Shatterhand
Genre: Action / Adventure / Spy
Director: Joe Wright
Writer: John Malone
Based on characters created by Ian Fleming
Cast: Dan Stevens, Adele Exarchopoulos, Guy Pearce, Christian Berkel, Richard E. Grant, Kelly Macdonald, Himesh Patel, Nora Arnezeder, Olivier Richters, Shea Whigham
Plot: James Bond (Dan Stevens), Agent 007, crouches along the rugged coastline of Lisbon, Portugal, his eyes fixed on Auric Goldfinger (Christian Berkel), the notorious gold smuggler and bagman for the enigmatic Spectre organization - MI6's sole link to uncovering information on the clandestine group. His surveillance does not go unnoticed though. Goldfinger has laid a trap. Without warning, two shadowy figures lunge at Bond. A frenetic brawl erupts on the moonlit beach. He manages to shoot one of the assassins, but he loses his gun in the crash of waves. With one assassin left, Bond grapples with him in the thrashing surf. With a final push, Bond is able to overpower his adversary, submerging him beneath the waves until he ceases to struggle, drowning in shallow waters. Bond notices that each of the assassins are wearing matching rings featuring an octopus-shaped emblem. Bond pockets one from a dead assassin's finger and emerges from the water, scanning the shoreline for any more threats. Off in the distance he sees a lone figure, wandering out into the depths, disappearing beneath the churning waters. Instinctively, Bond springs into action, swimming through the waves with powerful strokes. Finally reaching the woman in the water, Bond pulls her limp body from the water. He quickly administers CPR, successfully resuscitating her as she finally gasps for air. The woman, Tessa Vignaud (Adele Exarchopoulos), coughs up water and slowly regains her breathing.
Bond sits beside Tessa's hospital bed, his gaze never wavering from the young woman's still face. When she awakens, Bond gently asks her if she's feeling better. Tessa's eyes flutter before meeting Bond's steady gaze. She notices the bruises on his face from his fight on the beach and expresses concern. Bond assures her he is fine, nothing but a few bruises. Bond's phone begins ringing, interrupting their conversation. Bond answers with a sigh when he sees the call is from Jane Moneypenny (Kelly Macdonald). As Moneypenny's voice crackles through the line, relaying urgent instructions for Bond to return to MI6 in London, Bond's eyes never leave Tessa. Leaning down, Bond kisses Tessa's forehead. He tells her to take care of herself and makes her promise to not try to take her own life again. Tessa promises, but only if Bond promises to come back and see her again soon. Bond nods in agreement as he makes his way out the door.
James Bond strides into MI6 headquarters in London, England. He playfully passes Miss Moneypenny on his way into the office of M (Richard E. Grant). Bond informs M that the operation in Lisbon did not go exactly as planned, revealing that he had to rescue a drowning woman after killing a pair of Spectre assassins. M asks what he gleaned from observing Goldfinger. Bond sheepishly admits that Auric Goldfinger got away and his surveillance was unsuccessful. M is annoyed by this development, but Bond interjects that if Spectre is willing to attempt to kill him to protect Goldfinger, then they must be onto something. M tells Bond that he has exactly one more week on his investigation into the phantom Spectre organization and Goldfinger's ties to it. Bond nods and leaves M's office.
James Bond navigates the labyrinthine corridors of MI6 headquarters, making his way to the high-tech Q Branch. He is greeted by Q (Himesh Patel), who informs Bond that he has worked hard to track Auric Goldfinger following the incident. Q motions to a series of monitors displaying satellite images and surveillance footage all centered on a remote luxury mountain resort in the Swiss Alps outside of Zermatt. Q assigns Bond a tracking device watch, a sleek new gun and a cell phone. Bond eyes the phone, inquiring as to its function. Q says it is simply a phone in case he needs to call anyone. Before Bond leaves, he gives Q the octopus ring and asks Q to find out everything he can about it. Q nods dutifully.
