In this Sam Mendes-directed Bond film, our hero finally goes up against Blofeld for the first time since 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever, with the global criminal organization Spectre returning and Christoph Waltz taking over the villainous role.

The film’s usage of the Spectre organization and its characters was the end of long-standing litigation between Eon Productions and producer Kevin McClory, who sued James Bond creator Ian Fleming in 1961 due to the author taking parts of his work for the book and film Thunderball.

McClory died in 2006, and in November 2013 MGM and the McClory estate formally settled the issues, giving the filmmakers full copyright film rights to the concept of Spectre and all of the characters associated with the evil organization.

With the 00 group disbanded and M murdered from the last film, Bond is nearly a man without a country as he investigates the octopus-like Spectre. What a rough job Bond has, having to seduce Monica Belluci (who was the oldest Bond girl to date, doing the movie at the age of fifty. That said, Belucci is ageless).

He learns why all this horror has been happening. After being orphaned, the younger Bond was adopted by Hannes Oberhauser. His son Franz believed that Bond had supplanted him as his father’s son, so he killed the man, took the name Ernesto Stavro Blofeld and created Spectre with the sole goal of ruining Bond’s existence.

This film also gave pro wrestler Dave Bautista the chance to shine as bodyguard Mr. Hix. He’s the fourth Bond villain to come from the sport, along with Harold Sakata, Peter Maivia and Pat Roach.

While this film didn’t win over fans, it certainly sets up Craig for one more run as Bond.