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2021 Films, Action, James Bond, Spy

No Time to Die-2021

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No Time to Die-2021

Director Cary Joji Fukunaga

Starring Daniel Craig

Scott’s Review #1,236

Reviewed March 6, 2022

Grade: A-

Celebrating the twenty-fifth in the iconic James Bond film franchise, No Time to Die (2021) is Daniel Craig’s fifth and final appearance as the British MI6 agent.

As of this writing, it is yet to be determined who will next step into the shoes of the legendary character, but Craig was able to make the character his own since his debut in Casino Royale (2006).

He retains his hunky and muscular portrayal with a sullen and serious tone.

No Time to Die is visually and stylistically similar to the recent handful of films that came before it, with a slick and modern look and feel.

The difference is that the film is about relationships and has a shocking conclusion that nearly rivals Mrs. James Bond’s death in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service way back in 1969.

James Bond utters a few quips or one-liners, and we can agree that Craig does not play the character in the same way that Roger Moore did. But, there exists a dark and dreary tone throughout and more than one surprising death.

It’s a serious affair.

I love the parallels to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service that emerge mainly in the beginning and end of the film.

The inclusion of the famous Louis Armstrong song ‘We Have All the Time in the World’ recalls both love and loss experienced by Bond and is played in full during the closing credits.

This is a special treat for fans of that film, myself included. I felt emotionally connected to No Time to Die, which was a significant score for it.

In an extended opening sequence, a young girl named Madeleine witnesses the murder of her mother by terrorist Lyutsifer Safin in a failed attempt to murder her father, Mr. White (appearing in Casino Royale). Madeleine shoots Safin (Rami Malek), but he survives and rescues her after she falls into a frozen lake. This connects them for life.

In the present, after the capture of villain Blofeld, Madeleine (Léa Seydoux) is vacationing in Southern Italy with Bond when Spectre’s assassins ambush him. He incorrectly assumes Madelaine has betrayed him, and he ends their relationship after they escape death.

Depressed, Bond retires to Jamaica but returns to action after his friend Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

With the emotional and relationship investments successfully sealed, any worthy Bond film should have great action with interesting locales, stellar villains, and relevant Bond girls. In this regard, the film gets a solid B+ with those as mentioned earlier, bumping it up a notch.

The chase throughout southern Italy is fabulous, with delicious scenery of the culturally lavish country getting the film off to a fast start.

Other sequences in Chile and Cuba show the sophistication and investment in quality locales. Naturally, London is heavily featured, and I adore the grand and frequent aerial views that allow prominent landmarks to be discovered.

Although actor Malek can be creepy in his roles and play a dastardly villain, I wasn’t delighted with the character of Safin. Not appearing in an obvious fashion until midway through his screen time is limited, and his motivations murky- I wanted more.

The casting is terrific, but the character is underwhelming and not explored to his full potential.

Christoph Waltz’s limited appearance as an imprisoned Blofeld is excellent, and double agent Logan Ash (Billy Magnussen) and scientist Obruchev (David Dencik) prove quality secondary villains.

The storyline with Felix and the returns of Moneypenny, Q, and M (now played by Ralph Fiennes) is solid.

Main Bond girl Madelaine did not win me over at first, but by the end, I was heavily invested, especially since she is a powerful female character and a true romantic partner to Bond. A new female 007, played by Lashana Lynch, is a progressive inclusion that breathes new life into MI6.

May both appear in the future?

Time, and perhaps another viewing, will determine how No Time to Die (2021) ranks compared to other Bond films. At a hefty two hours and forty-three minutes, the film drags in the middle section, and some characters receive limited exploration.

The nods to history and the heavy emotional investment kept me glued to my seat.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Original Song-“No Time to Die” (won), Best Sound, Best Visual Effects

2015 Films, Action, James Bond, Spy

Spectre-2015

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Spectre-2015

Director Sam Mendes

Starring Daniel Craig

Scott’s Review #401

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Reviewed May 5, 2016

Grade: B+

A modern treat for James Bond fans, Spectre (2015) is a slick, costly production sure to please die-hard lovers of the storied franchise.

