REVIEW
No Time to Die
Stars: 4.5
Starring Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Ana de Armas, Lashana Lynch, Billy Magnussen, Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, David Dencik, Christoph Waltz, Dali Benssalah, and Ralph Fiennes
Written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Cary Joji Fukunaga, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga
Rated: PG for violence, coarse language, and substance use
Runtime: 163 minutes
Now available on available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD Collector’s Editions
Languages/Subtitles: English, French Canadian, and Latin American Spanish
After 25 years, it comes to this. James Bond has saved the fictional world more times than most of us in real life but he’s never fallen in love like this and he’s never faced a more formidable foe than this either.
No Time to Die puts him in the direst battle that he’s ever had to fight and think his way through, and it does so by pitting his love and his foe against him in an ultimately sinister and tragic way. A pretty fitting way for Daniel Craig to sign off for the last time as 007. The actor reportedly didn’t enjoy the dramatic challenges of the world-famous character, possibly because Bond has never had much of an arc to show his growth before this.
Honestly, the character of the secret superspy hasn’t faced anything new since Roger Moore went to space, and man, wasn’t that a lark? No, that wasn’t really ‘new’ especially since Jaws - the tall henchman with the steel-plated teeth - was waiting for him there… again; it was simply the same old antics for the same old British agent to charm his way through while charming his way into some lucky lass’s knickers. Bond is known for three qualities: his ultimately capable ‘man’s man’ persona, his unflappability and stiff upper lip in the face of adversity, and his indefatigable libido. The very thought of him having fallen in love is a quantum leap for the fellow who, only a few short films ago, was simply looking for a quantum of solace.
Ah… but one can only avoid the affairs of the heart for so long, n’est-ce pas? Bond, we learn, has fallen hard for Madeleine Swann (played by Léa Seydoux) and their relationship has progressed to the point where he has left active duty to travel the world with her, starting in Italy. Good for them, but it’s a fool’s game for him to try and live a normal life as trouble quickly catches up with them, setting a course for things to go from bad to worse and worser yet for him, and for her.
And for everybody, really.
The ‘worser yet’ part involves the film’s MacGuffin, a secret experiment called Project Heracles that M (Ralph Fiennes) instigated as the most precise weapon for assassination. It involves nanobots that are programmed to a person’s DNA, so consider it a bio-weapon. It exists ensconced in the bloodstream and passes by cordial contact from person to person until it finds the right one and stops them in their tracks. I don’t want to give too much away but it’s nasty. The weapon was stolen from its off-the-books laboratory with the help of a scientist named Obruchev.
Our film requires that Bond be in action despite his recent retirement. His ol’ CIA pal Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) tracks him down in Jamaica and convinces him to help out by tracking the scientist to a gathering of SPECTRE-lings in Cuba. From there, Bond heads back to London to berate M, question Blofeld (Christoph Waltz), become reacquainted with Madeleine, and learn about a new bad guy on the horizon:
Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek).
This guy has a major beef with SPECTRE and with Bond. I have a beef with Bond too, but I would have preferred to write him a sternly worded letter. Safin has other nefarious plans, however. Just like every other Bond villain, but unlike the others in perhaps the two most significant ways: his weapon of choice and also the method that he has chosen to get under Bond’s skin.
There’s much to be said about the antiquated character of James Bond, who – throughout the first 20 or so movies in the canon – treated women as sex objects before leaving them in a trail of his aftershave-scented dust. Who could blame him when their ‘Bond girl’ names were Pussy Galore, Xenia Onotopp, Holly Goodhead, Kissy Suzuki, and Plenty O’Toole. What cardigan-wearing misogynist from the 1940s devised those character names? Honestly.
Still, in the realm of fiction, these are things that makes James Bond and his world stand out in the minds of audiences.
Actually, Bond has more than three qualities that he’s known for: his enjoyment of a certain alcoholic cocktail made with shaken vodka not stirred gin or vermouth (what?!?), his penchant for techno-gadgets, his bad boy playfulness with his handlers and counterparts, and the special way that he announces himself both in name and in number come to my thoughts.
