Spectre Reviews: 11 Early Reactions You Need To Know

11. It Isn't As Good As Skyfall

It won't be a massive surprise to anyone who has smartly been keeping their expectations in check, but the almost universal consensus is that Spectre simply isn't a patch as good as Skyfall, and in fact is even hurt by the inevitably direct comparisons to it. Our own Alex Leadbeater said, "the biggest problem with Spectre is being a follow up to Skyfall", noting its overt effort to tether itself to the previous film plot-wise, which certainly only exacerbates the tendency for the viewer to compare them. Reviewers on the whole used phrases like "placeholder" and "formula-driven" to describe it, with only a few outliers sticking to their guns and declaring it a genuinely great film in its own right, such as the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Star, both of whom gave it 5-stars. Most seem to concede that it's a middle-tier Bond flick: not as disappointing as Quantum of Solace, but a pretty far cry from the brilliance of Casino Royale and Skyfall, as well as Bond's other top-shelf outings.
Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.