No Escape - shot down

movie review

No Escape tackles Third World chaos from a First World perspective

No Escape

Starring: Owen Wilson, Lake Bell, Sterling Jerins, Claire Geare, and Pierce Brosnan
Directed by: John Erick Dowdle
Tagline: Survive together or die together.

An American family finds itself being chased by a murderous mob in the midst of a foreign coup in John Erick Dowdle’s action thriller No Escape.

After getting a new job with an American engineering firm abroad, Jack (Owen Wilson) and his family — wife Annie (Lake Bell) and their two daughters Lucy (Sterling Jerins) and Beeze (Claire Geare) — relocate to an unspecified Southeast Asian country. Upset about the upheaval but hoping to forge a better future for themselves, they make their way overseas, but soon realise they have landed in the middle of a violent revolution.

Armed rebels descend like a tsunami of death and destruction, pulverising everything and everyone in their path. The onslaught is relentless and the tension never lets up. The result is both thrilling and exhausting. Jack and his family are put through all kinds of harrowing ordeals. Even though the story at its core isn’t very inventive, the fast-paced, gripping action makes the movie an intense watch. Solid performances delivered by Wilson and Bell also help make the narrative more effective. Pierce Brosnan — appearing in the role of an English expat who befriends the protagonists — is stuck portraying a character whose arc is quite predictable, but still plays the part with zeal nonetheless.

Even with a suspenseful setup and good acting, No Escape doesn’t come together quite like it should have. The movie falters in its half-hearted attempt at humanising the locals. Viewers are asked to invest in the fate of one Western family, while the situation of the natives is given only a cursory explanation. Their predicament and revolt against unchecked foreign business interests is never fully fleshed out, nor are they given a chance to appear as anything but sadistic murderers hell-bent on killing all seemingly-innocent people they come across.

Overall, No Escape’s promising premise is marred by an uneven execution and a seemingly prejudiced worldview. Still, if you can look past its unconvincing political commentary, you have to admit that the movie is undeniably thrilling. Had this intensity been wrapped in a better story and delivered through stronger characters, the film could have been a lot more interesting and entertaining.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Sunday Magazine, The Express Tribune - 13th December, 2015 *

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - delightfully quirky

tv series review

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is a fun watch for those who can embrace both its darkness and mirth

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend 

Starring: Rachel Bloom, Vincent Rodriguez III, Santino Fontana, Donna Lynne Champlin, Pete Gardner, Vella Lovell
Created by: Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna
Tagline: Never. Let. Go.

Don’t judge a television show by its title – that’s a lesson networks have taught us time and again. A number of promising series have suffered as they failed to attract viewers atleast partly because someone thought it would be a good idea to give them a title that was either lazy (Complications, Better Off Ted), bland (Go On, The Neighbors), confusingly irrelevant (Terriers, Cougar Town), or just plain bad (Don’t Trust the B In Apartment 23, Selfie, Trophy Wife, and many, many others).

Likewise, the name of CW’s latest comedy drama, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, seems to have been picked by someone who appears to be under the impression that titles should actively serve as audience repellents. Without any context, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is more than likely to turn people off, and the series itself seems to be aware of that. “That’s a sexist term,” the protagonist interrupts the “she’s the crazy ex-girlfriend” chorus in the show’s theme song. “The situation’s a lot more nuanced than that!”

And it is. Because once you move past the cringe-worthy title, you encounter a delightfully compelling, charmingly zany musical comedy with a lot of potential. The series follows the story of Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom), a single woman who is smart, strong, and successful. Also profoundly disturbed, and quite possibly in the middle of having a nervous breakdown.

A chance encounter with her former boyfriend Josh Chan (Vincent Rodriguez III) – a guy she dated at a summer camp a decade ago when they were teenagers – makes Rebecca realize that she isn’t happy with her life and needs a change. In an attempt to seek happiness, she turns down a huge promotion, leaving her job at a law firm in Manhattan to move to West Covina, California, the “pride of the Inland Empire”, only two hours from the beach! Oh and it just happens to be where Josh lives.

