Film: No Time to Die
Cinema: Hoyts Victoria Gardens
Stars: 4
First off, I will say that my viewing pleasure during this film was disturbed by the person producing the most dreadful of eggy farts in the seat next to me. Seriously, he should have seen a doctor or taken them outside.
But that over, this, Daniel Craig's latest and probably last outing as Bond is a great addition to the franchised. It has everything you want in a Bond film. Unrelenting action, mind-blowing gadgets, a touch of romance and a touch of humour. He does a great old grumpy bugger - and when you think of it, at 53, Daniel Craig is one of the older Bonds. As somebody the same age as Craig, I have NO IDEA HOW HE GOT THROUGH THE STUNTS! He's allowed to be a grumpy old bugger. )
I will keep this review spoiler free as I know there are a lot of people looking forward to seeing this, but here's the crux of the film. Five years after Spectre, Bond is pulled out of retirement by his old mate Felix (Geoffrey Wright) to have a look into a big problem of MI-6's making. There's been an explosion in a lab making chemical weapons and a Russian scientist has gone missing. Reluctantly, Bond comes to his aid.
There is so many good things about this film.
First up, how they tie everything together from the last couple of films. There's a return to the start with a nod to Vesper Lynd from Casino Royale. Lea Seydoux, his love interest from Spectre returns, and she has a big secret.
Of course, the usual MI-6 contacts are there. Ralph Feinnes is as supercilious as ever as M. Ben Wishaw is great as Q, and Naomi Harris is a good, upright, unfawning Moneypenny. But the addition of Lashana Lynch as a new 00 agent that brings a new energy into the mix. And quite a few laughs.
For the baddies, Rami Malik comes in as Safin, a man on a mission with a link to Madelaine (Lea Seydoux). And all of this appears have something to do with Blofeld (Christoph Waltz, again plaing a deranged nutcase) who's safely locked away in Bellmarsh Prison - or is he?
As with all good Bond films, the action is unrelenting. The scenes in Italy are fantastic, as are the final scenes on the island in the South China Sea.
And for me, the best thing about this film is the script. Phoebe Waller-Bridge of Fleabag fame had a hand in it, and the sneaky one liners come thick and fast. The film also, unexpectedly, has a great heart to it, as Bond is taken to unexpected places. The film also cashes in on the current pandemic situation. Knowing that work began on this before this COVID crap started makes this almost prophetic in spots. Another diversion is how the film occasionally takes us into Bond's head - like hearing what he can do after being in an explosion. These little touches are great.
Regardless, I've got through this review without relating a couple of very large plot points which would ruin the film.
Go see it. It's great fun. And this film will help cement Daniel Craig as one of the best Bonds out there - and I don't think there will be much argument about it.
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