NO TIME TO DIE (2021) - First Reactions vs. Current Reactions

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Comments

  • edited October 2021 Posts: 490
    I’m seeing it for the second time tomorrow and my mind may change over time but as of now it’s firmly in my Top 5 all time favorite movies along with Skyfall. It was just incredible.

    I loved Spectre but it lacked the energy and scale needed to be the end of this era. I wanted them to go balls out insane and over the top and they absolutely did that while still making it the most emotional entry yet and tying the era up so well.

    It was so dramatic and shocking and subversive yet it felt the most classically Bond of the whole DC era, and it did that while looking and feeling like a very modern film, rather than leaning into a more retro and muted vibe like Spectre did.
  • muzz100 wrote: »
    Splendid review, thank you.

    I’m just watching SP again. I really wish they’d driven off into the new dawn for good. Knowing they didn’t is, well, I’m sure you understand.

    Something always felt off to me about the end of Spectre. Sure, as usual Bond should drive off to to the sunset with the Bond girl. I could see Connery, Moore, Brosnan going down this route.
    Craigs Bond doesn't really fit. He doesn't get the girl at the end, and when he defeats the villain - it's at a high and personal cost. NTTD ends with the greatest personal cost.
  • Posts: 131
    Matt007 wrote: »

    the more bond becomes just another action hero the more he loses his unique appeal.

    Cannot argue with you here - I guess I see his character as the core element of the formula, but whatever the semantics, we agree in principle.
    Matt007 wrote: »

    Campbell nailed it when he said “all other action hero’s are blue collar”. I want some sophistication beyond wearing a Tom Ford suit and driving an Aston. I want him to walk into a hotel like he owns it and order a Dom perignon 53 like it’s his last night on Earth.

    This. It has been my biggest issue with Daniel Craig since he was picked. He was never an aspirational-fantasy figure like the other movie!Bonds were (even Moore, for all his campiness, pulled it off well... most of the time). I ended up rewatching a few Bonds post-NTTD as a palate cleanser and laughed out loud at the CR scene I had forgotten, where Bond gets mistaken for a parking valet. His petty revenge is funny, and the self-aware poke at his unpolished appearance and manner is much funnier, but the implication still rings true to me.
    Matt007 wrote: »

    That’s been sacrificed ever since the brosnan era. Shame

    Do you mean Brosnan was the last sophisticated Bond, or the first less-sophisticated one? I see him as the former. It may be a generational thing, but my perfect Bond would be halfway between Dalton's and Brosnan's versions.
  • Posts: 131
    Thank you @LeonardPine! I ended up writing a more rambling and less structured comment than I wanted, but am glad it is not an impenetrable read.

    Out of curiosity, what are the things you liked best about the film? I kind of listed mine at the end, but it is interesting to compare different takes. The great thing I noticed about this forum is people exchanging views without descending into flame wars.
  • edited October 2021 Posts: 295
    bondywondy wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    bondywondy wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    @bondywondy, I know I and others have explained it several times before (not that it needs explaining) but why's it so hard to understand that Craig's self-contained era ends with Bond's death and the next era will be fresh, starting anew, perhaps not as a budding, rookie 007 but rather an experienced 007 in the midst of his tenure? Bond clearly died, that missile smacked down right in front of him. We'd be getting into some truly ludicrous territory if he somehow survived that (and there's no reason to even come up with an explanation for his survival, because this is the end of this Bond's tale - Craig isn't returning for any more films.) There needn't be any confusion on the matter. It sounds like you really don't want to accept his death, which is fine, but you're trying to box in others and make some "factual" reasonings as to why he survived that clearly aren't there or even remotely hinted at.

    Hmm.... time will tell if my theory is right. Until we get official confirmation from Eon that Bond 26 is a reboot, my theory is still possible. 😉

    You seriously believe the next era will be a continuation of Craig's arc, without Craig, where his clearly obvious death is explained away and some new actor is now looking to cure himself of the nanobots and return to Madeleine and Mathilde? I'd bet all the money I'll ever make that won't happen but I'll leave you to your optimism and high hopes. Just don't be let down when a few years pass and it clearly doesn't come to fruition, as it's incredibly, almost impossibly unlikely.

    I've got three or more years to get prepared for the disappointment. I still maintain the marketing potential of 'Is Bond really dead?'... and we find out he's still alive.. is worth consideration. Eon would be a bit silly to dismiss this opportunity? I dunno, just a thought.

    I wish I had a James Bond emoji. 😊

    There would be no reason to promote this movie as “the epic conclusion” if they’re just going to continue this storyline with an entirely different actor as Bond.

    Yes because it's a bait and switch. It's all a deception. Eon agree to Craig's request to kill off Bond, to have the "epic conclusion" but they had no intention of really killing off Bond. Never heard of plot twists? Bond 26 is the plot twist - Bond survives the attack on Safin's Island.

    Put it like this.... if you owned the Bond franchise and you genuinely believed you could fool the world's film going audience into thinking Bond is dead... when you never intended to kill him off... would you do it?

    I reckon you might because it's something radical. Something different.