As she tries to get closer to Josh, she befriends his buddy, bartender Greg (Santino Fontana), only to discover that Josh is actually dating a stunning woman, Valencia (Gabrielle Ruiz). Rebecca’s new co-worker Paula (Donna Lynne Champlin) soon finds out about her obsession with Josh, and starts attempting to help her win back her lost love.

Proceedings generally take the most ridiculous route possible. The show presents an interesting character study, offsetting the underlying darkness of its premise with often-sarcastic humour while having a lot of jaunty fun in the process. The cast periodically breaks into exuberant Broadway-style musical numbers that are amusingly absurd and often annoyingly catchy. The show is consistently self-aware and mostly finds the right balance between embracing and lampooning its tropes and stereotypes. Every role is well cast, and the series is a perfect showcase for the very talented Rachel Bloom who is terrific in the lead role.

But as with most projects, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend definitely isn’t for everyone. Certain viewers won’t enjoy both its darkness and mirth. It is risky to make the protagonist so quirky, and Bloom is so good at portraying the unhinged Rebecca that the result is almost disconcerting. It’s amply clear that Rebecca has serious issues and is chasing a fantasy in an effort to recapture a moment of happiness from her past in the midst of a crushing depression. Also, at times some of the show’s less engaging arcs are given more focus than they deserve, and you are left to feel that the series might have been better off as a half-hour comedy (which it was originally intended to be when it was developed for Showtime) instead of going for a longer, one-hour format.

Ultimately, not all viewers will enjoy Bloom’s quirky brand of humour, and if the idea of an offbeat, campy, over-the-top musical comedy doesn’t appeal to you, then Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is not for you. But those who fancy a fresh, fun escapade that is sharp and has a lot of musical fun along the way will be pleasantly surprised by this new, often bizarre comedy.

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 13th December, 2015 *

The Forgers - ominous signs

book review

The Forgers takes readers into the world of rare books through a murder-mystery plot

Book: The Forgers
Author: Bradford Morrow

“They never found his hands.” Thus begins Bradford Morrow’s crime thriller, The Forgers, grabbing the reader’s attention with its intriguingly disturbing first sentence while setting a fascinating scene around which the narrative unfolds. The former possessor of said hands is Adam Diehl, a reclusive book collector, who succumbs to his injuries 10 days after he is attacked. A murder investigation ensues. The press is drawn to the story, with one tabloid dubbing the slaying “The Manuscript Murder”. But with few further developments in the case, the media soon begins to lose interest.

The narrator, however, does not. He is the boyfriend of the victim’s sister, Meghan, and doesn’t like being referred to by his name, which is only mentioned once in the book: “shadow men never like being called by name,” he tells us. His past is evidently chequered. He is a former forger who specialised in mimicking Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s inscriptions, but was exposed as a fraud and shunned by many in the rare books community after receiving a series of menacing letters in Henry James’s handwriting. Now, as he tries to rebuild his life and forge a better future with Meghan, a spectre from his past returns. Threatening letters penned in the handwriting of long-dead authors once again start showing up after Adam’s death. The anonymous correspondent claims to have disturbing information about the murder, and threatens dire consequences if his demands aren’t met. As the web of extortion is spun, it soon becomes abundantly clear that his nemesis will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

The protagonist’s shifty character is intriguing (albeit not particularly likable), despite the fact that from the very get-go, it is fairly obvious that his account isn’t necessarily reliable. But shady and strangely elusive as he may be, he is our only source of information. We have nothing to go by but his words, and we spend much of the book wondering how accurate his telling of the tale is. Is someone who describes history as “subjective”, “alterable”, and “little more than modelling clay in a very warm room” worthy of our trust?

His flawed personality does, however, help create a captivating setup. His past proclivities and his association with the literary sphere give us a chance to discover the oddly fascinating world of forgery, which serves as a terrific setting for a literary mystery. The thoughts of an unrepentant forger, who sees his work as art, offer a unique peek at the complex world of rare books and manuscripts as well as the sinister underworld of forgery, a universe most of us have probably never thought of or know much about.

