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Daniel Craig

SF Radio 9.10: Top Movie Moments for 2022 + Peeling Away the GLASS ONION

January 14, 2023 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

It’s 2023! As we step into a new year, that means looking back on the year that was. But rather than give the same old list of the ‘year’s best films’, we like to look at the moments that mattered to us. This week, Kevin McLenithan returns with his Top 3 Movie Moments of 2022 and we talk about justice and trickery in Rian Johnson’s GLASS ONION.

You can stream on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify, iHeart Radio or Amazon Podcasts! Or, you can downoad the ep on Apple Podcasts!

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

9.10-Glass-OnionDownload

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Podcast Tagged With: Brendan Fraser, Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Glass Onion, Janelle Monae, Kate Hudson, Rian Johnson, RRR, The Fabelmans, The Whale

Glass Onion: Peeling Away the Layers

December 23, 2022 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

Just like the real thing, this Glass Onion has layers.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery begins as a group of friends receive an elaborate puzzle box. A gift from their wealthy friend, the box is an invitation to a weekend of fun in his private Greek island and they all accept with glee. Excited to enjoy their sun-soaked, luxurious getaway, the group is surprised to find out that Detective Benoit Blanc has also been invited to the party, with a note suggesting that there is a murderous edge to the holiday.

Bigger and flashier than the original, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is yet another twisty tale brought to life by writer/director Rian Johnson that is sure to delight audiences. Throughout his career, Johnson has proven himself to a filmmaker who likes to play with the toys that he has been given. Whether it’s the mind-and-time-bending Looper, the divisive Star Wars: The Last Jedi or this film’s predecessor, Knives Out, Johnson thoroughly enjoys taking conventional storytelling and flipping it it’s on its ear. With Glass Onion, Johnson once again takes the tropes of mystery storytelling and gives himself the freedom to move around the pieces that he’s placed on the board in unexpected ways. 

Featuring an entirely new cast of characters, Glass Onion stars Edward Norton, Leslie Odom Jr., Dave Bautista, Janelle Monae, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn, Cadelyn Cline and Jessica Henwick. (And that’s not even to mention the numerous cameos throughout the film.) Even so, the through line to this franchise remains Daniel Craig‘s performance as Benoit Blanc. After the success of his daring detective in the previous film, one cannot help but fall in love with his Southern drawl and brilliant mind. In Onion, Craig once again positively owns the role and plays it with such glee that one hopes that he continues in the role for years to come. (Unlike his time as Bond, Craig has indicated his interest in continuing as the sleuth ‘until the day [he] dies’.) In Blanc, Johnson has truly created a unique opportunity here. Because each mystery is an original creation that is entirely separate from the next, Blanc can feature in innumerable sequels with new challenges every time. As long as Johnson‘s writing continues to stay strong, there’s no doubt that Blanc has the potential to become as iconic a sleuth as Poirot or Holmes. 

And Johnson still has some tricks up his sleeve. 

Without question, this film feels larger in scope than its predecessor. Interestingly, Onion feels like it has more at stake than Knives Out’s basic premise of ‘the last will and testament of an ageing recluse’. To suggest any major plot points in the film would be a disservice to the fun so you’ll find no spoilers here. However, whereas the first film built primarily with themes of legacy and ‘old money’, Onion focusses more on new money in the New World. Social Influencers are as highly regarded as politicians and everyone has their hand out. Admittedly, there is less social commentary in Onion than the original but one cannot deny its shot at the power of the social media industry. 

And, as with all murder mysteries, the battle for power is very much in play.

What’s more, this is a film about knowing what matters. Whereas some desire fame and fortune, others see the potential fallout that taking steps in this direction may cause. In this world, the consequences of one’s actions extend beyond the financial bottom line and lean the question of the nature of justice. (But, again, I promised no spoilers.)

All you ultimately need to know is that, Glass Onion is a delight from start to finish. Fast-paced and very, very funny with its murderous mayhem, Johnson once again peels away the layers of that this Onion conceals until the truth is eventually revealed. 

