CinemaKym

Bond, James Bond. There is no other more well known name in the international spy movie genre. That being said, I will admit up front, I’ve never been what I would call a Bond “fan.” Yes, I’ve seen all the movies, and I enjoyed Sean, George, Roger, Timothy and Pierce as they each put their spin on 007 (my grandmother and I both thought David Niven was brilliant in the 1967 Casino Royale). I do, however, hold Daniel Craig as my favorite Bond. His predecessors were all suave, debonair, ladies men without a crack in their spy veneer. Daniel’s Bond has cracks, he has demons, he feels pain, makes mistakes, and isn’t afraid to be human. That is what I have loved in the last four films, and is most present in No Time to Die.

First of all, I am happy to report that not once in the 2H43M runtime did I even think to look at my phone. There is never a dull moment, though not ALL the moments are filled with the action that we have come to expect from these films. The plot is far more thoughtful than any of it’s predecessors, and pays testament to the enigma that is Bond, James Bond. Longtime screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade are joined this time by director Cary Fukunaga and Fleabag’s own Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and I think those additions are what puts this Bond film past the others in character and storyline. Waller-Bridge’s brittle British humor shines through, adding levity in scenes that might’ve drowned in melodrama. I also appreciated the lack of subplot, instead focusing steadily on Bond’s crisis of heart.

One aspect that thrilled me in No Time to Die is that we no longer have the requisite “Bond girl” who needs to be saved/protected/rescued by Bond. Instead, we enter a new era in the spy game, where women agents kick butt just as well (dare I say even better) than Bond, and not a single female in the movie is in need of him to save her. They’re all very capable of saving themselves, and THAT has been a long time coming. I’m personally hoping they get future screentime, as any one of them could carry the mantle of 007.

Not that there aren’t some missteps. A few items would have been better a little more explained, but that could be said of any film. My main issue is in the villian character. The brilliant Rami Malek is wasted in the role of the requisite bad-guy. He looks the part, and he plays it with a subdued and scary calm. But so little was put into creating the character, we are left to just accept the storyline with no purpose. And not only are there precious few scenes featuring the character, the AGE of the character doesn’t make sense in casting someone as young as Malek. I’m hoping he gets a better post-Freddy shot to show his acting chops, but this just isn’t his best.

It was also good to see some familiar MI6 faces (M, Q, and Moneypenny), and I hope they return for the next incarnation of Bond. While this IS indeed Craig’s last outing as our favorite superspy, please stick around to the absolute end of the credits, where we’re promised once again …..

James Bond Will Return

KatNyp Scale: Almost Purrrrfect!