James Bond arrives at the luxurious mountain resort up the snow-capped peaks, high above the village of Zermatt in Switzerland. As he enters the grand lobby, his eyes scan the room, taking in his surroundings. To his surprise, Tessa is among the guests. He comments on the coincidence. Tessa tells him that her father insisted she come there to recuperate from the hospital, suggesting the mountain air would do her well. Bond nods and asks her to accompany him for dinner that evening. Tessa is hesitant, saying it may not be a very good idea given how they met. Bond smiles at her and says that the quality of an idea rarely has stopped him before.
Later that evening, James Bond waits in the resort's top-flight restaurant until he sees Tessa enter, looking stunning in an evening gown. Bond compliments her dress and orders a pair of martinis - shaken, not stirred. Tessa asks James what he does for a living, and he tells her that he kills people in a light tone. Tessa laughs, joking back that he's pretty bad at his job for saving her in the ocean. Bond asks Tessa what she was doing in the water in Lisbon. The laughter fades from Tessa's eyes and she reveals that she was trying to kill herself or at least make a cry for help, she's unsure now. Bond carefully asks why and Tessa tells Bond that she has always been haunted by the actions of her father. She adds that her father is a bad man and she recently discovered some of his plans and couldn't bear the thought of them coming to fruition. Before Bond can ask about her father's identity, their conversation is interrupted by a man who introduces himself as the owner of the resort, Dr. Guntram Shatterhand (Guy Pearce). Tessa goes silent, her eyes wide with fear. Bond shakes Shatterhand's hand. Shatterhand asks how their evening is going. Bond casually jokes that the martinis are good, but maybe a little light on the alcohol. Shatterhand assures Bond that he will make sure their next round is much stronger. Shatterhand soon excuses himself, saying there are other guests he must attend to. Bond turns to Tessa, noticing her ashen face and trembling hands. She abruptly stands, saying she has to go, but thanks Bond for the company. Before Bond can stop her, Tessa hurries out of the restaurant.
Tessa moves through the resort but is intercepted by Irma Blunt (Nora Arnezeder), who demands that Tessa come with her. Knowing there is no point in arguing with Irma, Tessa follows her through a series of corridors until they reach a large, ornate door. Irma knocks once before pushing it open. Behind a massive desk sits "Shatterhand''. Tessa greets him as "father". Shatterhand asks his daughter what she was doing spending her dinner with a member of the British Secret Service. Tessa informs her father that Bond was the one who saved her life in Lisbon. Shatterhand says that while he is grateful for that, if Mr. Bond becomes a problem, he will have no choice but to eliminate him. Tessa nods, her throat tight with fear and anger. Shatterhand dismisses Tessa with a wave of his hand, turning his attention back to his secretive work. Irma escorts Tessa back to her suite.
James Bond finishes his drink and is prepared to retire to his room for the evening, alone for a change, when he catches a glimpse of Auric Goldfinger in the lobby. Bond watches as Goldfinger boards a cable car that ascends up the mountain. Determined not to lose sight of Spectre's suspected money man, Bond swiftly gets into the next car. Just as it is about to leave the lodge, a massive man, Jaws (Olivier Richters) enters. Jaws' over 7 foot tall frame towers over Bond and barely fits into the compact cable car. Jaws smiles at Bond, showing off his steel teeth. As the cable car begins its ascent, Jaws attacks Bond, his brute strength causing the car to swing wildly on its cable. Bond tries to reach for his gun, but Jaws grabs him and throws him across the car with ease. Bond realizes he is physically outmatched. Thinking fast, Bond climbs outside the car and up onto its roof. The freezing bites at Bond's face as he tries to figure out his next move. Undeterred, Jaws follows his target outside. Bond grabs hold of the steel cable and, using his gloves for friction, slid down towards the next cable car. He lands on the roof of the following car and clambers inside, catching his breath and readying his gun. At the top of the mountain, Bond is prepared for another encounter. The doors open and he cautiously steps out, expecting an ambush. To his surprise there is no sign of Jaws or Goldfinger. Just as Bond is about to relax, Jaws suddenly emerges from the shadows, grabbing Bond and holding him over the edge of a steep cliff. Bond clutches onto Jaws, desperately trying to avoid a fall. Tessa, Shatterhand and Goldfinger appear. Shatterhand reveals himself as Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the leader of Spectre, the organization Bond has been desperately trying to investigate. Tessa grabs a gun, her hands trembling. As Bond and Jaws grapple along the railing, Tessa mouths “sorry" to Bond and pulls the trigger. The bullet strikes Bond in the shoulder, sending him falling into the snowy depths below.
