Critics’ reviews

No Time to Die (2021)

25 reviews from 25 publications. Critics’ score 70: 17 positive, 3 mixed, 5 negative.

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70
Positive
17
Mixed
3
Negative
5
The Guardian
29 September 2021 · ★★★★★ · Peter Bradshaw
100

The critic calls the film an epic barnstormer and weird self-aware epic. They single out Cary Fukunaga's terrific panache and the portrayal of a romantic, uxorious Bond unafraid to show his feelings.

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The Telegraph
3 October 2021 · ★★★★★ · Robbie Collin
100

The critic describes the film as an extravagantly satisfying last chapter to the Craig era. They single out the unfashionably colourful visuals and one of the great Bond action sequences in Matera.

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The Times
28 September 2021 · ★★★★★ · Kevin Maher
100

The critic declares the film magnificent and a huge thundering epic. They single out its heart as a moving portrait of an antiquated hero facing obsolescence and Fukunaga's expert direction.

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Time Out
29 September 2021 · ★★★★★ · Phil de Semlyen
100

Daniel Craig bows out with a feast of heart and spectacle, the best Bond since Casino Royale. It surprises with strong storytelling decisions, humour, visual grace notes and emotional sincerity.

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Variety
28 September 2021 · Critics Pick · Owen Gleiberman
85*

The critic calls it a terrific, briskly paced conventional Bond thriller and the best entry since Casino Royale, with high finesse and soul that delivers a satisfying emotional send-off for Craig. He singles out the ingenious weave of action, gadgets, quips, and romance that keeps the long runtime sharp and engaging.

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Empire
29 September 2021 · ★★★★ · John Nugent
80

The film dutifully ticks all the boxes but brilliantly does not always feel like a Bond film. Fukunaga finds vulnerability in the hero with a stunning finale that gives Craig the send-off he deserves.

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Radio Times
29 September 2021 · ★★★★ · Patrick Cremona
80

A sprawling, occasionally disjointed but exhilarating swan song with irresistible entertainment value and terrific set pieces. Craig delivers a superb, human performance amid some flaws in pacing and supporting roles.

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The i Paper
29 September 2021 · ★★★★ · Christina Newland
80

This is a surprisingly tender-hearted farewell to the 007 we have known for over a decade. The film soars when smartly combining the old with the new, as with the introduction of new MI6 agent Nomi.

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Total Film
28 September 2021 · Matt Maytum
80*

Even a disappointing villain cannot detract from a bold, satisfying climax to Daniel Craig’s time in the tux. Craig is given just what he needs with a performance that offers a fitting end to his tenure.

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The Hollywood Reporter
28 September 2021 · David Rooney
70*

The critic finds the film elevated by a fitting emotional farewell for Craig’s Bond and praises the tender, vulnerable human portrait of the character amid the action. The main complaint is the convoluted, protracted plot that drowns the story in villainy and pacing issues.

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The New Yorker
8 October 2021 · Anthony Lane
65*

The review describes the film as often exciting yet inward and agonized in its thrills, overly reliant on self-referential callbacks to prior Craig-era entries. It singles out the debonair Cuba sequence with Ana de Armas and Bond for its witty, flirtatious energy.

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The New York Times
29 September 2021 · A.O. Scott
60*

The critic finds the film a somber, lengthy send-off for Craig's Bond that leans more toward superhero saga than classic espionage caper, with mixed results on its emotional weight. He singles out the crisp, stylish Havana party action sequence featuring Ana de Armas for particular praise.

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Screen Daily
28 September 2021
30*

The film breaks many canonical rules with elegant solutions to wrap up the Craig cycle but is oddly lacking in pleasure or real wit. Craig persuades with more human substance while the whole lacks joy.

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Sight and Sound
29 September 2021 · Kim Newman
30*

The film is action-packed but hindered by an unconvincing emotional storyline and an underused ensemble cast. It struggles with a baggy plot while managing some excellent action scenes.

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Slant Magazine
29 September 2021 · Keith Uhlich
30*

The critic calls the film bloated and personality-free in direction, criticizing how it makes viewers feel every one of its long minutes through ponderous plotting. Praise goes to some supporting character moments and Craig’s performance, but the overall arc feels like a treacly sop rather than savage Bond pleasures.

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Vulture
28 September 2021 · Bilge Ebiri
30*

The review notes that the film is fun only when it embraces proper Bond action and visual spectacle on the big screen, with strong set pieces. It criticizes the overly convoluted story, lack of substance, forced emotional beats, and weak chemistry that make much of it feel like a slog.

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Deadline
28 September 2021 · Pete Hammond
90*

The critic calls it a thrilling and emotional exit for Daniel Craig as Bond, a fitting finale that humanizes the character while delivering action and risks. He singles out Craig's complex performance and the film's emphasis on human conflicts alongside the stunts.

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The Wrap
7 October 2021
85*

The review deems it Daniel Craig’s best James Bond outing, one remembered most for its emotional impact and Craig’s layered performance. It singles out the focus on memory, mortality, and emotional spaces rarely explored in the franchise.

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NME
29 September 2021 · ★★★★ · Alex Flood
80

The critic highlights the film's emotional stakes, believable chemistry between Craig and Seydoux, and fresh humor from Phoebe Waller-Bridge, calling it surprisingly moving. Some plot choices and the villain feel clichéd or compromised, but the bold risks and finale make it a fitting send-off.

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The Playlist
28 September 2021 · B · Robert Daniels
77

The critic praises the film as a fitting, emotionally resonant close to Craig’s tenure, highlighting its exploration of grief, mortality, and a heartbreaking final scene. It notes the lengthy runtime and some underutilized elements but calls the ending worth toasting.

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Collider
29 September 2021 · B- · Matt Goldberg
70

The critic finds the film messy with a convoluted script but praises how it understands the core of Craig's Bond as a three-dimensional character seeking love beyond sex and violence. It highlights the strong chemistry and craftsmanship as enough to overcome the flaws, marking a fitting end to the era.

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Consequence
28 September 2021 · B- · Clint Worthington
70

The review calls it a thrilling swan song but notes it drops some balls juggling responsibilities, grows fatigued, with crisp but occasionally languid direction and a creaky script. It praises the attempt to adapt the series while acknowledging the weight on its shoulders as the 25th entry and Craig's farewell.

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/Film
29 September 2021 · 7/10 · Phil Nobile Jr.
70

The critic finds the film an uneven but worthwhile swan song that delivers strong gadgets, humor, and Hans Zimmer's score while struggling with vignette-like structure and underused supporting players. It ultimately argues Bond is eternal despite the definitive ending.

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Den of Geek
28 September 2021 · 3.5 out of 5 · Don Kaye
50*

The critic praises Daniel Craig's layered, multi-dimensional performance as Bond but finds the film overstuffed with a thin central story and a muddled villain. It delivers intense action and emotional depth but strives for epic sweep without fully achieving it.

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The Ringer
8 October 2021 · Adam Nayman
40*

The critic sees it as an outlier full of sentimentality and resolution, a parched solemn affair heavy on pathos that wears the viewer out, with a monotonous villain and unnecessary plot. It notes the paradigm shift signaled by female operatives and views the film as a fitting if joyless endnote for Craig's run.

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Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate