Direction: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Country: UK
No Time to Die, the 25th installment in the James Bond/007 series and the last involving Daniel Craig as the famous British spy, is here not to please the fans but to create something anew; it succeeds in that aspect since it carves a personality of its own, depicting the agent at a mature age, more romantic than seducer but also less witty. Another fresh aspect is that the women in the film steal the show, particularly Ana de Armas playing a bold novice CIA agent in a short scene that competes with the Aston Martin’s rampage killing for the best action sequence.
There’s no lack of style or pace from director Cary Joji Fukunaga, whose past work includes interesting films such as Sin Nombre (2009), Jane Eyre (2011) and Beasts of No Nation (2015). But the film is far from perfect, displaying a few gaps in the plot, which occasionally and unnecessarily link to the previous Casino Royale (2006) and Spectre (2015) while struggling with an extended duration. Yet, this is still a likable spy-action fun with a few unusual twists that, carrying an extra emotional charge, makes it a singular chapter in the Bond adventures.
Craig looks cool and holds our attention while taking care of somewhat understated villains - scientist Valdo Obruchev (David Dencik), terrorist leader Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek) and Spectre’s mastermind Ernest Blofeld (Christoph Waltz). He also falls seriously in love with Mr. White’s daughter Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), promptly leading to the conclusion that the irresistible Bond is tired and ready to settle down.
Having said that, never a James Bond film was so mournful.
