---
title: "No Time to Die: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/no-time-to-die/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/no-time-to-die"
critics_score: 70
critics_reviews: 25
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# No Time to Die (2021): what the critics said

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

Most critics like it, and most of them for the same reason: Daniel Craig. The reviews agree his farewell performance is layered and human, and that the film’s decision to give Bond feelings, grief and a domestic life pays off. The Matera opening and the Havana sequence with Ana de Armas are the set pieces named most often, and Cary Fukunaga’s direction is praised for finding tenderness in the character without dropping the spectacle. Four British publications give it full marks.

The reservations cluster around length and plot. Even admirers call the story convoluted and the pacing baggy, and the villain is a common complaint, described as monotonous or underwritten. The spread is wide: at the far end Slant Magazine finds it bloated and personality-free, Screen Daily thinks it lacks pleasure and wit, and Sight and Sound is unconvinced by the emotional storyline it is built on. Those dissenters are outnumbered, but they are not few.

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Rating 5/5. 29 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/sep/29/no-time-to-die-review-daniel-craig-dispatches-james-bond-with-panache-rage-and-cuddles)

## The Telegraph — Robbie Collin

Rating 5/5. 3 October 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2021/09/30/no-time-die-review-daniel-craig-bond-extravagant-satisfying/)

## The Times — Kevin Maher

Rating 5/5. 28 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/no-time-to-die-review-craig-delivers-the-best-of-007-to-end-his-service-with-a-bang-98mmkfnqm)

## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen

Rating 5/5. 29 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/no-time-to-die-2021)

## Variety — Owen Gleiberman

Rating Critics Pick. 28 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/no-time-to-die-review-daniel-craig-rami-malek-lea-seydoux-1235075443/)

## Empire — John Nugent

Rating 4/5. 29 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/no-time-to-die/)

## Radio Times — Patrick Cremona

Rating 4/5. 29 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/no-time-to-die-review-daniel-craig-disjointed-exhilerating/)

## The i Paper — Christina Newland

Rating 4/5. 29 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/no-time-to-die-review-premiere-daniel-craig-lea-seydoux-lashana-lynch-1223032)

## Total Film — Matt Maytum

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 28 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/no-time-to-die-review-james-bond/)

## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 28 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/no-time-to-die-daniel-craig-1235022401/)

## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 8 October 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/10/18/james-bonds-heavy-heart-in-no-time-to-die)

## The New York Times — A.O. Scott

Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 29 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/29/movies/no-time-to-die-review.html)

## Screen Daily

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 28 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/no-time-to-die-review/5163708.article)

## Sight and Sound — Kim Newman

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 29 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/no-time-die-brings-daniel-craigs-tenure-bond-disappointing-end)

## Slant Magazine — Keith Uhlich

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 29 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/no-time-to-die-review-daniel-craig/)

## Vulture — Bilge Ebiri

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 28 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/film-review-no-time-to-die-with-daniel-craig-as-james-bond.html)

## Deadline — Pete Hammond

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 28 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://deadline.com/2021/09/no-time-to-die-review-daniel-craig-thrilling-emotoinal-finale-1234845958/)

## The Wrap

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 7 October 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/no-time-to-die-film-review-daniel-craig-james-bond-007/)

## NME — Alex Flood

Rating 4/5. 29 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/no-time-to-die-review-james-bond-3057021)

## The Playlist — Robert Daniels

Rating B. 28 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/no-time-to-die-daniel-craig-james-bond-final-review-20210928/)

## Collider — Matt Goldberg

Rating B-. 29 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/no-time-to-die-review-james-bond-daniel-craig/)

## Consequence — Clint Worthington

Rating B-. 28 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://consequence.net/2021/09/no-time-to-die-review-james-bond-daniel-craig/)

## /Film — Phil Nobile Jr.

Rating 7/10. 29 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/619007/no-time-to-die-review-daniel-craigs-swan-song-gives-bond-a-definitive-divisive-ending/)

## Den of Geek — Don Kaye

Rating 3.5 out of 5. 28 September 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/no-time-to-die-review-daniel-craig-carries-james-bond/)

## The Ringer — Adam Nayman

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 8 October 2021. 

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.

[Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2021/10/08/movies/no-time-to-die-review-james-bond-daniel-craig-last-movie)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/no-time-to-die.md