This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on November 4, 2015.

James Bond is back once again in exciting and exhilarating fashion with Spectre. With Skyfall receiving both critical acclaim and major box office success, the franchise is back in good health following the mixed reception of Quantum of Solace. The new film marks director Sam Mendes’ second consecutive Bond movie, and there were a lot of expectations put on Spectre to deliver. 

In case you didn’t get the memo, Spectre is an extremely English film from the action sequences in London right down to the spelling of the title, which is sure to delight any Anglophile.  In what may be Daniel Craig’s last outing as 007, this latest instalment of the James Bond franchise does live up to the hype. It delivers what the audience wants from Bond films, with its combination of international intrigue, spectacular stunts, fast cars, sinister villains and humour that have become signature to the franchise.  

The tone and pace of the film are set immediately from the opening sequence in Mexico City on the Day of the Dead. With Bond weaving through the crowds with a lady on his arm, he leads her back to the hotel room only for him to quickly change into his signature suit, walk on Mexican rooftops and spy on two men planning to blow up a stadium. His aim at the building causes it to explode and collapse in classic action movie fashion — all done in a Tom Ford suit with not even the dust from the rubble harming him. What follows in the wake of the collapsing building is a fight scene in a looping helicopter right before it cuts to the credit sequence. 

Spectre follows a continuation of events from Skyfall as it picks up the pace from where the previous film left off. Following the death of M (played by Dame Judi Dench), Bond is put on an unofficial mission to track down the person responsible for her death. Meanwhile at the office, Ralph Fiennes as the new M finds himself at odds with the new head of Joint Intelligence, Max Denbigh, who is known as C. He’s in favour of closing down the “00” section of the recently merged MI5 and MI6 divisions, preferring instead to use cyber surveillance and drones to monitor people. 

If it really is Craig’s last film as the titular agent, he is leaving the franchise on a high note as he plays Bond with his own brand of action, flamboyance and style. Craig is able to handle action sequences and love scenes with the same amount of ease and slickness as he races across the globe to put together the pieces of the puzzle. 

Aside from Bond himself, the supporting cast help make Spectre the fast-paced action film that it is. Christoph Waltz as Franz Oberhauser is reminiscent of an old-school Bond villain, which gives the film a throwback feel. With his European accent and mysterious character, credit must be given to Waltz, who takes on the role with much ease. Ben Whishaw’s role as tech expert Q brings audiences some good humour to the film with some scene-stealing lines. An easy favourite is when he reminds Bond that he can’t afford to lose his job because he has “a mortgage and two cats to feed”. Another scene-stealing character is C, who is played by Andrew Scott (known for his role as Moriarty in Sherlock), bringing a combination of creepiness and privilege to his role. 

The role of the Bond girls, on the other hand, has always brought much speculation and discussion from both the public and critics. With the attention surrounding her casting, Monica Bellucci’s character could have played a bigger role in the film as her part feels very underused in comparison to all the other supporting roles in the movie. Léa Seydoux’s role as Dr Madeleine Swann, on the other hand, is given more depth compared to most Bond girls. Her ease at handling a gun and her penchant for ordering dirty martinis while stylishly eating dinner in a train carriage makes her measure up as Bond’s equal as they fashionably venture across continents. 

What is also admirable about Spectre is the filming techniques used for many of the scenes. Shot on Kodak 35mm film, Spectre forgoes CGI effects for classic action stunts. The opening sequence, for example, features some impressive camera angles as Bond walks across the rooftops. The initial meeting with Swann is set on the picturesque snowy peaks of Solden, Austria, which channel the classic 1960s Bond vibe. 

With all these elements fused together, sit back, relax and enjoy Spectre. After all, it’s best to be shaken, not stirred.