    And just for the record, the 2018 Sun newspaper hinted at what I'm suggesting.
    An insider said: “There were discussions about killing off Bond in dramatic fashion at the end. It would be a final hurrah for Daniel, and leave fans hanging. “It would also leave it open for a twist in the next instalment — either Bond hadn’t died or there could be a Doctor Who-esque regeneration with a new actor.

    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/7102013/danny-boyle-quit-james-bond-franchise-in-a-row-over-offing-the-super-spy-in-dramatic-finale-to-the-25th-film/amp/

    There you go, it was rumoured in August 2018! A twist ending where Bond survives.

    You're being fooled. James Bond is not dead. It was decided in 2018 to do a twist ending. The reboot will cause too much of a backlash so they'll go with Bond hasn't really died. How come I'm the only person mentioning this Sun quote?

    It's telling you what Eon planned!!!!! What more evidence do you need!












  • Posts: 12
    At the end of the book You only live twice, Kissy is pregnant by Bond, she doesn’t tell him , so there’s more book related storylines than the poison garden. ( in the discussion they seem to miss that fact)
  • HildebrandRarityHildebrandRarity Centre international d'assistance aux personnes déplacées, Paris, France
    Posts: 467
    Ah, The Sun, this hallmark of journalistic excellence that has insiders everywhere for saying stuff that would otherwise look very speculative if it came from the imagination of the "journalist" who signed the article.

    The "Time Lord" theory rivals the "It's just a code name" stuff for lamest take on the franchise. So far, in sixty years, there had been two timelines, two continuities, one quite loose that would go from Connery to Brosnan (with the occasional retcon and recast to shave a few years off for the actors), and a much stricter one for the five Craig films. And a third timeline should be fun. In addition to getting back the rights for Blofeld and SPECTRE (and I hope that they won't botch them this time around), they have a much bigger sandbox to do something with the main character, now that Daniel Craig has expanded the range of what we accept from Bond.
  • edited October 2021 Posts: 526
    Saw the film today. Brutal. Absolutely BRUTAL. :(( It was an outstanding film, to generalize. It was strange and euphoric to see Bond again on the big screen. It has been so long! Daniel Craig’s performance was incomparable one this film. He absolutely should get best actor (at least the nod). Did I enjoy it? I was spoiled, but I was entranced until the end. I didn’t think Bond was in the PTS, but I’m elated that he was...and what a pts sequence it was! Riveting. I see the Craig Bond movies through a child’s eyes in a way (non-critical), although I do complain now and then about x,y, z. It would probably be my 2nd favorite Bond film of the ending had seen him live. It did not, and that death scene was like a sledgehammer to the gut. Daniel Craig, for me, is the best Bond ever-he will never be topped. I don’t care what the directors, producers, etc. say, Safin was the DC era Dr. No. Thought Malek was brilliant, and Safin (Dr. No) had a uniquely menacing tone that felt legitimately psychotic-this was a scary dude. I do think that killing Bond is not a good move; on any arc, era, shape, form or fashion. It casts a shadow on the franchise past, present and future imo. In 24 movies prior, this has not happened. It should not have happened in 25. Fleming never killed him. Would have been so awesome to have a short scene at the end of the credits where Bond, and family, are living in Venice and Mathilde is about 12 or so. They briefly talk about what happened in NTTD, and how Q’s emp killed the nanobots, and Bond made it off the Island. They say, “we should do some sailing today.” Bond days, “yes we should. After all, you only live twice.” Then You Know My Name plays at the end. Wishful thinking. Anyway, I don’t plan on watching it again, but I felt like I needed to see it; and I’m glad I did. I’ve been with this character since CR. Sorry for the long rant. And again, this is just my opinion.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    edited October 2021 Posts: 8,000
    bondywondy wrote: »
    bondywondy wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    bondywondy wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    @bondywondy, I know I and others have explained it several times before (not that it needs explaining) but why's it so hard to understand that Craig's self-contained era ends with Bond's death and the next era will be fresh, starting anew, perhaps not as a budding, rookie 007 but rather an experienced 007 in the midst of his tenure? Bond clearly died, that missile smacked down right in front of him. We'd be getting into some truly ludicrous territory if he somehow survived that (and there's no reason to even come up with an explanation for his survival, because this is the end of this Bond's tale - Craig isn't returning for any more films.) There needn't be any confusion on the matter. It sounds like you really don't want to accept his death, which is fine, but you're trying to box in others and make some "factual" reasonings as to why he survived that clearly aren't there or even remotely hinted at.

    Hmm.... time will tell if my theory is right. Until we get official confirmation from Eon that Bond 26 is a reboot, my theory is still possible. 😉

    You seriously believe the next era will be a continuation of Craig's arc, without Craig, where his clearly obvious death is explained away and some new actor is now looking to cure himself of the nanobots and return to Madeleine and Mathilde? I'd bet all the money I'll ever make that won't happen but I'll leave you to your optimism and high hopes. Just don't be let down when a few years pass and it clearly doesn't come to fruition, as it's incredibly, almost impossibly unlikely.

