Can Bond be emotional? Yes, it can and No Time to Die does. No Time to Die marks the end of Daniel Craig’s tenure as the 007 agent six year after Spectre was released and 15 years since his debut as James Bond through Casino Royale.
Unlike the rest of the franchise from previous Bond’s actor, the Daniel Craig’s movies are connected from Casino Royale until No Time to Die. No Time to Die feels retrospective for Daniel Craig tenure as James Bond, and it is also a little introspective. It is a surprising aspect from Bond movies.
As Daniel Craig’s James Bond movies are all connected to each other, therefore No Time to Die shows large ramifications there after picking up the events following Spectre. Spectre might not be a satisfying Craig’s Bond movie, but No Time to Die is indeed satisfying and give him his fair credit of his services.
Following Spectre, No Time to Die is opened with James Bond (Daniel Craig) romance life with Madeleine (Lea Seydoux) before the couple split up then Bond live a slow life in Jamaica before his CIA friend contacts him about a dangerous mission related to a biotechnology weapon.
The retired agent is brought back into the field for one last mission to fight against a secret organization called Spectre. The organization is headed by Safin (Rami Malek), and Bond mission is to hunt him down to end the life of this organization. The story is added with additional lowkey self-problem for Bond that now the code number of 007 is used by someone else. To beat down Spectre, then he has to work with the new 007 (Lashana Lynch).
Trailer. Courtesy of MGM
Despite only appear in one movie, Rami Malek gives a handful and memorable performance as the main villain. His background story is so strong that makes the villain quite deep rooted as well with the movie.
Lea Seydoux also shows her intimate acting with various emotion and show us something that we might not be realized that Bond is a hopeless romanticist, who never forget Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) from Casino Royale, before he find his last happiness in Madeleine.
The new 007 is also quite intriguing despite her short appearance but she is very useful to the story. Too bad that short performance from Paloma (Ana de Armas) is quite lacking, I don’t know what she is intended to for the whole story. She is an eye-candy indeed, that’s all. She definitely has to do more, either positioning herself as a bond girl or another secret agent that help Bond.
Unlike the rest of the bond movies, No Time to Die, gives majority focus to Bond instead of the villain storyline. This is making viewers grow more intimate with Daniel Craig. We are made to understand that now the aged Bond is tired and wants to out of the mission.
No Time to Die was indeed a great way to end Daniel Craig’s tenure as James Bond. The film has had some interesting stuffs like Felix coming back, Bond becoming a broken and wounded personal, the flashback to previous Bond movies, and even emotional depth to the story.
These elements make the movie is more retrospective as well as introspective more than ever. Even though in previous movies there was already the notion of Bond’s retirement, finally No Time to Die execute it in a great yet melancholic finale. The death of Daniel Craig’s Bond was sad and devastating but a great end to Daniel Craig’s tenure as bond. How story ends is really important, and No Time to Die is indeed electrifying.
Our Score (8.5/10)
Title : No Time to Die
Production : Metro Goldwyn Meyer, Eon Productions
Director : Cary Joji Fukunaga
Screenwriter : Neal Purvis, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Robert Wade, Phoebe Weller-Bridge, Scott Z. Burns
Casts : Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Lea Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris
Putu Radar Bahurekso
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