And, as long as Benoit Blanc is leading the investigation, long may these Knives remain Out.

Glass Onion plays for one week exclusively at TIFF Bell Lightbox beginning November 23rd and arrives on Netflix on December 24th, 2022.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Reviews Tagged With: Daniel Craig, Dave Bautista, Edward Norton, Glass Onion, Janelle Monae, Jessica Henwick, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn, Knives Out, Rian Johnson

TIFF ’22: Glass Onion

September 17, 2022 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery begins as a group of friends receive an elaborate puzzle box. A gift from their wealthy friend, the box is an invitation to a weekend of fun in his private Greek island and they all accept with glee. Excited to enjoy their sun-soaked, luxurious getaway, the group is surprised to find out that Detective Benoit Blanc has also been invited to the party, with a note suggesting that there is a murderous edge to the holiday.

Bigger and flashier than the original, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story is yet another twisty tale brought to life by writer/director Rian Johnson that is sure to delight audiences. With Glass Onion, Johnson once again takes the tropes of mystery storytelling and gives himself the freedom to move around the pieces that he’s placed on the board in unexpected ways. 

Featuring an entirely new cast of characters, Glass Onion stars Edward Norton, Leslie Odom Jr., Dave Bautista, Janelle Monae, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Han, Madelyn Cline and Jessica Henwick. (And that’s not even to mention the numerous cameos throughout the film.) Even so, the through line to this franchise remains Daniel Craig‘s performance as Benoit Blanc. After the success of his daring detective in the previous film, one cannot help but fall in love with his Southern drawl and brilliant mind. In Onion, Craig once again positively owns the role and plays it with such glee that one hopes that he continues in the role for years to come. 

And Johnson still has some tricks up his sleeve. 

All you ultimately need to know is that, Glass Onion is a delight from start to finish. Fast-paced and very, very funny with its murderous mayhem, Johnson once again peels away the layers of that this Onion conceals until the truth is eventually revealed. And, as long as Benoit Blanc is leading the investigation, long may these Knives remain Out.

Glass Onion is now playing at TIFF ’22. For screening information, click here.

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: Benoit Blanc, Daniel Craig, Dave Bautista, Edward Norton, Glass Onion, Janelle Monae, Jessica Henwick, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn, Knives Out, Leslie Odom Jr., Madelyn Cline, murder mystery, mystery, Rian Johnson, TIFF, TIFF22

GIVEAWAY! NO TIME TO DIE on 4K!

January 1, 2022 by Steve Norton 3 Comments

Ha! And here’s our FIRST giveaway of 2022! Thanks to our friends at TARO PR, we are giving away a 4K copy of No Time to Die!

Directed by Cary Juji Fukanaga, No Time to Die picks up as Bond (Daniel Craig) is living a quiet life with Madeline Swann (Lea Seydoux). After an attack separates the two, Bond moves to Jamaica and attempts to live off the grid. When his old CIA friend, Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) arrives and asks him for his help, Bond reluctantly comes out of his self-imposed retirement to help rescue a kidnapped scientist. However, when a routine mission takes a turn, Bond finds himself in the sights of a mysterious madman who wants to create chaos around the world.

In order to enter, simply like/share this post on Facebook and/or Twitter and tell us your most anticipated film of 2022!

Winners will receive a 4K copy of No Time to Die.

All entries must be received by 11:59pm on Wednesday, January 6th, 2022.

Filed Under: Featured, Giveaways Tagged With: 2022, Daniel Craig, Happy New Year, James Bond, No Time to Die

No Time To Die: Old Bond, New Tricks

December 21, 2021 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

After over 50 years and twenty-five films, it would be understandable to think that James Bond was out of surprises. But, with the release of No Time To Die, the greatest surprise is that there’s still room to grow.

Directed by Cary Juji Fukanaga, No Time to Die picks up as Bond (Daniel Craig) is living a quiet life with Madeline Swann (Lea Seydoux). After an attack separates the two, Bond moves to Jamaica and attempts to live off the grid. When his old CIA friend, Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) arrives and asks him for his help, Bond reluctantly comes out of his self-imposed retirement to help rescue a kidnapped scientist. However, when a routine mission takes a turn, Bond finds himself in the sights of a mysterious madman who wants to create chaos around the world.

