Spectre (2015)

Spectre (2015)

Predictable, disappointing Bond movie (4*)

Not that one would expect a multi-layered dramatic masterpiece, but this Bond movie was quite a disappointment even to Bond standards.

After two above-average movies (Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace), it's hard to keep the same level. However, the number of pointless action plots, the predictable story line(s) and the poor acting make it a difficult one to watch.

Starts off well in a well-thought scene, followed by too many action scenes and too little creativity, too little character development and too many clichés. The Bond girls fail to bring an extra layer. On the day of your beloved's funeral and after an assassination attempt, would you sleep with someone? OK, it's a Bond movie, but...

Much more could have been done with the plot. Bond's 'message from the past' is a missed opportunity. Moneypenny's relationship is a missed opportunity. The soundtrack is a missed opportunity. And this is just in the start of the movie.

What was enjoyable, was the outside scenery of Rome and the opening scene as well as some good camera work. Unfortunately, there wasn't much more noteworthy in 2,5 hours.

Even hard to watch for 16+ die-hard Bond fans.

Bridge of Spies (2015)

Bridge of Spies (2015)

Enjoyable cold war drama (7*)

(Spoiler in the last paragraph) Inspired by true events, the film turns the events in a nice story. An insurance lawyer first defends a caught Soviet spy, and then helps to arrange an exchange with an US spy in the middle of the cold war.

The main achievement of the movie is that it turned the events into a credible, substantial and enjoyable story. It's easy to feel involved into the different players. The subplots all have a decent ending. Screenplay is good, light and sound convincing. Tension is always playing in the background, until the very end.

Another strong point is the depiction of the beginning of the cold war. For example, the scenes at the wall dividing Berlin show well a part of history that is easily forgotten. Also, how society was organised in the early 1960s. In certain scenes, you wonder: was it really like that? The research team made a really good effort there.

The actors act at different levels: Mark Rylance plays the soviet spy, with an outstanding performance rewarded with an Oscar. Tom Hanks has his strong moments, but the CIA agent was a little disappointing, just like some other supporting actors.

The good, easy-to-understand story sometimes reveals its weaknesses: a lack of depth, a focus on story instead of history, and occasional corniness.

However, it's still a good movie to watch and to be entertained with. 

Spoiler alert: One questions still remains. At the end, when they're waiting for the signal that the economics student is released, the CIA agent on the phone might have faked that the student was released. So the lawyer would agree to swap only the Soviet spy for the American, since the student wasn't important for the CIA.