A blizzard arrives, covering James Bond's tracks as he trudges through the snow. Injured and disoriented, Bond manages to find refuge in a small, abandoned cabin. Bond stumbles inside, his vision blurred from pain and exhaustion. Using the last of his strength, Bond starts a fire and proceeds to remove the bullet from his shoulder with a pocket knife. Bond then holds the knife in the flames, using the heated blade to cauterize the wound. The pain finally becomes too much and Bond passes out on the floor of the cabin. When Bond awakens, his senses slowly returning, he finds himself under the watchful gaze of Tessa, who is cleaning the remaining wound on his shoulder. Bond asks why she shot him. Tessa reveals that she shot him so that her father, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, would be able to kill him. Bond points out that she could have easily killed him herself based on her actions. Tessa, smiling faintly, says that she had a feeling he would find a way to survive. Bond notices that Tessa revealed that Blofeld is her father. She explains that her father has spent decades climbing the criminal underworld ladder until he was in charge of Spectre. Bond, his mind racing, asks what plan of his she discovered in Lisbon. Tessa reveals that Goldfinger let it slip that her father has acquired a nuclear missile that he plans to launch at Moscow to kickstart World War 3. Bond's eyes widen as he asks how that would benefit Spectre. Tessa explains that if the world's superpowers are at war with each other, Spectre would be able to operate with impunity, only making the organization stronger and more powerful. Bond inquires where the missile is, but Tessa does not know other than she believes it can't be far from her father. They plan to search for the missile and contact MI6 as soon as the blizzard dies down. To stay warm as night falls, Bond and Tessa huddle together in front of the fire, their bodies drawing closer. Bond gently brushes a strand of hair from Tessa's face. She responds by bringing her lips to his in a passionate kiss. The two make love in front of the fire. The flickering flames casting their shadows across the walls.
As the first light of dawn breaks over the snow-covered landscape, James Bond emerges from the cabin, finding that the storm has finally passed. Bond knows he needs to establish contact with MI6 and inform them of Spectre's plans. Bond paces through the snow, but the towering mountains surrounding the location block any signal. When he returns to the cabin, he finds Tessa missing and signs of a struggle. Bond races back outside, his heart pounding in his chest. In the distance, he can hear the faint sound of snowmobiles echoing through the snowy terrain. Bond manages to find the tracks and follow them. He follows the tracks back to the resort, but notices that they continue into deeper, more treacherous terrain. Bond makes his way into the resort to get into contact with MI6. He manages to get Miss Moneypenny on the line, who connects Bond to M. Bond tells M that Spectre is planning to launch a nuclear attack on Moscow from a base hidden in the mountains of Switzerland. M comments that creates a problem - Switzerland's stance of neutrality means that British forces cannot intervene officially. Bond hangs up in frustration. With no options left, Bond makes his way to the vehicle depot and commandeers a snowcat. He steers it through the steep mountains, following the tracks the snowmobiles left behind deeper into the mountainous wilderness.
