No Time to Die (2021) Movie Review
No Time to Die is the final movie with Daniel Craig as James Bond. That fact most definitely affected how I viewed the movie. It is the end of an era and this review is certainly biased because of it. You’ve been warned.
The movie begins with a flashback of Madeleine, who you should remember from Spectre (2015). The flashback showcases the gruesome history Madeleine has with the villain Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek). Then we jump to the present where Bond (Daniel Craig) and Madeleine (Léa Seydoux) are still romantically entangled. When Bond is ambushed by assassins as he visits the tomb of his former lover Vesper Lynd, he suspects Madeleine is behind it and leaves her.
Then we do another time jump to five years later. Bond is remarkably “retired” in Jamaica. His retirement is disrupted when CIA agent Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) pays him a visit with his new colleague Logan Ash (Billy Magnussen). Leiter informs Bond that an MI6 scientist named Valdo Obruchev (David Dencik) has been kidnapped from a lab. Obruchev is known for developing and working on Project Heracles which is a bioweapon. This weapon can infect people upon touch but is coded to a person’s specific DNA making it incredibly lethal and valuable. This interaction with Bond’s old friend Leiter sets the entire movie in motion. Bond can’t resist joining in on the hunt and begins trying to track down Obruchev.
The rest of the plot sticks to the usual Bond formula. Bond is set on a path of mystery and intrigue as he tries to once again save the world. While the formula is the same as previous Bond films, the overall tone of the movie is not. There are still fun bits sprinkled throughout the movie. The scene that I relished the most was when Bond infiltrates a Spectre meeting in an attempt to find Obruchev. He is assisted by a CIA agent named Paloma (Ana de Armas). While the stakes are incredibly high, these scenes are infused with a fun and cheeky humor and tonal quality that made it a blast to watch. Ana de Armas is an absolute scene stealer, playing a young agent who “started three weeks ago” to perfection. She was at once funny and innocent but incredibly capable and confident. I kept hoping Paloma would show up again throughout the movie because her chemistry with Bond was akin to a brother/sister romp.
Seeing Bond and Leiter reunited was also enjoyable. Leiter is one of my favorite characters and I enjoyed seeing him luring Bond back for a mission. Of course I can’t forget to mention perhaps the most charged banter which was between Bond and Nomi (Lashana Lynch) AKA the new 007. Since Bond had retired, Nomi took over his coveted number. Their trading of witty remarks was hilarious as they competed over who should truly get the 007 title. Seeing both of them respond to someone saying, “007,” added some much needed comedy to the heavier moments. Plus, Lashana Lynch was an absolute boss, holding her own in scenes with Craig and being absolutely believable as an agent.
At the center of No Time to Die is the love story between Bond and Madeleine. It mirrors the deception and betrayal of his relationship with Vesper Lynd except this time the betrayal isn’t what you think. Although I was truly team Vesper, you can’t help but root for Bond and Madeleine. She understands him and comes from a similar tragic background. Plus it’s clear they obviously really love each other. If you’re thinking, wow this seems sappy — it is. No Time to Die infuses the story with a touch of sentimentality that is uncharacteristic and rare in the Bond franchise. Normally I would roll my eyes at the display of tenderness on screen but it seemed oddly fitting due to this being Craig’s last hurrah as Bond. It was already going to be an emotional movie for that reason alone, so the intense moments between Bond and Madeleine were even more heightened.
Overall, No Time to Die was a fitting (and extraordinarily touching) send off for Craig, who redefined Bond for a generation of fans. M (Ralph Fiennes) quotes Jack London at the end, “The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them, I shall use my time.” A fitting tribute for Craig. A fitting tribute for Bond.
You’ll like this movie if:
1. You have stuck with Bond from the very beginning
2. You love Daniel Craig’s portrayal of Bond
3. You like action movies with a touch of sentimentality
