A polarizing blockbuster sequel that failed to live up to expectations confronts the past on streaming

Having delivered the single highest-grossing installment in the history of the James Bond franchise, which remains the only one of the 25 so far to cross the billion-dollar threshold, Sam Mendes would have known exactly what he was getting into when he returned to the director’s chair for another round after Skyfall. Depending on who you ask, though, Spectre was either a solid successor to an all-time 007 classic, or an unmitigated and disappointing disaster.

It’s by no means among the bottom tier of globetrotting espionage adventures, but Rotten Tomatoes scores of 63 and 61 percent from critics and audiences are miles behind the 92 and 86 percent tallies of Skyfall. Leaning harder into classic Bond than any other Daniel Craig outing, the self-contained mythos he’d established in the title role bent over backwards and tied itself in knots trying to thread too many needles at once.

A direct continuation of Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, and Skyfall, Spectre also brought back the nefarious organization of the title, with Christoph Waltz along for the ride as Blofeld. It all felt way too overstuffed in the end, with plot and character regularly taking a back seat to nods, winks, and shiny explosions – which wasn’t the way of the leading man’s tenure.

Nonetheless, Spectre has emerged from the rubble to dust itself off, escape the wreckage of criticism, and find a new home at the upper echelons of the streaming charts. Per FlixPatrol, the opinion-splitting escapade has jumped 15 spots on the Prime Video worldwide rankings since yesterday, but we’ll see if any opinions end up changing.