As his final foray into the role of James Bond, No Time to Die provides Daniel Craig with an incredible wrap-up to his series. Let’s not forget that, although he has only made five films, he is the franchise’s longest serving leading man. (In fact, beginning in 2006’s Casino Royale, Craig has been the face of the franchise for almost an entire generation.) In No Time To Die, Craig and Fukanaga deliver a story that not only shows maturity in its lead character, it also demonstrates a self-awareness in its world-building. Featuring characters both old and new, the film is an opportunity to (potentially) pass the baton to the next wave of MI6 agents while still offering all the things that one expects from the franchise. Set pieces remain exotic and explosive. Gadgets are fun and the world is at stake. In No Time To Die, Fukanaga ensures that there is tonnes of Bond fun to go around.

With intensity and solid character development, No Time may be the best final film for an actor in the franchise. Whereas other Bond actors have tried to go out on a high note (or weren’t aware they were being recast), Craig uses the opportunity to wrap up storylines from all of his films. In fact, while it may have gone unnoticed by many, the greatest gift that Daniel Craig may have brought to this franchise is continuity. Over the decades, every other iteration of Bond has told its narratives on a film-by-film basis. While this has worked for one off adventures, it has limited the character from showing any true personal growth. (To be fair, Pierce Brosnan attempted to do some of this character development throughout his films in the 90s but with poor results.) Although other cast members like Desmond Llewelyn and Judi Dench have continued through various Bond iterations, their transitions never included any awareness of the change. 

One day, one actor played Bond… and then, suddenly, another did the same.

However, Craig’s Bond films have taken a decidedly different approach by allowing his exploits to build upon one another. In doing so, Bond has had the opportunity to grow and mature over time. As a result, we have seen legitimate change in the character as he has moved from Royale‘s ‘blunt instrument’ to a man with a heart in No Time. There is a genuine arc that takes place throughout these films as this young and reckless rogue grows into more self-aware and loving character. As such, what we witnessed was a character (and a franchise) born out of the 60s try to find new relevance in the 21st Century. 

And it’s a good thing too.

Over the last 20 years, the world is changed a great deal. From #MeToo to Black Lives Matter to the pandemic, the global community is a very different place than it was at the start of the millennium. While these sorts of inclusions can feel forced, the story feels like its trying to be more honest about the state of our current culture. Strong female characters such as Ana de Armas and Lashana Lynch serve as Bond’s equals. Sexuality stems out of genuine intimacy rather than desire. Inclusion and sexual respect have become a priority for a franchise for the first time. (For the first time, this Bond film does not include a one-night stand for the notorious philanderer!) While the action scenes in No Time are fun and furious, its actually these changes that are the most noteworthy aspects of the story. For decades, James Bond has exemplified masculine power and dominance… yet we now recognize the toxic nature of that same flawed masculinity. 

James Bond is trying to grow up.

Furthermore, what Fukanaga has emphasizes most in this film is that Bond has developed a soul. Throughout the history of the franchise, Bond has been a man who cares only about ‘the job’. Depth of relationships are (mostly) an afterthought as he uses assets ‘for the greater good’ and uses women to feed his ego. (Again, that toxic masculinity rears its ugly head.) While the character has always been willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of his mission, his actions either came off as reckless or even self-serving. Because of this, there has always remained a quiet emptiness within the character that was never addressed. However, in No Time, Bond demonstrates a deeper understanding of himself and even the ability to love. No longer is the man defined by his OO-status. (What’s more, No Time even manages to intentionally separate James Bond from his famed title of 007.) In this way, No Time reminds us of the importance of who he is, not just what he does. 

All of a sudden, Bond doesn’t just exemplify being a ‘man’. He now chooses to explore his own humanity.

