Review: Spectre is everything we have come to expect from Bond and more. Brilliant. *****

Spectacular stunts, beautiful women, daring car chases, stunning scenery, including the obligatory snow scene, and over-the-top villains are what we have come to expect from a Bond film and Spectre does not disappoint.

From the opening scene at a Mexican carnival to the finale, which takes place on London bridge, the action is non-stop.

There are all the usual corny lines, and the subtle humour that runs through all the Bond films is most cleverly delivered by the geeky Ben Wishaw who plays Q brilliantly.

After causing some mayhem in Mexico, Bond is informed that he is being sidelined when the new head of MI6, Max Denbigh (Andrew Scott), codenamed C, announces that he wants to shut the double 00 programme down. There is almost an air of pantomime villain in disguise about C, an officious Whitehall mandarin, and his codename is an obvious running joke throughout the film.

After killing villain number one, Sciarra, in Mexico, Bond heads off to Rome in an Aston Martin DB10 and encounters his second villain Mr Hinx played by Dave Bautista. His opening scene firmly establishes him as someone not to be messed with. And the ensuing car chase through the streets of Rome is classic Bond. Spectacular cars and edge-of-the-seat stunts.

The love interest comes from Lea Seydoux who plays Dr Madeline Swann, the daughter of one of the bad guys.

Ralph Fiennes plays M, and it has to be said that he is no Judi Dench. He does seem to relax into the role, but only after a very cold start. Bond’s last bad guy encounter is with Franz Oberhauser (Christoph Walz) who is harbouring some dark family secrets.

Brilliant. *****