No Time To Die review

There was a time when all James Bond films seemed very similar. The locations and villains may have changed but basically the plots were the same sort of thing – plenty of action and very little character development. The five films starring Daniel Craig have changed some of that; not only is each distinctive in its own way but they act as a five episode story arc that gives James Bond a more contemporary hue. However preposterous some of the notions that are given screen space we can now see Bond as a real person, someone who may still be essentially a state employed assassin but also has thoughts, ideas, feelings and emotions. That its been done so subtly and while maintaining most of the things that Bond afficionadoes like is no mean feat. No Time to Die is the culmination of this arc and surely a contender for the best James Bond film ever.

 

“Now look here double oh seven, there are spoilers after this point…”

 

For a film that runs in excess of two and a half hours, No Time to Die is as lean a machine as 007 had ever driven and it opens with a prologue that is creepy, frosty and chilling. Some traditions don’t need to be changed and after a deceptively quiet few minutes years later there is a shock that will physically knock you back because it happens out of the blue. After a brief happy interlude, we’re then into a tightly shot and edited chase through the narrow, hilly alleys of Matera in Italy. This sets the tone with the action always underpinned by character beats as well. See, Bond has retired to live with Madelaine Swann in sunny bliss but there’s something about her, some secret from her past which we’re privy too but James is not. That trailer where we see the car spinning  round is but a small part of an extended slice of Bondian action that we can call the opening sequence even if it’s about twenty minutes and the sort of thing that many a film would choose for a climax. Cue title sequence (not the best but the moody song by Billie Eilish is a great fit for what’s to come) and we’re off.

What follows is a film that has definitely been worth waiting for and in fact some elements take on a more scary relevance than they did when it was made. All the expected material is there with several more set pieces to follow in various locations, each of which has a claustrophobic quality that accentuates the tension while always including the requisite shootings and unlikely escapes. Cary Joji Fukanaga makes a brilliant director for this stuff and even though there is a certain invincibility about Bond (sometimes ridiculously so) the excitement is relentless as of course not everyone else is so hard to kill. Despite the lengthy run time there are still time jumps because we don’t need to know for example how at one point Bond gets back to England after being seen stuck in a life raft. Other films of this length seem to have a point where you start to become aware of  just how long you've been sat there but watching this film time flies by.

You can see the efforts that have been made to eradicate the less savoury aspects of Bond’s persona so this film shows the agent in love with Madelaine Swan even years after he left her on a train. Played with subtlety by Lea Sydoux she is complex lady whose behaviour drives the plot to a large extent. The viewer is never quite sure if she can be trusted. That Daniel Craig can convey all that he needs to with as minimal a style as ever is some testament to his acting abilities. While this is a more vulnerable Bond the film doesn’t take it too far and he’s still ready to indulge in countless killings if need be.

The much vaunted script fixes to ensure any misogyny is absent are also evident though only so far. We have the new 007 Nomi, played by Lashana Lynch who adds a dry humour to the first half of the film but as soon as Bond is back in place becomes his de facto assistant. There’s also the delightful trainee agent Paloma played with glee by Ana de Armas  who unfortunately vanishes from the story too soon. Then near the climax it is the women who are sent off in a boat while Bond turns around to face the enemy. While this does play into the way the film ends you can’t help but notice it.  Now I would never agree that the next James Bond should be a woman but I do think there is enormous potential in a spin off franchise featuring either or both of these female agents. The best way to have more female action heroes is to create some rather than just turning established male characters into women.

Lyutsifer Safin played with icy relish by Rami Malek is an above average Bond villain on screen though his backstory is vague. His motivation seems to shift oddly from the more believable desire for revenge over his parents’ murder to suddenly threatening the world with some sort of chemical poison thingy. Sounds rather more familiar now than it must have done back in 2019 when the film was made. However, Safin’s lair is a wonderfully dressed Fifties nuclear bunker complete with chunky dials and analogue tech (even levers!) which adds to the film’s strong visual aesthetic. It does need some Hands, Face, Space signs though! Overall, it is a film with too many antagonists and the otherwise rigorous script struggles a bit to explain their presence.

I have to say though that such shortcomings are relatively minor and only come to mind afterwards because this is an excellent big event film that also doesn’t skimp on minor details or familiar icons. There are portraits of previous M’s lining the wood panelled office walls, we see Q preparing for a dinner date and there are thematic links aplenty to 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service whose theme song `All The Love in the World` is also utilised.  The Aston Martin gets a run out too. There are flawed characters and conversations about life that help you accept some of the sillier developments, some great one liners and an overall sense of impending menace. The startling ending will be much talked about I’m sure but then the next film will likely be a whole new set up anyway.

As someone who was never a huge Bond fanatic but somehow has seen most of the films for me the Craig ones are as good for their time as the original Connery ones and the Lazenby one were in their time.  Previous attempts at `reinvention` didn’t quite work but these five films really have shifted things enough to ensure James Bond still seems relevant today. I would even say that whether you like Bond movies or not No Time to Die is an exciting thrill ride from start to finish and definitely to be seen on a big screen near you!