In what is arguably the clearest sign that cinemas and the entertainment industry are getting back on track following the Covid-19 pandemic, No Time To Die, the first film to have its release date postponed, has finally arrived on our screens. 18 months later than scheduled and coming in at a whopping 2 hours and 43 minutes, No Time To Die sees Daniel Craig take on the mantle of James Bond for the final time. The film introduces some intriguing and exciting new characters, and ties up many of the loose ends of the Craig-era, but suffers from an unnecessarily drawn out run time that leaves you feeling like there's been too much 'time to die'.
The film itself is certainly a spectacle worthy of the big screen, with plenty of thrilling action sequences to keep you entertained. If you've been waiting for an exciting, popcorn action film to be released before returning to cinemas, this will certainly be the film for you, but that's not to say that it is perfect. It feels disjointed at times, and I felt like I could physically see where Fleabag star Phoebe Waller-Bridge's influence and humour had been crammed in to lighten the mood. Additionally, Rami Malek's Lyutsifer Safin, in spite of his genocidal plan, is a rather unimpactful and forgettable villain. While the opening and closing 30-40 minutes of the film are gripping and suspenseful, it severely drags in the middle, and I was left feeling that at least 40 minutes of footage could have been cut from the film and it would have little to no effect on the coherence of the plot.
One of the aspects I enjoyed most was the inclusion to two new characters, new 007 Nomi (Lashana Lynch) and Paloma (Ana de Armas). Forget another James Bond film, give me a spinoff or stand alone franchise with either or those characters and I'm all in. In spite of the seemingly never ending run time, these characters get very little attention but make a powerful impact. I'm fascinated, intrigued, and eager to know more and the Bond franchise as a whole could undoubtedly benefit from the expansion of their characters.
With Craig's departure from the role, much of the media discourse in the weeks leading up to the film's release has centred on who should be the next actor to take on the mantle. When asked about the possibility of a female actress taking over the role, Daniel Craig questioned as to why we're debating whether or not a woman should take over, and not writing roles as rich or as iconic as James Bond for female actresses to make their own. And I have to agree. I don't necessarily want to see Lashana Lynch or Ana de Armas become James Bond, I want their characters to have their own chance to shine. I have been vocal about my dislike for the abundant reboots and spin-offs we've had across film and television for the last few years, but I think a Bond spin-off putting one or both of those characters in a central role would be a great way for the decades old franchise, (who, let's be honest hasn't had the best track record for its depiction of women and female characters), to be brought into the twenty-first century.
Overall the film gets a passing grade. Was it the worst almost-three hours of my life? No, but similarly I won't be rushing out to see it again in a hurry. If you're a die-hard Bond fan you'll enjoy it, and if like me you're more of a passive observer you'll be able to follow the story without needing to see all of its predecessors. But for me it feels like the Craig-era is going out with a whimper as opposed to a burst of flames.
No Time To Die is showing in cinemas now.
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