The new James Bond film “No Time to Die” (NTTD) was finally released earlier in October nearly two years after it was initially planned because COVID-19.
Most of the film was shot and wrapped up in 2019 before the virus started shutting everything down. So even though the NTTD arch villain’s plan that puts the world in jeopardy yet again (that villian is the approximately Russian Lyutsifer Safin, played by the versatile Rami Malek) -he is in possession of a government commissioned designer bio weapon that can be tailored to kill individuals or entire races- seems to follow the Wuhan lab theory of the current pandemic plaguing the world, we are really once again looking at a case of life imitating art.
James Bond was always a vessel for western fears of what our own modern civilization can unleash, ranging from unfettered greed for wealth and power to global nuclear annihilation. Each diabolical plot is supposed to tap into that zeitgeist, and Bond isn’t so much a man as the embodiment of reassuring order above the chaos.
But Bond is a mythological figure that belongs in a bygone modern era, and the Cold War superspy’s story arc (Daniel Craig’s Bond at least) concludes, somewhat fittingly at what appears to be the inexorable dawn of a postmodern age where biology and technology have apparently merged. (RELATED: Incredible Fan Theory Provides Tons Of Evidence That Sean Connery’s Character In ‘The Rock’ Is James Bond).
Deconstructing 007’s self-assuredness seems to be the theme connecting all the Daniel Craig Bond films. In this installment, the psychoanalysis is laid on thick; at times the film feels like one long intervention against toxic masculinity interspersed by the car chases and explosions said intervention has precipitated.
And boy is there a lot of this Bond to deconstruct. Daniel Craig was north of fifty when the film was shot, but he’s still the fittest Bond ever hands down. If only the runtime of this latest installment was as lean as Bond himself. At closer to three hours than two, if you’re going to see it in a theater I would suggest foregoing the fountain drink.
Thankfully NTTD does return to the fantastic action pieces and deployed gadgetry that define the best Bond films, and the settings are as gorgeous as they are exclusive. Craig’s brooding and emotive version notwithstanding, the character of Bond traditionally exists on an absurdly carefree plane bracketed by all the trophies of winning (exotic cars, exotic women, exclusive tailoring, etc…).
As Bond is certainly more fantasy than reality, I’m not particularly upset that they Mary Sued it up with a female 007 for what I imagine is a trial run at multi-versing Bond. I will say the idea that more kick-ass female leads are under-represented is belied by one scroll through the action category on Netflix.
In closing, I’ll mention that while I left the downtown D.C. theater were I caught the matinee with thoughts that NTTD was more faithful to the spirit of the franchise than all of Craig’s previous Bond films, something else felt missing.
What that was struck me a couple days later. The women who either fight or sleep beside Bond here are called Nomi, Paloma, and Madeleine Swann. No bawdy double entendre names like Pussy Galore or Honey Ryder, or even fun ones like Christmas Jones. The closest we get is Safin’s first name allusion that lets you know his deceased parents were no angels. A quick glance back at 2015’s sulky Spectre and I was able to confirm there was zilch in this department in that film as well, so we’ve been getting this slow drip from the fun police for a while now.
The title not withstanding, everything runs its course, and perhaps our mythical champion Bond is no exception? For the answer, you’ll have to stay tuned to not only the direction this storied franchise takes next, but to the latest myths that are formed for our brave new world.