But even though the narrator and his world are interesting, the mystery he’s trying to spin, sadly, isn’t. After a promising start, the tale slows down and the action stalls. Character development continues without much plot development, and the novel turns into a detailed character portrait instead of a riveting, eventful murder mystery. The proceedings end up focusing on the clash between “two forgers interested in the same authors, furtively competing in the same small market, and forced by specialisation to share some of the same contacts”, putting the murder in the background for much of the novel, and then wrapping up the mystery in the last 10 pages, more as an obligatory afterthought than a satisfying conclusion, in thoroughly underwhelming fashion.

It also gets a bit frustrating that we are never sure how much of what we are being told is true. Seemingly honest one moment and duplicitous the next, the protagonist lies to and deceives Meghan, but he is only “withholding certain things that would hurt her or cause her undue worry,” he assures. Instead, his actions and justifications leave us wondering if he is simply doing everything to shield the woman he genuinely seems to love or if he has something to hide. After a while, this constant unreliability gets tiring.

The prose has impressive moments of flair, and Morrow’s passion for literature shines through in the details, but the overall execution of the novel is decidedly uneven. The Forgers will charm bibliophiles, and readers are more likely to enjoy the book if they don’t expect it to operate as a detective novel and see it as a character study instead of a mystery thriller. After a riveting beginning The Forgers quickly runs out of steam, and even though it is a short, quick read, the novel still leaves you feeling you’ve spent more time than necessary with the main protagonist. There are some interesting thoughts in the book, but the novelist could have spun a better tale.

- Sameen Amer

Books & Authors, Dawn - 13th December, 2015 *

Farhan Saeed: The comeback kid

interview

Farhan Saeed is having a terrific year. The singer – who first came to prominence after being recruited by Jal as a replacement for Atif Aslam and then parted ways with the band to pursue a solo career – is riding high on the success of his song ‘Roiyaan’ which recently won him multiple awards. He has also been busy with his budding acting career, appearing in television dramas including Mere Ajnabi which saw him starring opposite his real-life partner, Urwa Hocane. In an interview with Instep, Farhan talks about his latest successes, venturing into the world of acting, and his upcoming projects.

Instep: Since parting ways with Jal in 2011, you have released a handful of songs, including ‘Khuwahishon’, ‘Pi Jaun’, ‘Kyun Gayi’, and more recently ‘Roiyaan’. Why have you only released singles so far and not a full-length album yet?

Farhan Saeed: Since I started doing music, I have seen the music scene of Pakistan changing drastically. When we started, Pakistan’s music scene was on a high and saw some of its best times. After around 2008–2009, it has been in a relatively difficult situation.

In my opinion, it was a technology shift. From CD players we went to iPods; from buying music we went to downloading it onto our iPods or smartphones later on. This whole technology shift disturbed the business model all over the world, but in the West and other countries like India, they soon got control over it and started paying the artists as their music got downloaded or played anywhere in the world in the form of royalties. But in Pakistan, as expected, no one really came out to help the musicians. Record labels lost interest as the numbers didn’t make sense anymore – everyone started downloading the music for free and CD sales went down to zero.

On top of that, YouTube got banned in Pakistan, which pretty much closed the international doors for Pakistani artists, especially the ones that were new.

With all this in mind, I thought this is a better way of producing music – release a single, make a video, and promote it, rather than releasing an album and not doing justice to each song as I would like to.

Instep: Are there any plans to release your debut album? How soon can we expect a full-length record from you?

Farhan: Honestly speaking, I am not thinking about the album right now. I’d rather release six to seven songs in a year as singles. If things get better and it makes sense, I’ll probably be the first one to do it.

Instep: ‘Roiyaan’ has become your most successful song to date, winning trophies at the Hum Awards and the Lux Style Awards earlier this year. Why do you think the song has been so popular and resonated with listeners and critics alike?

Farhan: Yes, by the grace of Allah, ‘Roiyaan’ has been liked by almost everyone and won me the biggest awards of Pakistan this year. I think it was a great team effort from the audio to the making of its video. I personally believe Pakistan’s audience has a great taste when it comes to music, and good work never goes unnoticed. On top of that, I have some seriously loyal fans behind me to support me through all this.

