NO TIME TO DIE (2021) Review
Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga
It might sound a bit self-serving for Daniel Craig but this feels like it was made for the actor to have his final bow as James Bond. But it was well-made and has all the elements why his series of 007 films are the best among the franchise.
Truth bomb: Daniel Craig is my favorite James Bond, like ever. He’s sophisticated, sexy and owns the popular name, that the past Bond actors feels like they’re irrelevant. Not that I’m saying that they are but when you watch all of Craig’s Bond movies, there’s just a certain standards that he put there. Making him shine above the rest.
From Casino Royale to the flawless Skyfall and now to the emotional last hurrah of Craig, I’m kind of sad that he had to leave the franchise but it is what it is and he certainly knows how to go out with a bang because No Time To Die satisfyingly closes his time as 007.
It was actually hard to watch the film as I often lose focus on the movie because it’s hard for me to notice how sexy Daniel Craig, Lea Seydoux are, and then Ana de Armas entered the scene. I was inside the cinema, I can’t take a break for this. But that’s the thing, 007 movies are not just about the gadgets, the action, the villains. All Bond movies showcases the girls and James Bond himself being all sexy and mysterious. And No Time To Die isn’t short on those.
The film continues to be the sleek, action-packed, grounded and character-driven treatment we got from the previous Craig-led Bond movies. It kinda feels like every James Bond movie starring Daniel Craig is a celebration of the popular character because it treats us with a story worth our time, a spectacle, and something that would affect us even after the movie. And that’s hard to find in action movies lately.
The story feels bigger this time, that affects its emotional journey though. There’s more focus to the big things that’s happening around him than what Bond feels and thinks. That also opens a door for more characters to have their share of emotional spotlight in the film. Maybe that’s what the film wanted to say ultimately. That everything that Bond does is not for him. That it’s for the bigger picture, the people around him.
I wish there’s a lot more 007 movies starring Daniel Craig. Every installment just shows how difficult it is to replace him. They are big shoes to fill. But this I can say, Daniel Craig in No Time To Die is perfect. There’s just no other way to describe him. The film may be not as perfect as his portrayal of James Bond but there’s no denying that he carried the character wholly until the end. And that is a thrilling experience to watch.
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
No Time To Die opens in Philippine cinemas December 15, 2021 with special sneak previews on December 13 and 14. Rated PG by the MTRCB. Also available in IMAX.