DALLAS — When you see No Time To Die, you'll realize why Daniel Craig decided to hang it up. It's exhausting being a spy! Craig's been playing the iconic role of James Bond for 15 years now. The pandemic delayed the release of his fifth installment for a year and a half. But he and the studio were adamant that it open on the big screen, and that's where that awesome action belongs.
We begin with our blue-eyed Bond and a beautiful girl. Shocking. It's psychologist Madeleine (French actress Lea Seydoux) from the last film, 2015's Spectre. In fact, it's not a bad idea to brush up on the prior film before you see this one, as there are several references to it, including the return of the Hannibal Lector-looking bad guy, Blofeld, played by Christoff Waltz.
Anyway, Bond is romancing Madeleine in an idyllic Mediterranean village, when someone tries to harm him, leaving a calling card from the global crime organization, Spectre. So much for retirement from MI6.
He's drawn back into the biz, however, he no longer trusts Madeleine. Meantime, we've learned she had a rough go of it as a child, witnessing tragedy as the mask-wearing villain, played by Oscar-winner Rami Malek, hunted down her dad. How nasty is Lyutsifer Safin? He has his sights set on world annihilation through poison. Can Bond stop him before it's too late? Will he repair his relationship with Madeleine? Is this really the last time we'll see Craig in the role?
No Time to Die takes its time. It's the longest Bond film, clocking in at 2 hours 43 minutes. Then again, there are a lot of loose ends to tie up. At one point, he partners with a new 007. Yes, someone else has his iconic handle. We also meet a new colleague, Ben Affleck's old girlfriend Ana de Armas, when Bond detours to Cuba for part of his mission. You wish she were in the movie longer. That's also where he circles back with his old CIA buddy played by Jeffrey Wright. As a nod to fans, he does order a martini just the way he likes it and drives a gadget car that fires on all cylinders, literally.
Cary Joji Fukunaga is the first American to direct a Bond film, and he has a good feel for what fans want. Any movie that starts with a haunting Billie Eilish ballad and ends in the emotional way it does, well, I dare you not to get a little choked up. A final message at the end of the film assures us the franchise will continue. As for Craig as Bond, he has a legacy, too. And I'll leave it at that.
(MGM. PG-13. Running Time 2 hrs 43 mins. In Theaters Only.)
THE DOC IS IN THE HOUSE
Two new music documentaries are now streaming. I did not see the first, Madonna's Madame X. It was filmed pre-pandemic, during six nights of concerts in Portugal. She also recorded some of the album there. You can stream it on Paramount+.
And what happens when your choreographer gets COVID in the middle of concert rehearsals? Find out in Justin Bieber's documentary, Our World. His show was live-streamed from the roof of the Beverly Hilton last New Year's Eve. The film is streaming on Amazon Prime. I did see this one. The production value is good, and you get plenty of behind-the-scenes moments with he and his supportive wife, Haley, and his band and crew. They all love working together, and it shows.