Film Review: "No Time to Die" (2021).

"The mission that changes everything begins" in No Time to Die. This spy film directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, written by Fukunaga, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Phoebe Waller-Bridge and produced by Eon Productions. It is the 25th film in the James Bond series, as well as Daniel Craig's fifth and final outing as the fictional British MI6 agent. Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter 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.

After the release of Spectre (2015), producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson stated that they felt reasonably confident that Craig would return for this movie. However, Craig has said that he would retire from the role of James Bond if he felt he was too old to play the character. In March 2017, Purvis and Wade returned to pen the script. In July, Craig had a "verbal agreement" that he would return for this Bond movie. In February 2018, Danny Boyle was hired to direct and John Hodge was hired to pen a new script. However, in late August 2018, it was announced that, due to creative differences, Boyle and Hodge had decided to leave Bond 25. In September, Fukunaga was ultimately hired to replace Boyle. At the same time, Purvis and Wade were brought back to start penning a new script. By February 2019, Paul Haggis and Scott Z. Burns were hired to rewrite Pervis and Wade's script. By late April 2019, Waller-Bridge was hired as a late addition to polish the script. At the same time, Craig, Léa Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes and Rory Kinnear were confirmed to reprise their roles, with Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, Ana de Armas, Billy Magnussen and David Dencik cast as newcomers. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in late October. Filming took place in Italy, Jamaica, Norway, the Faroe Islands and London, including Pinewood Studios. In July 2019, Dan Romer was announced to compose the film's score. However, in January 2020, Hans Zimmer replaced Romer due to creative differences. At the same time, it was announced that Billie Eilish would write and perform the film's theme song. The film was originally scheduled for a November 2019 release date, but was postponed to February 2020 and then to April 2020 after Boyle's departure. In October 2020, the film was delayed again to 2 April 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2021, the film was rescheduled to 8 October 2021.

Surrounded by a talented and stellar cast, Craig gives a fitting and beautiful swan song of a performance that has come to define James Bond for the 21st century.

The film gives the finish James Bond deserves, but to say it reaches the heights of its predecessors is predictably hard.

Simon says No Time to Die receives:

Also, see my reviews for Maniac and Spectre.