No Time To Die

For Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, trust does not come easy.

The run of Daniel Craig as James Bond comes to its stunning and long delayed conclusion with No TIme To Die, an action-packed spectacle that seriously delivers.  For “final” Bond films, this one satisfies on every level connecting the dots and plot points of previous entries in Craig’s 007 run.  It might not be as good as Casino Royale, but director ​​Cary Joji Fukunaga makes Daniel Craig’s fifth and final outing an unforgettable adventure that packs more than a few surprises in its long-winded running time.

"full of everything we expect from a Bond movie: sweeping vistas, beaches, stunning action sequences, and stunts galore"


With most the cast from the previous movie back in action, No Time To Die picks up where Spectre left off and turns that “Happily Ever After” ending with psychiatrist Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux) on it ears thanks to a stunning chase sequence across cobblestones of a village in Italy and a bridge jump that we’ve all been excited to see in its full context since the first trailers appeared for this movie. 

But, much like the heart that beats in Bond's chest, there is something else pounding away at his consciousness, haunting his every move: SPECTRE and all the ghosts it brings to mind.

That’s right, SPECTRE - the main organization at the center of Craig's run - is back and it turns out that Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) is still pulling strings, even though he is supposedly rotting in Her Majesty's Prison Belmarsh.  Nothing will stops his pull, though.  Rami Malek's Safin and his french sidekick have joined Blofeld’s growing list of henchmen and they have eyes on the biotech known as Hercules, which MI6 has developed.  They are brutal and show no signs of stopping in their quest.  Facial deformed meglomaniacs never do, you know.No Time To Die

When CIA handler Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) comes calling, Bond listens.  His retirement is over.  After he briefly spars with the new 007 (Lashana Lynch) - it is but a number after all!!! - and has a fantastic Cuban interlude adventure with a new CIA recruit, Paloma (a scene-stealing Ana de Armas), the hunt for Hercules gets dark seriously fast.  There is a lot at stake and Bond finds himself looking over his shoulder with each new connection made.

No Time To Die has some new dynamics kicking about in its extended running time.  Sure, it is fun along the way, but there is an emotional weight that has always been at the center of Craig’s tenure as Bond and here, it finally pays off with a sweeping conclusion that will echo long after that bullet does in the now famous gun barrel sequence.  I won't discuss its many secrets or some of its payoffs, but know that his mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist - who knows all there is to know about Hercules - is going to be fraught with some unexpected twists and turns for this far deadlier version of Bond.

Written by Cary Joji Fukunaga, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, No Time To Die is full of everything we expect from a Bond movie: sweeping vistas, beaches, stunning action sequences, and stunts galore.  Yet, there is something else present in Craig’s portrayal of Bond that will leave you with moisture in your eyes.  It’s most human and proves to be an evolution for this hero.  

From a number to a name, Daniel Craig delivers a rousing final adventure proving that, yes, there is NO TIME TO DIE!

4/5 stars

Film Details

No Time To Die

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, brief strong language and some suggestive material.
Runtime:
163 mins
Director
: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Writer:
Neal Purvis; Robert Wade; Cary Joji Fukunaga
Cast:
Daniel Craig; Ana de Armas; Rami Malek
Genre
: Action | Crime
Tagline:
Bod is Back.
Memorable Movie Quote: "We all have our secrets. We just didn't get to yours yet."
Theatrical Distributor:
MGM
Official Site: https://www.007.com/
Release Date:
October 8, 2021
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:

Synopsis: James Bond has left active service. His peace is short-lived when Felix Leiter, an old friend from the CIA, turns up asking for help, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

Art

No Time To Die