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MI6 HQ — While all the movie focus lately has been on "Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens," it was easy for another one of 2015's biggest films to get lost in the shuffle. That's right, the 24th James Bond film, "Spectre" is now in theaters and here are a few things you should know about it.
It's action packed
While I personally thought "Skyfall" was one of the best Bond films to date, there were complaints that it didn't pack enough action for a Bond exploit. Well, if that was your sentiment then get ready for "Spectre," because it has more action than it knows what to do with.
Between acrobatic helicopter fights, airplanes flying through barns, car chases through Rome, and exploding buildings in the middle of bustling cities, this movie has plenty of action. Not only is it filled with action, it's a lot of fun. So many times I found myself grinning from ear to ear as I watched the mayhem play out in front of me.
It's vintage
While "Spectre" has stayed true to the other latest Bond installments, the filmmakers also made sure to throwback to some of the silliness that made the retro Bond so much fun. While there are plenty of moments that play tongue-in-cheek, they aren't cheap or misused.
Die-hard Bond fans will pick up on many of the subtle call outs to other Bond films and set ups that are reminiscent of Roger Moore.
It's no "Skyfall" or "Casino Royale" ====================================When "Casino Royale" hit theaters audiences were blown away by the crisp storytelling, cool style, gritty action, and a new kind of Bond. With such a solid showing in "Casino Royale," many fans were left disappointed with "Quantum of Solace." It appears the Bond makers themselves were as well, considering both "Casino Royale" and "Skyfall" are heavily drawn upon in "Spectre," while "Quantum of Solace" is mentioned, but not really focused on.
Now we get to "Skyfall," which brought a new perspective of Bond to the big screen as well as one of the best Bond villains to date. It's tough to top "Casino Royale" and "Skyfall," and I don't think "Spectre" quite did that, but it got close.
While the new film isn't as strong as two of its predecessors, it's miles ahead of "Quantum of Solace" and runs close behind the other two.
What's in it?
For the most part "Spectre" is much like the other Bond films. It's not as violent as "Quantum of Solace," but there's still plenty of chaos and gunfire. The skin and sexiness level aren't as high as "Skyfall," but closer to what we got in "Casino Royale." Then, the language is minimal at best, pretty much what you would expect from milder PG-13 films.
Conclusion
While "Spectre" isn't my favorite Bond film, it was expertly made and a lot of fun — definitely worth a night out at the movies. It ties in the previous films well while setting up multiple storylines for future adventures and memorable villains.
"Spectre" is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, some disturbing images, sensuality and language. 
Infographic by Evans Halshaw. View the interactive version here.
John has been writing about movies, news, sports and pretty much anything awesome for more than five years. John is the co-host of the Flix Junkies podcast and will always entertain you with his stories.
