NO TIME TO DIE REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

When it comes to delayed films, the latest James Bond film, No Time To Die, has had the worst luck. It was originally meant to be released in November 2019, but was postponed to April 2020 to avoid competition with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. However, after cinemas were forced to close after the United Kingdom went into lockdown due to the outbreak of COVID-19 towards the end of March, No Time To Die's release was postponed several times. Fortunately, the highly anticipated follow up to Spectre, which was released in 2015, has finally been released but is it worth the wait?

In No Time To Die, Bond (Daniel Craig) has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain, Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malik), armed with dangerous new technology.

After almost two year’s worth of delays, No Time To Die is certainly worth the wait and ends Craig’s reign as Bond on a high. While it provides fans of the franchise with what they’ve come to expect, including exhilarating action sequences, a charming yet serious portrayal of Bond by Craig and a menacing villain, the script, co-written by director Cory Joji Fukunaga, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, also features several surprising twists and ends on a emotional note. I definitely wasn’t expecting to be tearing up at the end of a Bond film.

Since the start of the pandemic last year, many films have had their release date postponed or released on video on demand. However, No Time To Die is a film made for the big screen, with its fast-paced action and high definition sound and image, none of which can be replicated at home. Although many have been unsure about visiting the cinema and sitting in an enclosed space with strangers for over three hours, No Time To Die is a must see. For those hesitant about going to the cinema but still want to watch the latest Bond film, I would advise that they see it in the middle of the week when there’s less people.

No Time To Die features many.of the elements that make a Bond film successful including riveting thrills, exciting action and a compelling story. However, the way they’re executed by Fukunaga’s direction and the strong performances by its talented ensemble cast are what make it better than your typical Bond film.

The opening sequence is different as it flashes back to when Madeline Swann (Léa Seydoux) was a child and witnesses her mother’s murder by a mysterious masked man. We later learn that it was Safin who murdered her but had originally intended to kill Madeline’s father, Mr. White, who was responsible for the death of Safin’s family. Following the incredibly intense opening, the film cuts to shortly after the events of Spectre which ended with James and Madeline driving off together. James is enjoying his retirement with Madeline when they are found by Spectre assassins. This is where the action kicks in with James and Madeline escaping in a car chase.

The Bond franchise is filled with memorable characters and strong performances by its cast and that’s certainly the case with No Time To Die. Unsurprisingly, Craig stands out with his portrayal of Bond. Although the role has been portrayed by several different actors (with the late Sir Sean Connery’s original portrayal being the most memorable), they all portrayed Bond as charismatic but bulletproof. What made Craig’s take on Bond so refreshing and different was that he humanised the character. Prior to Craig’s first appearance in Casino Royale, his casting choice was heavily criticised but he soon proved them wrong. In his fifth and final outing as Bond, Craig delivers his most mature performance and establishes himself as one of the best actors to take on the role of Bond. It’s bittersweet as it’s sad to see him exit the role but I’m excited to see what Craig does next. The rest of the cast also impress, with the return of familiar faces including Seydoux as Bond’s love interest, Madeleine, Ben Whishaw as tech genius, Q, Jeffrey Wright as CIA agent, Felix Leiter, Naomie Harris as the flirtatious Eve Moneypenny, Ralph Fiennes as the serious head of MI6, M, and Christoph Waltz as the villainous, Blofeld, who was imprisoned at the end of Spectre. The newcomers also shine, including Lashana Lynch as Bond’s replacement and the new 007, Nomi, and Craig’s Knives Out co-star, Ana de Armas, who has a small but unforgettable role as Paloma who helps Bond find the kidnapped scientist. One of the most controversial aspects of most of the Bond films is their handling of female characters, with the majority of them being included as nothing more than a love interest for the Bond. However, what’s refreshing about No Time To Die is that the female characters aren’t just “Bond girls” anymore and, especially in the case of Nomi and Paloma, get involved in the action. Following his Oscar winning performance as music legend, Freddie Mercury, in Bohemian Rhapsody, Malek delivers a chilling and creepy portrayal of the main villain, Safin. 

Because of the hype surrounding Craig’s final Bond film, there was a lot of pressure on Fukunaga to create a feature that satisfies fans. With No Time To Die, the filmmaker has succeeded. 

8/10