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No Time to Die
By Jeffrey Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Violent Bond adventure is flawed but still epic, emotional.

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No Time to Die
Community Reviews
Based on 15 parent reviews
Best yet!
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best bond. spoiler, he dies. sooooo sad
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What's the Story?
In NO TIME TO DIE, James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux) are in a loving relationship. Madeleine wants Bond to find closure for his feelings for the late Vesper Lynd, but when he visits the cemetery, her memorial explodes. He's then chased by mysterious gunmen, who nearly kill him. Bond realizes that Madeleine might have tipped someone off, and he leaves her. Years later, Bond is living alone, off the grid, when his old CIA pal Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) approaches him, asking for help. A deadly weapon that uses nanotechnology and could destroy the world has been stolen. It could be the work of Blofeld (Christoph Waltz), although he's still in prison. It's up to Bond and new helpers Paloma (Ana de Armas) and Nomi (Lashana Lynch) -- the latest double-0 agent -- to find out who's behind this. But what's at stake when Madeleine re-enters the picture?
Is It Any Good?
Overlong and with some weak (and confusing) spots, this outing still has a grand, tragic arc, with spectacular action and characters -- both James Bond and the others -- who feel more human. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, No Time to Die certainly could have been trimmed a bit shorter than its 2 hours and 43 minutes. A comic Russian scientist (David Dencik) is a bit much; he recalls -- and pales in comparison to -- Alan Cumming's Boris Grishenko in GoldenEye (1995). And the attempt to keep the villain's identity a secret, when Rami Malek is second-billed, seems needlessly convoluted. (Malek gives a Bela Lugosi-like performance, slathered in Boris Karloff-like makeup.) But the movie's confidence in both its action and its characters is infectious.
Craig feels totally alive here, pulling off incredible stunts. Yet his quieter scenes are even more impressive. He's allowed to feel rage, regret, even caring. While No Time to Die includes the standard Bond vodka martini, tuxedo, watch, car, and "Bond, James Bond" tagline, it's not just another formulaic entry. It shares DNA (and a song) with the series' most unique entry, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and it's thematically similar to both The Dark Knight Returns and Logan, increasing its scope but also deepening its emotional intensity. The notably (especially for Bond) diverse supporting cast gets many moments to show their own emotions and developments, rather than merely being there to serve or react to 007 (perhaps credit for that is due to co-screenwriter Phoebe Waller-Bridge?). Ana de Armas and Lashana Lynch in particular would be most welcome back in any future movies.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about No Time to Die's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Do you consider James Bond a role model? Why, or why not?
How is drinking portrayed in the movie? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
What is the movie's theme? Can we escape the things that happened to us by making good choices, or are we locked in to a certain destiny? How so?
Have you noticed that James Bond movies tend to have villains with disabilities or differences? What message does that send viewers? How does it perpetuate harmful stereotypes?
Movie Details
- In theaters: October 8, 2021
- On DVD or streaming: December 20, 2021
- Cast: Daniel Craig , Rami Malek , Lea Seydoux , Lashana Lynch
- Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
- Inclusion Information: Middle Eastern/North African actors, Black actors
- Studios: MGM , United Artists Releasing
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Run time: 163 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, brief strong language and some suggestive material
- Award: Golden Globe
- Last updated: February 23, 2023
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