No Time to Die

Those who have NOT viewed the previous 007 film “Spectre” will find a few necessary spoilers in this review.

“No Time to Die” takes place shortly following the events of “Spectre.” James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Dr. Madeleine Swan (Léa Seydoux), having successfully thwarted villain Ernst Blofeld’s plans (Christoph Waltz), have successfully driven off into the night and are living out their days in a beautiful part of Italy.

Still, Bond can’t help but look over his shoulder from time to time. I mean, hey, the danger of the life of a 00 never really ends, does it? At one point, Madeline and Bond discuss how they wish to go about having a future together and that is to reveal all their secrets, but that in order to do that they BOTH have to leave their past behind. Madeline has started to do that, but Bond… well that’s why they’re in Italy.

While visiting a former girlfriend’s graveside, Vesper (from the film “Casino Royale”), a bomb explodes, throwing Bond backward. Bond races back to the hotel and confronts Madeline. “Who knows we’re here?” Bond asks. Madeline pleads innocence, “I didn’t tell anyone; I would never betray you!” But trust is hard to come by for a seasoned spy. And having barely escaped with both their lives, shortly thereafter, Bond places Madeline on a train, vowing she will never see him again.

Flash forward 5 years later. Bond is contacted by his CIA friend, Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright). There’s been an explosion and a kidnapping of a scientist at an MI6 lab that was secretly developing a weapon called Project Heracles. It is a nanobot bioweapon designed to target terrorists through their DNA (a more stealthy approach). However, in the wrong hands the device can be modified to kill anyone through skin to skin contact with someone carrying the nanobots within them.

The past, the present and even the future are about to collide for Bond in ways he won’t expect. “No Time to Die” ultimately asks the question: How far can one be pushed to the limit before the weight becomes too much for one person, even Bond, to bear?

The character, James Bond, has been around since 1953. In that 68 year time span, apart from Ian Flemming’s original design, 8 other authors created stories around Bond which further led to numerous radio, television shows and movies that have circled around this single character.

At one point in an interview, creator Ian Flemming stated,

“When I wrote the first one in 1953, I wanted Bond to be an extremely dull, uninteresting man to whom things happened; I wanted him to be a blunt instrument… when I was casting around for a name for my protagonist I thought by G*d, [James Bond] is the dullest name I ever heard.”

He also designed Bond as someone that was mainly a tool of the government.

I mention all of this because actor Daniel Craig brought out a different human side to James Bond in each of his films that may not necessarily have coincided with Flemming’s original vision. But that may not have necessarily been a bad thing. In fact, in any good film or franchise, a character needs to have a true, genuine development. It can’t be cheap or thinly-veiled or the audience will see right through it. Daniel Craig showed us that Bond is not a robot, that he’s an actual human being, with strengths and weaknesses.

Craig’s final performance as Bond in “No Time to Die” displays every side of Bond: the good, the bad, and even the ugly (particularly at the beginning of the film). And for those who have been watching since “Casino Royale” back in 2005, it’s been worth the wait.

This is Craig’s movie for sure, but there are two other characters that are secondary contenders. The first is Léa Seydoux as Madeleine Swan. She commands the scenes she is in with much purpose and such grace. The second is Rami Malek as the main protagonist, Lyutsifer Safin. My heart and breathing stopped with fear every time Rami spoke on screen. He brings such a brilliant level of mystery and intimidation to his character that I believe most critics are not giving him enough credit for.

My main concerns about this film are the violence and the sexual content and partial nudity. The violence has been kicked up a couple notches, and some of it is far more intense than what I was expecting. Although partial nudity is always a concerning issue in 007 movies, the level in this film feels more even more offensive. Another issue is the film’s overall pacing. At a whopping 2 hours 43 minutes, I noticed that I was checking my watch to see when things might speed up a little, particularly in Act II.

