No Time to Die (2021)

My Review

Daniel Craig makes his fifth and final appearance as James Bond in “No Time to Die.” The story has James coming out of retirement when his CIA friend Felix Leiter enlists his help to find a kidnapped scientist. Director Cary Joji Fukunaga (“Jane Eyre” 2011) kept a tight reign at the helm of this project, with the results being a very exciting 25th Bond thriller with outstanding production values. He co-wrote the screenplay with Neal Purvis and Robert Wade.

The cast includes Daniel Craig as James Bond, Lea Seydoux as Dr. Swann, Rami Malek as a bioterrorist, Lashana Lynch as a new agent assigned the 007 number, Christoph Waltz as Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter, Ralph Fiennes as M, Ben Wishaw as Q, Naomie Harris as Miss Moneypenny, and Ana de Armas and Billy Magnussen as U. S. governement agents.

The very watchable “No Time to Die” was the fourth highest grossing film of 2021 for producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Eon Productions, and United Artists Releasing. It was filmed in England, Scotland, Italy, Norway, Jamaica, and the Faroe Islands of Denmark. The stunning cinematography was handled by Linus Sandgren.

The film won a single Academy Award for Best Song (“No Time to Die,” written by Billie Eilish and Finnias O’Connell, performed by Eilish). Two non-winners are Best Sound and Best Visual Effects. Hans Zimmer composed the musical score. The motion pictures featuring Daniel Craig as James Bond are “Casino Royale” (2006), “Quantum of Solace” (2008), “Skyfall” (2012), “Spectre” (2015), and “No Time to Die” (2021).