Photo courtesy of Unsplash.
After (checks exploding watch)… Good lord, like two years of waiting, I finally got to see James Bond in No Time to Die in an honest to God movie theater. Even ignoring just how much this movie has been absolutely railroaded by Covid-19 related delays, it was about time we got Bond back. And while reviews have proven somewhat divisive, I find it only appropriate that Daniel Craig as James Bond heroically rushes in to see that No Time to Die is on track to be not only the highest international opening weekend for the Box Office since the beginning of the pandemic, but the all time October record, virus or not. Atta boy James.
Starting with my few complaints, there’s a fair share of dumb in this movie. Perhaps we’ll just put all of the minor issues I have under the broader umbrella labeled “the dumb.” While I think that some may have an easier time excusing the occasional exhaustively hammy line as this is a Bond film, and that sort of cheese is to be expected on some level, it gave me more than a few tough enough eye rolls that my corneas almost got stuck behind my head. This is not to mention what’s perhaps my all-time least favorite writing problem, instances where information is depicted clearly, if not obviously, on-screen through the visuals and a character has to state the obvious out loud for some reason. Fleabag’s own Phoebe Waller-Bridge stepped in on the writing team, and her stamp is distinct and appreciated, but for all the extra time this movie (admittedly, reluctantly) had, I felt the screws could have been a little tighter on the writing. But for all the dumb, whether it’s the over the top line or entirely extraneous characters, comic relief or otherwise, the strengths of Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond definitively and satisfyingly outshine the weaknesses.
And that really is what No Time to Die is: Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond, and this is reflected everywhere. This is his swan song, and I wish I knew enough about swans and wasn’t so hungover that I could write a fittingly Bondian pun, but alas I will use those things as an excuse to keep it serious. Over its massive 163 minute run time, the focus is just where it should be: Bond…
James Bond.
Sorry. Had to get one in somewhere.
For the very brief instances where Craig is not on screen, I wanted him back. The star, the movie, and the audience all know that this is our last time with what is arguably (sorry, but we’ll call it a top 2 tie) the best interpretation of one of Western Cinema’s defining heroes. This shared knowledge lets Craig and director Cary Joji Fukunaga craft a story that celebrates this phase of one of the longest-running franchises of all time with an appropriate grandeur and gratifying moments without feeling like too much. And truly hat’s off not only to Craig but to Fukunaga here for embracing the mantle of a Bond director and bringing the best of what I believe has kept this franchise alive in an era of surplus in the big screen blockbuster. The action, the stunts, and the locations are real. The mix of on-screen fantasy with authentic film making technique make the Bond franchise stand out more than ever here actually. I don’t remember a blockbuster this big meant to be this accessible with action and stunt work this visceral, moments of genuine tension and still a delightfully fun overtone. Fukunaga gets to use the flare and flash of a Bond film to justify lavishly beautiful cinematography, gorgeous and actually coherent wide shots while even throwing in an awesome one take sequence harkening back to his more grounded days on True Detective. The action here is refreshingly well orchestrated not only for blockbusters but shines even among the other Bond films.
And for a movie that gives Craig his ample just deserves, I was happy to see the supporting cast really bring it. Léa Seydoux, Jeffrey Wright, Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw and Rory Kinnear not only return to their usual standard of strength but some of them even get more to do than in prior installations. Ana De Armas absolutely shines in an unforgettable albeit brief sequence and Lashana Lynch plays a terrific chiding rival and ultimate teammate to Bond. I hope all the internet trolls who went after her for this role find themselves in a chair with no bottom next to Le Chiffre and a big knotted rope.
Rami Malek as the bad guy Satan Satan (basically, I swear to God) is functional. He probably gets less than the best Bond villains do, but here that’s almost what you want. He’s a little worm who does his job and his story ends accordingly. This is not a movie that needs a big villain. It already has a big enough hero.
This movie will not be for everyone, and may even leave some disappointed but it was most of everything that I wanted here. Daniel Craig’s tenure as Bond is one for the record books and I am in no rush to recast or jump back immediately. Much love Mr. Bond, and even more importantly, Mr. Craig. Thank you for your service to Her Majesty’s Service and to us as an audience. Enjoy your retirement from the role. You have all the time in the world.