    I've got three or more years to get prepared for the disappointment. I still maintain the marketing potential of 'Is Bond really dead?'... and we find out he's still alive.. is worth consideration. Eon would be a bit silly to dismiss this opportunity? I dunno, just a thought.

    I wish I had a James Bond emoji. 😊

    There would be no reason to promote this movie as “the epic conclusion” if they’re just going to continue this storyline with an entirely different actor as Bond.

    Yes because it's a bait and switch. It's all a deception. Eon agree to Craig's request to kill off Bond, to have the "epic conclusion" but they had no intention of really killing off Bond. Never heard of plot twists? Bond 26 is the plot twist - Bond survives the attack on Safin's Island.

    Put it like this.... if you owned the Bond franchise and you genuinely believed you could fool the world's film going audience into thinking Bond is dead... when you never intended to kill him off... would you do it?

    I reckon you might because it's something radical. Something different.

    And just for the record, the 2018 Sun newspaper hinted at what I'm suggesting.
    An insider said: “There were discussions about killing off Bond in dramatic fashion at the end. It would be a final hurrah for Daniel, and leave fans hanging. “It would also leave it open for a twist in the next instalment — either Bond hadn’t died or there could be a Doctor Who-esque regeneration with a new actor.

    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/7102013/danny-boyle-quit-james-bond-franchise-in-a-row-over-offing-the-super-spy-in-dramatic-finale-to-the-25th-film/amp/

    There you go, it was rumoured in August 2018! A twist ending where Bond survives.

    You're being fooled. James Bond is not dead. It was decided in 2018 to do a twist ending. The reboot will cause too much of a backlash so they'll go with Bond hasn't really died. How come I'm the only person mentioning this Sun quote?

    It's telling you what Eon planned!!!!! What more evidence do you need!

    UvYJlFG95WNvCtUC9Ht62dWUaoaQEmJiwN9bkxQs4G8-bS22v4BQyDE0neEBWyUxlGeS5ZiKbZ0epBZLspEXRKVchApppyNPoMMA658hMxs44m-dh9IsjtMlOADO
  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    edited October 2021 Posts: 4,548
    Second viewing this afternoon.

    I like it even more.

    I noticed something: DC seems to channel previous Bond actors at various times of the film. In the car with Madeleine or back at M's office: Connery. At the bar with Felix: Dalton. On the boat, meeting Felix and Ash: Moore. I am sure GL and PB are in their somewhere, too.

    What really struck me was how much the London scenes reminded me of 70s spy films, in terms of the lighting and camerawork--like Eight Bells Toll, Scorpio, Marathon Man, and the Eiger Sanction. CJF really did his homework.

    Also, the first time I saw it, I missed little clues about Safin's character. I now think he's a little more developed than I had initially thought. The scene in Madeleine's office was exceptional, and I wish it had played out just a little more before he handed her the box.

    Now...Dare I say it...this film is going to become a classic, perhaps one of the most well-regarded, most widely-discussed in franchise history. This does not mean it will be widely considered the best. But it will become one that sticks. And its send off for Daniel Craig is pitch perfect. It's unlike any Bond film that came before or any that will come after.
    Matt007 wrote: »
    @NeverSayNever eelcome and great post

    I don’t have a problem with messing with the formula. I have more of a problem of messing with the character. I’ve said before the more bond becomes just another action hero the more he loses his unique appeal.

    Campbell nailed it when he said “all other action hero’s are blue collar”. I want some sophistication beyond wearing a Tom Ford suit and driving an Aston. I want him to walk into a hotel like he owns it and order a Dom perignon 53 like it’s his last night on Earth.

    That’s been sacrificed ever since the brosnan era. Shame

    I'm not sure how anyone could view NTTD and much of the rest of DC's Bond films and think he's "just another" action hero. DC and EON made him real, which completely goes against characters like Bourne, Hunt, Agent 47, XXX, and many others.
  • DrinmanDrinman New York
    Posts: 40
    Just got home. Thought the movie was fantastic.

    It was like a darker version of the Lewis Gilbert Bond films. I was not expecting it to be like that at all.
  • Posts: 526
    TripAces wrote: »
    Second viewing this afternoon.

    I like it even more.

    I noticed something: DC seems to channel previous Bond actors at various times of the film. In the car with Madeleine or back at M's office: Connery. At the bar with Felix: Dalton. On the boat, meeting Felix and Ash: Moore. I am sure GL and PB are in their somewhere, too.

    What really struck me was how much the London scenes reminded me of 70s spy films, in terms of the lighting and camerawork--like Eight Bells Toll, Scorpio, Marathon Man, and the Eiger Sanction. CJF really did his homework.

    Also, the first time I saw it, I missed little clues about Safin's character. I now think he's a little more developed than I had initially thought. The scene in Madeleine's office was exceptional, and I wish it had played out just a little more before he handed her the box.

