SPECTRE: Official Critics Review Topic (accumulative topic, NO SPOILERS, just links)

11113151617

Comments

  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    Mansfield wrote: »
    Are there many other prominent blockbuster examples of a film that is review 15%+ greater by top critics than the rest of the dime a dozen critics? Traditionally, top critic scores are either on par with or slightly lower than average critic.

    Don't forget there are not that many reviews yet. Look at Skyfall's number of reviews.
    Once SP gets there, the "top" critics average rating will be more or less the same as the average of the rest. At least that seems to be the case with many other films.

    Also I have to add, that there are some strange choices for "top" critics imo.
  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    Posts: 4,554
    doubleoego wrote: »
    TripAces wrote: »
    Just finished reading the very long and detailed Forbes review.

    First, if you haven't seen SP don't read it!

    I'm shocked about this review, while it is accurately describing the movie in many places, it almost always comes to the wrong conclusion.
    It's almost as if the reviewer just decided to dislike the movie and trying to construct arguments around that decision.

    In many ways, this is how I feel about those who dislike SF. They wanted to dislike it before ever entering the theater.

    I wouldn't say that true for everyone that dislikes it.

    I'm not SF's biggest fan and I just cant understand all the excessive praise it gets. It's a decent film but many of the criticisms aimed at it are justified and many of the errors in the script could have been avoided and made to make more sense had they been a lot less careless in the writing department. Still, it's a good film but when people are calling it the best ever or hailing it with praise to high Heaven, that's just something I can't agree with nor understand.

    Then you would be among those calling the film "overrated." That's different than saying the film isn't good at all.

    I would argue that the main criticism (that I have read on this site, not necessarily your own) surrounds the plot, and it's unjustified. Of all of the Bond plots, SF's requires the most analysis. That in itself suggests the film's greatness.
  • BondJasonBond006BondJasonBond006 on fb and ajb
    Posts: 9,020
    TripAces wrote: »
    doubleoego wrote: »
    TripAces wrote: »
    Just finished reading the very long and detailed Forbes review.

    First, if you haven't seen SP don't read it!

    I'm shocked about this review, while it is accurately describing the movie in many places, it almost always comes to the wrong conclusion.
    It's almost as if the reviewer just decided to dislike the movie and trying to construct arguments around that decision.

    In many ways, this is how I feel about those who dislike SF. They wanted to dislike it before ever entering the theater.

    I wouldn't say that true for everyone that dislikes it.

    I'm not SF's biggest fan and I just cant understand all the excessive praise it gets. It's a decent film but many of the criticisms aimed at it are justified and many of the errors in the script could have been avoided and made to make more sense had they been a lot less careless in the writing department. Still, it's a good film but when people are calling it the best ever or hailing it with praise to high Heaven, that's just something I can't agree with nor understand.

    Then you would be among those calling the film "overrated." That's different than saying the film isn't good at all.

    I would argue that the main criticism (that I have read on this site, not necessarily your own) surrounds the plot, and it's unjustified. Of all of the Bond plots, SF's requires the most analysis. That in itself suggests the film's greatness.

    The plot simply is taken from TWINE and Silva is a Alec Trevelyan rip-off of sorts.
    Not that this really bothers me a lot but it can't be denied. And that's just lazy writing.

    I have problems with Silva, he's too camp and could almost be out of an Austin Powers movie, at least in his first scene with Bond on the island "Mommy was very bad" and in the glass-prison. In the church Bardem shines.
    Also some plot holes are just too severe for a movie that takes itself so seriously.

    Skyfall is a good movie overall, just not that great as many say. In my opinion of course.
  • edited November 2015 Posts: 3,167
    patb wrote: »
    "I'm not SF's biggest fan and I just cant understand all the excessive praise it gets."

    It resonates at an emotional level. If you don't feel that, then no worries but its not rocket science to see why it's popular.
    Guess the general audience wants a weak, emotional and vulnerable Bond. That's fine. As a Bond-fan, I'd prefer Bond just to be... James Bond!
  • Is there any reason that SPECTRE's Rotten Tomatoes % nosedived down to 65% in the last day or so. I literally checked it on Monday and it was still well in the 80s and it seems RT has posted 1 fresh and ~16 rotten critic reviews in 2 days. Seems weird
  • Is there any reason that SPECTRE's Rotten Tomatoes % nosedived down to 65% in the last day or so. I literally checked it on Monday and it was still well in the 80s and it seems RT has posted 1 fresh and ~16 rotten critic reviews in 2 days. Seems weird
    Yesterday there were a lot of rewiews from North America, about one half of them were "rotten". Today reviews are much better, a bit extrange, by sure. Anyway, top critics tomatometer is at 79% with 14 reviews, and metacritic is at 65 with 20 critics.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    patb wrote: »
    "I'm not SF's biggest fan and I just cant understand all the excessive praise it gets."