As for the disc, No Time to Die looks spectacular in 4K. With its sweeping landscapes and massive set pieces, the film was definitely designed for the big screen but it still looks particularly good on your television as well. In ‘Anatomy of a Scene’ and ‘Keeping it Real’, the disc contains two fascinating featurettes that show off Fukanaga’s desire for practical stunts. In addition, a 45-minute retrospective gives Craig the chance to reflect on his time in the role. While one wishes that a film such as this would include a director’s commentary to really expound upon the film’s secrets, these features are interesting enough to satisfy those who want to get behind the camera.

Although the Craig era is now over, one cannot say that this Bond didn’t go out with a bang. Anchored by wild action scenes and impressive gadgets, No Time to Die is a fabulous finale for his legacy. However, the best part about No Time isn’t the stunt work. As he moves into a new world of gender equality and racial responsibility, Bond admittedly was beginning to feel like an unacceptable relic. Even so, Craig and Fukanaga have managed to bring the outdated world of Bond into our modern era in a way that makes it still feel relevant.

So, despite what people say, maybe you can teach an old Bond new tricks.

No Time to Die is available on 4K and Blu-Ray on Tuesday, December 21st, 2021.

Filed Under: DVD, Film, Reviews, VOD Tagged With: Cary Juji Fukanaga, Daniel Craig, James Bond, Jeffrey Wright, Lea Seydoux, No Time to Die, Rami Malek

6.11 Carving Up Justice in KNIVES OUT

December 6, 2019 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

In KNIVES OUT, Rian Johnson draws the viewer into a world of diabolical murder and twisted intrigue. When aging mystery novelist Harland Thrombey kills himself after his 85th birthday, the police initially rule his death a suicide. However, after private investigator Benoit Blanc is brought in to question the cantankerous clan, he suspects that Thrombey’s death may be the result of foul play and begins to pull at the thread of truth. This week, Steve welcomes back Wade Bearden (Seeing and Believing) to investigate the film’s depiction of justice, mistrusting memory and understanding good character.

You can also stream the episode above on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Soundcloud! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts or Google Play!

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

6.11 Knives OutDownload

Filed Under: Film, Film Festivals, Reviews, TIFF Tagged With: Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, christopher plummer, Daniel Craig, Don Johnson, Edi Patterson, jaeden lieberher, Jamie Lee Curtis, Katherine Langford, Knives Out, LaKeith Stanfield, Michael Shannon, murder mystery, Rian Johnson

Knives Out: Cut-Throat Family Politics

November 26, 2019 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

Written and directed by Rian Johnson (Looper), Knives Out follows the clues behind the death of Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), a wealthy author who is murdered after his birthday party. Called in by a mysterious benefactor, Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is called in to help unravel the mystery amongst Harlan’s quirky relatives, including Harlan’s daughter, Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis), his sons Richard (Don Johnson) and Walt (Michael Shannon) and caregiver Marta (Ana de Armas).

From Brick to Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Johnson’s films thrive when thrown into a genre and given the opportunity to turn it on its head. Thankfully, Knives Outcontinues this trend of success by offering a wild and sharply-written homage to classic ‘whodunnit’ mysteries of old. Featuring a grizzled but relentless detective, multiple suspects with questionable alibis, and even on old mansion that feels as much a character within the film as its stars, Knivescarries with it all the tropes established in the best pulp detective novels. (In fact, at one point, the film even refers to itself as a game of Clue, the classic mystery board game.) However, thanks to Johnson’s witty writing and incredible performances by its cast, the film absolutely pops onscreen and never feels stale. 

Featuring an all-star cast, the film allows every one of its characters to shine in various moments. However, it’s Craig as Detective Benoit Blanc that proves to be the standout. As Blanc, Craig is simply wonderful and may have even found a character to define his career when 007 retires. Channeling the best of Poirot and Sherlock Holmes, Craig often holds the film together with his hard-nosed growl and solid comedic timing.