It contains a rich history and nods to recent installments, wrapping the story arc up, a fantastic villain, and fast-paced, compelling story-telling.

It lacks an interesting lead Bond girl, a quality that detracts from the film, and what is a must for the cherished franchise.

This is the only major flaw in an otherwise fantastic film.  In typical Bond fashion, his adventures take him to London, Rome, Mexico City, Austria, and Morocco.

Speeding along in what is now the twenty-fourth Bond film, and still feeling fresh and relevant, Spectre commences where its predecessor, Skyfall, left off, mainly hot on the heels of M’s (Judi Dench’s) shocking death.

How wonderful to see her again, albeit in a videotaped message crucial to the central plot.

The new M is a male character again and portrayed by Ralph Fiennes. In the film’s sub-plot, a new character, C, comes into play as the head of the Joint Intelligence Service, who deems the 00 section outdated.

The focal point is Bond’s avenging of the former M’s death by taking down Spectre, an organization not seen in a Bond film since 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever, but once again a strong presence.

The opening sequence in Mexico City kicks off the energy of the film.

Fast-paced, and with an awesome helicopter chase/fight sequence, it is a long sequence that thrills. We watch, engaged, as it swirls and tumbles mid-air, while hundreds of spectators in a large outdoor square flee for safety.

The film then forays into the inevitable Bond song, “Writing’s On The Wall”, this time written and performed by Sam Smith.  This particular song has received mixed reviews, but I am fond of it.

This leaves the audience geared up for a wild adventure to come.

The return of the crime organization, Spectre, to the story brings a rich history and is the most interesting part. We have a rooting value since it is familiarity.

Even more pleasing is the return of Bond’s arch-enemy Ernst Stavro Blofeld, known more forcefully as “Number 1”, who has been played by such legendary actors as Donald Pleasance, Telly Savalas, and Max Von Sydow.

In Spectre, Christoph Waltz takes over the role and a major win. Waltz, a tremendous actor, plays Blofeld in a sly, wicked manner,  taunting, yet with some comedic elements.

In a compelling scene (and the first one containing Waltz), James Bond appears, hidden, at a Spectre summit.  He recoils as he recognizes the shadowed Blofeld, realizing the detrimental repercussions this will mean.

I only hope that in subsequent Bond films, Waltz returns.

Let’s discuss the Bond girls in the film.

Ironically, the small role featuring the oldest Bond girl in franchise history (aged fifty and played by the gorgeous Monica Bellucci) is more compelling than the lead Bond girl, Dr. Madeleine Swann, played by Lea Seydoux.

As Lucia Sciarra, widow of the Italian crime lord, Sciarra, there is more chemistry between Daniel Craig and Bellucci than between Craig and Seydoux.

I would have much rather seen Sciarra as the primary focus, but she is shamefully underused, appearing in two scenes only. Seydoux seems to lack energy and I noticed zero chemistry between her and Craig.

I am not sold on the new Moneypenny either, Bond’s labored sidekick and always suggested one-sided love interest, in earlier films it used to be a fun dynamic. She was a secretary, older, and their flirtation was charming, light, and fun. She was almost a mother figure to him.

There are no flirtation or romantic hints as the character has been modernized to fit the twenty-first century.

Despite this character’s misses, the film is exceptionally well-made with loads of action. Sometimes Bond films hold up well, other times they do not.

Time will tell what fate holds for Spectre (2015), but my hunch is that it will age well.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Song-“Writing’s on the Wall” (won)

2014 Films, Biography, Drama, Thriller, World War II

The Imitation Game-2014

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The Imitation Game-2014

Director Morten Tyldum

Starring Benedict Cumberbatch

Scott’s Review #213

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Reviewed January 15, 2015

Grade: A

The Imitation Game (2014) follows Alan Turing, a confident, brilliant British mathematician who cracked Nazi Germany’s Enigma code and helped the Allies win World War II.