    It resonates at an emotional level. If you don't feel that, then no worries but its not rocket science to see why it's popular. I hate 4 Weddings but I can understand it was a success. It pushes certain buttons

    I get that but it still doesn't explain the overwhelming praise it received and gets. CR resonated on an emotional level rather brutally and played with the vulnerability of one of the most iconic characters in cinemas which hadn't been so explored before and it did a much better job juggling the psychological and emotional themes moreso than SF and yet, the way SF gets talked about, it's as if CR didn't exist, completely negating tge significance of it being a total game chamber.

    As it stands, for me, I think SF isnt as clever nor as deep as it presents itself to be. CR and QoS thematically did the same job if not better without trying as hard. Dont get me wrong, I like SF but I don't love it and it's my least watched Bond movie of the Craig era.
  • Posts: 250
    SF is a statement on the franchise, the character, and where he fits culturally. CR and QoS don't even begin to do that.
  • FourDot wrote: »
    SF is a statement on the franchise, the character, and where he fits culturally. CR and QoS don't even begin to do that.

    Agreed 100%. People hate on it and it's a very entertaining and relevant movie. Plus, it JUST got to TV. I want to hear everyone's opinions again after 10 holiday seasons of SF on TV. I still remember people hating on CR.

  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    FourDot wrote: »
    SF is a statement on the franchise, the character, and where he fits culturally. CR and QoS don't even begin to do that.

    Really? Because last time I checked CR repaired the devastation inflicted upon the series by the majority of the Brosnan era, chiefly the massacring carried out by DAD. Bond was in a creative black hole. Bourne and Bauer were humiliating Bond with their excellence and then comes in CR with a very relevant premise and a redefined Bond that bulldozed it's way back into the cultural fabric and taking back the credibility it lost long ago. No hype, no 50 year anniversary, no cool Britannia...no bullshit.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    FourDot wrote: »
    SF is a statement on the franchise, the character, and where he fits culturally. CR and QoS don't even begin to do that.

    You say that as if that's the remit of a Bond film. Sure, a Bond film can do that, but dismissing a stone cold classic such as CR because it isn't in some way meta seems a bit pretentious imo. This is Bond. Pulpy, dirty, glamourous escapism.
  • Posts: 1,092
    It's sitting at 66 now, with a still strong 6.7 rating. For comparisons, Ant-Man was around 65 at some point and finished at 80 with a 6.8 rating average. And Age of Ultron is 74 with a 6.7 or 6.6 I think. There's hope! I just want over 70 for some reason, it sound so much better at the level.
  • Top Critics score has gone up now as well, at 82%. Quite the difference so far.
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    Top Critics score has gone up now as well, at 82%. Quite the difference so far.

    Awesome ...good
  • Posts: 1,098
    I know some of our American members here were dissappointed by the antics of some of their critics.........but will any of you be going to see SP on Thursday night previews....or will you wait to Friday onwards?
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    mepal1 wrote: »
    I know some of our American members here were dissappointed by the antics of some of their critics.........but will any of you be going to see SP on Thursday night previews....or will you wait to Friday onwards?

    Oh I'm going regardless but to be honest despite the possible flaws the film sounds absolutely entertaining.
  • mepal1 wrote: »
    I know some of our American members here were dissappointed by the antics of some of their critics.........but will any of you be going to see SP on Thursday night previews....or will you wait to Friday onwards?

    I'm going to a Thursday evening show at a theater that serves food and drink. No amount of negative reviews can dampen my spirits. And if the movie disappoints, at least I can wash it down with a martini.
  • Posts: 1,098
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    mepal1 wrote: »
    I know some of our American members here were dissappointed by the antics of some of their critics.........but will any of you be going to see SP on Thursday night previews....or will you wait to Friday onwards?

    Oh I'm going regardless but to be honest despite the possible flaws the film sounds absolutely entertaining.

    Exactly.......i've seen the film, and the time flew by........if anything i wanted the film to continue as i was enjoying it.....so it must of been a good film! :)
  • Artemis81Artemis81 In Christmas Land
    Posts: 543
    I'm going to a Thursday evening show at a theater that serves food and drink. No amount of negative reviews can dampen my spirits. And if the movie disappoints, at least I can wash it down with a martini.
    This is how I feel as well, but I probably won't see it until Sunday due to other committments.

  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    mepal1 wrote: »
    I know some of our American members here were dissappointed by the antics of some of their critics.........but will any of you be going to see SP on Thursday night previews....or will you wait to Friday onwards?

    Oh I'm going regardless but to be honest despite the possible flaws the film sounds absolutely entertaining.