    Now...Dare I say it...this film is going to become a classic, perhaps one of the most well-regarded, most widely-discussed in franchise history. This does not mean it will be widely considered the best. But it will become one that sticks. And its send off for Daniel Craig is pitch perfect. It's unlike any Bond film that came before or any that will come after.
    Matt007 wrote: »
    @NeverSayNever eelcome and great post

    I don’t have a problem with messing with the formula. I have more of a problem of messing with the character. I’ve said before the more bond becomes just another action hero the more he loses his unique appeal.

    Campbell nailed it when he said “all other action hero’s are blue collar”. I want some sophistication beyond wearing a Tom Ford suit and driving an Aston. I want him to walk into a hotel like he owns it and order a Dom perignon 53 like it’s his last night on Earth.

    That’s been sacrificed ever since the brosnan era. Shame

    I'm not sure how anyone could view NTTD and much of the rest of DC's Bond films and think he's "just another" action hero. DC and EON made him real, which completely goes against characters like Bourne, Hunt, Agent 47, XXX, and many others.
    Agree 100% with what you said about DC channeling different Bonds in various scenes. I think it was a homage to them.
  • Posts: 295
    bondywondy wrote: »
    bondywondy wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    bondywondy wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    @bondywondy, I know I and others have explained it several times before (not that it needs explaining) but why's it so hard to understand that Craig's self-contained era ends with Bond's death and the next era will be fresh, starting anew, perhaps not as a budding, rookie 007 but rather an experienced 007 in the midst of his tenure? Bond clearly died, that missile smacked down right in front of him. We'd be getting into some truly ludicrous territory if he somehow survived that (and there's no reason to even come up with an explanation for his survival, because this is the end of this Bond's tale - Craig isn't returning for any more films.) There needn't be any confusion on the matter. It sounds like you really don't want to accept his death, which is fine, but you're trying to box in others and make some "factual" reasonings as to why he survived that clearly aren't there or even remotely hinted at.

    Hmm.... time will tell if my theory is right. Until we get official confirmation from Eon that Bond 26 is a reboot, my theory is still possible. 😉

    You seriously believe the next era will be a continuation of Craig's arc, without Craig, where his clearly obvious death is explained away and some new actor is now looking to cure himself of the nanobots and return to Madeleine and Mathilde? I'd bet all the money I'll ever make that won't happen but I'll leave you to your optimism and high hopes. Just don't be let down when a few years pass and it clearly doesn't come to fruition, as it's incredibly, almost impossibly unlikely.

    I've got three or more years to get prepared for the disappointment. I still maintain the marketing potential of 'Is Bond really dead?'... and we find out he's still alive.. is worth consideration. Eon would be a bit silly to dismiss this opportunity? I dunno, just a thought.

    I wish I had a James Bond emoji. 😊

    There would be no reason to promote this movie as “the epic conclusion” if they’re just going to continue this storyline with an entirely different actor as Bond.

    Yes because it's a bait and switch. It's all a deception. Eon agree to Craig's request to kill off Bond, to have the "epic conclusion" but they had no intention of really killing off Bond. Never heard of plot twists? Bond 26 is the plot twist - Bond survives the attack on Safin's Island.

    Put it like this.... if you owned the Bond franchise and you genuinely believed you could fool the world's film going audience into thinking Bond is dead... when you never intended to kill him off... would you do it?

    I reckon you might because it's something radical. Something different.

    And just for the record, the 2018 Sun newspaper hinted at what I'm suggesting.
    An insider said: “There were discussions about killing off Bond in dramatic fashion at the end. It would be a final hurrah for Daniel, and leave fans hanging. “It would also leave it open for a twist in the next instalment — either Bond hadn’t died or there could be a Doctor Who-esque regeneration with a new actor.

    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/7102013/danny-boyle-quit-james-bond-franchise-in-a-row-over-offing-the-super-spy-in-dramatic-finale-to-the-25th-film/amp/

    There you go, it was rumoured in August 2018! A twist ending where Bond survives.

    You're being fooled. James Bond is not dead. It was decided in 2018 to do a twist ending. The reboot will cause too much of a backlash so they'll go with Bond hasn't really died. How come I'm the only person mentioning this Sun quote?

    It's telling you what Eon planned!!!!! What more evidence do you need!

    UvYJlFG95WNvCtUC9Ht62dWUaoaQEmJiwN9bkxQs4G8-bS22v4BQyDE0neEBWyUxlGeS5ZiKbZ0epBZLspEXRKVchApppyNPoMMA658hMxs44m-dh9IsjtMlOADO

    I tell you what... will you say "sorry, bondywondy, you were right!"... if Bond 26 is a direct sequel to NTTD and we see Bond survive? Will you admit you were wrong and I was right?

    I got a sneaky feeling you will be proven wrong. I'm my heart I don't believe Barbara Broccoli would kill off James Bond. She knows that is a step too far.