Instep: How was the experience of performing at the Masala Awards? And how much preparation went into your performance?

Farhan: It took me half an hour for preparation. I reached Dubai just a day before the performance due to my tight schedule. My song was already rehearsed by the dance group, I just had to go and do my bit. I enjoyed every bit of it so it wasn’t that difficult for me.

I loved the feeling of representing Pakistan at the Masala Awards. It was a proud moment. Thanks to Frieha Altaf (Catwalk) who approached me for this and made this possible.

Instep: How much value and importance do you attach to awards and award shows?

Farhan: I think it just motivates you a lot more when you come to know that your work has been appreciated and you’re contributing to Pakistan’s music industry in the best possible way. It just gives you that kick to keep going and make a lot more music.

Instep: You have also been working as a playback singer for Bollywood movies. What do you prefer, making your own music or playback singing?

Farhan: I think both are very important. When you’re making your own music, it’s like a one man army, from making a song to its recording to making its video till its promotion, whereas in a Bollywood movie, or any movie for that matter, you have a lot of people working as a team; it’s relatively easy, but having said that, you get exposed to the biggest audience which you probably wouldn’t be able to achieve on your own.

Instep: You are currently touring Pakistan and India, performing in various cities across the sub-continent. How would you compare the audience of both the countries?

Farhan: I’ve been lucky in that aspect since the start of my career, to be exposed to audiences around the world. Music generally has the same effect on everyone no matter where you are from, but it feels special to represent Pakistan across the border and present the softer image of Pakistan.

Instep: You’ve recently ventured into acting. How has the experience been so far? Has it been easier or harder than you expected? Have you faced any difficulties?

Farhan: I enjoyed acting. In the start obviously I felt it’s harder, but then I started enjoying it and surprisingly it complemented my singing too. I started enjoying being on stage even more as I kept switching between acting and music. I plan to do a lot more acting in the future.

Instep: You recently appeared in the drama serial Mere Ajnabi alongside your real-life partner Urwa Hocane. Is it easier or more difficult to work with the person you’re in a relationship with?

Farhan: It was definitely easier as we had the comfort level and that chemistry one would ask for as an actor. We’d help each other if needed in various ways.

The only difficult thing was our laughing fits which would just come from nowhere in a very serious scene and then [it would be hard] to control them. We’d laugh at any and everything; once it started, it was impossible!

Instep: Are there any upcoming music or acting projects you can tell us about? What can we expect from you in the coming months?

Farhan: There’s a lot in the pipeline: a couple of projects in Bollywood, working on my own music videos – I won’t disappoint my fans even in the coming year, Insha’Allah.

As far as acting is concerned, I have got some big offers, [and I am] working on them. One project is a drama with Hum TV called Silah. It’s a musical serial, directed by Aabis Raza. It’s almost completed; I’m looking forward to its release too.

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 29th November, 2015 *

Hotel Transylvania 2 - lacking bite

movie review

Not particularly inventive, animated film Hotel Transylvania 2 is still likely to hit home with a younger audience

 Hotel Transylvania 2

Starring: Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, David Spade, Steve Buscemi, Keegan-Michael Key, Molly Shannon, Fran Drescher, and Mel Brooks
Directed by: Genndy Tartakovsky
Tagline: They're back to raise a little terror.

Sony Pictures Animation makes another visit to Dracula’s monster-lodging establishment in Hotel Transylvania 2, a sequel to the 2012 film that found the overprotective Count (voiced by Adam Sandler) trying to dissuade his beloved daughter, Mavis (Selena Gomez), from going out into the world and interacting with humans.

Despite his efforts, Mavis falls in love with a mortal, Johnny (Andy Samberg), and as the sequel commences, the couple ties the knot and subsequently becomes parents of a son named Dennis (Asher Blinkoff). Count readily takes to his responsibilities as a ‘vampa’ — a vampire grandpa — and dotes on his half-human, half-vampire grandson, while hoping the child will inherit his traits. But when Mavis decides to move to a human neighbourhood, away from the dangers of the monsters’ locale, Count makes it his mission to help Dennis find his inner monster and convince the family to stay. He enlists his monster friends — including Frankenstein (Kevin James), werewolf Wayne (Steve Buscemi), Griffin the Invisible Man (David Spade), a mummy named Murray (Keegan-Michael Key), and Blobby the Blob (Jonny Solomon) — to assist him in scaring his grandson, hoping fear will cause Dennis’ fangs to sprout.

