It doesn’t feel like the last Bond film was that long ago, but No Time to Die (NTTD) follows Spectre after nearly 6 years. Perhaps it was because Daniel Craig had purported that he was no longer Bond (a reverted position given that he came back in NTTD), or maybe it was because they need more time to put together the story, but either way, I am glad that they eventually went ahead with NTTD. It provided Craig’s Bond a fitting closure and delivered on most fronts for an epic action movie.

NTTD catches up some time after Spectre, with Bond galavanting with Madeleine Swann, his last “Bond-girl” (a term that no longer feels appropriate in 2021) and possible love of his life. However, a new villain (Rami Malek) emerges that disrupts his peace and happiness, threatening the whole world at the same time. To be honest, this sounds like most action movies, let alone a Bond film, but NTTD brings together the classic elements of impressive gadgets, stunning vistas and the bantering ensemble of M, Q, Moneypenny and even a new 007 (if you remember, Bond retired from the Service in the last film).

The key threat is a bioweapon that is DNA-encoded such that it only kills those specifically targeted. To be honest, anything that vaguely reminds me of a viral threat is exhausting given COVID-19, but I can appreciate that this Bond movie was in production before the pandemic, and was meant to launch actually in mid-2020. Malek’s Safin is a man who is out to cleanse the world, having been deeply hurt as a child. I had an unsettling feeling about Safin and yet it was not because he was an effective villain. Rather, I felt NTTD did not achieve the same villain development that it did with previous “big bads” like Blofeld or Mr White, leaving for a weird taste at the end. This was very likely because NTTD is jam-packed with different action sequences and narrative threads, edging out Safin’s portrayal to the audience.

Bond as a character is just as rugged but a lot more secure in his authentic self, which contributes to an evolution of the masculine identity on cinema. He openly admits his lack of trust in others, freely lets the new 007 claim his designation (he states that it’s just a number), and even takes on a more paternal role mid-way in the story (but I won’t spoil this further for you). I found this a good way to bring Bond into the 21st century, while still keeping the parts of him that many people value. There is still a lot more that can be done with the character but as with most character development endeavours, they have to be intentional and gradual.

NTTD is a good reason to go back to the cinema. Here are my ratings for the movie:

Cinematography: 5/5

Screenwriting: 4/5

Musical Score: 4/5

Acting/ Performance: 4/5

Overall: 4.25/5