The Daniel Craig era of James Bond comes to a final conclusion with this week's release of No Time To Die. After nearly two years of delays caused by the global pandemic, the latest version of 007 is completed via a long winded, dialogue driven spectacle that continues to prove that this was possibly the best Bond portrayal yet and and decidedly the second greatest of the Craig years. Director Cary Joji Fukunaja (Beasts of No Nation) handles the material with ease, jumping aboard with a film that matches the tone and visual style of the last four movies.
Still haunted by the loss of Vesper Lynd, James finds himself at odds with his past as his future is no longer certain. Picking up right after the events of Spectre, Bond has abandoned his post continuing his affair with Lea Seydoux's Madeleine Swann. Years later, as a new plot to eliminate much of the global population comes to light, Bond meets a new 007, reignites his contentious relationship with Ralph Fiennes' M, and turns to Ben Wishaw's Q for more technological assistance. Mixing in a much too short appearance from the always amazing Ana de Armas, the stage is set for another globe trotting Bond adventure.
Since 2006's Casino Royale, the franchise has taken on a much different face. Setting aside much of the gadgetry that ruled previous incarnations, Craig proved that the James Bond series could tactfully mix massive action set pieces, sexuality, modern terrorist themes and believable characters while still maintaining the function of the series. Despite the harsh Bourne-like combat that infected these movies with a new style and approach, they did something new that the former films never bothered with. Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre and this year's No Time To Die rely on interconnectivity and a continuity in plot that sets them apart from the rest. Fukunaja delivers on that premise, concluding the saga in pure darkness.
When the character was rebooted with Craig as Bond, comparisons were made that we were being treated to the Batman Begins of 007 movies. This final entry in this line comes to an end with something that should be called The Empire Strikes Back of James Bond chapters. This is not a polite story and it puts our hero through a revelatory amount of abuse and mayhem that he's not seen before. Where Quantum of Solace stumbled out of the gate, No Time To Die sets us up for the unexpected and continues to drive it home from front to back.
With Rami Malek doing his damnedest to outperform himself as the creepy main antagonist Lucifer Safin, the world of James Bond's endless heroics finally sees a worthwhile foe. Knowing his talent level, Malek chews scenes and spits them out, owning every second he appears on screen. Against Craig's cold gaze and demanding physical presence, the pairing is perfect. Their interactions actually bear weight and carry a true threat. Using a current thread about mutated DNA, No Time To Die never feels like a relic of James Bond's past but is timely and fierce.
Undeterred by the infinite run time, terribly long build up, and an epic amount of dialogue for an action film, No Time To Die ends this phase of James Bond as Daniel Craig has exited the role for good. If you've been a fan of this saga, there will be something here for you to enjoy, especially after the multitude of delays. It may also be time to hit pause on the 007 franchise for a while as NTTD packs in enough Bond to last us a few years.
What started in 2006 with a total face lift ends in 2021 with one the best Bond films ever released. Fukunaja offers a relentless action flick that brings the latest Bond mythology to a stunning finale that relies on actual character development, careful writing and closure. Craig brings an emotive depth in these last moments that lends itself perfectly to his final act as Bond, James Bond.
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