Pete W

I feel there are two issues to critique regarding this film. The acting performances, cinematography etc being one, the second being the politics and decision making. I will largely be focussing on the latter as this has been quite impactive for me. James Bond films have spread three generations in our family. I remember being about seven years old travelling by London bus with my dad to go and see my first one, Thunderball. Although it was a cold dark evening, it was an adventure and for me very exciting. When we came out the atmosphere was buzzing and it was probably the first time for me at that age when I noticed music, yes the Bond theme, wow. Fast forward to last week and I am now going to watch the eagerly awaited and delayed No Time to Die with my two grown up sons. Now here is the spoiler alert, stop reading if you don’t want to know what happens. It’s fair to say that as movies go it was very good as action packed films go and it has been interesting to see the critics pouring praise on it, slapping each other on the back and so on. But is it only me and my boys and a handful of others on here who can see the elephant in the room. Bond is dead, Spectre all wiped out and Blowfeld gone too. We looked at each other in the final sequences of the film expecting some glimmer of hope that Bond somehow survives being poisoned, shot and then blown up (a big ask I know) but nothing! We even sat till the very end of the credits where they finally read “Bond will return” as all of the films do, is it simply a generic line at the end of every film or was that perhaps the glimmer of hope, if it was then 98% of the audience missed it as they quietly and somberly shuffled out of the cinema. Their mood was tangible with a distinct lack of the much needed buzzing atmosphere where Bond had saved the world and all is well. We came out feeling numb, gutted and full of questions. This has now progressed to feeling angry, let down and not wanting to watch the film again, unheard of for our family, dare I say I hate it for what it has done. It pains me to see the premiere on TV where Daniel Craig is soaking up the praise from the celebrity audience all saying it’s the best Bond film ever, but hello have you completely missed the fact that they’ve had the audacity to kill the character off! So as for the critics, in my view you have completely overlooked the bigger picture (pardon the pun). Bond is dead and so is the golden thread that links all of the films aka Spectre. What now, I have really enjoyed Daniel Craig’s portrayal during his time as Bond but how dare he and the story line take James Bond away and without any notion that all will be well. My fear is that it will likely be four years or so before some sort of re-imagined 007 possibly emerges in a guise to be of the time to satisfy the critics. While we’re at it, please stop comparing Bond to Bourne and trying to service too many social issues. Bond is a brand of its own, just give us a good story line, plenty of action and a feel good ending, that’s it, simple isn’t it. Casino Royale springs to mind and of course Thunderball. No Time to Die has been a poor and ill thought plot to the loyal generations such as us and I know by the mood of the hundreds of other cinema goers who left that night that we cannot be the only very disappointed fans. We know that this is Daniel Craig’s last outing in the role, thanks for what you have done, but don’t take James Bond with you, you’re not bigger than the character you have simply been a guardian and unfortunately not a good one he has slipped through your fingers and died!!!