FILM REVIEW: No Time to Die (2021)

This is the Bond film that takes the character full circle, from slick, semi-psychopathic secret service agent to a real man with real life cares and a desire to protect those he loves.

Daniel’s Craig’s usual rough and ready Bond was always more rooted and had some emotional energy behind it, as opposed to the previous incarnations which could be sleazy or empty. And Craig’s central performance lights up every other character who would otherwise be two-dimensional.

The film starts with Bond and his girlfriend Madeleine (Lea Seydoux) in Italy, where after a great initial action scene between James and the agents of Spectre, he is told she is guilty of epic betrayal, so he gives her the boot.

It then restarts with Bond living on a tropical island, saying he’s retired, MI6 assuming he’s dead – have I seen this before? – fishing, going back to his house on the beach, etc, and getting dragged back into Her Maj’s service because they can’t do this without him. The next time Bond disappears, it might be best to assume he’s in Jamaica.

A new 007 appears temporarily in the form of Lashana Lynch until she gives up her title to Bond in an uncharacteristic move. She appears initially as a potential love interest for Bond, but despite being apparently willing to have one night stands with women, in his heart he has lost interest because he’s still in love with Madeleine.

In No Time to Die Bond is trying to protect life and freedom against genocidal villain Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek) who wants to poison the world using a DNA engineered bio-weapon. The motivation, as often in these cases, is poorly explained, but it has something to do with an age-old eugenics plan, morally ambiguous government officials, secret organisations and deranged individuals with way too much power and money (and maybe Safin’s Dad).

Early on in the film Doctor Obruchev, who is a researcher in viruses, is kidnapped and dragged into the genocide. He then spends the rest of the film getting kidnapped by someone or other while being opportunistic, enjoying the adventure, and just going along with all the evil plans around him. Blofeld also makes a brief appearance to help patch things up between Madeleine and James.

The good guys then put any differences aside and come together to fight off the threat and rescue Bond’s new family who are trapped with Safin on his private island where he manufactures the genocidal poison.

This is a good, solid film directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, but it is made by Daniel Craig.