No Time to Die: Daniel Craig's Final Farewell

Watching No Time to Die on an IMAX screen in the movie theater with my best friend and my boyfriend was a surreal experience. Yes, we were all wearing masks and had to show proof of vaccination when we got to the theater. But finally getting to see this movie that has been delayed from release so many times because of the pandemic felt like maybe, just maybe, we were finally seeing the light at the end of this goddamn Covid tunnel. Oh and also? It was an incredible movie. So yeah, run to the theater (if it's safe for you and your community, natch), and watch Daniel Craig take his final bow.

Oh you want more details about the movie? Fine, let's get into it. It's a Bond movie, but it's Craig's fifth and final outing as Bond, James Bond, so it's both a classic Bond film but also a classic Craig film. That means it's stylish and sweaty, brimming with panache and pugilism. My absolutely favorite element in any Craig Bond film is how he will step out on screen immaculately dressed in a tailored Tom Ford ensemble, and within five minutes, something will have exploded or someone will have punched him in the face, and now he's covered in dust and blood. He is such a brutish Bond, gorgeous to behold yet absolutely thuggish in a fight. And this movie celebrates that aesthetic for nearly three hours straight, with an absolute plethora of action sequences in jaw-droppingly stunning locations that are consistently inventive and entertaining. 

Yes, there are car chases in tricked-out vehicles, and the occasional use of a fancy gadget to kill someone when things are getting down to the wire. But the majority of the time, Craig's Bond relies solely on guns and his fists to take down the enemy. More importantly, this film sees him team up to fight people a lot more, and more precisely, he teams up with a lot of women, which elevates this film to a whole other level. Traditionally, women have only been sex objects or love interests in Bond films, but lately, they've started to have a lot more agency. And in this movie, we have the ultimate joy of seeing Lashana Lynch, a brilliant Black actress, actually take on the title of 007. Not to spoil too much, but the idea is that Bond retired from active duty, and when Nomi (Lynch) was recruited by MI6 into the 00 program, she was assigned 007 as her number. So there are a lot of jokes about the competing 007s but it's also a welcome nod to all the hoopla around the role of James Bond that has always been played by white men when really, anyone could do it. And when you watch Lynch show off her 007 skills in this iteration, it really does make you wonder why we can't just call it right now that she's going to be taking over from Craig. Credit is probably due to Phoebe Waller-Bridge who was hired as a screenwriter to punch up this script - it certainly worked for me. 

Apart from Lynch, Lea Seydoux is back as Bond's love interest, but rest assured, she isn't some simpering heroine. Lady gets to wield a gun and defend herself alongside our hero, though she then also gets to make out with him, so win-win. But a true highlight is one action sequence featuring Ana de Armas. No spoilers, but she shows up looking like the kind of lady we're very used to seeing in Bond movies, but then proves to be an excellent badass. She isn't in the movie for very long, but boy I would like to rewatch her segment a few times just to admire the stunt choreography and the gorgeous dress she is wearing as she executes it. It's over-the-top and magnificent, which is basically the hallmark of every good Bond movie. 

Rami Malek is a perfectly fine villain, and his plot to destroy the world is as convoluted as expected. The film does devote a LOT of time to explaining this complex bioweapon, but thankfully there are so many action sequences interspersed between the exposition that it doesn't get too boring. And ultimately, the nature of this weapon serves a rather crucial plot point. Along the way, we also get to revisit all the Bond regulars, with Ben Whishaw, Ralph Fiennes, and Naomie Harris getting their chance to interact with Bond as Q, M, and Moneypenny, respectively, and do their usual shtick. Bond movies are expressly comforting because you know exactly what you're going to get from these supporting characters, but the joy is in seeing how we might get a little more evolution and depth to their interactions with our hero. I don't know if any of these actors will return in the future, or if a new Bond will require a completely new supporting cast, but they've been a delight. 

Directed and co-written by Cary Joji Fukunaga, No Time to Die is also an aesthetic marvel. I love his films and am always particularly captivated by how they are shot, so together with cinematographer Linus Sandgren, the man has created yet another gorgeous movie that is brimming with light and color. The score by Hans Zimmer does its job, but nothing particularly stood out besides the iconic Bond score that hit the sweet spot in my brain and automatically told me to sit back and enjoy the ride. This is the 25th Bond movie, and shouldn't we be getting tired of this formula by now? Well no. Turns out that formula has stood the test of time for a reason. And I sincerely hope the next Bond can take on this mantle and keep the franchise going. Because as Craig has showcased during his time as Bond, you can take a a classic, iconic character and imbue him with enough complexity to both respect the traditions and create something completely contemporary and fresh. He is certainly my favorite Bond, but the joy of these films is that the next person may end up becoming your favorite instead. Thank you for your service Daniel Craig, but I genuinely can't wait to see where we go from here.