Review | 007 - On Time To Die

Daniel Craig returns for his latest thrill-packed adventure and says goodbye in style

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007, the most famous secret agent on the big screen has been called for a new mission: On Time To Die. The feature, which has been postponed 3 times, finally hits the big screen tomorrow, September 30, 2021 distributed by Universal Pictures. Anyone who thinks it's a sequel to kill the nostalgia for this great character is wrong. In fact, it's a farewell to James Bond in Daniel Craig. The production directed by Cary Fukunaga brought together a strong cast, with an incredible soundtrack, lush photography and scenery, as well as applause-worthy special effects. It's a feature that will stay in memory.

In 007 - On Time To Die, Bond has left active duty and is enjoying a quiet life in Jamaica. His peace doesn't last long when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA shows up asking for help. The quest to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond on the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

Read too 007- No Time to Die | Director Cary Joji Fukunaga promises surprises for Daniel Craig's farewell

The film impresses for its quality in all aspects that we can assess. The plot follows a path not of redemption for the main character, but of looking back and at oneself. An interesting line from one of the characters tells James the following: "You've been trained not to trust people" and really, we see it and we know why. 007 - No Time to Die it's a suicide mission that goes in parallel to pass the baton to a promising new agent. With a more Girl Power feel, the feature film produced after MeToo managed to introduce good female characters that are sensual, but powerful and armed, as well as betting on diversity. 

James Bond and Nomi wears Tom Ford in No Time To Die (2020)
Lashana Lynch is 007… we just don't know if she is James Bond's partner or competitor / Reproduction

Here, James Bond, not that young – he's still handsome – has to deal with one of the biggest challenges of his career. Initially, we get a glimpse of his romance with Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux) and as both are permeated with secrets, he needs to resolve his, so that the lovebirds can live happily ever after. However, something happens that makes the agent suspicious of his beloved and from then on it's just SHOOT, BEAT and BOMB.

But the mission hasn't started yet. Five years pass and the agent who was resting must return to solve the mission that will define the destiny of humanity. You've probably seen something similar in features like the ones in the franchise Mission Impossible.

Read too: 007 – No Time to Die | First reviews of the film say that "wait was worth it" and emphasize emotional farewell

One of the news that can generate excitement is the title 007 which now belongs to a woman, Nomi (Lashana Lynch) and at first we found this agent rather arrogant and bossy looking more like a competitor than actually a partner or protégé of Bond. But she proves to be smart and skillful in every way to face the title 007.

The world has changed and from the first features to the 25th of the franchise, the “Bond Girls” that were seen as screen ornaments, are now gaining ground in the plots and this reflects not only the importance of having important roles for women but also shows that the audiovisual has tried to include minorities. In addition, the agent who initially presents with James' patent will not get this title, as it is no use giving a role that for decades was played and made for a man, but creating OWN NARRATIVES designed for women. Whether we will have a secret agent who faces beating, shooting and bombing in the near future, we don't know, but the revolution has already begun.

Ana De Armas On Feeling Like She's Been Talking About James Bond's No Time  To Die Forever - CINEMABLEND
Ana de Armas is Paloma, an agent who helps James Bond in Cuba / Reproduction

At this point, something that helped shape the tone of this feature was the concern of the screenwriters who did a four-handed job. When the director brought to the team, the award-winning creator of the British drama comedy series FleabagPhoebe Waller-Bridge, to work on the draft of the script, developed by FukunagaNeal Purvis and Robert Wade it was a big positive gain. And taking into account what was said above, the features of the Bond franchise, carried many accusations of sexism and misogyny and with the vision of Phoebe, her contribution is remarkable.

Daniel Craig's fifth feature in the role of James Bond and his latest film closes a cycle in a more personal way, the character revisits memories impossible to forget and forgive, makes mistakes and is more human than his previous versions.

The film was right when choosing the actors Rami Malek as a villain, Lea Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw (Q), Naomie Harris (Monneypenny), Billy Magnussen, Ana de Armas, Rory Kinnear, David Dencik, Dali Benssalah, Jeffrey Wright and Ralph Fiennes (M). In addition to the women who had amazing fight scenes and lots of action, we must highlight the villain played by Rami Malek who is not cartoonish and has a well-developed arc. Seeking revenge for something that happened in the past, he is smart, meticulous, shrewd and somewhat eccentric, but nothing out of the ordinary.

James Bond Brasil Twitterissä: "Nova foto de Rami Malek como Safin em 007 -  Sem Tempo Para Morrer, em novembro nos cinemas. #SemTempoParaMorrer  #JamesBond #NoTimeToDie #RamiMalek… https://t.co/bv3cgXXT5o"
Rami Malek is Safin, the villain of 007 – No Time To Die / Reproduction

A really cool point is that even though it's a feature film with a lot of fighting, shooting, some dark moments and that makes you jump a little out of your chair due to scares, we are graced with some scenes that make us laugh too. Although it's not a movie to make you think, it talks a lot to us between the lines, such as corruption, the fact that trusting someone is something complicated because we can fool ourselves, past issues that pound our heads and need to be resolved, beyond moreover, knowing that there are things that are too worthwhile to leave behind.

In the end, we realized that this is a journey full of hurts, resentments and that now need to be dug up and resolved.

Also read: 007 – No Time to Die | What you need to know about the 25th movie

Photography and scenery are a delight for the eyes. On Time To Die starts in Jamaica, on the property goldeneye, in Ian Fleming, creator of the character. There Bond is enjoying his retirement until he is called up to return to active duty. Another country that fans of the franchise are already used to seeing is Italy, there we have the mini honeymoon interrupted by James and Madeleine and already in the trailers it is possible to watch exciting action scenes at the peak.

In one of them, James is in his classic & iconic Aston Martin DB5. The Faroe Islands also appear in the new feature, an archipelago that lies between Iceland and Norway. There are 18 incredible islands in a set of green hills. And we couldn't fail to mention London, where Bond lives and works, at MI6. Each scene, each landscape more beautiful than the next.

O Aston Martin DB5 está de volta em "007 - Sem tempo para Morrer" | Maxicar  - Carro antigo, pura nostalgia.
The Aston Martin DB5 is back in “007 – No Time to Die” | reproduction

But one of the attractions is the excellent soundtrack that ranges from Billie Eilish to Louis Armstrong, not to mention the theme track that is unmistakable and never obsolete. A nice detail about the song sung by the voice of Billie Eilish is that it won a Grammy for the theme song of the 25th James Bond adventure, "No Time To Die" which has the same title as the feature. The song, produced by the singer's brother, Finneas O'Connell and why Stephen Lipson, with orchestral arrangements of Hans Zimmer and Matt Dunkley, and guitar of Johnny Marr, and released in February 2o20, was the winner in the category Best Music for Visual Media.

Finally, we are sure that you can't change a character overnight into something different, James Bond is known for the good fight agent and conqueror that he is – and he also takes on a woman's weakest point… he uses your charm and your elegance. But we saw that it is possible to change the space around it with the introduction of good fighting women as well as the actress Lashana Lynch who is an example of strength, empowerment, competence and, with total certainty, one of the best performances in the film.

And let's not forget about Rami Malek's villain, maintaining the quality standard of previous villains in this role with a touch of meticulousness. Here, we say goodbye to Daniel Craig's James Bond as he returns for his latest adventure and with the combination of violence, emotion and charisma, he really is. NO TIME TO DIE.

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