Anna Bowman is a senior English and telecommunications major and writes 'Film Annalysis' for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily agree with those of the newspaper. Write to Anna at aabowman@bsu.edu.
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If you’ve been wondering whether or not “Spectre” will be the best Bond film of our generation, here’s your answer: definitely… most definitely. Not being super into the 007 franchise myself, I was hesitant to spend 007 dollars (don’t forget about that student discount!) on another hyper-masculine and womanizing and gun fest, but I have to say, I’m delightfully surprised with how it turned out.
I should say, I’m delightfully surprised as long as I don’t think about the opening sequence, which is absolutely atrocious. This is probably the best and most integral part of a Bond film – it’s the thing that ties the generations of 007 together, but this one was just absurd. So many Bond girls, so little distinction between them. So many octopi in odd places, so little reason for it. There are so many unnecessary CGI moments that I couldn’t take it seriously.
In part due to the heavy cost of visual effects, “Spectre” has been announced as the most expensive Bond film ever, costing over $300 million. To put it in perspective, “Casino Royale” cost half that. A lot of that money probably went directly into Christoph Waltz’s pocket, because, let’s face it, he’s Christoph Waltz. However, the expenses of the film could have also been spiked by the 10 Aston Martin DB10s used in the film. They were designed specifically for “Spectre” and are worth every (Money)penny, putting the Batmobile to shame with features like “atmosphere,” “exhaust,” “air” and “backfire.” It can also hit 60 mph in under 5 seconds, which may be useful when you have Dave Batista (five-time world heavyweight champion) on your tail.
Now let’s take a look at the Bond girls. There has been a lot of press about Monica Bellucci being the oldest actress to play a Bond girl ever. While I think the age of women shouldn’t be a factor in the media, it’s pretty impressive to note that she’s actually 4 years older than Daniel Craig. This is a huge step up from past Bond films, but let’s not forget that the girl Bond ends up with is 17 years younger than him.
While we’re on the subject of women, I’d also like to mention the rise in power the latest Bond girl has achieved. Not known for female empowerment, the 007 tradition has been pretty “use ‘em and lose ‘em” when it comes to female counterparts. But, it looks like things are turning around for the girls with the character of Madeleine Swann, who not only knows how to use a gun… but actually uses it! I mean, let’s not get carried away (SPOILER ALERT) – she still ends up tied to a chair waiting for Bond to save her, but at least she had a couple of minutes to show she’s more than just a pretty face.
Yes, it looks like Bond has met his match with Swann, but can we also take a second to talk about the weird sexual tension between him and Q? I would say it’s all a coincidence, but there is just too much innuendo to be ignored. When Q appears for the first time in “Spectre,” he seems nervous… too nervous. When he starts showing Bond the gadgets that “he can’t use because he’s suspended,” he makes an oddly phallic movement with a machine gun. In the following scene, there’s a prolonged pause before and after Q says the word “prick” that is anything but subtle. And how about that bar scene? Please, Q isn’t fooling anyone. Plus, let’s not forget that this is the first time that Bond has been several years older than Q, and we all know he likes them young. Can we call that a coincidence, too? I’m just doing the math, guys.
Not to give away any spoilers, but another great aspect of “Spectre” that seems to be absent in a lot of its predecessors is its skillful foreshadowing. From the opening text, “The dead are alive,” to the certificate of guardianship, to the reveal of a mysterious photograph… these pieces tie together in the most unexpected way.
With a stellar cast, great storytelling and tension in every nook and cranny, “Spectre” encapsulates the Bond film spirit and is a perfect way to wrap up the Daniel Craig era.