Miss Moneypenny stands before M, who sits behind a big mahogany desk, his face lined with the weight of his responsibilities. Moneypenny protests that they can't just leave Bond out there on his own as he needs backup to stop Spectre's plans. M looks up wearily. He explains that Switzerland's neutrality complicates matters as sending in military forces would violate international law and could have severe repercussions. Moneypenny argues that a terrorist organization planning to start World War 3 surely justifies some risk. M promises to see what he can do within the limits of their jurisdiction, hoping to figure out a way to provide covert support without ruffling the feathers of the Swiss government.
James Bond crouches behind a rocky outcrop, his breath forming white puffs in the freezing air. The hidden entrance to Spectre's secret missile command base is just ahead. He moves swiftly ahead, his movements precise and silent. Bond reaches the entrance hatch, slipping inside. Bond navigates through a maze of corridors in the sleek, utilitarian construct. He rounds a corner and encounters his first obstacle: a pair of Spectre agents wielding shock batons. Bond dispatches the first with a swift punch to the throat, followed by an elbow to the face. The second agent lunges at Bond, baton crackling with electricity. Bond ducks under the swing, and flips the agent to the ground, disarming him in the process. Bond picks up the fallen baton, keeping it at the ready as he moves deeper into the compound. Bond encounters more agents along the way, using the shock baton to neutralize them without triggering any alarms alerting the facility to his presence. When Bond reaches the central command area, the corridors widen into a large open chamber filled with dozens of Spectre agents. Bond tosses the shock baton and draws his Walther PPk, taking down several agents with precise shots. The numbers are overwhelming and soon Bond's ammunition runs out. Bond throws his now empty gun at the nearest guard, knocking him off balance before engaging the remaining operatives in hand-to-hand combat. The sheer number of enemies proves too much and he is gradually surrounded. Bond raises his hands in a gesture of surrender. The Spectre agents form a tight circle around Bond. From the shadows, Ernst Stavro Blofeld emerges, his cold eyes fixed on Bond. Blofeld jabs a shock baton into Bond's neck. A surge of electricity courses through Bond's body, his muscles convulsing violently. Bond grits his teeth, but the intensity of the shock is too much. Bond's eyes roll back and he collapses to the floor, unconscious. Bond’s limp body is dragged away as Blofeld watches, satisfied.
James Bond's eyes flutter open, the harsh light of the room blinding his momentarily. As his vision clears, Bond realizes he is strapped to a steel chair. Before him, through a large reinforced window, looms the imposing silhouette of a nuclear missile. Bond tugs at his restraints, but they hold firm. A door opens and in comes Ernst Stavro Blofeld and Irma Blunt. Bond asks Blofeld why he's doing all this. Blofeld says that his plans are more ambitious than Bond would be able to understand, so he won't bother giving some long explanation. Blofeld then reveals that his daughter Tessa has pleaded with him not to kill Bond. Blofeld says that he is inclined to oblige her request given the debt owed to him for saving Tessa's life in Lisbon. Blofeld leans in, his face inches from Bond's. Blofeld tells Bond that he is alive because he has allowed it, but that if he continues to push further, not even Tessa's pleas will be able to save him. Bond spits in Blofeld's face. Blofeld steps back and wipes his face with a snide smile on his face.
Bond continues to struggle against his bonds when the door opens, and this time Tessa is brought in. Blofeld gives his daughter a kiss on the cheek, which causes her to recoil, and says that he thought she should witness the launch as well. As Blofeld turns his attention back to the control panel, Irma Blunt enters and informs Blofeld that they have detected unknown helicopters hovering over the base and blocking the missile's required path. Blofeld's eyes narrow as he instructs Irma to have some Spectre agents shoot them out of the sky. Irma leaves to address the situation. Bond and Tessa exchange a knowing glance. Tessa stealthily moves to Bond's side and frees him from the chair. Bond and Tessa run to make their escape, but the massive figure of Jaws blocks their path. Bond urges Tessa to run away in another direction. Jaws lifts Bond above his head and hurls him across the room toward the launch area. Bond crashes into a metal support beam, groaning in pain. Jaws advances to continue his brutal assault on Bond. With each hit, Bond is pushed closer to the edge of the large opening in the floor of the missile silo. Bond spots a shock baton on the floor and crawls toward it. Bond jabs the baton into Jaws' mouth. The electricity surges through Jaws' metal teeth, causing him to convulse violently. With one final effort, Bond pushes Jaws, sending the massive henchman stumbling backward and causing him to fall into the depths of the missile silo.