While the film focuses its narrative primarily on the mystery, it’s also interesting to note the subtext that comes within the family drama and, more specifically, its conversation surrounding immigration. The lightning rod of this conversation surrounds Marta, Harlan’s personal caregiver. Young, hard-working and faithful, Marta is repeated referred to as ‘family’ by Harlan’s children. [Potential minor spoilers] However, things change dramatically when its suggested that Harlan may have wanted to reward her properly for her loyalty. After that, the family begins to question her involvement with their father and whether or not she even belongs in their country at all. Despite their love of Marta, when their potential windfall is threatened, her value moves quickly from cherished member of the family to illegal immigrant. [Potential spoilers end] 

While subtle, Johnson uses this Marta’s role in the family to highlight a much larger social issue. By using Marta as an example, Johnson highlights the fragile nature of American value of immigrants who are often perceived as welcome members of the country, until something goes wrong. All of a sudden, when someone or something needs to be blamed for the country’s ills, too often those who have immigrated quickly become scapegoats. Despite their value as people, they quickly become viewed as the dangerous ‘other’ who are unjustly accused. As a result, despite its pulp detective framework, Johnson layers a beating heart of justice to his work that challenges the viewer’s ideologies.

In the end, there will be few films this year that are as fun and entertaining as Knives Out. Writer/director Johnson has once again woven a complex narrative filled with unique and engaging characters that will be well worth the price of admission. In doing so, the film also manages to highlight the difficulties inherent to America’s immigration issues as well.

Knives Out spins its web of lies in theatres on November 27th, 2019.

Filed Under: Film, Film Festivals, Reviews, TIFF Tagged With: Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Daniel Craig, Don Johnson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Katherine Langford, Knives Out, Michael Shannon, Rian Johnson, Toni Collette

TIFF ’19: Knives Out

September 19, 2019 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

Written and directed by Rian Johnson (Looper), Knives Out follows the clues behind the death of Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), a wealthy author who is murdered after his birthday party. Called in by a mysterious benefactor, Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is called in to help unravel the mystery amongst Harlan’s quirky relatives, including Harlan’s daughter, Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis), his sons, Richard (Don Johnson) and Walt (Michael Shannon) and caregiver Marta (Ana de Armas).

From Brick to Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Johnson’s films thrive when thrown into a genre and given the opportunity to turn it on its head. Thankfully, Knives Out continues this trend of success by offering a wild and sharply-written homage to classic ‘whodunnit’ mysteries of old. Thanks to Johnson’s witty writing and incredible performances by its cast, the film absolutely pops onscreen and never feels stale. As Blanc, Craig is simply wonderful and may have even found a character to define his career when 007 retires. Channeling the best of Poirot and Sherlock Holmes, Craig often holds the film together with his hard-nosed growl and solid comedic timing.

In the end, there will be few films this year that are as fun and entertaining as Knives Out. Writer/director Johnson has once again woven a complex narrative filled with unique and engaging characters that will be well worth the price of admission. In doing so, the film also manages to highlight the difficulties inherent to America’s immigration issues as well.

Knives Out had its world premiere last week at the Toronto International Film Festival and spins its web of lies in theatres on November 27th, 2019.

Filed Under: Film, Film Festivals, Premieres, TIFF Tagged With: Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Daniel Craig, Don Johnson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Katherine Langford, Knives Out, Michael Shannon, Rian Johnson

Ranking The James Bond Films: Studs & Duds

November 12, 2015 by Jacob Sahms 8 Comments

2goldfinger

The James Bond canon has reached the end of Daniel Craig’s run- he will most definitely not be back. So where does Spectre fall on the spectrum? What are there greatest films featuring the suave British spy? Which films should never have been made?

The Duds: #24 through #17 — There’s a whole lot of Roger Moore here.

24dieanotherday#24 Die Another Day (2002)

Unbelievably, there was once talk of a spin-off with Halle Berry’s Jinx as the lead.

23worldisnotenough#23 The World Is Not Enough (1999)

A terrible film leaves the audience struggling with Stockholm Syndrome.

21viewtoakill#22 A View To A Kill (1985)

Christopher Walken and Grace Jones use microchips to mess with Silicon Valley, and an aging Roger Moore.

20spywholovedme#21 The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

19youonlylivetwice#20 You Only Live Twice (1967)

18thunderball#19 Thunderball (1965)

17moonraker#18 Moonraker (1979)

The Star Wars effect.

