What I’m watching: a well made but melancholy Bond film

Oct. 19, 2021 | G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.com

Daniel Craig and Ana de Armas are seen in “No Time to Die.”
Reminder Publishing submitted photo

In theaters: “No Time to Die”

In the 25th Bond film, our hero James Bond (Daniel Craig) is truly at the crossroads. At a time he thinks he has finally found the woman with whom he’d like to spend the rest of his life, there is an attempt on his life.

While he doesn’t hurt the woman, Madeleine (Lea Seydoux)  – whom he suspects is somehow involved with the attempt – he simply puts her on a train and tells her she will never see him again.

He then promptly retires and starts a new life on a Caribbean island. Of course, Bond is not done yet, as he reluctantly agrees to try to recover a weapon his old CIA friend Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) is chasing.

With his return to the UK, he discovers the weapon is being developed by M (Ralph Fiennes) secretly. It can be programmed to affect a singular DNA, making it deadly for one person, at least in theory. What Bond has seen is the weapon can be programmed to wipe out a whole group of people.

Despite having been gone only five years, Bond is seen as a relic. His “007” designation has been given to a younger agent and many of the staff at the spy agency don’t know who he is.  

While his old foe, Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) seems to have a part of the story, communicating with the rest of SPECTRE from his jail cell, he is only a small part of it.

The plot revolves around an intricate plan of revenge and mass murder.

This is a Bond film that has all the hallmarks of the series that audiences expect. There are several remarkable car chases and set action pieces. The film was shot in several countries. There is the usual conflict between 007 and M, his boss, as well as a never-to-be-consummated relationship with Miss Moneypenny (Naomie Harris). Q has some neat gadgets as well.

There are also a few moments that seem a bit fantastic, which is also expected from a Bond movie.

There is greater depth to the Bond character in this film and Craig gives a satisfying performance. Let’s face it: in the Sean Connery films Bond is a cold-hearted killer and misogynist. George Lazenby only had one film in which to make an impression.  Roger Moore is a pretty boy who I could never take seriously. Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan had more dramatic weight as Bond, but still were in the shadow of Connery.

(Sorry, I’m not counting David Niven as Bond in the 1965 “Casino Royale.”)

This Bond seems a lot more “real” than any other and frankly, even though the end credits proclaim “James Bond will return.” I think if the series ended with this installment it would be fitting.

On Netflix: “Squid Game”

This South Korean mini-series has the distinction of being the Netflix production with the highest number of viewers to date.

The question of course is “Why?”

I’ve been thinking a lot about that. The series revolves around a group of desperate people who have been recruited to play children’s games by a mysterious organization. The games have a deadly consequence: if you don’t win the game you pay with your life. If you win, you are one step closer to winning a huge amount of money that would solve your problems.

It is the kind of story that requires you to accept the longtime existence of not only the organization, but also its infrastructure, including a huge island location that resembles the combination of the whimsy of an amusement park with a military prison camp.

It’s a bloody depiction of what people will do when they have no options in their lives other than daily survival.

I found the ending frustrating, which was my reward for spending nine hours of my life watching this production.

I think the appeal of this show is that is plays like a murderous version of “Survivor” or “Big Brother.” It follows the reality show route with good characters and bad characters involved in seemingly impossible tasks that have the capacity to eliminate players.  

The production is slowly paced at times with moments of violence adding shocks.

I was intrigued by the show until I got to the last episode, which really dropped the ball. There is the potential for a second series.

I doubt I will be watching.

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