SPOILIER ALERT: The whole review will spoil it for those who plan on seeing the movie, but then again, the review might save you some money on tickets and popcorn. The new James Bond movie, No Time to Die, is Daniel Craig’s last performance as 007. As all James Bond movies, the action never stops. The opening scene of Madeline, James’s girlfriend/psychologist from Spectre, as a child was fantastic. The audience learns that James is involved in a meaningful relationship with her. Things get complicated when he is almost killed with her in Italy. He believes that she somehow compromised his location.

James retires from British Intelligence, and then he gets a house somewhere in the Caribbean. A CIA friend finds him and asks him to do one more job-get the doctor who has a bioweapon/genetics poison and destroy the rest of the Spectre group. Their mission goes well until one of the agents reveals himself as a double agent. The doctor and his bioweapon escape.

A new character, another 007 played by Lashana Lynch, enters the movie. She is attractive and very buff. She is supposedly called 007 because Bond retired and she wanted his number. She and Bond get along as they try and catch more bad guys.

Long story short, Bond reunites with Madeline and her daughter, who he learns is also his daughter. They are trapped on the bad guy’s island. The island serves as headquarters for the main villain played by the actor who also played Freddie Mercury in the Queen movie. The bioweapon serum has nanobots in it which kill people per their genetic makeup. Eventhough the villain and the weapon are interesting, they are poorly explained.

The final scene shows Bond getting Madeline and his daughter off the island with the aid of the “new” 007. He stays on the island to help destroy it while fighting “Freddie Mercury” one last time. In this movie, Bond kills the bad guy, but is not quick enough to get off of the island. The British missiles he requested blow everything up and Bond dies.

So who is the new Bond? First of all, the way it has always worked is this: Bond NEVER dies! He is just replaced with a new actor. Rumors have circulated that the new actor will be Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, Henry Cavill, or Rege-Jean Page-Approve, approve, approve, and approve!!!!!!! But Lashana Lynch?????? I liked her character and wouldn’t mind seeing her as a regular in the franchise or even seeing her star in a separate movie with the same character, but to replace James Bond?????? Sorry, part of James Bond’s charm is flirting and bedding beautiful women. The audience loves and expects this in the character. Lashana is more of a serious and doesn’t have that tongue-and-cheek sense of humor all of the other Bonds have had. I am in a state of shock that Hollywood would throw away a fifty-year tradition of British men taking on the famous role of playboy-spy extraordinaire. Love to hear your thoughts and comments.

0/5 STARS

A sad end to an amazing franchise.