    If you don't like it I'm going to inundate you with posts of @mcdonbb got no soul!
  • Posts: 1,092
    67 now and climbing....

    Believe it or not I'm going to see it the weekend after for my anniversary with my wife. We're going to a bed and breakfast downtown and seeing Spectre that Saturday. I can't think of a better way to celebrate. :))
  • edited November 2015 Posts: 1,661
    USA Today review
    As much as Spectre (**½ out of four; rated PG-13; in theaters Friday nationwide) flirts with breaking from tradition, though, it leans heavily, to its detriment, on large-scale set pieces with vehicles and explosions a plenty, gorgeous women and dastardly villains that hardcore Bond fans expect.

    Yet again another American review criticizes SPECTRE for being..... A JAMES BOND FILM.
    Yet instead of creating something new and different, the movie recycles bits of the past — there’s a lot of recognizable throwback stuff for Sean Connery lovers — and defaults to what’s come before by the time its end game rolls around.

    It’s an odd decision, considering how successful the prior movie was with experimenting with the norm, as well as having to compete in pop culture post-Jason Bourne and Jack Bauer. Rehashing old James Bond material 50 years later isn’t likely to shake or stir anyone nowadays.


    http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2015/11/04/spectre-james-bond-daniel-craig-review/75109090/

    It's perverse logic. It's as if these critics want Bond to be different just for difference's sake. What do they expect Bond to be - a Jason Bourne/Ethan Hunt/Jack Bauer variation?

    James Bond should be James Bond. Period. If you don't like the content of SPECTRE that's your right but it's clear many American critics (and some online American fan reviews) have a prejudiced agenda. It's a shame. I suspect they find it all a bit too British, perhaps?


  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    edited November 2015 Posts: 4,116
    RC7 wrote: »
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    mepal1 wrote: »
    I know some of our American members here were dissappointed by the antics of some of their critics.........but will any of you be going to see SP on Thursday night previews....or will you wait to Friday onwards?

    Oh I'm going regardless but to be honest despite the possible flaws the film sounds absolutely entertaining.

    If you don't like it I'm going to inundate you with posts of @mcdonbb got no soul!

    Lol I seriously doubt I'm not going to like it. I'm a lifelong Bond fan and a Craig fan.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    RC7 wrote: »
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    mepal1 wrote: »
    I know some of our American members here were dissappointed by the antics of some of their critics.........but will any of you be going to see SP on Thursday night previews....or will you wait to Friday onwards?

    Oh I'm going regardless but to be honest despite the possible flaws the film sounds absolutely entertaining.

    If you don't like it I'm going to inundate you with posts of @mcdonbb got no soul!

    Lol I seriously doubt I'm not going to like it. I'm a lifelong Bond fan and a Craig fan.

    I hope you love it.
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    RC7 wrote: »
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    RC7 wrote: »
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    mepal1 wrote: »
    I know some of our American members here were dissappointed by the antics of some of their critics.........but will any of you be going to see SP on Thursday night previews....or will you wait to Friday onwards?

    Oh I'm going regardless but to be honest despite the possible flaws the film sounds absolutely entertaining.

    If you don't like it I'm going to inundate you with posts of @mcdonbb got no soul!

    Lol I seriously doubt I'm not going to like it. I'm a lifelong Bond fan and a Craig fan.

    I hope you love it.

    Thanks ...I'm glad you did love it. Your posts have kept my excitement high.

  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,456
    @RC7 was one of the few who didn't care for SF, much like myself, so I, too, am very happy to know you loved it that much.
  • Posts: 1,661
    Very positive review here:
    “Spectre” is the James Bond movie that fans have been waiting for ever since “Casino Royale” and Daniel Craig rebooted and rejuvenated the series nine years ago. The two films in between were fine, and yet something was missing: “Quantum of Solace” had lots of action, but no introspection; and “Skyfall” was a moody entry, without much in the way of glamour. But “Spectre” has everything anyone could possibly want in a James Bond movie.

    It has virtuoso action sequences, imaginatively crafted and meticulously filmed.

    http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/James-Bond-returns-to-top-form-in-Spectre-6609518.php
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    edited November 2015 Posts: 4,116
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    @RC7 was one of the few who didn't care for SF, much like myself, so I, too, am very happy to know you loved it that much.

    Well I liked SF ..but I'm still a fan of tradition.

  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    I'm not one for hyperbole, but I genuinely love this movie and I'm excited for other Bond fans to get from it what I did. It's far from flawless, but there's something indescribably great about. It feels like a film I will watch with my family, old and soon young, for many decades. It reminds me of the thrill of being a kid watching Bond. It's mainly down to Craig. All I'll say is, don't expect SF2, do expect Craig meets Moore and as odd as that may sound, it works.
Sign In or Register to comment.