No time to Die

To My Father

What is the future of the spy movie in cinema would be the right question that every good movie lover should ask himself after discovering the latest installment of the cult cinematographic saga dedicated to the most famous and appreciated British agent in the world. Created in 1953 by the writer Ian Fleming, the literary series dedicated to the British secret service agent will not only have an important impact around the world but also create a character adored by the public and that has crossed the times with passion and undeniable interest of the public. The twelve novels and a few short stories written by Ian Fleming will have allowed the development of a solidly based universe and allowed other writers to contribute their stone to the edifice, such as Kingsley Amis, Christopher Wood, John Gardner, Raymond Benson, Sebastian Faulks, Jeffery Deaver, William Boyd and Anthony Horowitz. 

Adapted to television, radio, comics, video games and especially to the cinema with no less than twenty-five films from 1962 to 2021, Agent 007 has been played by Sean Connery (1962-1967; 1971), George Lazenby (1969), Roger Moore (1973-1985), Timothy Dalton (1987-1989), Pierce Brosnan (1995-2002) and Daniel Craig (2006-2021). For his last interpretation of James Bond after Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012) and Spectre (2015), Daniel Craig embodies for the last time James Bond in Mourir peut attendre (No Time to Die) and delivers here one of the best films of the film saga but also one of the most moving.

No Time to Die concludes the cycle started with Casino Royale, which will have allowed to revisit in an inspired way the universe of James Bond. While Daniel Craig seemed to be a questionable choice to take over the character of James Bond, he has succeeded in five films to be unanimous. As much at ease in action scenes as in more dramatic moments, the undeniable success of the last films of the James saga owes him a lot as he brought to this character his fragility but also this instinct of survival and to fight until the last breath. Co-written and directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga (Sin nombre (2009), Jane Eyre (2011), Beasts of No Nation (2015), this new part is certainly not perfect starting with the irritating presence of the actress Léa Seydoux who struggles to convince against the inspired interpretation of Daniel Craig but also by the inconsistent presence of Rami Malek in the under-exploited role of the big bad of the film. In the same way, we regret bitterly the too short presence of the actress Ana de Armas who is perfect in the role of an American secret agent at the beginning of her career. 

After an introductory scene that is too long and cut into two distinct periods in order to maintain continuity with the previous film, No Time to Die introduces us to a James Bond who has left active duty and is enjoying a retirement in Jamaica. His peace of mind is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter of the CIA comes to him for help in getting his hands on a scientist. The mission to rescue this scientist turns out to be much more perilous than expected and even a trap for James Bond, who will then lead him on the trail of a mysterious terrorist Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek) armed with a dangerous new technology and who wishes to eradicate the vast majority of the human race from the earth.

It is undeniable that there is a pre-established formula corresponding to the specifications linked to the creation of a James Bond film, whether it is a muscular introductory scene, a beautiful and original title sequence, spectacular action scenes, but also the fact of shooting in different countries and putting in front of James Bond one or more James Bond girls and a megalomaniac terrorist wishing to control the world or reshape it in his own way. All these elements are present in this film but it is undeniable that the director's touch is undeniable, if only for the part given to the numerous dialogues, the construction of the characters and especially the important part that the family takes in the film. However, despite its length and the fact that the competition in the cinema is tough, even if it is only with the inescapable film saga Mission Impossible, in which Tom Cruise plays the agent Ethan Hunt and performs most of his stunts himself, pushing back the limits of what is possible in terms of stunts, the film saga James Bond has managed to hold on and make a place for itself in the hearts of the spectators. 

The script does not hesitate to put the character of James Bond in front of his own limits, whether it is the fact that his license plate following his departure has been taken over by an over-trained woman who is capable of opposing him, or the fact that he is facing his own death and that of his loved ones. What No Time to Die gains in powerful emotion, it loses a little in its lack of proposing scenes as spectacular as those seen in the last Mission Impossible films. In the same way, the ending will surprise many who think that James Bond is a character worthy of a Marvel superhero and able to face all the greatest dangers and stay alive despite everything. There is no lack of action scenes, but none of them really impresses us. However, No Time to Die, despite its weaknesses, does not disappoint and shows us how well Daniel Craig was made for this role. 

Despite its length of 163 minutes, which makes it the longest film of the saga, the script by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Phoebe Waller-Bridge impresses with its many twists and turns and a willingness to propose a slightly different approach to James Bond. Certainly, some scenes seem a little too long and the film would have deserved to take some risks and not be satisfied with not offending anyone even if it means moving away from the original character invented by Ian Fleming who loved women as much as alcohol.  In the same way, the end will surprise more than one spectator and let think that the James Bond cinematographic saga is perhaps really finished in the cinema (the takeover on May 26, 2021 of the MGM by Amazon lets think that the James Bond saga risks to leave place to a series or films of lesser scale and intended to be diffused directly on Prime Video). We hope not, but at the moment we don't really see what the future of the James Bond saga will be after the end proposed in this movie, leaving no doubt that a page has been turned and that a new cycle will begin. The future will tell us more, but we hope that the James Bond universe that fed our childhood, that allowed generations of the same family to share movies will continue to exist and to make us dream.

No Time to Die
Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga
Screenplay by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Story by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Cary Joji Fukunaga
Based on James Bond by Ian Fleming
Produced by Michael G. Wilson, Barbara Broccoli
Starring Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Christoph Waltz, David Dencik, Ralph Fiennes, Ana de Armas
Cinematography : Linus Sandgren
Edited by Elliot Graham, Tom Cross
Music by Hans Zimmer
Production companies : Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Eon Productions
Distributed by United Artists Releasing (North America), Universal Pictures (International)
Release date : 28 September 2021 (Royal Albert Hall), 30 September 2021 (United Kingdom), 8 October 2021 (United States), October 6, 2021 (France)
Running time : 163 minutes

Seen on October 5, 2021 at Gaumont Disney Village, Room 11 Imax 3D seat E20

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