Many, many films were struck with delays and cancellations as a result of the pandemic, but No Time To die has long felt like the biggest victim of them all. Becoming the first major film to delay as a result of the spreading virus at the beginning of 2020, its revolving door of release dates has felt never-ending. But all roads have finally lead to this, with 007's latest - and the Daniel Craig era's swansong - poised to become a defining success story for the still struggling sector. Can No Time To Die provide the cinema industry with a fighting breath? And, is it any good?
James Bond's attempt at a peaceful life is short-lived when an old friend returns to warn him of a mysterious villain, with links to the Spectre organisation, armed with a new, dangerous technology that places the world under threat. With Craig back in the iconic role for the final time, with both familiar faces (Lea Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes) and franchise newbies (Rami Malek, Ana De Armas, Lashana Lynch), Cary Joji Fukunaga directs a screenplay co-written with Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade.
Tying up a five-film saga is no mean feat but, by and large, No Time To Die does so with both care and spectacle, ending Daniel Craig's run as the iconic spy on a relatively high note. Culminating the various plot strands set up as early as Casino Royale and we watched evolve throughout Quantum of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre, No Time To Die weaves a detailed tapestry that acts as a mighty tribute to the Craig era. While not without a handful of imperfections, but armed with a terrific Billie Ellish theme song, No Time To Die was worth the wait.
Thanks to impressive yet unassuming work from director Cary Joji Fukunaga, whose handsomely-staged production never attempts to overshadow the character and narrative work at the film's core, No Time To Die is a solid picture that ticks the Bond conventions but is imprinted with a director's own unique approach. Featuring the same exotic locations and reverence to London, as well as the beloved iconography and gun-touting set pieces we have to come to expect, the film is presented gorgeously by Linus Sandgren, whose composition and use of colour helps to craft one of the most visually striking pictures of the year - and one that comfortably stands alongside the Roger Deakins' previous work. You really can see every penny of the film's budget splashes gloriously onto the screen. And you can hear it, Hans Zimmer score is wonderful.
Given the breadth of ground to cover, and even at a heavy runtime of 163 minutes, it's understandable that No Time To Die was to feel a little uneven, and even skimp in certain areas - but a lacklustre villain in Rami Malek's Safin is the biggest misstep. A generic, archetypical antagonist whose motives are underdeveloped at best, the threat he possesses towards Bond is overshadowed by previous villains of the era (and even of the film), making this final stand wither in comparison to the likes of Silva and Blofeld.
However, it is Fleabag's Phoebe Waller Bridges' fingerprints that are most profoundly felt across the screenplay. With the flourishes of humour across the film developing upon the comedic skills Craig has showcased outside of Bond in recent years, it is undoubtedly a positive result of her involvement in the writing process. But further still, that the finale lands with the tenderness that it does, mostly due to the energy placed into cultivating Bond and Madeline's relationship, a more reflective and contemplative Bond film is received and it would be foolish to think that it didn't have something to do with Waller Bridges.
There exists a sense of morality hanging over Daniel Craig's work that humanises Bond more so than ever before, and it is refreshing to experience; that we can still be introduced to new layers is a remarkable feat and it walks the fine line between updating the character for a modern era while still remaking true to his personality with real skill. Craig is still more than able to carry the action sequences, but it is the internalised emotion of a man concerned with his own legacy that takes his performance to the next level. As much as he will be missed in the role, it would be hard to argue that stepping off now wasn't the right call.
Ben Whishaw, arguably the most underappreciated player in the Craig cannon, continues to delight in the role of Q, with a particular moment of realisation of his registering as one of the film's most moving moments. Ana De Armas steals the show with an electrifying turn despite only a brief appearance, injecting real excitement into a purposefully more subdued opening act. If there's a weak link, it's Malek, who is unable to rise above the flat characterisation and limited development afforded to his character; and, personally speaking, Ralph Fiennes seemed somewhat disinterested here, maybe indicating that the whole team could do with a shake-up moving to the next chapter of the Bond story.
Tasked with wrapping up a five-film saga, No Time To Die operates incredibly effectively at concluding Daniel Craig's run of films in an emotionally satisfying way that celebrates his triumphs in the role while passing forward the mantle to the new 007. While the lengthy runtime is certainly felt, and the screenplay is a little uneven as it juggles numerous arcs and plot strands, the end result is nevertheless an impressive one: a grand send-off crafted with both care and spectacle, bolstered by talent both behind-the-scenes and in front of the camera. There might be No Time To Die, but you should find time to enjoy this Bond adventure.