The film also delves into Turing’s complex, sad personal life, and the audience learns about his upbringing, largely through flashbacks a his childhood at boarding school.

The film is tragic yet wonderfully made, and it’s a powerful human story.

The film has two storylines.

The first is the hiring of Turing by the Government Code and Cipher School at Bletchley Park to crack the code and the numerous struggles faced in accomplishing this feat.

Turing is not easy-going. He is arrogant, quick-witted, and even smug. However, through his friendship with Joan (Keira Knightley), an intelligent woman on the team of scholars, we see a human side to him as they forge a lifelong bond.

The other is his personal life, which is a bit more mysterious and comes into play during the second half. Keeping a secret about his personal life, he is homosexual, which, in the time the film is set (1940’s England), is illegal.

Alan and Joan agree to marry, largely to appease her parents, but circumstances change their plans.

Benedict Cumberbatch, who portrays Turning, deserves praise for his impressive portrayal. He gives the character depth and a wide range of emotions.

He begins as a self-centered man but becomes layered, guarded, and protective because of his private life, which he is forced to hide a great deal.

Keira Knightley’s character supports Cumberbatch’s Alan as she becomes engaged to him and, later in life, becomes his biggest champion. Besides being quite intelligent, her character is also kind and giving.

The ending will bring many tears and make viewers reflect on the enormity of World War II and its vast number of casualties. The facts listed just before the credits roll are awe-inspiring and gut-wrenching.

The Imitation Game is not a war movie per se because it doesn’t show battle scenes. It is more of a drama dealing with the effects of war. It presents many figures, and some characters are affected.

For instance, in one scene, the group (led by Turing) must make a heartbreaking decision not to stop an impending attack, which will cause many deaths- including a character’s brother- instead of choosing to keep mum to save thousands more.

It is a powerful scene.

The Imitation Game (2014) successfully and heartbreakingly tells the story of a heroic figure who received no accolades in life, was ostracized, and only posthumously received his due.

Sadly, this was too little too late.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Picture, Best Director-Morten Tyldum, Best Actor-Benedict Cumberbatch, Best Supporting Actress-Keira Knightley, Best Adapted Screenplay (won), Best Original Score, Best Production Design, Best Film Editing

2012 Films, Action, James Bond, Spy

Skyfall-2012

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Skyfall-2012

Director Sam Mendes

Starring Daniel Craig

Scott’s Review #136

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Reviewed July 26, 2014

Grade: B+

Skyfall is the latest (and twenty-third) installment in the decades-long-running James Bond franchise (1962’s Dr. No was the first one), and this one receives major kudos from me.

When you look back at all the Bond films, they have had to adjust to keep up with the times, and Skyfall does it very successfully.

In addition, Skyfall brings a good, old-fashioned, compelling story to the table.

A former agent, Raoul Silva, beautifully portrayed by Javier Bardem, launches an attack on MI6, driven by a personal vendetta against M, played by Judi Dench.

Bardem delivers a complex, powerful villain who isn’t overly cartoonish.

He appears crazy!

James Bond, of course, must come to the rescue and save the day.

The story finally gives M. a chance to shine as the main plot revolves around her. The relationship between M. and Raoul is interesting and layered with history, which makes for a compelling story.

As with Bond films, the film uses exotic locales. This time we get Shanghai, London, Scotland, and Macau.

James Bond’s past is also explored- he grew up in Scotland. The Bond family estate is a major backdrop for the action.

The reintroduction of two famous Bond characters- Moneypenny and Q is like a breath of fresh air added to the franchise, although I was not crazy about the casting choice of Q.

Also, one minor flaw with this film is that there is no clear “Bond girl” to root for.

Skyfall (2012) provides a successful return to its Bond roots and will hopefully allow the Bond franchise to continue for many films to come.

Oscar Nominations: 2 wins-Best Original Score, Best Original Song “Skyfall” (won), Best Sound Editing (won), Best Sound Mixing, Best Cinematography