Spectre is a 2015 film directed by Sam Mendes. It is the twenty-fourth film in the James Bond series and is a direct continuation of the film "Skyfall." 

Plot

The film begins with James Bond (played by Daniel Craig) following a series of clues left by a mysterious adversary. These clues lead Bond to discover the existence of a secret organization called "Spectre," led by the enigmatic and ruthless Ernst Stavro Blofeld (played by Christoph Waltz).

Bond, with the assistance of M (played by Ralph Fiennes), Moneypenny (played by Naomie Harris), and Q (played by Ben Whishaw), embarks on a mission to unmask and defeat Spectre. Throughout his investigation, Bond encounters the widow of a South African criminal, Lucia Sciarra (played by Monica Bellucci), and begins to uncover links between Spectre and his own past.

The film's plot takes Bond to exotic locations around the world, including Mexico, Austria, Italy, and Morocco, as he seeks to unravel Spectre's secrets and confront his old nemesis Blofeld.

"Spectre" is an action-packed film filled with intrigue, twists, and spectacular action sequences. The film explores Bond's past and puts him face-to-face with one of the most personal and dangerous threats of his career as a secret agent.

Complete Cast:

• Daniel Craig as James Bond
• Christoph Waltz as Ernst Stavro Blofeld
• Léa Seydoux as Dr. Madeleine Swann
• Ben Whishaw as Q
• Naomie Harris as Moneypenny
• Dave Bautista as Mr. Hinx
• Monica Bellucci as Lucia Sciarra
• Ralph Fiennes as M
• Andrew Scott as Max Denbigh (C)
• Rory Kinnear as Bill Tanner
• Jesper Christensen as Mr. White

Director: Sam Mendes

Producer: Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli

Writer: John Logan, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Jez Butterworth

Music by: Thomas Newman

Cinematographer: Hoyte van Hoytema

Production Cost: Approximately $245-250 million.

Box Office: Over $880 million worldwide at the box office.

Awards: The film won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Writing's on the Wall" by Sam Smith and received numerous other nominations.

Critics' Reception: "Spectre" received mixed reviews. Some critics praised the action sequences and Craig's performance, while others criticized the film for its plot and for not living up to previous Bond films. Despite this, "Spectre" was a commercial success.

My opinion. Disappointing across the board, special effects and acting aside.

Let's start at the beginning : Bond, now in his 50s, travels to Mexico City privately and destroys some shady individuals planning an assassination attempt. Remarkable special effects and perfect city setting, set on the day of the festival of corpses with all the characters in funereal costumes. So far, it seemed that the film was taking a positive turn. Then Bond, despite his years, runs away very fast and begins a grotesque and interminable fight in a helicopter (which he vaults for 5 or 10 minutes, way too long) killing, one at a time, 3 people. And here the yawning begins.

Bond is then reprimanded by the head of the Secret Service and removed from duty. The yawning continues. But Bond obviously doesn't give up and sets off alone, but with the usual fantastic technological aids (usual car, only a little more up-to-date, usual explicatives, usual parachute) for Austria where he is to meet a former Spectre menbro, also aging. He, now in abject poverty...I won't tell the whole story so as not to take away from the enjoyment of seeing, for those who want to throw away the cost of the ticket, this little film that cost $300 million, but which, in its premiere in London, grossed a whopping $40 million, on the first day alone: not all tastes are equal, evidently.

So, to summarize:

• effects: spectacular, with Aston Martin cars, Jaguar CX 75s (this is a particular car that was never sold and whose production stopped at a few dozen prototypes), running at 160 mph in downtown Rome and Land Rovers on Austrian snows. Giant walls and buildings collapsing, explosions all the same resembling atomic bombs, obviously triggered by a single Bond bullet.
• actors : perfect practically everyone, from Craig to Bellucci, also in her 50s, in a small part very well acted but meaningless.
• music : very engaging and catchy
• setting : four fascinating locations
• photography: excellent
• screenplay, plot, dialogue: a disaster. All trite platitudes from previous editions and the new ones even more trite. Bond's coolness bland and predictable. Boring dialogues.
• Direction: disappointing, effects aside. Close-ups all the time that make sense of what is around

To conclude:

- if you are the person who only likes special effects and shoot-em-ups, run to see it, you will not be disappointed

- if you have a more refined palate, don't waste your time.