NO TIME TO DIE

No time to die is the latest instalment in the James Bond franchise. And it exceeds all expectations. Fabulous thrills and spills from start to finish. Daniel Craig as our 007, is now completely embedded at ease and embedded in the role. The same goes for the rest of the cast. Ralph Fiennes, returns as M with great authority and this time he's got Rory Kinnear as Tanner with Naomi Harris as Miss Moneypenny. The opening sequence is, as always, thrilling and heart-pounding. It actually has multiple sequences in the first scene which takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions. You don't realise just how many how short sequences much has been packed in before you've even reached the opening credits!. In this film we're moving forward in the franchise and developing all the characters and the scenarios, but what is joyous is we have several little nods and references to some of the Bond past glories,( including we have all the time in the world), the wonderful Louis Armstrong song, which is very much played through the film. Many fans will remember Bond had a wife in 'Her Majesty's Secret Service' played by Diana Rigg. We are aware in this film that Bond has a wife once again in the character of Madeleine Stowe, played by Lea Seydoux . She has a secret, but no spoilers here, rather I will let you discover that when you're going to see Bond for yourself. Despite the nostalgic nods there are plenty of new aspects in the film. Quite naturally, Bond’s car is back again, the Aston Martin as famous of course in Thunderball all guns blazing quite literally in one scene . You can't have Bond without a few gadgets and of course we have the watch back again in a very different incarnation but equally as thrilling. Neal Purvis and Rob Wade doing a great job again on the writing duties, and Phoebe Waller bridge as well bought in as well on this occasion. Craig I have discovered does also have quite an input on the script front. Daniel Craig very much plays Bond like Steve McQueen in terms of acting style. He can say a lot with a look or just with the action given, and doesn't necessarily need to have the script. The famous puns that Sean Connery and Roger Moore did so beautifully are held off here, and not positioned in the obvious places. And I think it's better for it, to be honest with you. Daniel Craig's bond is very much about getting the job done. He's the MI6 agent that you'd expect, but of course , in his particular instance, presumed dead. He's gone across to the CIA and been replaced. In the press leading up to the opening of this film there was much talk about will there be a female bond? Will there a Bond of different colour ,creed or Sex? Well actually there is a female bond in this. Lashana Lynch does a great job again beautifully handling action scenes ,as you can imagine ,having done so in previous Marvel Adventures as well. We also have the pleasure of seeing Jeffrey Wright once again as Felix Lighter. The action is all there with (Oscar Winner ) Rami Malick playing a great Bond villain , with an outfit a little bit reminiscent of Dr. No. Rami Malik really gives that kind of wounded, slightly strange quality to the villain and it's brilliant. Christoph Waltz returns with underplayed menace as Blofeld, but I never fully completely buy into his Blofeld, he never really escapes the shadow of Donald Pleasance, but he does a great job nonetheless. Look out for all kinds of surprise enemies coming out of the woodwork . It's beautifully shot with great acting as well. It's quite long. Two hours 43. , but you are very much involved in it. It's got a lot of moving moments as well. So it's everything you'd want. From a bond a fully evolved, always evolving, moving forward. Daniel Craig goes out in a blaze of glory. And I won't give any spoilers there, Bond will be back but not in the same way.