22nd December, 2021.
I’ll be frank: I made that introductory video, yesterday.
When, indeed, I’d had homemade spaghetti bolognese.
Although I don’t think anyone who’s genuinely Italian would know what they’re looking at!
Tonight, on the other hand?
I had fish and chips. Just to be different.
The intention’s much the same.
Have something to eat, then watch a movie … and then tell you about it: tomorrow night, at the latest.
Now, if you’ll excuse me?
I’m going to take the teabag out of the mug and watch No Time To Die.
Right now, it’s decidedly after dinner.
And … ? I’ve just finished watching the last James Bond film Daniel Craig has ever made: No Time to Die.
I’v come away from a very good film.
One I’m going to finish writing about, tomorrow: I’ve something of a busy day, ahead.
~≈M≈~
23rd December, 2021.
One that a mysterious masked figure is walking towards.
One that’s home to a young girl who witnesses her mother’s murder by that masked figure: and who escapes death at his hands by the skin of her teeth.
The masked man — Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek) — is feeling merciful.
We shift forward, to five years ago: where the girl has grown into psychotherapist, Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), now living with the off duty James Bond (Daniel Craig), in a quiet part of Italy.
When SPECTRE assassins try and kill Bond, whilst he’s at Vesper Lynd’s* tomb?
Bond feels that Madeleine betrayed him: and, after the pair are chased by more SPECTRE assassins?
Bond put her on a train out of town: simultaneously keeping her safe and ending the relationship.
~≈M≈~
The scene shifts to London, where disguised figures are abseiling down an unidentified office building: to open a window partway down, into an unregistered lab run by MI6 scientist, Valdo Obruchev (David Dencik).
The lab is working on the highly secret Project Heracles: a deadly bio-weapon that be programmed to killed one specific individual, or their whole family.
It seems that someone has caught wind of the project: and want it for their own ends.
Someone who has a habit of wearing a mask.
M (Ralph Fiennes)?
Suspects that SPECTRE, or their captured head, Blofeld (Christoph Waltz), may be involved.
M sees no other option than to send in 007 to investigate the trail: a trail that is also being investigated by Felix Leiter of the CIA, working with a retired MI6 officer called James Bond …
~≈M≈~
Now …
What did I make of No Time to Die?
Where do I think the franchise is heading next?
Who do I think should play Bond, next?
I think the last question first, I think: I believe that’s easiest.
I know we’ve had plenty of discussions about a black or female James Bond.
I don’t know that a female one is necessarily appropriate: unless Bond has gender dysphoria, and feels transitioning is the thing.
Something I feel isn’t justified by what I’ve read in the original novel: Bond is — quite assertively — male.
Granted, he spends a lot of the earlier novels using Benzedrine: which gets ignored in the modern movie franchise.
But I don’t know that drug use and transitioning are comparable.
That’s not to say 007 can’t be a woman: the Lashana Lynch character, Nomi?
Is 007: it’s the film’s reminder that 007, Nomi, and James Bond, are three different people.
One, Nomi is, an active officer of Britain’s secret intelligence service: the second a retired officer, and the third is a mix of job title, payroll number, and license to kill.
Having Lynch a part of this film? Is a much needed reminder that Bond and 007 aren’t The same person!.
Should the next Bond be a person of colour?
I don’t know.
I’ve read a few of the Bond novels: and know the character is described as being of mixed Scottish and Swiss ancestry.
And was — in both Casino Royale and Moonraker† — as looking like white American singer, Hoagy Carmichael.
I’ve no personal objection to someone of colour playing the role: in deed, I think someone like Idris Elba would be a good choice.
I personally feel he’d make a better Sam Vimes: the few times I’ve seen him in Luther, Elba projects exactly the right amount of annoyance for the role.
The fact that Terry Pratchett never exactly gives a descriptions, in the Discworld novels, of what Vimes looks like?
Makes a black British actor just as likely as a white one.
I’m not sure we can say the same of Bond, though: even given the fact his Benzedrine use is down-played!
My personal preference is quire simply Superman actor, Henry Cavill: he’s a competent actor, he’s got the right physique and he’s used to action roles.
We’ll have to see.
~≈M≈~
The film itself … ?
A while back, I reviewed series 13 of Doctor Who: Dr Who Flux.
And, to be frank: found the middle four episodes, War of the Sontarans, Once Upon Time, Village of The Angels, and Survivors of the Flux, to be some of the more formidable episodes I’d seen.
But the first and last episodes, The Halloween Apocalypse and The Vanquisers?
Not quite on the same par: The Vanquishers, in particular, felt unconvincing.
The Daniel Craig era of Bond films, closing with No Time to Die, is rather the reverse.
Casino Royale is superb!
No Time to Die is it’s equal.
It has a traditional Bond villain, in the shape of Rami Malek’s Safin.
Maybe not the most memorable, but certainly one that’s well played by the former Mr Robot star.
It’s got genuine danger to the leading man.
The cast, writing, direction — provided by Cary Joji Fukunaga —are superb.
Bond’s bleak final scene … ? With missiles heading towards a trapped hero … ? Leaving a group of stunned coworkers?
I’m possibly under-selling No Time to Die, with its many nods to earlier films, and a reuse of All The Time in the World, possibly Satchmo’s finest song?
No Time to Die is the one film in Daniel Crag’s Bond collection that truly does live up to the promise of Casino Royale.
~≈M≈~
Finally … ?
Where should the franchise go next?
Where could it go next?
I don’t know: I don’t.
Given No Time to Die’s sad ending, given we don’t know who Daniel Craig’s replacement is?
Given we don’t know how a script writer could dig Bond out of a grave?
Given Blofeld, and Leiter are dead … ?
I don’t know.
But with Madelaine’s last line to her and Commander Bond’s daughter being “I'm going to tell you a story about a man. His name was Bond, James Bond.”
And the lest frame of the credits being the familiar James Bond Will Return card … ?
I’m looking forward to finding out …
No Time to Die.★★★★
† The novels.
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