11spectre

#17 Spectre (2015)

Go watch one of the top ten again instead… and wait for Redbox.

The “They Tried Hard” Group: #16 through #9 – If Someone Had Only Cared More

22fromrussiawithlove

#16 From Russia With Love (1963)

16tomorrowneverdies#15 Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

Pierce Brosnan chases the evil Jonathan Pryce and the beautiful Teri Hatcher. Unfortunately, Hatcher plays Pryce’s wife…

15quantum of solace

#14 Quantum of Solace (2008)

14licensetokill#13 License To Kill (1989)

Drug lord Franz Sanchez maims Bond’s friend Felix Leiter and kills Leiter’s new bride. Bond ignores Bond and goes rogue.

13goldengun#12 The Man With The Golden Gun (1974)

Christopher Lee’s Scaramanga makes for a most formidable Bond opponent.

12foryoureyes#11 For Your Eyes Only (1981)

10diamondsareforever#10 Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

The funniest Bond ever?

9liveandletdie#9 Live and Let Die (1973)

Sean Connery, Jane Seymour and Rosie Carver mix it up here, with voodoo and New York City.

The Studs: #8 through #1 – They Nailed It With Story & Style 

8livingdaylights#8 The Living Daylights (1987)

Smersh lives, Bond rides a cello case in the snow. Timothy Dalton wasn’t a bad Bond, despite what you might’ve heard.

7octopussy#7 Octopussy (1983)

My favorite Roger Moore film, Bond chases Maud Adams and Faberge eggs.

6goldeneye#6 Goldeneye (1995)

Pierce Brosnan’s best, as it’s Sean Bean’s world.

5drno#5 Dr. No (1962)

The first of what would be many, Sean Connery delivered the goods.

4onhermajestys#4 On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)

George Lazenby’s one and only shot at 007, he portrayed a more human, more broken version of the character than either Sean Connery or Roger Moore. The modern-day contributors certainly viewed this one when crafting the crumbled soul of Daniel Craig’s spy.

Daniel Craig (left) and Javier Bardem star in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/Columbia Pictures/EON Productions’ action adventure SKYFALL.

#3 Skyfall (2012)

Javier Bardem might be bigger than Daniel Craig. But nothing is bigger than Bond’s mommy issues.

2goldfinger#2 Goldfinger (1964)

Until Daniel Craig took the series to a whole new level, Sean Connery’s seminal portrayal was top dog. This one has the best lines — ever.

1casino royale#1 Casino Royale (2006)

From the opening chase atop the construction site to the game of cat-and-mouse in the hotel. Bond’s anger, hurt, and violence are ratcheted up in a moving film that was merely the beginning. Could Bond love and hate at the same time?

For more on Bond, check out the entries in the Spiritual Development of Bond.

Sean Connery’s Original Spy

Roger Moore’s Bumbling Spy

Timothy Dalton’s Avenging Spy

Pierce Brosnan’s Suave Spy

Daniel Craig’s Perfect Spy

Or check out Steve Norton’s review of Spectre!

Filed Under: Current Events, DVD, Featured, Film, Reviews Tagged With: Daniel Craig, George Lazenby, James Bond, Pierce Brosnan, Roger Moore, Sean Connery, Timothy Dalton

SPECTRE: The Living Dead

November 11, 2015 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

spectre1

The dead are alive.

Those ominous words are what first greet you in Spectre, the latest entry into the world of Bond, James Bond.

And they are definitely intentional.

Directed once again by Sam Mendes, Spectre picks up the action soon after the events of 2012’s Skyfall as Bond (Daniel Craig) is left dealing with the events of his past. Driven by a mysterious message from his beloved former ‘M’ (Judi Dench), Bond sets out on a mission that even he doesn’t fully understand in the outset. As he continues his investigation, Bond soon learns of an evil criminal organization called SPECTRE, led by the villainous Fritz Oberhausen (Christoph Waltz). With revenge on his mind, Bond also must also protect the beautiful Madeline Swan (Lea Seydoux) as he unravels how far their crime syndicate stretches.

