general consensus among critics coming out of the first press screenings of the 24th Bond film would appear largely to lean towards the latter, with both the Guardian and the Telegraph going so far as to give it five stars. A growing appreciation of recent Bond arrivals such as Ben Whishaw in the role of Q and Ralph Fiennes as M is also evident, although there is disagreement over whether fans should hope that Craig chooses to go back on his promise that he would “rather slash my wrists” than reprise the role.

“There is a torture scene for the ages, peppered with dark laughs, but tense and shiveringly sadistic — which probably tests the film’s 12A certificate to its limit. But Spectre pulls it off in the grand old Fleming style. It’s a feat of pure cinematic necromancy”.

— Robbie Collin, The Daily Telegraph

“Is this Craig’s last hurrah as Bond? His somewhat tetchy remarks in interviews preceding this movie — indicating a readiness to quit — oddly mirror the tetchy media comments that greeted the news of his casting almost 10 years ago. Craig showed they were wrong: and I hope he carries on now. He is one of the best Bonds and an equal to Connery. That great big handsome-Shrek face with its sweetly bat ears has grown into the role”.

— Peter Bradshaw, the Guardian

“Much has been made of Daniel Craig’s disgruntled comments about his future as Bond, though his performance in Spectre is brilliant as ever. On the one hand the film ties up a lot of the loose ends from his previous outings, but on the other it sets up a bold future: one where classic and contemporary Bond tropes co-exist in perfect harmony”.

— Ben Travis, The Evening Standard

“Craig, of course, is reliably superb. Once again he portrays the superspy as a thug in a dinner jacket who is quite prepared to shoot first and ask questions later as he wraps up the loose ends that have been dangling since Casino Royale in 2006”.

— David Edwards, Daily Mirror

“Bond is described as being like ‘a kite in a hurricane’, a description which cutely sums up the cinematic mayhem that Mendes unleashes. The only disappointment in what is an exhilarating movie is the surprisingly clumsy and sentimental way in which the film ends”.

— Geoffrey Macnab, The Independent

“Fortunately Spectre is more in the vein of Skyfall’s predecessor and modern classic Casino Royale than 2008’s dismal Quantum of Solace. As Bond foils a terrorist plot in the jaw-dropping opening sequence set in Mexico City, the audience breathed a united sigh of relief. Bond is back — and at his best”.

— The Sun

“Ultimately, Spectre is barely suitable as a mindless action flick, and a long way from becoming a classic in the James Bond franchise. After more than 20 films, it is of course difficult to fashion a Bond film that will last the ages. Nonetheless, modern audiences are still waiting for a simply satisfactory one in recent memory”.

— Frances Lai, The Upcoming

“If you are a fan of Bonds of old you will love the many nods to the past, Mendes as promised producing a Bond film that respects the tradition. But... Is it as good as Skyfall? No, in my opinion, that was always going to be a tall order, fans will love it but I would be surprised if it smashes the box office in the way Skyfall did”.

— Nina Nannar, ITV

“Craig, as ever, is the best thing on screen, but at times he looked a little tired, as if he might well be coming to the end of his Bond rainbow. There will be another 007; there is too much left in this pot of gold franchise for it to be otherwise. In the meantime, enjoy this Craig-fuelled thrill ride”.

— Allison Rowat, The Herald (Scotland)

“Mendes has done the impossible; he’s matched his success of Skyfall with a Bond film that while it hasn’t left us as shaken, we can’t help but be as stirred with Spectre. Definitely not as fast-paced, but judge it on its own merits. It’s really, really good, and it is potentially even better than its predecessor”.

— Paul Heath, The Hollywood News

— Guardian News & Media Ltd