Offensive Material

VIOLENCE: Very Heavy to Extreme. Please note I am not listing every scene of violence. There were too many many. Multiple scenes involve fierce gun fights, fistfights and car chases. People are shot and killed in multiple scenes throughout the movie. Other scenes involve a mother being violently shot (offscreen) while her daughter listens from inside a closet. This daughter later shoots the attacker from a balcony, and he falls. An assassin’s bomb explodes and someone is thrown backward. A car driver attempte to run someone over. Someone is strangled unconscious; later another person is strangled to death. A car shoots bullets—destroying people and objects. Scientists are executed (it’s a blurry scene, while other scientists are led away). Gas comes out and poisons people, leaving boils on their faces and killing them. A boat explodes and people try to get out. Another car chase involves a child in the car. A car overturns and a character pushes the overturned car so that it crushes someone underneath. A character has poisonous tea thrown in their eyes. A couple people burns to death in an acid bath. A large missile blows up a building, bringing death. A grenade explodes. Another person is shot multiple times, and we see a character executed.

PROFANITY: “Oh J*sus Chr*st” (2), “For Chr*st’s sakes” (1), “J*sus” (1), “Oh G*d” (2), “My G*d” (2), “Oh my G*d” (1), H*ll (2), “d*mn” (1) and “bloody.” Someone says they’ll watch as the person’s face sweats blood.

VULGARITY/CRUDITY: “For F**k’s Sake” (1) and possibly another F-word, “Sh*t” (2), screwing (1). A USB flash drive is said to have been “everywhere.” Someone says to an African-American, “I don’t need a lab to extinguish your entire race.”

NUDITY: A woman wears a very risqué evening gown featuring a bare back and chest-baring front with neckline open to her waist with the fabric frequently gaping to reveal the sides of her breasts. Viewers are also shown a woman’s bare back in bed; she is lying on her stomach, showing partial breast. A woman is seen wearing only a long shirt, nothing underneath. A male character is very briefly seen showering (full frontal nudity), but no genitals shown, and a shirtless man is twice shown. A woman begins undressing a man (no nudity shown). Women with cleavage baring outfits are seen in a night club.

SEXUAL CONTENT/DIALOG: Two characters passionately begin kissing, followed by undressing each other, following by briefly implied sexual intercourse in a hotel bed (we see them covered by sheets). A woman alone with a man next to a bedroom removes her wig, and a man remarks “That’s not the first thing I thought you’d take off.” Someone says, “Looks like they could use some action” (sexual activity reference). Two characters kiss. The tech expert character named “Q” is now presented as Gay and is shown prepping for an intimate dinner with his boyfriend.

DRUGS: A mom is mixing medication and alcohol. A bioweapon is used throughout the film.

ALCOHOL: Several characters drink in several scenes throughout the film. A mom, again, uses wine and pills as her “medicine.” There is drinking at a night club.

OTHER: Some brief gambling is shown between two friends. Two people are seen without an eye (not overly-graphic). People are injected with trackers.

Themes that may be drawn from

At one point in the film, a character reflects on the time he has spent with each of his loved ones and wonders if he could have spent more time with them. Perhaps he wasted time in doing his work in the way he did.

How much time do I, myself, waste arguing with others over things that don’t really matter? How much time do I spend bearing witness for Christ to others instead? Is it enough? Should I be wiser with my time? Shouldn’t we all?

The old adage, “Time is a terrible thing to waste” is true. There’s never enough time. Our time on Earth is very limited, and the end can come very quick and unexpectedly. So what should we do with it. Well, as Christians, Scripture is clear on what to do. First off…

“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” —Proverbs 27:1

Secondly,

“The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” —Proverbs 21:5

Also,

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is” —Ephesians 5:15-17

Lastly, don’t spend your time on material things. They are fleeting and will all be destroyed.

“The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. —1 John 2:17

Final Thoughts

While this film isn’t as good overall as Daniel Craig’s “Casino Royale” or “Quantum of Solace,” “No Time to Die” is still a fine send off to one of the most popular James Bonds we’ve had since Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan. Apart from a couple moments, the plot is fairly easy to follow. The cinematography is beyond amazing, and the pacing is fairly even.

This time around, the violence is far heavier (some of it disturbing). What particularly troubles me, as an educator, is that children are involved in some scenes. The sexual content is more concerning, too. Avid Bond fans will likely enjoy the film, but it is definitely not suitable for kids and younger teens—and probably not for older teens either.

• Violence: Very Heavy to Extreme
• Profane language: Heavy
• Vulgar/Crude language: Heavy (due to f-word)
• Nudity: Moderately Heavy
• Sex: Moderately Heavy
• Drugs/Alcohol: Moderately Heavy— • beer • wine • martinis • Scotch and other liquors (but no drunkenness)
• Occult: None

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.

• Positive
• Neutral