Nothing can prepare you for No Time to Die, protect yourself from spoilers to enjoy this film to the fullest and thus close the arc of fifteen years and five films throughout which we have enjoyed the great Daniel Craig in the role of James Bond.
And to keep you ahead his effort has been impeccable in building a unique, new, and highly satisfying iteration of an immortal character.
There is only one way to begin the review of a film like this, expressing appreciation for a job well done and for the record that No Time to Die has faced, probably, one of the toughest production processes of a 007 film, with abundant problems during filming, plus a pandemic in between.
Now that it finally hits the screens on October 1, don't hesitate to enjoy it in style, with the best possible image and sound quality, because it is a truly visual and sound feast.
We are going to start by talking precisely about the Hans Zimmer soundtrack, which is good enough to introduce remixes of mythical themes composed by John Barry in addition to leaving other musical tracks that refer us to emblematic characters of this last stage of Bond among which it could not Miss Vesper.
But we must especially praise his work because on this occasion he embraces an almost classic style, far from his usual effects that move us, like almost everything in the film, to the past. It colors everything with a very special and evocative nostalgia, but it also has its own personality.
Billie Eilish's theme, being great, is far from scores for which half a century has passed, which is said early, without having aged a single second and whose chords are capable of concentrating such a load of meaning.
Regarding the characters, there is a lot of fabric to cut ... One of the great surprises of No Time to Die is the fact that it develops the most human side of Bond, which is something that we began to see from Casino Royale but that here hatches from an unexpected way with romance as the main vehicle.
The tandem with Léa Seydoux and the chemistry between the two interpreters is therefore essential to be able to develop such an exciting and overwhelming dimension.
Clearly, we are facing a direct continuation of Spectre, although a new and conclusive story unfolds. This involves the presence of Christoph Waltz's Blofeld and the closing of some loose ends before the plot takes off on its own. But the interesting thing is that it is a film faithful to what is expected of it and consistent with the entire story arc of this quintet of films.
Those of you who wait for the tough, unbreakable, and even ghostly Bond, you will find what you are looking for the film is not lacking in action, with chases, explosions, hand-to-hand fighting choreographies, and with weapons left and right without being thrown into missing the vintage cars with hidden gadgets, the trinkets of Q and the biological weapons transformed into a global threat.
We also have a worthy villain played by Rami Malek who does a good job defending his role, even though he has a limited presence. He manages to become a ghost of the past and at the same time a twisted opponent, although he also seems somewhat oversized.
The script sometimes accuses the length of the footage with some downturns that, in any case, end up taking us from climax to climax.
What has been generating the most expectation, which is the long-awaited replacement for Bond, is a theme that remains completely up in the air, despite the game of mirrors that is made with the new double zero agents played by Lashana Lynch. Character, by the way, is something unpleasant that caused a certain aversion in a prejudiced way but that, de facto, does not finish working.
On the contrary, the presence of Ana de Armas does suppose a breath of fresh air her appearance is worthy of applause not only for the solvency of the actress but also for the dynamism, impudence, and fun that her character provides to a film, otherwise, much more dense and dramatic in general and with a devastating final section.
What's more, the 25th Bond film will enter with golden letters including a tsunami whose consequences, at this time, are unpredictable. See it, enjoy it and keep in mind that it may not be perfect, not even the best of this arc, but it is unique, daring, and unspeakable. like living three lives in two hours and forty minutes.
It's not a question of beauty, not physical strength, not elegance, not age, not even bravado - what Craig has brought to Bond is immense depth and charisma. He has allowed us to see the man under the suit like never before.
ASSESSMENT
The spectacular outcome for the narrative arc of Daniel Craig's Bond. No Time to Die is perceived as a radical change of era and puts all the meat on the grill to excite the viewer, dazzle him and leave the interpreter fixed forever in the collective imagination as an icon but also as the most human iteration of the character.
The Best
That the footage is full of small visual and musical references to the entire saga. The boldness of the proposal and the freshness of Ana de Armas.
Worst
The two initial sequences before the credits are very powerful and from there it has some slowdowns until it reaches the end.
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