The wait is finally over. Ever since the first trailer dropped all the way back in December 2019, this country and indeed the world has been highly anticipating Daniel Craig’s final hurrah as the iconic 007 agent James Bond. This latest Bond outing has been one of the biggest victims of Covid-19 delays, being one of the first big motion pictures to push back their release date with the pandemic in its early stages, then changing dates multiple times again as the virus only worsened. There was a lot of talk about this film going straight to streaming, but I’m glad the studio held firm and didn’t bite the bullet. James Bond is what going to the cinema is all about, and No Time to Die is a thrilling cinematic experience which I loved seeing on the big screen in a sold-out showing.
No Time to Die feels like the end of an era. Craig has been in the role now for 15 years and his final film feels like a celebration of his legacy and journey. The overall movie isn’t as flawless as I’d hoped, but it’s still a great film packed with many brilliant moments and a fitting end to Daniel Craig’s Bond.
Following the events of Spectre, James Bond has left active service. His peace is short-lived however when he’s forced back on the run and old pal Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) turns up asking for help, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.
Daniel Craig delivers his best performance yet in the lead role, bringing an emotional core to the character we had not seen before but without losing the levity and charm we come to associate with Mr Bond. Returning faces such as Ralph Fiennes as M and Ben Whishaw as Q are always welcome, whilst newbie Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel) shines as new agent Nomi and Ana de Armas (Knives Out) is a delight in her small cameo.
The only disappointment is Rami Malek as the villainous Lyutsifer Safin. Malek is the perfect casting for a Bond villain, and he delivers a menacing turn, but Safin’s motives are uninspired and the character is rather dull and generic. The screenplay is far more invested in Bond’s personal journey, but it is a shame the final big baddie wasn’t used more effectively.
From the outset, this is no ordinary Bond flick. The film’s opening scene is no big action set-piece (though do not fear it isn’t far after) and it does things with the character we have never seen before, particularly during the third act. It is a beautiful film to behold, from the gorgeous locations to the stunning direction from Cary Joji Fukunaga (who directed all 8 episodes of the brilliant first season of True Detective). Fukunaga is the first American filmmaker to direct a Bond movie and with the help of Oscar-winning cinematographer Linus Sandgren (La La Land), they have created a beautifully shot and visually stunning film.
No Time to Die is, at 163 minutes, by far the longest Bond film, and you can certainly feel it. Whilst never a slog, it can drag on occasion, particularly during the middle act. It crams in so much story and plot, some that could’ve easily been left on the editing room floor, and I feel it would’ve benefited from being at least 20 minutes shorter.
This isn’t my favourite film of the Craig era. I think it is much better than both Spectre and Quantum of Solace, but doesn’t quite reach the heights of Casino Royale or Skyfall. It’s a film so jam-packed that it requires a second viewing, just to wrap your head around it all. With strong action sequences and a killer score from the legendary Hans Zimmer, this is still a film with a lot to admire and behold. We still don’t know who the next Bond will be, but what we do know is that they have big shoes to fill.
Verdict: Craig’s swan song to Bond is an audacious and thrilling adventure filled with action, spectacle and surprises. A tighter run time and better villain would’ve been the icing on the cake, but this is still a thoroughly satisfying finale.
Best Moment: Bond being chased in a forest
Rating: 8/10
