His Own Endgame
SCORE: 75/100
****BEWARE POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD****
REVIEW:
No Time to Die is the final Bond film that stars Daniel Craig, and his tenure certainly goes off with a bang. As with all Bond films though, it's not without its problems.
We'll start with the performances here, and since it's Craig's last film it makes sense to talk him first. He's fantastic in this film, offering a layered and emotional performance (especially toward the end) that really expands upon the character. The returning cast members are all great too, with Ben Whishaw, Lea Seydoux, and Jeffrey Wright being the real standouts. As far as newcomers, it's good news as well. Rami Malek on first glance doesn't seem as strong as a villain as the ones from Skyfall and Casino Royale, but he does have a menacing presence that's different and tempered as much as it is passionate. Lashana Lynch is great as the new 007 (which happens because Bond retires, so stop bitching), adding a level of sarcasm and wit that matches James. If she remains in the franchise is left to be seen. Finally, while not in the film for very long, Ana de Armas is simply incredible. Her character's personality as well as her action scenes are a great inclusion, and bring a nice level of comedy to the film.
Another positive for the film is its look. While not nearly as good looking as Skyfall, NTTD is a simply gorgeous film. Its set design, its use of colors, and even the costume design all lend a hand in creating each beautiful shot. Especially the sequence in the foggy forest and the party in Cuba. I do wish that the cinematography from most of the film was carried to a lot of the fight scenes, which used shaky cam. I get angry that I have to keep saying to directors that cameras DO NOT have to be a member of the fight. Put your damn camera on a gimble or a tripod, you're going to keep making your audiences sick.
Let's talk the things that make a Bond film what it is. First up is the feeling, does it feel like a Bond film? Yes. The quips from bond, the return of gadgets, and the presence of supporting characters like Q, M, and Moneypenny all lend to that. While Skyfall felt more of a drama-thriller, NTTD feels more like a true Bond film. Second, what about the girls? Yes, NTTD has the girls, but they're all certified badasses, and not items to be used only in the bedroom. To be fair, most of the Craig films didn't resort to that, but the entire female cast here certainly kicks ass.
Finally, what about the intro song? This is where I'm going to diverge from most. No Time to Die is sung by Billie Eilish, a prominent singer in Pop at the moment. I have an extreme dislike for her music, mostly because it all seems lazy, especially her song Bad Guy. I can say that her song here is certainly the best from her that I've heard, but not by much. The orchestral score underneath is amazing, but her voice continues to sound fake, manufactured, and again lazy, at least in the first half. She lets her pipes go in the back end of the song, which does save it.
So where does the film stumble? Two things: its plot and its length.
First up is the story. While I enjoyed the villain, his motivations and end goal are never really explained enough for me. What was the end goal for his weapon? No one will ever know, because it didn't even seem like he knew. Also, the film felt much more focused on the previous boogeyman Spectre than it did on Malek's character, which was more than disappointing. I wasn't the biggest fan of Spectre, but I do understand that Blofeld is a major villain for Bond. Also there's an emotional reveal toward the end of the film that, while certainly heavy for Bond, feels a little too forced into the film to create a need for the story to end. I will not spoil that here. Also, again, MORE MALEK PLEASE! You cast an Academy Award winning actor in the role of your villain, and he has way too little screen time.
Second, this movie is almost three hours. Now, I like a long movie and I certainly advocate for films to be longer and not cater to the brain dead Tik Tok crowd, but this film feels a little too long. I feel that the film could lose about 15-25 minutes and it would've been good. Perhaps focused more on the villain this time than the last movie? Who knows. However, I can't fault the movie too much because it's supposed to be Daniel Craig's Endgame. The final culmination of his story. So I can forgive a little indulgent length, but not without taking a few points off.
In all, No Time to Die is a great Bond film, and possible the best final Bond film from an actor, and is a great reason to go back to the theater. I went with a friend and the theater was almost full, during the pandemic! Please go back to the theaters, because this experience should not be forgotten in favor of streaming at home.
Conclusion: No Time to Die is pure Bond spectacle, and a fitting end for Daniel Craig's run, just don't expect the best plot and don't worry too much about the length.
Score: 75/100
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