The first 20-25 minutes are superb (from the music to the location to the acting to the action), but then the titles fall (cool titles, bland song), and the movie never quite reaches those heights again. For such a long, bloated running time it's too talky and surprisingly short on action; in fact, there are only two other notable set-pieces, the car chase in the woods and Ana de Armas brightening up the screen as an overeager, bubbly yet skilled and deadly agent. Most of the rest of the action is uninspired, and in the climactic sequence (just a regular attack-on-the-enemy-fortress we've seen hundreds of times) often dim and murky (Tomorrow Never Dies did this sort of thing much better, and so did some of the Roger Moore Bonds). The plot is formulaic (biological weapon....again), and its treatment of several key players from previous installments disappointing. The ending is pretty silly - it leaves a mess behind that the (inevitable) next chapter will either have to work a whale of a story to get around or (more likely) will ignore altogether. Craig does succeed at embodying a very human Bond, yet I can't help but think that he never really got the chance to do a FUN James Bond living the high life: in Casino he is earning his stripes, in Quantum he is seeking vengeance, in Skyfall he is already tired and resigned, in No Time his circle comes to an end. I guess he came closest to having a good time in Spectre, which is why that film is still my favorite of the five he made. **1/2 out of 4.
Review of No Time to Die
