Released: 30th September 2021 (UK Premiere)
Length: 163 Minutes
Certificate: 12A
Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Starring: Daniel Craig, Lea Seydoux, Rami Malek, Ralph Fiennes, Naomi Harris, Ben Whishaw, Ana De Armas and Jeffery Wright
Since he began the role in 2006, Daniel Craig has created a distinctively modern and contemporary version of Britain’s most famous spy. The series has had its ups and downs, but the central performance has rarely waivered. It’s been a long wait for the actor’s last run as James Bond, but things are brought to a ceremonious close with No Time To Die.
Shortly after the events of Spectre, 007 has once again retired from active duty, this time to be with his wife Madeline Swann (Lea Seydoux). When an unexpected secret puts a hit squad on their tail, James learns the shadow organisation is still a threat, having stolen a deadly bioweapon from an MI6 lab. Flashing forward five years, he returns to active service, finding a changed world and a new series of threats. With support from characters old and new, Bond embarks on his latest globe-trotting mission. No Time To Die makes an improvement on its predecessor through a committed focus. The film has the longest runtime of the series to date, yet it never drags or gets sluggish with its pacing. The protagonist’s hunt for the antagonist takes centre stage with a few moments set aside for more emotive interactions. Each of these is well defined and hits with the right amount of pathos; the sense of finality is palpable all the way through. Rather than attempting to tie everything together or squeeze older tropes into the story, the call-backs to previous films are handled tastefully.
If there’s one word to describe Craig’s final bow, it’s nuance; the genuine care Bond shows for his inner circle emphasises his progression since Casino Royale. The hardened assassin has been peeled back to reveal a more vulnerable soul underneath. Surprisingly, the chemistry between James and Madeline is far better than Spectre with multiple reveals that bring out the empathy. While these leading roles are both concrete and conclusive, the side characters leave much to be desired; there’s a lot of them here and the script struggles to squeeze everyone in. Lashana Lynch cooked up some discussion before release as a new 00 agent; in the finished product she’s much the same as previous Bond girls; tough-as-nails and aiding Bond with his objective. I would have liked to see more personal development for her. The returning M (Ralph Fiennes), Moneypenny (Naomi Harris) and Q (Ben Whishaw) have all been relegated to basic communicative tasks and the newcomers go highly underused. Ana De Armas brings a very quirky and likeable persona in the first act, but she exits the film far too early. On the opposite side we have Rami Malek who is also very basic. Memorable villains are a rarity in the Bond series and Lyutsifer Safin’s sinister presence is pushed to the last act with little in the way of compelling motives or backstory. Aside from his raspy voice and disfigurement, he isn’t all that intimidating. In truth, none of the performances are at fault; they simply beg for further detail and depth.
The potent combination of Sam Mendes and Roger Deakins was a tough act to follow, but the efforts from cinematographer Linus Sandgren have paid off. No Time To Die is a sleek and stylish production, beautifully shot from start to finish. The palette is a mixture of subdued and vibrant colours, altering the view to serve each location with immaculate sets to boot. The framing of the action is especially effective, fitting each set piece seamlessly. Car combat, gunplay, hand-to-hand fights, all of these are regular fixtures for the series; while the tension doesn’t run as high as other releases, they still move at a brisk pace. Stunts are again on top form and towards the end of the film, a single take of Bond battling his way up a staircase is a major highlight. The music takes on a darker tone with Hans Zimmer lending his traditionally thunderous compositions. This mixing is flanked by Billy Eilish who delivers the title theme with great gusto. In terms of presentation, the latest 007 release successfully meets the high standards of the franchise.
When all is said and done, No Time To Die sits right in the middle of the Daniel Craig set. It’s a worthwhile conclusion to the franchise’s longest rendition that boasts solid production values and strong leading performances. The side characters hold it back from being another smash hit with the plot unable to balance out its supporting faces. Where the series goes from here is anyone’s guess but you’ll still be thoroughly entertained by the 25th entry.
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars (Good)
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