Meanwhile, Tessa's escape is intercepted by Irma Blunt. The two women clash. Tessa's agility and desperation are matched by Irma's combat training. Bond, recovering from his near defeat from Jaws, sees Tessa struggling against Irma. Bond tosses another shock baton to Tessa. She catches it and swiftly jabs it into Irma's side. The jolt of electricity incapacitates Irma, who collapses to the floor.
Bond searches for Blofeld, who slipped away while he was fighting with Jaws. Suddenly Felix Leiter (Shea Whigham) storms into the facility, leading a covert CIA team. Leiter reveals that the helicopters hovering over the facility are his. Bond tells Leiter he's happy to see him. Leiter informs Bond that M called in some favors and thankfully Leiter's boss isn't too worried about upsetting the Swiss government. Leiter's team begins charging through the compound, taking out the remaining Spectre agents in the facility. The sound of gunfire and shouts fill the air. Bond moves quickly through the chaos of the facility, finding Blofeld near the control room. Bond tells Blofeld that it is over and he should come into custody willingly. Blofeld, without a word, reaches for a hidden control panel and triggers the facility's self-destruct sequence. The missile locks down in its silo, the launch aborted, preserving the missile's integrity. A series of small explosions begin to tear the facility apart. As the explosions intensify, rubble crashes down, blocking Bond's path to Blofeld. Bond tries to pursue, but the collapsing structure makes it impossible. Tessa appears, grabbing Bond by the hand. The two begin to flee toward the exit. Bond, Tessa and Leiter's team run through the corridors as the walls and ceiling cave in around them, flames and smoke filling the air. They all make it through the hatch, narrowly avoiding falling debris.
The explosions from the self-destruction of Blofeld's facility have reverberated through the mountains, triggering the start of a massive avalanche. A thunderous roar of snow cascades down the slopes toward the base entrance. Felix Leiter and his team scramble to their helicopters, which lift off just in time, but Bond and Tessa do not have enough time to board them. Bond spots a nearby snowmobile and takes Tessa to it. Bond revs the engine and speeds away with Tessa holding on tightly behind him, the wall of snow rapidly closing in behind them. The snowmobile tears through the terrain. Bond skillfully maneuvers around obstacles, but the avalanche continues to gain on them. Despite Bond's best efforts, the avalanche does catch up with them, throwing Bond and Tessa from the snowmobile. They tumble away and are partially buried under the snow. Leiter's CIA helicopters circle back and hover above the duo. Bond and Tessa dig themselves out of the snow. Bond pulls Tessa close, and they share a passionate kiss.
Back at MI6 Headquarters in London, Bond thanks M for calling in Leiter and the CIA for backup. M waves off the thanks. Bond asks if there is any sign of Blofeld. M sighs, shaking his head, and states that there is no trace and is presumed dead. Bond says that even if Blofeld is dead, someone else will just take over Spectre and continue his work. M nods, stating that while that may be true, it is a problem for another day. In the meantime, M states that Bond has earned a well-deserved vacation.
Under the warm Mediterranean sun, Bond and Tessa relax on a small sailboat, the gentle waves of the Mediterranean Sea pushing the boat along. Tessa lies beside Bond on the deck and asks him if he has ever thought about quitting his line of work. Bond honestly confesses that he has never really thought about it. He glances at her with a soft smile, saying that the right woman could potentially sway him. Tessa leans in for a kiss as Bond pulls her close. As the kiss continues, the sailboat continues to gently drift toward the open sea.
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