Spanning over a period of 15 years, Daniel Craig‘s role as the insanely popular character James Bond (007) finally comes to an end, and boy what a finish! No Time to Die gives you goosebumps, a grandeur rendition that will make you feel its fitting end.
The biggest setback the movie faced was its fight against time. With Covid taking away a big chunk of last year, somehow the movie could never find the right window to release. The excitement behind No Time to Die gradually began to fade. It was no longer the talk of the town, except every time we would only see it make it to the trailers.
So happy it finally ran in the theatres. Now we can put it behind us and end the loop of a well-deserved Bond Daniel Craig farewell from the franchise. It has the closure that it was rooting for in terms of cinematic experience. The music by Billie Eilish too seemed fitting for the movie.
Blofeld in No Time to Die
Watching No Time to Die, Daniel Craig’s last movie as Bond, I couldn’t think of a better send-off. The movie closes all the loops in a universe of its own, a universe where Blofeld got to live again just to remind us what one of the greatest villains should be like.
There is a moment in the flick where we get to witness Blofeld again. In the time he travels from his cage to the meeting room, you could literally taste tension. The music by Hans Zimmer is so amazing that it would give you goosebumps. The dialogue between Blofeld and Bond is one of the most powerful moments in the movie. It kind of reminds you of why such tête-à-têtes are so important between a hero and his nemesis.
At such great depictions, you can’t help but wonder, it is not just the writing that is so crucial in creating a sensational scene but almost everything that tags along. You also see the amalgamation of some top-notch acting, the right camera angles, the perfect direction, and the extraordinary musical notes that are immediately uplifting. At such moments you can’t help but feel gratitude in your hearts for being able to witness such epic moments that remind you why you started watching movies in the first place.
Christoph Waltz’s Blofeld and Daniel Craig’s Bond almost teleport you to a Batman – Joker moment sans the getting physical part, well, if you have watched the movie, you know why it’s a showstopper already.
Rami Malek as Lyutsifer Safin
Rami Malek is so apt for villainous roles that he gives new meaning to the portrayal of Lyutsifer Safin. Goes on to play it to perfection. His solo ramblings are so effectively performed that you want to hear what he has to say all day. The theme although very cliched to what villains want, you still feel like listening to him. Bond’s interactions with him are quite fitting.
Watching delicate things with dangerous people is always a cause of unease. The director of the movie Cary Joji Fukunaga knows that very well. Safin is often pictured around fragile characters that constantly buzz that alarm in your head. He keeps you on your toes, genuinely worried about the character who is being toyed with. You can see a lot of that going around in the film.
Léa Seydoux as Madeleine
Léa Seydoux is a really great actress. Her portrayal of Madeleine in the movie reminds you why she was chosen to play a Bond girl in the first place. It is so understandable why Bond fell for her. The French girl is lethal, despite that knowledge Bond often ends up finding himself around her. She is bad for his health, and yet he doesn’t stop himself from taking her as a pill.
All the negative build-up draws all the positive in him. It is like the perfect match. Madeleine is the yin for his yang. The movie explores a daughter angle, but the question that the director wants to nail lies in that constant hum – will he have a happy ending?
Paying respects to the Past in No Time to Die
It is really endearing to see how the movie makes many connections with the past. While trying to have a good time with Bond in Matera, Madeleine talks about a beautiful ritual that the locals followed of burning away their past regrets and secrets. You see that metamorphose into one Bond carried in his heart all along. Vesper Lynd, the one regret of not being able to save her from drowning continues to pull him under.
Watching Bond navigate to the grave of Lynd shows the regret and the closure he was seeking in order to move on with his life. You could see that great things were imminent for the protagonist if it were not for the surprises lurking in the corner. The misunderstood mistress Madeleine gets abandoned yet again marred with mistrust and the movie capers in another direction.
The great thing about such scenes is that they had almost turned Bond into a normal human being, that characters like Lynd and Madeleine had the power to make Bond retire. You could sense that those were some really close calls, and they make you wonder.
Daniel Craig as James Bond
I have lived the Pierce Brosnan era. I have also witnessed the successful transition. At that point of time, I had hated the thought of someone else playing Bond, because of how perfectly Brosnan was cut out for the role. I remember questioning the idea of Craig playing Bond because a lot of things did not suit him.
But boy did he prove me wrong with every flick. Not only was he great for the role, but he wore a rare panache with his brilliant acting. Watching him in Tux and still deliver action scenes was a delight. The fact that he is a paragon of style was proven on so many occasions. I can think of so many memorable moments from his flicks that if I look back now, I know for a fact that I will miss him.
With Daniel Craig, there always was speculation of his saga ending, that the torch needed to be relayed on to the next contender. Every time I remember hearing myself bummed out. Now that it has finally happened it sure would hurt. Not only that but returns the same old feeling that the new one might not do justice to the role. But then again, it all depends on the casting directors and the filmmakers to make it work all over again. Keeping fingers crossed for that!
This is where it all ends for Daniel Craig. What a man! What a finish! Thank you for the memories.
Check out the trailer of No Time to Die here:
No Time to Die
Pros
- Extraordinary Music
- Brilliant Cinematography
- Outstanding Send off to Bond
Cons
- Probably needed some more action scenes
