Daniel Craig’s fifth and final turn as Ian Fleming’s 007 is a nice change of pace from the mostly dour, joyless past couple of entries in the James Bond saga. I think he knew this was going to be his swan song, so he decided to finally loosen up a bit and give the fans what they want to see. Namely, a fully loaded Aston Martin, cool gadgets, hot babes, villains with facial deformities, and henchmen with quirky gimmicks. Oh, and HUMOR! Can you imagine Craig’s Bond actually tossing off one-liners and double entendre like Roger Moore? Can you imagine Craig’s Bond actually looking like he’s having FUN? What a novel concept!
In fact, the first two hours of No Time to Die had me convinced that Craig had belatedly found his footing and created a James Bond that fans of previous incarnations of the character could embrace and love. As it turns out, he was basically setting us up for the final forty-five minutes or so, which finds him back on his sourpuss streak (although it’s still not without its fun moments). I’m sure the ending will be long discussed and dissected by Bond fans, and for me, it worked, even though it was kind of a lot to process. Further viewings will probably only enhance my enjoyment of the film. (As is the case with most Bonds, although to be perfectly honest, I haven’t even revisited Spectre since I saw it opening night, so who knows?) All I can say is that I firmly believe Craig accomplished everything he set out to do with the character, and he exits the franchise with a resounding mic drop.
No Time to Die is the longest Bond film on record, which is a lot of the problem. It almost feels like two Bonds for the price of one. There’s the funny, breezy (but also deadly serious at times) set-up that establishes the players, both new and old. (Like all of Craig’s Bonds, your enjoyment may hinge on your knowledge of his previous installments.) We learn Bond has been off the grid for five years and is brought back into the game by his old pal Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright, excellent as usual) to recover a deadly virus. There is a terrific sequence in Cuba where Bond teams up with a sultry rookie agent (Ana de Armas) and a rather nifty attempt on Bond’s life that goes south. We also learn that all roads lead to Blofeld (Christoph Waltz, slightly better here than in his underwhelming last turn as the character), and that Bond’s former flame Madeliene (Lea Seydoux) may be holding back A Very Big Secret. The final third, while making concessions to the Bond movies of old (there’s an island lair containing a missile silo), is very much in line with the typical Craig era interpretation of the character, but it’s not without its charms, and is surprisingly, dare I say, moving to boot. Like many Bonds, it suffers from a lot of needless bloating (at least Quantum of Solace was a three-chords, in-and-out affair), but seeing as this is Craig’s final go-round, maybe, perhaps I can give him a mulligan. I’d say he’s earned it.
Anyway, here’s the real review for Bond fans:
The Pre-Opening Title Sequence: There’s a lot to unpack here. It’s a little jumbled as it has to set-up Madeliene’s big secret, remind us of Bond’s former flame, and show us that Bond retiring maybe wasn’t a good idea. What is a good idea is letting him drive a gadgets-filled Aston Martin and kill lots of bad guys. As far as these things go, it probably ranks somewhere on the lower end of the spectrum since it ends on an emotional note, and not an action one. That said, it starts the film off in fine fashion. ***
The Opening Title Sequence: Like many of the post-Dalton Bond movies, there’s way too much CGI and not enough naked women photographed in silhouette for my tastes. However, it’s one of the better Craig-era title sequences. I particularly thought the guns lined up in spirals to make a very deadly looking DNA pattern was a nice touch. ***
The Song: When I first heard “No Time to Die” by Billie Ellish, I quickly dismissed it as the worst Bond song of all time. Now seeing it in the proper context alongside the visuals of the title sequence, I like it slightly more, but not much. Like “Writing’s on the Wall”, it’s a boring, forgettable tune and not something you’d expect (or want) from a Bond song. **
Bond: This is by far my favorite Craig performance in a Bond movie. He finally nails the tone of the earlier Bonds while still making it his own. Whether hammering drinks in the midst of a shootout or coolly hopping off speeding motorcycles, he shows what kind of a Bond he could’ve been all these years if he wasn’t busy being so glum in his last four movies. He also hits all the dramatic notes you’d expect him to, which goes without saying. ****
The Gadgets: The Aston Martin scene is top notch. Bond also gets a watch armed with an EMP. He and the new 007 (Lashawna Lynch) also get to take a ride in a glider that looks and functions a lot like the one in Escape from New York. Not to be outdone, the bad guys have magnetic suits that help them briefly defy gravity in order to make a nifty getaway. *** ½
Bond Girls: Seydoux matures nicely into the role of Madeleine Swann. She was a little aloof in the previous outing, but now seems much more like a match for Craig’s Bond. This is the most chaste Bond has been since The Living Daylights as he’s strictly a one-woman man, but de Armas and Lynch are both capable and badass in their action sequences and hold their own alongside Craig. *** ½
M: M (Ralph Fiennes) proves to be more of an asshole than usual. That’s a good thing though, because it sort of advances the plot and opens up the possibility that James might not be playing on the right side this time out. Fiennes is great once again and gets to say, what I believe is the only F-bomb in 007 history. *** ½
Villain(s): Waltz does a good job as Blofeld, although I’m not sure I fully embrace his Hannibal Lecter take on the character. Rami Malek underplays the main villain Safin, perhaps a hair too much. However, I dig his harlequin mask get-up. ***
Villain’s Plot: This might hit close to home for some folks, but it’s all about (SPOILER) weaponizing a virus. It’s a novel twist on the typical save-the-world scenario. If it didn’t come out during a pandemic, it probably would’ve seemed downright inventive. ***
Villain’s Lair: It’s your typical island fortress filled with a bunch of scientists in containment suits and armed guards out the wazoo. It’s another day at the office, but a welcome one. ***
Villain’s Henchman: A dude with a glass eye that contains a camera. He’s not exactly Odd Job or anything. At least Bond gets to toss lots of eye-related puns and quips his way, which is always a good thing. ***
Martinis: Bond drinks one. ***
Movies Ripped Off: Dr. No: Lots of dudes in plastic radiation suits running around when the villain’s lair is getting blown up. [REDACTED]: There’s a doozy of a previous Bond movie that is being reworked here, but if I told you, it might spoil the whole ball of wax. (They even play that film’s song over the end credits!) For Your Eyes Only: Bond visits a former lover’s grave as well as dispatches a helpless bad guy via shoving a disabled car. [REDACTED]: Again, if I told you, I’d spoil it. All I’ll say is that Bond goes out for revenge. Again. Die Another Day: Bond has to contend with a younger agent that just may be his match that also happens to be a strong and capable African American woman.
Bottom Line: No Time to Die is my third favorite Craig-era Bond. A solid entry that contains a thrilling first two hours, as well as a divisive ending that may or may not take some Bond fans out of the movie entirely. I personally thought they stuck the landing nicely, making it a fitting curtain call for Craig’s interpretation of the character.
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