There is nothing exceptional about how events unfold, nor does the film make any attempts to try something original or different. The result is amiable but not particularly inventive. With Genndy Tartakovsky returning as the director, the movie retreads the same ground as its predecessor, basically focusing on Count’s parental neurosis and delivering the same messages of acceptance and embracing change. The execution is obvious and safe, while the thin plot seems to have been stretched and padded with gags to make a full feature.

To its credit though, the film is — or at least tries to be — warm and full of energy. It is competently animated and does succeed in delivering the occasional laugh, but few of its punchlines are clever enough to merit praise, and some simply feel tired. On the whole, the movie will please younger viewers more than it will entertain their parents. (Grown-ups are also likely to find most of the voices overly familiar, a gripe that young kids will not have).

In the hands of a more creative studio and writers, Hotel Transylvania 2 could potentially have been a lot more impressive. As it stands, this animated feature is watchable but largely unmemorable and ultimately inconsequential.

Rating: 3 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Sunday Magazine, The Express Tribune - 22nd November, 2015 *

Necropolis - Delhi after dark

book review

Necropolis is a noir-crime novel meets supernatural thriller set in the Indian capital

Book: Necropolis
Author: Avtar Singh

Gangs of pretend vampires and werewolves roam the streets of Delhi as three cops find themselves pursuing a series of cases in Avtar Singh’s Necropolis, a crime drama that interweaves a supernatural thread into its peculiar yarn. In a literal instance of “digital crime”, an attacker terrorises the city by collecting fingers from a number of unwilling donors. His victims are “drawn from the ranks of the peripherally urban — rickshaw-wallahs, casual labourers and the like”. The perpetrator incapacitates his prey with a blow to the head delivered from behind, and then administers an injection to ensure the mark doesn’t regain consciousness, removes a finger, and bandages the hand to minimise the blood loss. Deputy commissioner of police, Sajan Dayal, a lawman “noted for his perspicacity in matters criminal”, heads the task force set up to deal with the matter. Assisting him is his immediate subordinate, “a slow-moving Punjabi” named Kapoor who is a legend in the Delhi police, and smart, idealistic young cyber crime officer Smita Dhingra.

Even though the novel commences with the discovery of the body of a young man, the thread is far from resolved. The same night that the body is recovered from a wooded area next to an old village in Delhi, the elusive Razia disappears without a trace. Known as the Colonel because of her vaguely military outfits, she is a prominent presence in the city’s nightlife, yet no photos exist of her; she may even be hundreds of years old and is suspected by some of being a vampire.

As the would-be vampires and lycans battle each other across the city, Dayal and his cohorts try to track down a specific member of the former group, a young man wearing a keffiyeh. Along the way, other cases — like the rape of a young woman, the murder of a West African drug dealer, and the kidnapping of a child — demand their attention, the resolution of these crimes often complicated by political pressures. As its criminal underbelly is exposed, the setting starts to seem more reminiscent of Batman’s Gotham than India’s capital. It’s a dark, decadent environ, rife with vice and corruption, with a bevy of bad guys causing trouble and shady characters mysteriously appearing whenever they see fit.

There is, however, disconnect between the novel’s style and content. The book finds itself battling its literary and detective sensibilities and ultimately satisfies neither. The attention wanders from the story to Delhi’s history and surroundings instead of focusing on the mystery at hand. Long-winded descriptions of the city’s past and present are peppered throughout the text, which make the narrative’s progress slow and uneven, draining the tale of much-needed intensity. Add to that the heavy prose and wordy style of writing and the book becomes a chore to read. After a while, both the style and substance start to feel repetitive.

