Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		5.0

No Time to Die 4K Limited Edition Gift Set Blu-ray Movie Review

An outstanding collectors edition for James Bond enthusiasts.

No Time to Die is the twenty-fifth entry in the beloved James Bond franchise. The final installment starring Daniel Craig in the title role of James Bond, No Time to Die offers fans of the series non-stop action and adventure. One of the best entries in the entire James Bond series to date, No Time to Die is an essential spy epic starring Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux, Ana de Armas, Rami Malek, and Ben Whishaw.

James Bond (Daniel Craig) has retired from his former role as agent 007. Danger strikes again when a former ally from the CIA asks for help with a new threat arrives. The diabolical Safin (Rami Malek) is plotting something that could impact everyone. It is up to James Bond to stop him from achieving his plans (which involve a new technological breakthrough that poses a global-scale threat). Can James Bond take up the mantle one last time and be the hero everyone needs?

The ensemble cast in No Time to Die is one of the most impressive line-ups in the James Bond film franchise. Daniel Craig has been at the heart of it all – one of the best actors to ever portray James Bond. Craig delivers his best performance as Bond for the final outing (providing the character emotional gravitas while still delivering on the action-quotient). Léa Seydoux is exquisite as Madeleine. Seydoux is one of the sexiest and most alluring of all Bond girls and she was an impeccable choice for the franchise.

Ana de Armas is scene-stealing in No Time to Die as the gorgeous Paloma. Ana de Armas delivers a knockout performance in the one- and-only sequence she stars in (making a huge impression within only a span of a few minutes of screen time). Paloma gets one sequence to impress audiences: the results are remarkable. One can't help but wish for a spin-off series with Paloma in the lead role.

The other supporting players do excellent work as well: Lashana Lynch is superb as spy sleuth Nomi, Ben Whishaw is charming fun as geek-wizard Q, and Ralph Fiennes is first-rate as the spy-boss, M. Christoph Waltz even makes an appearance again as the menacing villain Blofeld. Each actor adds something unique to the production. No Time to Die is a great showcase for talent.

The legendary Aston Martin DB5. (No maintenance required.)

No Time to Die has breathtaking cinematography by Linus Sandgren (La La Land, First Man). This is one of the most beautiful looking films in the James Bond series. The visual element of the film is to-die-for (pun intended). The outdoor landscape shots are remarkably hypnotic and the entire production seems to benefit from the lush visuals.

The production design by Mark Tildesley (Phantom Thread, T2 Trainspotting) is enveloping. No Time to Die is an ambitious production with a large-scale. The action sequences have outstanding set pieces and the level of detail given to the filmmaking is unshakable. The entire concluding act of the film is a marvel with so many impressive components to the production.

The score composed by Hans Zimmer (Dune, Inception) is one of the most entertaining James Bond scores in the franchise history. The Bond series is no stranger to memorable music and themes: Dr. No set the right note from the beginning. Yet Hans Zimmer provides one of the most exciting scores in the history of the series – proving himself a masterclass composer once more. In No Time to Die, the score is nail-biting and tense. Listening standalone, the music is just as powerful, engaging, and essential. (The score could have easily merited an Academy Award nod – if it were not for Zimmer's score to Dune taking precedence).

The screenplay by Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag, Killing Eve) is everything one could hope for in a Bond movie. The script is exceptional and the dialogue is expertly written. Phoebe Waller-Bridge was brought in to do re-writes on the material after initial reactions to earlier drafts of the screenplay (as penned by other screenwriters) were lackluster. Phoebe Waller-Bridge delivers: bringing the script forward. Only the second female screenwriter in the history of the franchise, Waller-Bridge's contribution to concluding the Daniel Craig era of James Bond is significant.

Cary Joji Fukunaga (Beasts of No Nation, Sin Nombre) directs. At first glance, Cary Joji Fukunaga seems an unusual choice for a James Bond film. Cary Joji Fukunaga is not well-known as a action filmmaker. Yet No Time to Die excels as a first-rate action-adventure and highlights great filmmaking by Cary Joji Fukunaga all the same. No Time to Die is perhaps the best Daniel Craig outing: surpassing Skyfall. Much of the success of No Time to Die is due to the first-rate direction. No Time to Die is great entertainment – that rare breed of filmmaking which has audiences on the edge of their seat.

No Time to Die 4K Limited Edition Gift Set Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on 4K UHD from Universal, No Time to Die is presented in 2160p HEVC / H.265 at an average video bit-rate of 52.30 mbps. The presentation is outstanding. A native 4K presentation, the 4K UHD release includes HDR10 and Dolby Vision. For additional information regarding the video presentation, please refer to the review by my colleague Martin Liebman.

No Time to Die 4K Limited Edition Gift Set Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 4K UHD release includes an outstanding Dolby Atmos surround sound presentation. The encode is in 24 bit high-resolution. For additional information regarding the audio presentation, please refer to the review by my colleague Martin Liebman.

No Time to Die 4K Limited Edition Gift Set Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The No Time to Die 4K gift set is a beautiful collectors edition for serious fans of the James Bond franchise. The special edition features a gorgeous outer box including an embossed title and 007 emblem. The inside of the package includes the 4K/2D Blu-ray combo pack release alongside a selection of six character art-cards, a certificate of authenticity, and the Aston Martin limited edition DB5 replica car (produced exclusively for the 4K UHD release of No Time to Die).

The numbered certificate indicates which copy of the DB5 is provided in the package. The certificate also has a nice printed signature by director Cary Joji Fukunaga. These special embellishments make the special release all the more definitive for James Bond aficionados.

The DB5 replica car figure is a thing of beauty. The level of detail provided to the replica is astonishing and it looks convincing in duplicating the aesthetic of the DB5 featured in No Time to Die. With a nice silver aesthetic, the DB5 looks suave, sophisticated, and classy in all the right ways. The car includes a display stand to highlight the replica. This is a gorgeous collectible – whether or not one traditionally collects model cars. The DB5 makes quite the statement piece.

The on-disc supplemental package remains the same as the standard release. For additional information regarding on-disc supplemental features, please refer to the review by my colleague Martin Liebman.

No Time to Die 4K Limited Edition Gift Set Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

No Time to Die is one of the best films in the James Bond franchise. The best Daniel Craig entry, No Time to Die is breathtaking entertainment (with a first-rate screenplay by Phoebe Waller-Bridge). Armed with an iconic score by maestro Hans Zimmer (Dune, The Dark Knight Rises), No Time to Die is a thrill-ride from start to finish.

The limited edition 4K gift set of No Time to Die provides James Bond fans with a definitive collectible – a DB5 replica car which oozes style and sophistication. The car figurine includes a nice display base as well. The set also provides a certificate of authenticity. For serious enthusiasts, a must-own release. Highly recommended.