Spectre Reviews: 11 Early Reactions You Need To Know

2. The First Half Is Much Better Than The Second

Tying somewhat into the gripe that the film's too long, several critics noted that the first half is distinctly more entertaining than the second, which is all the more depressing when you consider that Christoph Waltz is mostly absent from the opening half. Critics have been quick to praise the stellar opening sequence, a car chase against Mr. Hinx and the general breathless quality of the opening hour-and-change, before it transforms into a more serious, stern beast in its second half, where the quips take a back-seat to Bond's back story and so on. Perhaps had the film been trimmed down to a more palatable run-time, critics might not feel so ardently that the film is a little unbalanced. Or perhaps the aforementioned plot twist simply rubs too many people up the wrong way, assuming it probably arrives later on in the film.