"No Time To Die" Review
With the 25th Bond film out for release this week, No Time to Die is a perfect send-off for the longest tenure of the Bond series (Daniel Craig). Due to pandemic, the 2020 release received as many date changes as the screenwriters working on the script. And now the film is finally hitting the silver screen on October 8th. Also, as a caveat to the release, Daniel Craig is receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, near fellow Bonder, Roger Moore (1973-85). As the ride for Craig comes to an end, it only made sense for Cary Joji Fukunaga (first American director of the Bond Film) to bring the cast together to deliver an action-packed nod to the last 15 years of the Bond series. Although it follows the standard blueprint for a Bond film (the villain who has a plan for world domination, and the only agent that can get the job done is 007 with the help of MI6), this version gives us more of a look behind the curtain of Bond as a man, more than an agent.
The picture picks up after the Spectre, with Bond and Madeline (Lea Seydoux) living their best lives off the grid in Italy. While they’re enjoying their time together, Madeline reveals that she has some secrets that she wants to tell Bond, but she wants him to visit Vespers Tomb (love interest from Casino Royale) and say his final good-byes. Unfortunately, the Spectre assassins decide to intervene and lay waste to Bond. Thinking Madeline has something to do with this fiasco, Bond grows furious as he fends for his life and decides to go separate ways.
Five years later, Bond is living well, enjoying retirement and out of pocket from MI6 (so much that the Agency actually thought he died), until his fellow friend Felix Leiter (Jeffery Wright) and his new partner Logan Ash (Billy Magnussen), ask him to come out of retirement and help them with a mission. The mission is to locate and take down Valdo Obruchev (Davis Dencik), a Russian scientist who has designed a bioweapon technology that could put the world at risk. After he declines their offer, he meets Nomi (Lashana Lynch, the new 007), who gives him some reasons to reconsider. His visit from Nomi causes Bond to go back to MI6 headquarters to talk to M (Ralph Fiennes) and their back-and-forth exchange ultimately leads Bond and the old 00 crew, Eve Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and Q (Ben Whishaw) to help him to solve the mystery. While digging, Bond later finds out that Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek), a terrorist leader, is behind all of the chaos. Bond’s goal is to stop Safin’s plan, as he realizes he has way more to fight for this time around.
One of the intriguing takeaways from this movie was the production. Linus Sandgren (known for Lala Land) worked wonders on some of the camera work and action angles. His work gives the experiential feeling that you’re in the passenger seat with Bond dodging every bullet with him. The movie has an End Game-like (Marvel) approach that involved closing a saga and a run time (not for the faint bladder). Clocking in at 2 hours and 43 minutes to be exact, while the film keeps you engaged and on the edge of your seat for the majority of the time, shaving fifteen minutes would have been welcomed.
The acting is certainly one of the best parts of the film, as the new 00 characters and the old ones mesh well together. Lynch came in with a point to prove in showing she could be the new 007; she did justice to the character by matching Craig’s gritty and violent take, but in a noble way. Ana de Armas (Paloma) debut as a 00 agent shows that Bond is not the only assassin that can wear formal wear and get the job done. Malek’s acting is usually superb (I still think of him as Freddy Mercury), but his role as Lyutsifer Safin wasn’t as momentous. Ernest Blofeld (Glenn Wrage) has more of an impact in the movie.
This movie was made for IMAX screens, so if you go to theatres, the IMAX experience is your best bet. The action scenes alone make it well worth it. I imagine this movie to be in the running for some award nods this season, whether for visuals, action, or score. If you’re a fan of opulent cars, innovative gadgets, live actions, super soldier guns and ammo, and/or lavish cities with an occasional scotch or stirred martini, you should enjoy this film. Bond fans won’t be disappointed. Also, if you stay until after the credits, you’ll also catch a quick teaser about the Bond Future (it’s not a Marvel post credit scene). For years Craig’s reported that he’s been ready to hang up the mantel, so in this movie they made sure his last ride was memorable and the one we’ll be referring to for a while (at least until the next 007 takes the helm).
The new future of looking for a new 007 can play out different ways — whether it’s a prequel or continuation of where the story left off, we will be in uncharted territory. Right now, it’s been reported that the next Bond search won’t begin until 2022, but Craig gave some stellar advice for the next character who takes on the role: “The best way to succeed is to Not be S#*t!” For whoever’s fortunate to step into the role next, they’ll have a tall order to fill — thanks to Daniel Craig.
Rating: B