  • DrinmanDrinman New York
    Posts: 40
    Does anyone else feel almost as if it was a modern take on a Lewis Gilbert-type Bond film? I was surprised it gave off that vibe considering it had such emotional depth.
  • Posts: 526
    bondywondy wrote: »
    bondywondy wrote: »
    bondywondy wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    bondywondy wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    @bondywondy, I know I and others have explained it several times before (not that it needs explaining) but why's it so hard to understand that Craig's self-contained era ends with Bond's death and the next era will be fresh, starting anew, perhaps not as a budding, rookie 007 but rather an experienced 007 in the midst of his tenure? Bond clearly died, that missile smacked down right in front of him. We'd be getting into some truly ludicrous territory if he somehow survived that (and there's no reason to even come up with an explanation for his survival, because this is the end of this Bond's tale - Craig isn't returning for any more films.) There needn't be any confusion on the matter. It sounds like you really don't want to accept his death, which is fine, but you're trying to box in others and make some "factual" reasonings as to why he survived that clearly aren't there or even remotely hinted at.

    Hmm.... time will tell if my theory is right. Until we get official confirmation from Eon that Bond 26 is a reboot, my theory is still possible. 😉

    You seriously believe the next era will be a continuation of Craig's arc, without Craig, where his clearly obvious death is explained away and some new actor is now looking to cure himself of the nanobots and return to Madeleine and Mathilde? I'd bet all the money I'll ever make that won't happen but I'll leave you to your optimism and high hopes. Just don't be let down when a few years pass and it clearly doesn't come to fruition, as it's incredibly, almost impossibly unlikely.

    I've got three or more years to get prepared for the disappointment. I still maintain the marketing potential of 'Is Bond really dead?'... and we find out he's still alive.. is worth consideration. Eon would be a bit silly to dismiss this opportunity? I dunno, just a thought.

    I wish I had a James Bond emoji. 😊

    There would be no reason to promote this movie as “the epic conclusion” if they’re just going to continue this storyline with an entirely different actor as Bond.

    Yes because it's a bait and switch. It's all a deception. Eon agree to Craig's request to kill off Bond, to have the "epic conclusion" but they had no intention of really killing off Bond. Never heard of plot twists? Bond 26 is the plot twist - Bond survives the attack on Safin's Island.

    Put it like this.... if you owned the Bond franchise and you genuinely believed you could fool the world's film going audience into thinking Bond is dead... when you never intended to kill him off... would you do it?

    I reckon you might because it's something radical. Something different.

    And just for the record, the 2018 Sun newspaper hinted at what I'm suggesting.
    An insider said: “There were discussions about killing off Bond in dramatic fashion at the end. It would be a final hurrah for Daniel, and leave fans hanging. “It would also leave it open for a twist in the next instalment — either Bond hadn’t died or there could be a Doctor Who-esque regeneration with a new actor.

    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/7102013/danny-boyle-quit-james-bond-franchise-in-a-row-over-offing-the-super-spy-in-dramatic-finale-to-the-25th-film/amp/

    There you go, it was rumoured in August 2018! A twist ending where Bond survives.

    You're being fooled. James Bond is not dead. It was decided in 2018 to do a twist ending. The reboot will cause too much of a backlash so they'll go with Bond hasn't really died. How come I'm the only person mentioning this Sun quote?

    It's telling you what Eon planned!!!!! What more evidence do you need!

    UvYJlFG95WNvCtUC9Ht62dWUaoaQEmJiwN9bkxQs4G8-bS22v4BQyDE0neEBWyUxlGeS5ZiKbZ0epBZLspEXRKVchApppyNPoMMA658hMxs44m-dh9IsjtMlOADO

    I tell you what... will you say "sorry, bondywondy, you were right!"... if Bond 26 is a direct sequel to NTTD and we see Bond survive? Will you admit you were wrong and I was right?

    I got a sneaky feeling you will be proven wrong. I'm my heart I don't believe Barbara Broccoli would kill off James Bond. She knows that is a step too far.

    I admire your tenacity, and I want to believe DC’s Bond is alive more than anybody, but I saw zero ambiguity in that ending. Not only was he bleeding out (shot 3 times I think?), those missiles landed directly on him. He was standing right out in the open as well. They obliterated that Island.
  • Posts: 2,400
    bondywondy wrote: »
    bondywondy wrote: »
    bondywondy wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    bondywondy wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    @bondywondy, I know I and others have explained it several times before (not that it needs explaining) but why's it so hard to understand that Craig's self-contained era ends with Bond's death and the next era will be fresh, starting anew, perhaps not as a budding, rookie 007 but rather an experienced 007 in the midst of his tenure? Bond clearly died, that missile smacked down right in front of him. We'd be getting into some truly ludicrous territory if he somehow survived that (and there's no reason to even come up with an explanation for his survival, because this is the end of this Bond's tale - Craig isn't returning for any more films.) There needn't be any confusion on the matter. It sounds like you really don't want to accept his death, which is fine, but you're trying to box in others and make some "factual" reasonings as to why he survived that clearly aren't there or even remotely hinted at.

    Hmm.... time will tell if my theory is right. Until we get official confirmation from Eon that Bond 26 is a reboot, my theory is still possible. 😉

    You seriously believe the next era will be a continuation of Craig's arc, without Craig, where his clearly obvious death is explained away and some new actor is now looking to cure himself of the nanobots and return to Madeleine and Mathilde? I'd bet all the money I'll ever make that won't happen but I'll leave you to your optimism and high hopes. Just don't be let down when a few years pass and it clearly doesn't come to fruition, as it's incredibly, almost impossibly unlikely.

