No Time to Die marks the fifth and final outing for Daniel Craig as the super-slick super spy and 007 – James Bond.
No Time to Die runs for 163 minutes, making it a quarter of an hour longer than the previous record-holder, 2015’s Spectre, which ran for approximately 148 minutes.
A defining aspect of the Bond films since Casino Royale has been the continuous narrative arc interweaving all five of Bond’s films. Each one has shown clear character growth for Bond, and other characters alike, that is continued in each further instalment and rewards the most die-hard of Bond fans. No Time to Die is the product of many elements throughout the previous four films: a Bond still grieving Casino Royale’s romantic interest Vesper Lynd, the mystifying Madeleine Swann from Spectre, and the sinister group themselves – Spectre.
The film opens with an uneasy prelude hinting at the childhood trauma of Madeleine, now enjoying a romantic getaway with Bond in Italy. However, their idyllic peace is plunged straight into chaos in a sudden and shocking chase allowing for some spectacular stunts right from the offset – as Bond flings himself from a bridge.
The plot follows the race to stop Project Heracles, a stolen bioweapon, from being used in malicious hands. Having been commissioned in secret by M (Ralph Fiennes), alongside outlandish scientist Obruchev (David Dencik), Bond must once again defend Queen and Country against a world-ending threat.
Unlike it’s predecessors, No Time to Die leans into the classic Bond tropes that Craig has shied away from: cutting edge gizmos, charming quips, and villains with a striking visual appearance. Whilst Craig’s Bond has faced formidable villains (the likes of Mads Mikkelsen, Javier Bardem, and Christoph Waltz), none have proven quite as iconic as the classics: Dr. No, Goldfinger, Blofeld, and the terrifyingly brilliant henchman – Jaws. For all its grit and modern spin on the Bond formula, Craig’s Bond films often felt empty of some of the charms that make them 007 films and more akin to the likes of the Bourne Identity or Ocean’s Eleven.
Yet, in No Time to Die we are introduced to Safin, the elusive and ominous villain played by Rami Malek. With a striking doll-face mask and scarred face, Safin had potential to be one of Bond’s most terrifying and powerful foes. Sadly, Safin falls quite flat in terms of villainy. We see far too little of Safin to understand his character as anything more than the antagonist - and based on that role alone, his plan is outright ridiculous.
Though, for all its flaws, No Time to Die is so sensationally self-aware and gleefully spectacular that the enjoyment of it makes it feel half its runtime. After 15 years of Craig’s time as Bond (the longest of any Bond actor, with Roger Moore in second having played Bond for 12 years), we’ve seen a Bond unafraid to be vulnerable, that thrives on grandeur, and proud to be viewed on the big screen. Perhaps it’s saviour, I feel that Bond has ensured that cinema will truly have ‘No Time to Die’.
Comments