REVEIW: Daniel Craig Says Goodbye to James Bond In No Time To Die
James Bond is back for the 25th installment in the Bond franchise, No Time To Die. The latest film picks up five years after the events of Spectre with Bond enjoying a life of retirement on the beaches of Jamaica. He quickly learns time waits for no one when a former colleague arrives on his doorstep looking for help in the search for a missing scientist. From there, Bond picks up the trail of a terrorist, where he discovers even more nefarious problems including ones much closer to home than they first appeared. With the help of MI6 and the new 007 Nomi (Lashana Lynch), the countdown is on to protect the world from mass devastation.
At almost two hours and forty-five minutes, director Cary Joji Fukunaga takes his sweet time crafting a film that would not only fit well into the Bond universe, but also allow for Craig to deliver one of his best performances as the iconic 007. From the go-to Bond lingo and high-tech gadgets to an emotional story that allows for Craig’s range to shine, No Time To Die brings all of Bond’s best qualities to life while also paying homage to some of his most memorable traits.
The film does feel a bit bloated at points, especially towards the middle, but it never seems to drag and viewers are engaged at all times. In order to best understand what is going on in this film, a quick rewatch of its predecessor, Spectre, is highly recommended. A key piece to this film relies on the events from the previous film in the franchise and will allow for a better viewing experience of this new film.
Craig’s final performance as Bond is probably his best to date. With material that allows for Craig to showcase his ability as an actor, he truly encompasses all things Bond while also reminding audiences that deep down, Bond is human, as well. Léa Seydoux returns as psychologist Madeleine Swann while Jeffrey Wright reprises his role as CIA operative, Felix Leiter. Both are once again wonderful additions to the film, especially when they work alongside Craig.
Rami Malek steps in as the villain of the film, Lyutsifer Safin and his performance is a fine balance between creepy and laughable. It’s hard to decide whether or not to take him seriously when every line is delivered with Malek’s classic wide-eyed gaze of wonder and monotone vibrato. It is not until the climax of the film that viewers actually begin to take Safin seriously.
Lynch’s Nomi, or the new 007, is a slight disappointment. For all of the hype made over Lynch joining the cast, her character is handled the most poorly. The film spends the majority of the time trying to decide whether to focus on the jealousy between Nomi and Bond over the 007 name or to focus on what Nomi is capable of as an agent. This unbalance between the two causes Nomi to fall through the cracks and never allows for Lynch to show what she can bring to the table.
No Time To Die is a film that brings back the best parts of the James Bond franchise. From the spy toys to the intense action, the film is truly a classic Bond film. It’s not the action that No Time To Die does best, instead it’s the sendoff to Daniel Craig as Bond that will leave fans satisfied when the credits roll.
Grade: B