Following up on the previous post, the ending of No Time To Die (and this particular line from Madeleine Swann) elicits nothing more than a weary sigh from me.  It fundamentally misses the core principle that has defined the James Bond franchise for six decades, and something I’ve said repeatedly on this site: James Bond does not die.  It’s not merely my preference, it’s a foundational narrative of the James Bond character.

Yes, I can respect the filmmakers’ intention to echo On Her Majesty’s Secret Service through Madeleine’s slightly altered line, Bond’s own reworked version of the iconic “time” quote, and the inspired use of Louis Armstrong’s awesome song over the end credits.  But meaningful homage cannot compensate for misguided storytelling.  A far more powerful narrative of an ending would have been the tragic deaths of Madeleine and Mathilde.  Not only would this have delivered an emotionally devastating climax, it would have created an electrifying foundation for the next installment.