I’m a little late with this review as the blu-ray came out just before Christmas. Nevertheless this is my No Time To Die blu-ray review.
I never saw it at the cinema due to the issue that has taken over the world in recent years.
I decided to take a look at the film on blu-ray and having heard lots of good and bad things about it, such as it being somewhat woke I tried to give it a fair chance.
Is this a fitting end for Daniel Craig’s version of James Bond? Let’s take a closer look.
- No Time To Die (2021)
- Genre: Action, Thriller
- Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga
- Running Time: 163 mins
- UK Rating 12
- Discs: 2
- Released by Universal Pictures
- Blu-ray Released: 20th December 2021
Plot
Former MI6 operative, James Bond, finds himself drawn back into the life he thought he had left behind. However whilst many things have changed since he has been away the threat to the safety of the world’s population remains the same.
Is it Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Lyutsifer Safin or maybe even Dr. Madeleine Swann, the women Bond loves, that is the real threat?
Style / Direction
Cary Joji Fukunaga delivers a largely satisfying Bond film. It’s certainly well shot and the cinematography is excellent as you would expect from a James Bond movie.
The cinematographer for the film was Linus Sandgren.
Music / Audio Effects
The film’s score comes from the hugely talented Hans Zimmer. However whilst it’s a generally good score, Zimmer never really lets loose the full on Bond theme which I personally find rather disappointing.
It’s hinted at several times but we never get the Bond theme at setting 10, it’s a missed opportunity considering this is Craig’s final outing.
Acting / Characters
Let’s start off with the good, Daniel Craig as James Bond is good. So we off to a solid start, but it gets better as Léa Seydoux as Dr. Madeleine Swann is also very good.
In fact most of the cast are excellent such as Rami Malek as Lyutsifer Safin, Ralph Fiennes as M, and Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter etc…
Lashana Lynch as Nomi
There’s really only one bad actor and character in the film and that’s Lashana Lynch as Nomi. Firstly I didn’t like her acting. In fact I found it rather cringeworthy at times. Secondly and this is certainly not her fault the dialogue between her and Bond is just awful.
You see Nomi is the new 007 and she sees James Bond as a dinosaur. This is where you might think the film is going to be too woke. However the actual problem is there no real spark when the insults are traded, it feels a little forced and flat.
I really think they should have cast another actress in the role as for me at least Lashana Lynch failed to deliver. It could have been one of the strengths of the film if done right.
Naomie Harris as Eve Moneypenny
Where as in previous films Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) has been seen in the field assisting Bond and others, in this film her characters importance is significantly reduced to accommodate the new 007. This wouldn’t have been a particular issue if Lashana Lynch’s character had turned out to be excellent addition.
Cast
- Daniel Craig as James Bond
- Léa Seydoux as Dr. Madeleine Swann
- Rami Malek as Lyutsifer Safin
- Ben Whishaw as Q
- Naomie Harris as Eve Moneypenny
- Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter
- Christoph Waltz as Ernst Stavro Blofeld
- Ralph Fiennes as Gareth Mallory / M
- Rory Kinnear as Bill Tanner
- Lashana Lynch as Nomi
Conclusion: No Time To Die (2021) Film Review
In the end this last Daniel Craig Bond movie ends up being ok and certainly well worth a watch. However this is a very different Bond film in that it treats Daniel Craig last film as if he’s more important than the Bond name.
Without spoiling it too much for those of you that have yet to watch it, the film is intent on bringing an end to this idea of Bond, presumably so the next incarnation can be a fresh woke start.
I think it’s probably fair to say that No Time To Die (2021) will be the last proper Bond movie we will see. That said this film has its fair share of issues as I’ve already mentioned.
So to conclude yes its well worth watching but it’s certainly not a classic. In fact for me Daniel Craig’s best James Bond film was actually his first, Casino Royale (2006).
If you’ve enjoyed my No Time To Die blu-ray review so far you may want to check out the following films:
- Best Bond Films
- SPECTRE (2015)
- Jack Reacher Never Go Back (2016)
- Jason Bourne (2016)
- Mission: Impossible Fallout (2018)
Conclusion: No Time To Die Blu-ray Review
The picture quality on the standard blu-ray version is outstanding meaning the decision to not pick up the 4K UHD version for significantly more was justified. That said I really wouldn’t waste my time with the DVD version.
The extras come on their own disc but there’s nothing particually deep its all over in around 37 minutes.
Extras
- Anatomy of a Scene: Matera (12 mins)
- Keeping It Real: The Action of No Time To Die (6 mins)
- A Global Journey (8 mins)
- Designing Bond (11 mins)
No Time To Die (2021) is available now on blu-ray from Amazon and HMV.
At the time of writing this movie review (02.02.22) you can pick up No Time To Die (2021) on Amazon for £12.95 (blu-ray), £9.99 (DVD) and £21.95 (4K Ultra HD).
The Amazon links on this page are affiliate / associate links. By buying through the links we may receive a commission for the sale. This has no effect on the price you pay.
Popcorn Cinema Rating: No Time To Die (2021)
MOVIE RATING: WELL WORTH WATCHING
BLU-RAY RATING: EXCELLENT
POPCORN CINEMA: RECOMMENDED
No Time To Die (2021) Trailer
For those of you yet to see the film I’ll leave you with a little taster…
Clip may not be representative of the blu-ray version
Let Us Know What You Think
That concludes my No Time To Die blu-ray review, let me know what you thought of the film over on our Facebook page. I’m aiming to review more movies soon. What’s next? Check back soon…
Summary: No Time To Die (2021) Blu-ray Review
Movie title: No Time To Die (2021)
Movie description: Daniel Craig's final outing as James Bond.
Duration: 163 mins
Director(s): Cary Joji Fukunaga
Actor(s): Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux, Rami Malek, Ralph Fiennes, Christoph Waltz, Jeffrey Wright, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Lashana Lynch
Genre: Action, Thriller
- Movie Rating
- Blu-ray Rating
Summary
A pretty good Bond movie
Pros
- Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux
- Decent Story/Action
- Well Made
- Excellent Picture Quality
Cons
- Lashana Lynch
- Too Much Of A Daniel Craig Goodbye
- Slightly Underwhelming Bond Music
- Blu-ray Short On Extras
