Daniel Craig poses for photographers upon arrival for the World premiere of the film 'No Time To Die', in London. Photo / AP
Daniel Craig poses for photographers upon arrival for the World premiere of the film 'No Time To Die', in London. Photo / AP
The reviews are in for Daniel Craig's last hurrah as 007.
No Time To Die held its world premiere in London yesterday after multiple release delays due to the pandemic.
Now that the critics' reviews are in, do initial reviews match up to the hype?
Craig's last hurrah as the famous spy follows him as he's thrown into action by an old friend from the CIA who asks him for help. He battles against a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology, according to the film's synopsis.
It was originally scheduled for release in April 2020.
"Craig leaves the series in a mammoth, 163-minute extravaganza that audiences will be enjoying for decades. It's a lovely thing to see," writes San Francisco Chronicle's critic.
And other publications had equally glowing reviews.
Daniel Craig poses for photographers upon arrival for the World premiere of the film 'No Time To Die', in London. Photo / AP
Times UK writer Kevin Maher wrote in his five-star review: "It's better than good. It's magnificent."
The Daily Telegraph UK's reviewer was also wowed by the film and gave it a top rating: "We've been expecting you, Mr. Bond, for quite some time and what a joy and relief it is to have you back."
For The Guardian, Peter Bradshaw also gave the Bond film a five-star review:
"No Time To Die is startling, exotically self-aware, funny and confident, and perhaps most of all it is big: big action, big laughs, big stunts," he wrote.
And in Jill Lawless's review for AP, the critic said it was "big, brash, explosive and occasionally even tender," suggesting moviegoers will find nuance and complexity in the film's themes/
"Thinly plotted"
However, others weren't impressed with the film directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga. A common critique was the film's length, which comes in at almost 2 hours and 45 minutes.
"Much too protracted at 163 minutes, it delivers the set-pieces without ever trying to connect them with any urgency, almost like an anthology or re-mix," wrote a critic for the New Statesman.
Daniel Craig as 007 James Bond in No TIme To Die. Photo / Supplied
"What follows those bursts of typically Bondian elan is ponderously weighted and thinly plotted... Leave this somber serialization to other franchises and let 007 get back to business-which should, ideally, be a pleasure," Richard Lawson wrote for Vanity Fair.
"If No Time To Die were 90 minutes long, it might be worth yours," A.O. Scott said in his review for The New York Times.
• No Time To Die opens in New Zealand cinemas on October 7.