But while its leisurely pace may not be to everyone’s taste, the novel leaves no doubt that Singh is both knowledgeable and passionate about his subject matter, and if you’d like to read about an enigmatic metropolis as it changes through the seasons, then it is this very element of the novel that you will find the most fascinating. The author also raises several social issues, with each tragedy highlighting a prevalent problem; even though the book doesn’t explore these issues in depth, it still leaves you with much to ponder.

The characters of the investigators are conventional but well crafted, although they are not as engaging as one would have hoped. Nor is there much reason to be invested in their stories. There isn’t much emotional depth to the proceedings, and it’s hard, for instance, to be interested in the drama surrounding Razia’s connection and relationship with Dayal or indeed her fate, even if what she ultimately represents is intrinsic to the story.

All in all, if you like your crime fiction fast-paced and focused, then Necropolis isn’t for you, but if you’re a fan of descriptive, literary writing and aren’t likely to be disappointed by unsatisfying mysteries, then you will probably enjoy this book.

- Sameen Amer

Books & Authors, Dawn - 22nd November, 2015 *

Licence to thrill

 cover story

Even after five decades on the big screen, James Bond still continues to rule the box office

His name is Bond. James Bond. And he is the most successful secret agent in the (cinematic) universe.

With billions of dollars in box office intake, Bond is one of the highest grossing protagonists of all time, and it is fairly easy to see why - the debonair spy is cool, charismatic, and classy. Armed with a licence to kill, he surfs through danger with the help of high-tech gadgets and gorgeous women, delivering bad guys their comeuppance along the way.

His appeal is timeless, as is clearly obvious by the fact that the Bond series remains the longest continually running franchise in movie history, and even after 24 instalments, 007’s popularity is showing no signs of waning, thanks to the fact that his globetrotting, action-packed outings are chock full of thrilling twists and turns, guaranteed to captivate his fans. And the latest Bond film, Spectre, is no exception.

But how exactly did everyone’s favourite spy come into being? James Bond’s journey, like most good things, began with a book.

Origin

The character - an intelligence officer in the MI6 Secret Intelligence Service - was created by British novelist Ian Fleming (1908 - 1964) in the 1950s, and based on a number of individuals he came across while working for Britain’s Naval Intelligence Division during World War II. Bestowed with many of Fleming’s own characteristic and sharing a resemble with both American singer Hoagy Carmichael and the writer himself, 007 debuted in the author’s first novel, Casino Royale (1953), which garnered much success. Fleming ultimately wrote a total of twelve Bond novels as well as two short story collections before his death, two of which were published posthumously. The Bond saga - which has since been continued by other writers - has gone on to rank among the best-selling book series of all time, having shifted over 100 million copies worldwide, and has been adapted into other medium, including ventures in television, radio, comics, video games, and of course the immensely popular films.

The film series

The Eon Productions series which started in 1962 with Dr. No, starring Sean Connery as the first actor to portray Bond, has gone on to become the third highest grossing franchise to date with an over $6 billion haul so far, and is actually the single most successful series when the revenues are adjusted for inflation. Because of their continued, lasting appeal, these movies are usually among the most anticipated films of the year, and often give a boost to the careers of the unestablished actors and actresses who weren’t well known before appearing in these projects.

From the girls to the villains, the gadgets to the cars, the Bond style has been emulated by many other films, and the series is also cited for its influence within the cinematic spy realm, attributed with popularizing the genre.

The actors

Here’s a big reason behind Bond’s popularity: he’s very well cast!

Sure there have been some misfires (Hello Pierce Brosnan!) but the part has usually been played by suave Brits who have won the hearts of their audiences and looked dapper in the process. Six actors have taken on the celebrated role so far, and all viewers have their own opinions and preference about who played the part best. Sean Connery and Roger Moore (who appeared as Bond more times than any other performer) remain fan favourites, and Daniel Craig has also made a place for himself in this category, despite initially receiving unfounded criticism prior to the release of his first Bond film. Craig is now the most successful actor to portray 007; his film Skyfall (2012) is the highest grossing movie in the series, having earned $1.1 billion at the box office (the first Bond film to cross the $1 billion mark), and there has been much speculation about whether he will return for another film and reprise the role once again.

