Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Cast: Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lasharna Lynch, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris
Screenwriters: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Bond’s return to the big screen comes with all the classic trimmings that have come to be associated with the franchise (including an ambiguous title, car chases, an excess of explosions and an array of fanciful technological feats). However, the title No Time to Die seems particularly fitting when taking into account all of the hurdles the film persevered against on its journey to release. Daniel Craig’s final outing as the iconic British super spy survived a departing director (Danny Boyle was originally hired before leaving the project and being replaced by Cary Joji Fukunaga), a bidding war on distribution rights, and multiple delays due to the pandemic, to finally hit cinemas eighteen months after its original scheduled release date.
The ultimate question surrounding the movie: Does No Time to Die wrap up Daniel Craig’s time as Bond in a satisfying manner?
Alas, that is going to be a matter of opinion. What can be said however, is that No Time to Die is a solid instalment in the Bond franchise, bringing back well known and loved tropes, whilst also throwing some fresh ideas and new characters into the mix that keep the film exciting.
Coming full circle from Craig’s first outing as Bond in Casino Royale (2006), No Time to Die features a Bond who is no longer young and chomping at the bit to be a 00, but a Bond who very much wants to get out, and stay out, of the game. The film leans into this exploration of a Bond who is past his prime; not only is Bond noticeably older and more weathered (though still immanently capable and ruthless, and, of course, able to pull off a suit), but his values have changed since the beginning too. No longer content with being an agent, Bond is now chasing whatever vestiges of peace he can wrangle as opposed to the next big job. We find Bond in retirement, living a quiet life, having walked away from MI:6 and active duty—at least until that quiet retirement is shattered, and Bond finds himself on a quest to bring down a threat he can’t ignore.
It is, at times, a fairly convoluted plot. A does not connect neatly to B, and the story is undeniably knotty, full of twists and turns. At times (true to the nature of Bond films), the plot relies on a certain level of absurdity to get the job done. There are moments you could unpick if you wanted to jump off the ride, look more closely at the logic, and stop and ask ‘hang on, excuse me sorry, but how exactly does that work?’
However, if you’re in for the ride and willing to take the leaps and go along with the trademark extravagance of the high action franchise then you’re in for a treat. The film is a well-balanced mix of opposing forces, of grittiness and humour, of fast action and poignance, bringing us a Bond who manages to display his typical air of indifference and detachment, whilst also exhibiting more vulnerability than has been shown by the customarily stoic, macho character so far.
A distinct sense of mortality hovers over the film (dare I say, like a spectre?). Director Cary Joji Fukunaga and the screenwriting committee (Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Fukunaga himself) bring a keener sense of vulnerability and gravity to the tone of the film than has been present in previous Bond films—a curious, palpable heaviness that uniquely distinguishes the latest Bond outing from its predecessors.
It’s not all doom and gloom however. The supporting cast pick up the fun, providing some of the highlights of the film. Newcomer to the franchise, Ana de Armas is delightful as Paloma, in a tiny but humorous, action filled cameo that features an abundance guns and gowns; it’s only a shame that we don’t get to see more of her character in the film. Naomie Harris is just as charismatic as always in her role as Moneypenny, however she was similarly largely under utilised, with barely any screen time; given Moneypenny’s established history and skill set, she could have played a much bigger role in the story.
In fact, if there is a pitfall that the movie does fall into, it’s just that: rounding out its supporting characters. Daniel Craig’s Bond films do something that has not been seen with the films of past Bond actors in that, rather than each film being stand alone, they continue a story, with plot lines carrying over between films and references being made to previous instalments. As a result, of all the Bond films, No Time to Die features one of the biggest casts of prominent supporting characters, courtesy of both bringing back recurring characters and introducing new ones. The film already pushes a lengthy 2 hours 43 minute run time, and unfortunately, in this case, with so many characters now involved in the plot, many of the supporting roles are not as fleshed out as they could have been. It’s a juggling act; rounding out and developing characters takes time, and with a massive plot to chug through, sacrifices have to be made. As a consequence, old favourites such as Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and Q (Ben Whishaw) fall rather flat. Similarly, Rami Malek’s Safin is a bit of an enigma, his goals left a little too vague to make him a truly compelling and memorable villain.
That being said, No Time to Die is by no means a bad film; whilst formulaic, it is full of action and interest—it’s entertaining through to the end. Looking at how the film measures up in comparison to the other films in the Daniel Craig era, it’s not quite on the level of Skyfall (2012) and Casino Royale (2006), but is a vast improvement on Spectre (2015) and eclipses Quantum of Solace (2008). On the whole; No Time to Die falls squarely in the middle of the spectrum; it’s good, it’s fine, it has all the key Bond ingredients, yet it falls just short of spectacular. However, the one most important thing it does well is wrap up Daniel Craig’s time as Bond in a memorable and entertaining fashion. Grab your martinis—full of unforgettable moments, No Time to Die is a fitting end to a fifteen year saga, bringing an epic, explosive conclusion to the latest Bond era.
