Curtain closes on Craig Bond, bids adieu to world of international mystery
James Bond, a film franchise old enough for its AARP card at six decades strong, just bid farewell to yet another bearer of the iconic moniker. Daniel Craig, the seventh to hold the title of 007, starred in his fifth and final movie in the series, No Time to Die, last October. After countless delays due to the pandemic, it's finally time to see if Craig’s finale was more shaken or stirred.
Craig’s first movie as Bond, Casino Royale, proved to be a stylistic reset for the franchise after a long period of campy, less well-received films. Not only did it strike box office gold, but it redefined the way Bond could be played. For the first time, the typical cast felt like complex, real characters instead of merely cartoon stereotypes of classic spy archetypes.
Quantum of Solace was not quite as groundbreaking as Casino Royale, receiving middling reviews. However, it continued the precedent set of a Bond that was realistic and human, that told complex stories greater than your typical ‘supervillain with a giant evil laser beam’.
Craig’s third Bond movie was one that precious few could forget. Skyfall is arguably the best that Bond has ever been. For the first time, Bond finally felt like a series of connected stories and characters, instead of something akin to cartoon ‘monster of the week’ type formula with a different villain and love interest every time. This film especially seems to channel an almost Marvel movie-like balance of superior action sequences and quippy dialogue alongside somber and serious character-driven scenes.
Also, it shouldn’t be ignored how the character of Moneypenny (Naomi Harris, Moonlight), was given agency and action scenes of her own, actually firing the fatal shot that is the catalyst for the film’s plot, when in previous Bond iterations she was so often regulated to the role of a mere secretary.
The merits of Skyfall are many, but it would be remiss not to mention the iconic soundtrack, namely the movie’s theme song, aptly also named “Skyfall”. One of Adele’s most iconic singles, it sets the tone of the movie perfectly and serves as a haunting backdrop to the scene of James Bond’s apparent “death”. Who could forget the tremor of the strings in the iconic Bond chord followed by the delicate piano as Bond’s lifeless body falls into the water.
Setting up Skyfall with the idea that Bond could actually die gave the story consequences and weight, and had viewers questioning at every turn if this really would be the last adventure for Bond.
Fortunately, hindsight allows viewers now to know that Craig would return yet again as Bond in the following film, Spectre. While the lowest reviewed of all Craig’s bond films, it still followed up on the story of Skyfall and continued a complex and interweaving narrative that found its ultimate conclusion in this year’s No Time to Die.
The movie is arguably on par with Skyfall in terms of its quality and artistry, with a character-driven story, heart-pounding action sequences and callbacks to classic moments. The very first moment of the movie features the iconic circular James Bond title card, literally setting off the movie with a bang. The cinematography is gorgeous, every scene a piece of art in its own right.
Along with that, the opening credits sequence is a kaleidoscopic and haunting piece of eye candy set to Billie Eilish’s new single, “No Time to Die”, written for the movie. The symbolism present in this sequence is spectacular, and when looked at in retrospect, spoils every part of the movie with perfectly concealed symbolism and ambiguous imagery.
The main villain, played by Rami Malek, left a little to be desired. His motivations lacked complexity and his backstory wasn’t given enough development for his villainy to be truly appreciated. While creepy in his mannerisms and creatively designed with a unique obsession with poison plants, it was definitely one of the weaker points of the film.
The film also suffered from a few pacing problems. At nearly 3 hours long, it felt like a bit of a slog at times, although the moments of action often came in at just the right time to pick things up again.
No Time to Die is chock full of references to previous films and Bond actors of years past, some of which are rather spoiler-y, so readers may just want to watch the film and see some of these moments for themselves.
Fans of all ages and pop culture aficionados will appreciate the reappearance of the Aston Martin DB5. While Bond may drive luxury cars and vehicles of all shapes and sizes, nothing is more iconic than this car when it comes to Bond movies. This is the third Craig Bond movie to feature the DB5, the previous two being Casino Royale and Skyfall. And yes, it still has the ejector seat and miniguns hidden inside the headlights. Don’t get too attached to it, however- The car suffers a pretty hefty beating only 20 or so minutes into the film, and doesn't reappear after the 5 year timeskip. Still, it gets to go out with a pretty epic and high-energy car chase scene beforehand.
Along with the iconic car comes the return of Bond’s iconic drink, a Vesper Martini- shaken, not stirred. In previous films, Bond was forced to order a Corona beer due to a sponsorship deal with the franchise, but this time around the sponsor seems to have dropped out, or at least become more lax with what they allow Bond to order on-screen. Perhaps they thought the mention of that particular name would bring up some... uncomfortable memories of the past two years for some viewers.
Overall however, No Time to Die was simply a phenomenal sendoff for Craig’s version of Bond, and the ending will leave 007 fans young and old heartbroken and appreciating the true legacy of the franchise.
Much of the conversation surrounding the film’s release has concerned who would be Craig’s replacement. Everyone from Henry Cavill to Idris Alba have been suggested, but the choice presented by the film itself seems to be something entirely new for the Bond franchise-- A Black woman.
It makes sense-- with diversity being as hot of a topic now as ever, and the role of Bond being famously played by only white men, it seems almost a no-brainer that the franchise would go in this direction for the future. There’s nothing that says that the role of Bond can’t go to anybody, whether James or Jamie.
To be clear, she won’t be directly replacing Craig as James Bond, but rather as a new character, Nomi (Lashana Lynch, Captain Marvel), stepping into the role of 007. It seems that the franchise is set to continue with the rest of the same cast, with iconic characters like Moneypenny, Q (Ben Whishaw, Mary Poppins Returns), and M (Ralph Fiennes, The Grand Budapest Hotel) keeping their same actors and potentially returning for new adventures with Nomi as 007.
In fact, the entire film features an impressive cast of strong and skilled female characters, from the aforementioned Moneypenny and future 007 Nomi, to returning characters like Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux, Death Stranding) and newcomer to the Bond franchise, Ana de Armas (Knives Out) as Paloma, a peppy and sweet CIA agent who knows her way around with a firearm. Her character was such a delightful addition that it's a shame she was only in the film for a few scenes, but even so, she made sure to steal the show in every single one.
The real star of the show, however, is Madeleine. As Bond girls go, she’s more than just a pretty face. Her story is continued from where she was introduced in the previous film, Spectre. She and Bond have a haunting chemistry together in an almost forbidden romance as her father, the mastermind Spectre, tries at every turn to kill Bond and tests her loyalty to both men. In this movie, she’s also accompanied by her adorable 5-year old daughter, Mathilde (Lisa-Dorah Sonnet), who appears after a 5-year timeskip with a secret of her own that astute viewers will be able to easily guess, ensuring that the legacy of Bond will live on in more ways than one.
As a whole, No Time to Die proves once and for all that while Bonds may come and go, the adventures of 007 are forever.
by Bailey Staerkel
Oshkosh West Index Volume 118 Issue 3
November 29th, 2021