Daniel Craig saves the best until last in final outing as James Bond in No Time To Die, screening at Grantham Savoy Cinema
FILM REVIEW: NO TIME TO DIE (12A), SAVOY CINEMA, GRANTHAM, OUT NOW
STARS: DANIEL CRAIG, ANA DE ARMAS, RAMI MALEK, LEA SEYDOUX, RALPH FIENNES AND LASHANA LYNCH LYNCH
RUNNING TIME: 2HR 43M, DIRECTOR: CARY JOJI FUKUNGA
Sexy women – check; car chases – check; gun fights – check; baddies with Russian accents – check; Daniel Craig in Speedos – check; beautiful cities – check; an evil man trying to kill millions of people – check; quips that make you groan – check; and a poignant bit at the end – check.
You know you’re getting the above with a James Bond film and they are served up in abundance in the latest release – but what are you left with when you peel these 007 musts away?
Well, in this author’s opinion, the best of Daniel Craig’s five outings and probably the best Bond ever. And it also stands out as a cracking film in its own right.
It’s a long film at two hours and 43 minutes, but there’s no filler here and time goes very quickly.
It’s quite a different Bond we meet at the start of the movie, enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica after leaving active service.
However, his peace doesn’t last for long as old friend Felix Leiter of the CIA asks for his help. A mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist leads Bond on the trail of mysterious villain Safin (Rami Malek) who has hijacked a chemical weapon of mass destruction.
The fim helter-skelters along at a furious pace towards a dramatic ending that leads the viewer gobsmacked. A message at the end of the film’s credits gives the ending a little more clarity.
I genuinely enjoyed the softer, more tender side of Bond shown in this movie, although claims of ‘Bond girls’ now being empowered women aren’t really justified. You see more of Ana de Amas’ flesh than clothes in a scintillating 15-minute cameo as Paloma – although she is in kickass action.
French actress Léa Seydoux (Madeleine) spends most of the movie hopelessly in love with Bond, immediately forgiving him after he deserts her, and Lashana Lynch is strong and wilfull as Nomi – but still cow-tows to Bond in the end.
But that’s a minor criticism. This is a splendid film, worthy of all the hype.
Rating: 9/10
Jeremy Ransome