    I've got three or more years to get prepared for the disappointment. I still maintain the marketing potential of 'Is Bond really dead?'... and we find out he's still alive.. is worth consideration. Eon would be a bit silly to dismiss this opportunity? I dunno, just a thought.

    I wish I had a James Bond emoji. 😊

    There would be no reason to promote this movie as “the epic conclusion” if they’re just going to continue this storyline with an entirely different actor as Bond.

    Yes because it's a bait and switch. It's all a deception. Eon agree to Craig's request to kill off Bond, to have the "epic conclusion" but they had no intention of really killing off Bond. Never heard of plot twists? Bond 26 is the plot twist - Bond survives the attack on Safin's Island.

    Put it like this.... if you owned the Bond franchise and you genuinely believed you could fool the world's film going audience into thinking Bond is dead... when you never intended to kill him off... would you do it?

    I reckon you might because it's something radical. Something different.

    And just for the record, the 2018 Sun newspaper hinted at what I'm suggesting.
    An insider said: “There were discussions about killing off Bond in dramatic fashion at the end. It would be a final hurrah for Daniel, and leave fans hanging. “It would also leave it open for a twist in the next instalment — either Bond hadn’t died or there could be a Doctor Who-esque regeneration with a new actor.

    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/7102013/danny-boyle-quit-james-bond-franchise-in-a-row-over-offing-the-super-spy-in-dramatic-finale-to-the-25th-film/amp/

    There you go, it was rumoured in August 2018! A twist ending where Bond survives.

    You're being fooled. James Bond is not dead. It was decided in 2018 to do a twist ending. The reboot will cause too much of a backlash so they'll go with Bond hasn't really died. How come I'm the only person mentioning this Sun quote?

    It's telling you what Eon planned!!!!! What more evidence do you need!

    UvYJlFG95WNvCtUC9Ht62dWUaoaQEmJiwN9bkxQs4G8-bS22v4BQyDE0neEBWyUxlGeS5ZiKbZ0epBZLspEXRKVchApppyNPoMMA658hMxs44m-dh9IsjtMlOADO

    I tell you what... will you say "sorry, bondywondy, you were right!"... if Bond 26 is a direct sequel to NTTD and we see Bond survive? Will you admit you were wrong and I was right?

    I got a sneaky feeling you will be proven wrong. I'm my heart I don't believe Barbara Broccoli would kill off James Bond. She knows that is a step too far.

    I got a sneaky feeling you'll no longer be a member of these forums by the time Bond 26 comes out with the way you persist in antagonizing other users and insisting that anyone who disagrees with you isn't a real Bond fan. Not my call or anything, just a "sneaky feeling."
  • skropper13skropper13 United States
    Posts: 117
    So after finally seeing the film I can confidently say that Craig is now my favorite bond in the series and I absolutely loved NTTD. It may not be my favorite film in the series but it is close. I’ll preface this by saying that while I am 29 Ive been a fan of bond since I was 5 in a way that differs from a lot of viewers here in the states and have watched every film at least 3 times if not more. OHMSS was my favorite film in the series to this point mostly because of the heart in the film and the humanization of bond. Because of that I bought into Craig’s iteration of the character very heavily immediately with CR. I felt that the personal side of his films added an element of emotion to everything, reminiscent of OHMSS. NTTD has everything you could want in a bond movie but also a lot I didn’t even know I wanted and ,had it not been for Craig, I probably wouldn’t. This felt like an absolutely fitting and earned ending. Madeleine’s character grew on me so much in just the first few scenes, so much so that it made everything work. The reveal of bond having a daughter felt so emotionally heavy, because we know that he cannot care for a child safely in his world, no matter what. As soon as his daughter was introduced, I knew he wouldn’t be making it through. That being said I understand some older fans that grew up with different versions of the character may be unhappy or outright angry over bond dying, but I can totally buy into this saga of films as stand alone and it doesn’t have to be in the same universe as the other films to me. My thoughts are kind of all over the place having just saw the film but just a few other reasons I absolutely loved it- the action sequences felt brutal and real much different from spectre and even sky fall. You could feel the urgency and danger in the action sequences that the previous two films were lacking. The Mi6 crew is great and gets just enough moments to shine but not drag down the film. Paloma is absolutely amazing.

    Craig will be missed as bond but his movies took a lot of risks that paid off in my opinion, the movies were less about escapism and more about the harsh realities of the world post 9/11 and I felt it all coming to an end capped an overall pretty great run of films, the only glaring failure in my eyes of Craig’s bond is SP. but that’s for another thread this is probably my 2nd favorite of the craig era and in my top 5 or 3 overall.

    Oh yea and safin was seriously a waste.
  • Posts: 15,785
    jobo wrote: »
    ToTheRight wrote: »
    Just got back from a matinee showing and I EFFIN" LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Holy crap that was great!

