Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, No Time To Die follows James Bond (Daniel Craig) who is enjoying his now tranquil life with Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux) after leaving active service. However, his peace is short-lived as secrets of her past surface and split the two apart.
On his own, Bond is contacted by his old CIA friend, Felix Leiter (Jefferey Wright), who asks for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond on the trail of a mysterious villain (Rami Malek) who’s armed with a dangerous new technology that could unleash great death upon the world.
We have come to the end of an era in the Bond franchise with Daniel Craig’s run as the character finally coming to a close. It’s been such a long road since Casino Royale that it’s almost hard to believe this is the end, so it was important that this film ends the Daniel Craig era on a high note. And my god did they end it on a high note.
No Time To Die was the perfect conclusion to this Bond series and is perhaps the most emotional James Bond film I have ever seen. It has all the kickassery you would come to expect from a James Bond film but, more importantly, it stayed true to the core elements and themes of this specific series that made it stand out from the other eras of Bond. There is just so much I love in this film that I could talk about, but due to spoilers I really can’t say too much, so I’ll just do my best to share only non-spoiler details.
The cast is absolutely perfect, with each member giving their all to their respective roles. The biggest among all of them being Daniel Craig, who gives the strongest and most emotional performance of the entire series. He really saved the best for last and eliminated all my concerns of delivering a passionless performance as many people had feared. He made me feel so much for the character compared to the previous films in so many ways, going in new directions but also maintaining the charm and charisma he’s always had throughout his run as Bond.
His is the most grounded take of James Bond we have had, and stands out because of it. He’s come such a long way and it was very emotional to see his journey finally come to an end, in what I feel was perfectly fitting for this era of Bond.
Lea Seydoux who returns as Madeleine was a far better character in this film compared to Spectre. Not to say her character and performance was bad in that film, but I didn’t feel as attached to her as much as I did here. She’s a complex individual that has dealt with so much beyond the events of the previous film, which serves as a major part of the story and impacts the end of Bond’s journey in major ways.
Other returning faces like Ralph Fiennes as M, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, Ben Whishaw as Q, Jefferey Wright as Felix, and Christoph Waltz as Blofeld are as fantastic as they were in all the previous films but it was the newer faces that really stood out.
We have Lashana Lynch as Nomi, a new “00” agent who entered active service sometime after Bond’s retirement and was assigned the 007 number due to her own unique skill set. Her taking Bond’s place creates an interesting rivalry between the two, but the way that it is handled is done very well and thankfully doesn’t go in any cliche direction. They both remain mostly professional as they share the same goal, and over time they do end up respecting each other, which I really liked seeing.
Ana De Armas has a short but absolutely stunning performance as the bubbly yet badass Paloma, a CIA agent that briefly assists Bond on his mission. She may have had a short role in this film but she steals the show in so many ways, both in terms of action and personality. My pick for best supporting character in this Bond series goes to her without question and continues to make Ana De Armas a rising star.
And then we have our main Bond villain, Lyutsifer Safin, played by Rami Malek who was spectacular. Safin is very different compared to most of the Bond villains we have seen, mainly because of his motivations. He sees himself as a hero in almost the same way that Bond is a hero, sharing a lot in common but is more of a dark reflection with twisted views.
Having a villain that believes he is the hero of the story makes the conflict more interesting and adds more grounded layers to the character. Malek really drives home that his villain is no joke in his performance and from his very first appearance he makes a huge impact that stays with you.
The story is a high-stakes espionage thriller with fun twists and turns, pretty much the typical James Bond story we love, but this was a much more emotional story compared to what we have had before. So many moments hit hard in the emotional department in between all the fun action, and there is always high tension going on throughout with what is at stake. Things can go from 0 to 100 in an instant and you are constantly left at the edge of your seat as things kick into gear.
What with being consistent with the rest of the series, this film has many bold choices and themes that will certainly engage viewers in many ways that they won’t expect and is guaranteed to impact you on a highly emotional level. The action is stellar and brutal with all sorts of badassery that is filmed with glorious cinematography that makes you feel absorbed in all that’s going on. Every hit feels real and raw, whether by fist or gunshot, and it never feels held back in the slightest. There’s a lot of great one-shot fights that are used within the film that are executed beautifully and once again keep viewers absorbed into all that is happening.
As for effects, there is some CGI present that looks good but there is a high amount of practical effects for both the sets and action sequences. They help make everything feel realistic and therefore add to the intensity and visual spectacle.
And speaking of visuals, by god is the cinematography for this film fantastic. Next to Skyfall, this film features gorgeous shots that ooze with beauty and really make you feel in the moment of all that’s going on, whether it be an explosive action sequence or a small slow moment between characters. No matter what is on screen it all looks glorious.
And of course, we can’t forget the music which is brought to us in this film by the masterful maestro himself Hans Zimmer. We get a score that ranges from mixing the iconic music style of Bond with the intense action, to delivering truly powerful and emotional beats that enhance the impact of certain scenes way more than any previous Bond film. And as for our opening Bond song, we have Billie Eilish who delivers a beautiful number that is fitting for this final chapter of Craig’s run as Bond.
And that’s all I can say about this film because to say any more would be diving into spoiler territory, and I can only say it’s best to experience everything for yourself.
To be honest, I have a really hard time finding any issues with this film whatsoever. I know some people had an issue with how lengthy the film is, but for me it was fine, and was required in order to conclude everything perfectly. It truly has been a hell of a ride with this era of Bond, and while it may have not been perfect all the way through, it managed to end on an incredible high note that committed to its goals and didn’t hold back on making us be so emotionally attached.
Daniel Craig’s final outing as the character is one that will never be forgotten, and I thank him for truly giving his all to this character for the many years he’s played him. I’m going to give No Time To Die an A+.
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