The latest release: Spectre

The secret agent is now on the big screen for the 24th time, and his latest adventure is called Spectre. The film finds Bond on a trail to uncover the titular global criminal organization but along the way reveals a chilling connection between him and his enemy. The movie does not use an original Ian Fleming title, and is not based as such on any of his stories, although it does draw on some of Fleming’s source material.

Sam Mendes returns for his second consecutive effort in the director’s chair, while Daniel Craig stars in his fourth portrayal of the lead character. The baddie, this time round, is being played by Christoph Waltz, who depicts the mysterious mastermind behind the sinister Spectre (which was originally stylised SPECTRE and stood for Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion).

Of course no Bond film is complete without a bevy of gorgeous, exotic women. In Spectre, the part of the main sidekick is being played by Léa Seydoux, who appears as Dr. Madeleine Swann, a psychologist working at a clinic in the Austrian Alps. The Spectre Bond girls also include Stephanie Sigman and Monica Bellucci, the latter becoming the oldest actress to play the role of a Bond girl at the age of fifty.

Another popular Bond staple is the theme song, the track which is played during the title sequence of each film and has previously been sung by well-known popular singers including the likes of Shirley Bassey, Paul McCartney, Carly Simon, Tina Turner and Adele. The Spectre theme, titled ‘Writing’s on the Wall’, was co-written and performed by singer Sam Smith. Despite receiving mixed reviews, the song has gone on to become the first Bond theme to reach the coveted number one spot in the UK Singles Chart.

So, movie buffs, head to your nearest cinemas and enjoy the latest adventure of one of the world’s most famous characters; it promises to be an action-packed, thrilling ride!

*****

The Bond actors and their filmography

- Sean Connery

6 films: Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

- George Lazenby

1 film: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)

- Roger Moore

7 films: Live and Let Die (1973), The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Moonraker (1979), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Octopussy (1983), A View to a Kill (1985)

- Timothy Dalton

2 films: The Living Daylights (1987), Licence to Kill (1989)

- Pierce Brosnan

4 films: GoldenEye (1995), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World Is Not Enough (1999), Die Another Day (2002)

- Daniel Craig

4 films: Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012), Spectre (2015)

*****

The current Bond

Daniel Wroughton Craig

- Born on the 2nd of March 1968 in Cheshire, England.

- Has an older sister, Lea.

- Parents divorced when he was young.

- Began acting in school plays at the age of six.

- Started training at the National Youth Theatre in his teens; then attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama at the Barbican, graduating in 1991.

- Made his film debut with a role in The Power of One (1992), and went on to appear in films including Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), Road to Perdition (2002), Sylvia (2003), Munich (2005), The Golden Compass (2007), and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011).

- Was chosen to portray James Bond in 2005, a decision that initially received criticism before the release of his first Bond film, Casino Royale (2006), which subsequently went on to become the highest grossing movie in the franchise, a record that was beaten by his third Bond instalment, Skyfall (2012).

- Is the first actor to portray James Bond to have been born after the Bond series started, and after Ian Fleming’s death.

- Has been married twice: to actresses Fiona Loudon (1992 - 1994; divorced; they have a daughter, Ella) and Rachel Weisz (2011 - present).

- Is a fan of football and rugby.

- Was appointed by the United Nations as a global advocate for the elimination of mines and explosive hazards in April 2015.

*****

Spectre trivia

- Had a budget of around $300 million, and is the most expensive film in the series.

- Sees James Bond drive an Aston Martin DB10. Is the thirteenth movie in the franchise to feature an Aston Martin vehicle.

- Chiwetel Ejiofor was considered for the role of the villain.

- Penelope Cruz, Helen Flanagan, and Kate Upton were all rumoured to be in consideration for a Bond girl role.

- Sam Mendes was originally reluctant to work on another James Bond film after Skyfall (2012), but was ultimately convinced to return as director. Christopher Nolan had reportedly been considered as his potential replacement.

- Score composed by Thomas Newman.

- Is the first Bond film not to feature trumpeter Derek Watkins who passed away shortly after the release of Skyfall (2012).

*****

- By S.A.

Us Magazine, The News - 13th November, 2015 *