    This is my favorite Craig Bond film by far..............although I love the others.

    Damn!!!!

    Well worth the wait.

    Great news! I remember how sceptical you were a couple of days ago... :P

    Yeah, I was pretty concerned. However my fears were laid to rest once I saw how brilliant the finished product is.
    ToTheRight wrote: »
    Just got back from a matinee showing and I EFFIN" LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Holy crap that was great!

    This is my favorite Craig Bond film by far..............although I love the others.

    Damn!!!!

    Well worth the wait.

    Fantastic to hear you loved this!
    You know I was worried that I would either love the film or hate it, but as it stands I feel my expectations were merely met, and I'm satisfied with how the film turned out. Which is a good thing, of course! :))

    The film genuinely moved me of many personal levels and really hit home. A brilliant Bond epic that in addition to being a little different, also provided what I'm looking for in a Bond epic. Great stuff!
  • Posts: 820
    TripAces wrote: »
    Second viewing this afternoon.

    I like it even more.

    I noticed something: DC seems to channel previous Bond actors at various times of the film. In the car with Madeleine or back at M's office: Connery. At the bar with Felix: Dalton. On the boat, meeting Felix and Ash: Moore. I am sure GL and PB are in their somewhere, too.

    What really struck me was how much the London scenes reminded me of 70s spy films, in terms of the lighting and camerawork--like Eight Bells Toll, Scorpio, Marathon Man, and the Eiger Sanction. CJF really did his homework.

    Also, the first time I saw it, I missed little clues about Safin's character. I now think he's a little more developed than I had initially thought. The scene in Madeleine's office was exceptional, and I wish it had played out just a little more before he handed her the box.

    Now...Dare I say it...this film is going to become a classic, perhaps one of the most well-regarded, most widely-discussed in franchise history. This does not mean it will be widely considered the best. But it will become one that sticks. And its send off for Daniel Craig is pitch perfect. It's unlike any Bond film that came before or any that will come after.
    Matt007 wrote: »
    @NeverSayNever eelcome and great post

    I don’t have a problem with messing with the formula. I have more of a problem of messing with the character. I’ve said before the more bond becomes just another action hero the more he loses his unique appeal.

    Campbell nailed it when he said “all other action hero’s are blue collar”. I want some sophistication beyond wearing a Tom Ford suit and driving an Aston. I want him to walk into a hotel like he owns it and order a Dom perignon 53 like it’s his last night on Earth.

    That’s been sacrificed ever since the brosnan era. Shame

    I'm not sure how anyone could view NTTD and much of the rest of DC's Bond films and think he's "just another" action hero. DC and EON made him real, which completely goes against characters like Bourne, Hunt, Agent 47, XXX, and many others.
    Agree 100% with what you said about DC channeling different Bonds in various scenes. I think it was a homage to them.

    Noticed this too. The bit in the M scene around the "imagine why I came back to play" line feels very Roger, right down to the way Craig plays with his eyes when delivering the line.
  • Drinman wrote: »
    Does anyone else feel almost as if it was a modern take on a Lewis Gilbert-type Bond film? I was surprised it gave off that vibe considering it had such emotional depth.

    It does have some elements of the grandiosity and scope of Gilbert’s.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 8,255
    Despite all the things I thought I'd have an issue with (dad Bond, dead Bond), the number one thing which ruined the entire movie for me was how every returning character, including Bond himself, had completely different personalities to the previous movies. They all behaved and spoke like they were totally different characters to before. It was like watching other actors in masks making a parody. So weird.

    @AntCornfield … look at pics and videos of yourself from six years ago, then re-visit your comment.

    Personally I saw in this film growth and correction (from Spectre), passion, poignancy, horror… a marvellous film for me, from start to finish
  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    Posts: 4,548
    AgentM72 wrote: »
    TripAces wrote: »
    Second viewing this afternoon.

    I like it even more.

    I noticed something: DC seems to channel previous Bond actors at various times of the film. In the car with Madeleine or back at M's office: Connery. At the bar with Felix: Dalton. On the boat, meeting Felix and Ash: Moore. I am sure GL and PB are in their somewhere, too.

    What really struck me was how much the London scenes reminded me of 70s spy films, in terms of the lighting and camerawork--like Eight Bells Toll, Scorpio, Marathon Man, and the Eiger Sanction. CJF really did his homework.

    Also, the first time I saw it, I missed little clues about Safin's character. I now think he's a little more developed than I had initially thought. The scene in Madeleine's office was exceptional, and I wish it had played out just a little more before he handed her the box.

    Now...Dare I say it...this film is going to become a classic, perhaps one of the most well-regarded, most widely-discussed in franchise history. This does not mean it will be widely considered the best. But it will become one that sticks. And its send off for Daniel Craig is pitch perfect. It's unlike any Bond film that came before or any that will come after.
    Matt007 wrote: »
    @NeverSayNever eelcome and great post

    I don’t have a problem with messing with the formula. I have more of a problem of messing with the character. I’ve said before the more bond becomes just another action hero the more he loses his unique appeal.

