No Time to Die proves to be one of the most surprising turns for the franchise since Casino Royale itself. And while it deconstructs and redefines the Bond character in notable ways, it also retains many of the touchstones we crave.
Read MoreDespite a starry cast and a ripped-from-the-headlines story - which is only now receiving its first big-budget adaptation - the movie never coheres into anything beyond a string of loose sequences. Some of these beats work on their own, but Wasp Network never escapes the feeling that it’s missing huge chunks of material, or choking its main performances.
Read MoreWith Denis Villeneuve at the helm, Ryan Gosling in the lead role and Roger Deakins potentially setting a new bar for cinematography, on paper it looked like Blade Runner 2049 could work. Sequels have a spotty record, however, and it may be a far less painful experience to remain skeptical. But, within the first few minutes of 2049, you just knew everything was in good hands.
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