One of the most interesting things about the two Mendes entries into the Bond canon is that, unlike many of the films in the franchise, he seems intent on seeing growth within 007. Whereas Skyfall looks at the ravages of time on our hero (and the franchise), Spectre seems intent on delivering the opposite: where do we find new life? From the spectacular opening long take (I found it reminiscent of Orson Welles’ Touch of Evil) during Mexico’s Day of the Dead festival, Bond has fully immersed himself in the role of the ‘assassin’. His heart hardened by the losses he has suffered over the years (M, Vesper Lynd) and the villains he has left in his wake (LeChiffre, Silva), Bond seems to have accepted his role as a trained killer (and, as Craig reminds us, misogynist). However, through his encounters with Madeline Swan, Bond begins to wonder if he’s missing something.

2DAAE0B600000578-3309122-Bond_James_Bond_In_Spectre_Daniel_of_course_returns_as_the_famou-a-19_1446987247675

“What would you do if you weren’t an assassin?” she pushes.

“I don’t know,” Bond replies.

Here, we begin to see that Bond has become so immersed in his brokenness that he can’t imagine life separate from it. While he remains effective at getting the job done, he has lost his way. As he clings to the guilt and shame of the events of his past, Bond seems as though he’s trying to fill a void through alcohol, sex and violence. Even Oberhauser mentions that he has lost his soul.

Is it possible that 007 is having an identity crisis?

Whereas Bond may be suffering from being shaken (not stirred) both emotionally and spiritually, regrettably Spectre isn’t quite sure what the solution to his problem. By the end of the film, we see that Bond may have regained some sense of control over his life, which does bring a sense of fun back to the character. Maybe he just needed to lighten up? Take a vacation? (Incidentally, this commentary works on a meta-level as well when one considers that darker, more serious tone that the Craig films have taken. While proving immensely popular for today’s culture, the films have departed greatly from the more playful entries that came before.)

But is driving off into the sunset with a beautiful woman enough to bring the dead to life?

heres-how-much-youll-have-to-spend-to-look-like-james-bond-in-spectre

Bond certainly has the premise right. Though our world puts emphasis on what we do and who we’re with to give us life, Scripture tells us that we may not be as healthy as we think we are. In Revelation 3:3, God claims “I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive but you are dead.” Even though we can ‘make a name for ourselves’, we prove time and again that this isn’t what experiencing life is about. Despite his accomplishments, Bond clings to his past in a ways that keeps him trapped by his own guilt and hurt.

Where Bond fires and misses, though, is where he finds his hope. Finding life in the arms of a woman or taking a vacation are good ways to catch a breath but, ultimately, they don’t offer the depth of healing that we need. As a Christian, I recognize that hope doesn’t lie in our experiences, relationships or stuff. We need something—no, Someone—more powerful. In Colossians, Paul speaks to this when he says, “When you were dead in your transgressions… [Christ] made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgression.” (2:13) Because of Christ, we can actually receive new life, forgiven of what we’ve done. Because of Christ, we really can be free of our past and begin again.

Because of Christ, the dead are alive.

In Spectre, Bond may have accepted his role as an assassin but Swan helps him to see that there’s more. She helps him to recognize that he’s missing something; that there’s something more. Ultimately though, his pursuits can’t possibly fill the void he so desperately seeks to satisfy.

_84415113_84415037

SPECTRE

Starring Daniel Craig, Lea Seydoux, Christoph Waltz

Dir. Sam Mendes

**** (out of five)

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Reviews Tagged With: Daniel Craig, James Bond, Lea Seydoux, Sam Mendes, Skyfall, Spectre

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  • Alice, Darling: Toxic Attraction
  • Exceptional Beings: Dividing the Divine
  • When You Finish Saving the World – Life through your own lens.
Find tickets and showtimes on Fandango.

where faith and film are intertwined

film and television carry stories which remind us of the stories God has woven since the beginning of time. come with us on a journey to see where faith and film are intertwined.

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Knock at the Cabin: Knocking on Heaven’s Door

Sundance 2023 – A Still Small Voice

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