NO TIME TO DIE
UK, 2021, 263 minutes, Colour.
Daniel Craig, Lea Seydoux, Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Rory Kinnear, Jeffrey Wright, Billy Magnusson, Christoph Waltz, David Densik, Ana de Amas.
Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga.
Ready for release when covid struck in 2020. Then there were continuing changes of dates in release, hoping for return to cinemas. After more than a year and a half, confidence returned and here we have No Time to Die at the end of 2021.
A lot of anticipation? Worth the wait? Yes.
As usual, there is a 20 minute segment prior to the title coming on screen, the old introduction to James Bond shooting, the familiar theme (almost 60 years old), but, rather than go into action there are some domestic sequences, the focusing on a little girl, Madeleine, and talk about her killer father. And the action begins, a home invasion, a mysterious masked and pock-26 faced killer pursuing Madeleine on the ice – and then the transition to more recent times, and Madeleine and Bond together in a beautiful Italian mediaeval city, mountainside. Is this the James Bond we know? Yes, older, quieter, happy with Madeleine? But… action comes into play, car chases, explosions, fears and villains, Bond’s car revealing its automatic weapons… Has there been betrayal? And then the credits come!
This film, Daniel Craig’s last as Bond, his all the right buttons. And then some! And then some more!! And keeps a twist or to until the final moments. The posters have a catchy injunction: No Time for Spoilers!
Actually, the action takes place five years after the opening credits, Bond, living like Ian Fleming himself, in Jamaica. But, even though he is no longer 007 (and Lashana Lynch, tough, no holds barred, now has his designated number), M and Company (Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, no longer secretary but active agent, Q – who gets quite a lot of screen time and action – Ben Whishaw, and Rory Kinnear as the hesitating Tanner) all become involved.
As does Felix Leiter and the CIA (Jeffrey Wright as Leiter for the third time), with a giggling assistant, Billy Magnusson, who will have much more to do with the plot).
In the meantime, we have seen a mad scientist, David Densik, with elaborate DNA experiments and technology, his lab invaded, his being taken prisoner, transfer to Cuba – and, both the UK and the US want him taken. So, off from Jamaica to Cuba – and to several action fields beyond.
The Bond films have always been wonderfully in their range of locations and scenery. Same here.
Christoph Waltz turns up as Blofeld in Belmarsh prison but still up to no good – and some interesting plot twists here… But, this time he is not the main villain, he is literally unmasked as Luyitsifer Safin (should there be an Oscar nomination for inventive character names!), Rami Malek after his Oscar-winning turn as Freddie Mercury.
So, rescue operations, the menacing Safran and his hold on Madeleine, challenging Bond, defying him – and a buildup, as in so many of the earlier Bond films to a mysteriously elaborate plant on a remote island with a desperate countdown to explosion.
Daniel Craig has done a credit to James Bond – not suave like Sean Connery or Pierce Brosnan, not jocose like Roger Moore, his own man, straightforward, serious, not necessarily realising the humorous content of the quips that are part of his screenplay dialogue, but tough, committed, and, still master of the fight. Once more the world is saved – and we are promised that James Bond will return. And pages and social media sites forever speculating on who it will be.
- James Bond after almost 60 years? The range of stories? The range of styles? The range of actors? Daniel Craig and his final film?
- A film for the 2020s? Changes in expectations of action adventures? Of the Bond hero? Settling him down? Relationships? The personal? Change of attitude towards his 007 status? His being drawn into action again? The opportunity to see him with Blofeld? And a new villain? But the same kind of ending – split second timing, dangers, the big plant…?
- The opening, the familiar image, the Bond theme? The transition to the theme song? The musical score throughout? The human story, Madeleine, her mother, the threats from the masked man, the death of her mother, his anger at Blofeld, the effect on the little girl? The transition to the adult Madeleine, her relationship with Bond?
- Bond, age, experience, love for Madeleine? The beauty of the Italian city of Matera? Their idyllic life, love? His wariness? The attack on Bond, his memories of Vespa, going to her grave, the explosion? Suspicious of Madeleine? The thugs, the elaborate chases, the car rising high, Bond going over the bridge, the car, its armour, guns?
- Five years passing, Bond in retirement in the West Indies? Being called out of retirement, the visit by Felix Leiter, suspicions of Logan Ash? Felix, his personality, trying to recruit Bond? Bond agreeing, going to Cuba, the episode with Paloma, her glamour, age, in training, her skills with arms and fighting, the humorous touch?
- In London, M, the appointment of the new 007, female, ethnic background, her interactions with Bond? M, problems, Miss Moneypenny and her becoming an agent? Q., at home, domestic, yet all the devices, helping Bond? Tanner, his work in the office, his scepticism? And, ultimately, their all being present to supervise the final action?
- The laboratory, the situation in London, the scientist, the plan, DNA, recognition? The attack on the laboratory? Mayhem? The capturing of the scientist? Secure, in Cuba, with the connection to Blofeld? Working for Safing? Seeing him in action, the pursuit, dangers, the final chase, his death?
- The experiments, M and his concern, DNA, recognition, surveillance? Dangers?
- Bond, his visiting Blofeld, Blofeld in jail, memories of the past, taunts? The past confrontation with Safin? The irony that Madeleine was his daughter? His death?
- Safin, bond villain, wealthy, living in a remote area, the island, henchmen, plans for the DNA? Revenge against Blofeld? His face and disfigurement?
- Madeleine, her work, new life? The encounters with Blofeld? Safin taking her, the threats, the dangers? The revelation of her daughter, meeting Bond, denying that the girl was his daughter? The reality? Blofeld’s granddaughter, Bond’s daughter?
- Building up to the ultimate showdown, the rescue of Madeleine and her daughter? Bond, M and the team? The plant, the timing to shut it down, confrontation with Safin? His death?
- And the shock of Bond’s death? But the promise that he would return?