Truthfully, I was reluctant to give No Time to Die the time of day. I’ve seen most of the rest of the Bond films and what’s the point of reviewing any film (let alone watching it in the first place) if you already know how it’s going to end? Reassured that this would be a Bond film to stand out among the crowd, I partook.
Yes, I was pleasantly surprised by many elements of the film. While the writing staff was mostly Bond stalwarts Neal Purvis and Robert Wade (helped along by director Cary Joji Fukunaga), there was a fourth at the table, and it's an interesting one. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is a rising star in screenwriting and I suspect a pivotal force in the development of this story. I look forward to more of her work in the future.
Having Rami Malek as the villain was a great casting decision. His portrayal of Safin was creepy though not caricaturish yet still over the top as required. Malek could have earned an Oscar nomination for this restrained, malignant work, but only if it wasn’t in a Bond film. Likewise, Léa Seydoux as Madeleine was indeed a noble, tragic figure throughout the 2¾ hours of this epic enterprise. She loved Bond but her fate was manipulated and influenced by men throughout her life. In a way, she saves him, redeems him as a human being, and she pays a heavy price for that. Now, what does that say about the whole of the Bond storyline?
Daniel Craig was Bond, sadly, and he’s a better actor than that. He is much like Tom Cruise where he seems suited to play these leading roles but excels exceedingly in smaller, supporting roles. Sure you’ve seen Knives Out but check out Logan Lucky and you’re in for a joy ride for sure.
Similarly, No Time to Die offers the same kind of convoluted plot that Cruise typical suffers through/revels in for each chapter of the turgid Mission Impossible series. The comparison between the two is apt, since Cruise’s Ethan Hunt is meant to be the über-capable American response to the British superspy who we’ve known now for 60 years. Each excursion is as exciting as a prolonged, predictable yawn.
While there was much hesitation to even review this movie, there was even greater hesitation to place a high or low rating on NTtD. It was an interesting story, and well told too, hence the number of stars. I probably join many in wondering where 007 can go from here.
DVD DETAILS
Check out this trailer and look for these bonus features on the 4K ULTRA HD, BLU-RAY and DVD releases (provided by the distributor Universal Pictures Home Entertainment):
- ANATOMY OF A SCENE: MATERA – In true Bond fashion, there is an incredible pre-credit sequence featured in No Time To Die. A breathless chase shot in Matera that starts on foot, then motorcycle, then car. Not just any car either - the iconic Aston Martin DB5! Through interviews with Daniel Craig and director Cary Joji Fukunaga, plus on-set interviews with key members of the crew, we discover how the filmmakers shot this breathtaking sequence.
- KEEPING IT REAL: THE ACTION OF NO TIME TO DIE – In a world full of CGI-heavy action films, the Bond franchise proudly stands out from the crowd for always shooting practical stunts, without the use of special effects. In this piece we see how No Time To Die continues with this tradition with its amazing action sequences.
- A GLOBAL JOURNEY – Exotic locations are synonymous with all Bond movies and No Time To Die is no different. As well as returning to Bond’s spiritual home, Jamaica, for Daniel Craig’s final outing, we also go on a global journey taking in Italy, Norway and Scotland. We’ll hear from Daniel Craig, Cary Fukunaga, other key cast and filmmakers, on what it was like filming at these spectacular locations.
- DESIGNING BOND – Production designer Mark Tildesley and costume designer Suttirat Anne Larlarb, along with cast and other filmmakers, discuss the inspiration, challenges and trials of concepting and making such remarkable sets and costumes for the iconic Bond franchise.
- BEING JAMES BOND* – In this special 45-minute retrospective, Daniel Craig candidly reflects on his 15-year adventure as James Bond. Including never-before-seen archival footage from Casino Royale to the 25th film No Time To Die, Craig shares his personal memories in conversation with 007 producers, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, in the lead up to his final performance as James Bond.
*4K UHD Only
