Bond, Lyutsifer Safin and the Villain at Large
Universal Pictures
Last weekend I bit the bullet and went headlong against my prideful disposition to watch No Time to Die at my local cinema. With my partner in toe, it was more of an inevitability, a case of when rather than if we went to see it. My pride was only a factor after having to wait so long for a film that we, as an audience, deserved far sooner.
It’s not that I’m even the biggest fan of Ian Fleming’s National Treasure per se. I am, however, a fan of Daniel Craig’s Bond. Bond is razzmatazz, and while it has led to some extremely entertaining cinema in years past, I always felt that the industry overly perpetuated his character. His representation often leaned too heavily on his sex symbol status and unequivocal British charm. While Craig’s bond is by no means a complete foray of these characteristics, his portrayal is arguably more dutiful to the novels.
It was only after reading the original Casino Royale novel that I became aware of the true complexity of the character. This is a trained killer, after all, a man raised to use the extreme and often violent means at his disposal, all in the name of serving a greater cause. Bond is a dangerous man, plain and simple, and while Craig’s Bond is more ruthless than those that have come before, he is also flawed and often very, very human.
There’s a particular scene in his Casino Royale adaptation that shows this in earnest. Bond, having murdered two Ugandan militants in self-defence, comforts a crying Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), not long after she witnesses and is even an accomplice to the murders. She remarks, sitting under a running stream of water in the shower, "It's like there's blood on my hands, it's not coming off." Both Bond and Vesper are fully clothed and it’s a very tender scene, portraying a side of Bond’s character that we’ve rarely witnessed across the series of films, if at all.
The linear chronology of Craig’s 5 films ultimately allows us to see him grow and evolve, make mistakes, and suffer the consequences. Craig’s Bond is somewhat unique in this regard and helped in part by his role as the hero. Heroes are the bread and butter of the story, audiences are typically more sympathetic to their cause and naturally more open to exploring their story. At least that’s the thinking.
The role of the villain, on the other hand, is usually (understandably) short-lived. By their very nature, they are set up to fail'; a means to an end, sadly. In truth, however, their story can be just as riveting and provide just as much of a spectacle as that of the hero. Just ask The Joker, Hannibal Lecter, or even the villain of No Time to Die, Lyutisfer Safin (Rami Malek). Though the presence of his character is distinguishable throughout, his actual screen time is relatively short in comparison to the runtime of the feature.
It’s a shame because Malek plays Safin with the same remarkable poise that has become so synonymous with his growing portfolio of intricate characters. I found myself wanting to see more of his character, to know more of his inner workings and what drives and fuels him. But, therein lies the problem - that curious need to attach reason and logic to a man and his actions and intentions.
Ironically, it’s also what I loved about Safin. His character was, by all means, intriguing and captivating enough to nullify any real need to explore his moral compass (or lack thereof). Much like Heath Ledgers Joker, “some men just want to see the world burn”. Sarifs motives are anarchic and purely in the interests of world domination. Were it explored or over-explained in any detail, it would risk detracting from the impact of his character.
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