No Time To Die, directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, is jam-packed with explosions, complex new weapons, and thrilling stunts. With high-quality acting and impressive special effects, it is worth the watch. No Time To Die bids farewell to Daniel Craig in his fateful role as James Bond, and passes the role on to the first woman of color to play 007 in history. 

No Time To Die follows James Bond (Daniel Craig) and his new, quieter life after seemingly settling down with his girlfriend Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux). Bond has retired from the British Secret Intelligence Service and the job has been taken over by a woman named Nomi (Lashana Lynch). However, Bond’s old friend and ally, Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright), asks for his help with a mission. 

A new villain (Rami Malek) has emerged along with new, complex technology, and Felix believes that 007 would be a helpful asset to the job. James reluctantly agrees to help his friend out. One thing leads to another, and after an abundance of fight scenes and explosions, James Bond finds himself involved in another mission.

Being number 27 of all James Bond movies ever made, audience members who have not seen the previous 26 movies may get lost in the ongoing plot. These viewers may find themselves somewhat bewildered at certain parts of the movie due to lack of knowledge of the characters’ names, backstories, and relation to each other. However, this movie provides just enough background information so people who are new to the James Bond franchise will have a basic understanding of what is going on while providing new plots for viewers familiar with the series. 

Craig portrays this quiet, yet strong and ruthless secret agent with ease. Throughout the movie, he remains stoic but fierce, which is a perfect interpretation of what the James Bond character should be. This movie was certainly a superb finish for him.

The music in this movie kept with the previous films by playing the classic James Bond theme song to kick it off. The official theme song for this film, however, was written and performed by Billie Eilish, which felt out of place and was substandard overall. The song seemed soft and melodious, while the theme of the movie is intense. Other than Eilish’s song, the soundtrack of this movie was satisfactory.

The beginning of No Time To Die was filmed in a quaint town in Italy with beautiful, old buildings. The quiet streets seem to set a tranquil tone for the film. Later, Bond is in a more technologically advanced and intricate setting, which may be a nod to the increasing stress and pace of the plot. 

Since the very beginning of the franchise, James Bond has been a white cis-gender male, which is how most icons of strength have been portrayed throughout history. Bond also tends to show little respect for women. In 1964’s Goldfinger, he shows almost no regard for personal space and touched women without their consent. 

There was a recent rumor that Lashana Lynch, who made an appearance in No Time To Die, would be taking over the role of James Bond. Casting a woman of color in the role of Bond would enforce strong role models for young girls, especially young girls of color, in the media. There is a lack of representation of women of color in movies, so this could be an impactful decision. Along with creating a powerful role model for young girls to look up to, casting Lynch in the role could also redefine 007 in a positive way. Unfortunately, Barbara Broccoli, who is in charge of the James Bond franchise, does not think that Bond should ever be a woman. She has previously said to the Guardian, “He’s a male character. He was written as a male and I think he’ll probably stay as a male and that’s fine. We don’t have to turn male characters into women. Let’s just create more female characters and make the story fit those female characters.” 

No Time To Die  is thoroughly enjoyable and recommended for those who enjoy invigorating, action-packed films. I rate No Time To Die a very respectable 4.5 out of 5 stars.