    Campbell nailed it when he said “all other action hero’s are blue collar”. I want some sophistication beyond wearing a Tom Ford suit and driving an Aston. I want him to walk into a hotel like he owns it and order a Dom perignon 53 like it’s his last night on Earth.

    That’s been sacrificed ever since the brosnan era. Shame

    I'm not sure how anyone could view NTTD and much of the rest of DC's Bond films and think he's "just another" action hero. DC and EON made him real, which completely goes against characters like Bourne, Hunt, Agent 47, XXX, and many others.
    Agree 100% with what you said about DC channeling different Bonds in various scenes. I think it was a homage to them.

    Noticed this too. The bit in the M scene around the "imagine why I came back to play" line feels very Roger, right down to the way Craig plays with his eyes when delivering the line.

    I first picked up Dalton, when Bond is with Felix at the bar. I totally heard TD, at the Barrelhead in LTK.
  • Posts: 526
    Anyone else need therapy after this?

    Yes. I’m calling Monday to get an appointment. That was sheer brutality. Never been that emotional leaving a theatre.
  • edited October 2021 Posts: 1,215
    He's definitely got more to say in this one and has got a little more personality and cheek but I never got a Roger vibe. It felt like CR Craig meets Dalton meets Lazenby... which, imo, lands him close to a modern Fleming Bond.
  • Posts: 1,964
    They did it, son of a bitch they did it.
  • MinionMinion Don't Hassle the Bond
    Posts: 1,165
    fjdinardo wrote: »
    They did it, son of a bitch they did it.

    Ended on a high note? I couldn’t agree more.
  • Posts: 1,964
    Gonna need time to really digest the movie. So many Easter eggs, so many scenes playing homage to past films.
  • Posts: 526
    Minion wrote: »
    fjdinardo wrote: »
    They did it, son of a bitch they did it.

    Ended on a high note? I couldn’t agree more.

    Um....don’t think that’s what he’s referring to.
  • DonnyDB5DonnyDB5 Buffalo, New York
    Posts: 1,755
    Just got out of my first viewing. Absolutely perfect! I knew about the ending prior to seeing the film, but it didn’t dilute my expectations. I’m just blown away by the scope of this film. It is truly ambitious in every sense of the word.

    Craig was easily in top form for this film. He looked amazing in every shot & every outfit he wore. His personality really comes through. His wit, his dry humor, and his emotions. I loved his bantering with M, and his chummy relationship with Felix. Very powerful stuff! He was given some great lines to work with too. His relationship with Madeline was much more believable as well.

    Rami Malek was awesome. His extremist ideologies were welcomed after 4 relatively reserved villainous plots. Easily made the stakes higher this time around which was refreshing to me, and made this conclusion all the more memorable. His encounter with Madeline in her office was very unsettling, and it made me feel uncomfortable seeing him show Matilde around his poison garden. Plus the scope of his plan is truly sinister, but it’s not too far fetched to imagine especially after living through a global pandemic.

    The ending truly tugged at my heart strings. Regardless of Bond getting poisoned by the nanobots, I think it was game over for him seeing how he got shot twice (and was bleeding pretty heavily). Between Zimmer’s score (Final Ascent), and him & Madeline chatting over the radio, I felt my eyes welling up considerably. I think what really did me in was listening to the sadness in Craig’s voice when he says to Q “It’s alright, Q. It’s alright.” A beautifully handled ending in my own opinion. Still not completely happy about him getting killed off, but can totally understand why it concluded the way it did.

    Craig’s era is self-contained which is something I think a lot of people forget. These past 5 movies form it’s own legendary story, and going forward there’s a completely blank slate. I just pray the next guy can fill the shoes that Craig did over the past 15 years.

    Absolutely incredible!
  • edited October 2021 Posts: 3,160
    Drinman wrote: »
    Does anyone else feel almost as if it was a modern take on a Lewis Gilbert-type Bond film? I was surprised it gave off that vibe considering it had such emotional depth.
    YOLT, TSWLM and MR are amongst my favorite Bond movies, so this comment caught my attention and made me think. A vibe? Good question.

    The Gilbert Bond movies are escapist fun. They are known for gorgeous locations, huge sets, one-liners galore and a lot of action setpieces. The scripts use pretty much the same formula, but it didn't and doesn't matter. Bond blows the villain's lair up and gets the girl in the end. End of story. It wasn't the destination that mattered, but the journey getting there.

    Maybe I need to watch NTTD a couple of more times and let it sink in, but I think the first hour certainly carries this "Gilbert-vibe", especially in shots where they use wide lenses.
    I absolutely love everything about the Matera/Jamaica/Cuba scenes. It also reminded me of DAD, however, another Bond movie where everything goes south at the midway point.
    In DAD Bond was given an invisible car and went to Iceland, in NTTD they gave him a daughter and went to Faroe Islands close by.

    And yes, NTTD, like Gilbert's has a villain's lair with Ken Adam inspired sets by the end, but going full Gilbert would mean a monorail (!) and a battle between soldiers at the end! I actually miss those climaxes. The last time we saw that, was in TLD.
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