All hope seems lost. Our hero is locked in an abandoned building, one that’s slated to explode in three—no, two—minutes. His girlfriend is trapped on the other side of the building, and time is rapidly running out.

Never fear. With a little help from his high-tech gadgets, the hero manages to find a way out of the building, rescue the girl, and make his escape just as a fiery explosion consumes the world behind him.

Who is this hero? Why, he’s James Bond, of course.

November 6^th saw the US release of Spectre, which is the 24^th film in the Bond franchise. In the movie, James Bond (Daniel Craig) encounters the global criminal organization SPECTRE, and discovers a chilling connection between himself and the group’s leader.

The film was a box office success, grossing almost $750 million worldwide. Although it earned less than 2012’s Skyfall—which topped a billion dollars—it outsold both Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, the other two Bond films starring Daniel Craig. The movie has garnered praise for its intricate opening scene, which takes place at a Day of the Dead parade in Mexico City, as well as for its musical score and slick plot reminiscent of older Bond films.

However, the film has also received some lackluster reviews. Critics noted a simplistic plot—“[The story] play[s] like a series of boxes…that need to be checked off and forgotten,” says LA Times reporter Kenneth Duran—as well as the film’s somewhat convoluted attempts to tie the past four Bond movies under a common storyline.

Part of the problem might be Daniel Craig, who said in an interview that he’d rather slash his wrists than play James Bond one more time. And while some saw his performance in Spectre as gritty and nuanced, others saw it as apathetic and emotionally uninvolved. It’s rumored that Spectre was Craig’s last Bond movie, and there are myriad guesses as to which actor will replace him. However, Craig claims that he hasn’t yet decided if he wants to give up the mantle of Agent 007. He told the BBC: “I’m quite straightforward and I say things when I feel it and then I change my mind.” He continued: “This [filming for Spectre] is what’s going on at the moment. I’m enjoying this.”

Whoever replaces Craig—sooner or later—will add to a long tradition. Eon Productions released the first Bond movie in 1963, over 52 years ago. That’s almost half as long as movies themselves have been around. Bond has been with us through the post-World War II economic boom, the uncertain years of the Cold War, the disillusionment of the ‘90s, and finally into our new, post 9/11 world.

So what exactly is the allure of James Bond? “I think it’s about escape,” remarks Sarah Lee ’19. “When you’re watching a Bond movie, or any action movie in general, you get caught up in the excitement and forget about your own problems.”

Edward Hu ’18 agrees. “I think the reason people watch James Bond specifically,” he explains, “is that you always know what to expect. You know: witty dialogue, exotic places, intense fight scenes, and so on. So, the viewer can keep going back to this familiar world, and they get to watch people who aren’t that different from us do these amazing things. I think that’s a big part of the attraction.”

Spectre, and future 007 films, are sure to attract fans both young and old for generations to come.