Daniel Craig's final outing as James Bond finds the former MI6 agent pulled out of retirement by an old friend, finding himself face-to-face with ghosts from the past as he attempts to track down a bioweapon that could put the world in danger, in Cary Joji Fukunaga's spy thriller co-starring Léa Seydoux, Raimi Malek, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Christoph Waltz, Ana de Armas, Naomi Harris and Ralph Fiennes.
The film caps of Craig's era as 007 well, tying several loose ends together while having an identity of its own, something Spectre struggled to do. This allows it to feel more separate, although the reoccurring elements from its predecessor can feel a bit forced, especially considering how most of them are discarded fairly early on.
I liked the nods to earlier films in the franchise, although the inclusion of We Have All The Time In The World felt more like nostalgia bait than anything, trying to milk some of the power of its use in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, which felt a little unnecessary. The journey that Bond goes through has a lot more weight this time, exploring his mind in a way the franchise hasn't really tapped into, and Craig's more raw performance aids this different direction.
Though I'm not a huge fan of his run as Bond, I thought he was excellent here, really tapping into a more vulnerable side of the iconic character in a way that makes the film as a whole much more interesting than it could have been. Craig has played Bond from since he was an ambitious new recruit, and here he allows the character to be older, more world-weary and almost burnt out, but with a sense of dedication and tenaciousness that provides a great central conflict.
This look at an older Bond hasn't really been done before, as even when Roger Moore was pushing sixty there was no real reference to his age, and so exploring 007 being thrust back into action makes the film stand out more. His performance is especially strong in the more emotional moments, which are quite poignant at times, and work well with the more action-heavy sequences.
Seydoux is also really good, and makes the most of her more expanded role to create one of the more layered and developed female characters of the franchise, with Madeline's character arc just as important as Bond's. As usual with the series, the gorgeous locations are like a supporting character of their own, providing a great backdrop the the story and serving to create a real sense of glamour, the Cuba sequences in particular being really well shot.
However, the plot itself is isn't the strongest, with the inclusion of a villain with plans on a global scale in a secret lair, which seems generic and cliched compared to some of the more grounded, grittier earlier instalments. The plot sometimes gets a little too convoluted for its own good, lacking an overall cohesiveness despite having lots of entertaining elements.
Though there's a welcome sense of humour running throughout the story, a lot of the more obvious comic relief moments didn't really land, especially from the scientist character, who was far too broad considering the general tone, and came off as a caricature more than anything.
Malek's main antagonist was unfortunately pretty underwhelming, too bland to really make an impact, especially considering some of the more memorable villains in the franchise. I think the key to a good Bond Villain is when the film goes beyond their central gimmick and explores more of what makes them tick, with Silva from Skyfall being a good example, but here Safin is just given an accent and a scarred face, never feeling like an actual person.
Lynch, as a new 00 agent, gives the part energy, but the character is quite one note and flat, never given much of a personalty beyond complaining about Bond and she's never given enough to do, which seems like a waste of a potentially interesting character.
As a result, other characters, especially Harris' Moneypenny, are sidelined, and if more time had been dedicated to fleshing out some of the supporting cast the film would overall be stronger. Though she isn't given much screentime, de Armas shines as the CIA agent who helps Bond in Cuba, really adding a lot of personality and charm to her scenes, and it's a shame she isn't in it for longer as she completely steals the show.
I enjoyed the film, but it does feel like the edges have been sanded off somewhat, at times feeling like it's going through the motions, which gives some of it the impression of being muted and a little lacklustre in places. It definitely picks up energy as it goes on, though, and contains some superb set pieces that might not quite be on par with the some of the series' most iconic moments.
Particularly memorable are the action sequences in Italy near the start, which set everything up well and help to set the tone, and the climactic fight between Bond and the henchman, which are gripping to watch.
Despite the story being a little messy, I enjoyed the film; it's probably a second-tier Bond movie, but makes up some undercooked areas with a lot of heart and emotional weight, along with a breezily escapist quality that has made the franchise so enduring. After the fairly forgettable Spectre, it's a return to form that might not quite reach the heights of Skyfall (my favourite of Craig's outings) but has a lot of great elements and uses them well.
No Time To Die isn't perfect, and could have done with a leaner, more focused sensibility and a little more grit, but it's nevertheless a bittersweet, engaging and often poignant final outing for Craig that benefits from more of an emphasis on the character dynamics than usual.
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