Here’s the thing with movies and shows that have a huge fandom behind them - they’re often not viewed objectively as one-off pieces of art or entertainment. It has a lot to do with people somehow tying their identities to what they love. So whether you’re a sci-fi nerd, a Trekkie, a fan of superhero films, or are crazy about an auteur, you somehow take any criticism against what you enjoy very personally. But amidst all of this, there’s now an exception - the Bond film fandom.
Ian Fleming’s iconic character, MI6 agent James Bond, code named 007, has been adapted on film since 1962, ever since Sean Connery picked up the role in Dr. No. And as is the case with almost anything, it was a product of its time. The UK and the rest of the world badly needed something upbeat and glamorous about a character fighting on the right side of the law, especially after the Second World War, and at a time when the Space Race was on, adapting James Bond into movies was the perfect solution. Since then however, the movie and the ones that followed it, have had their fair share of criticism. From showing Bond as a womanizer to arguing whether ‘Bond girls’ actually have any agency, countless words have been written about how some of the things in those films wouldn’t pass off today.
But there’s another way to look at that - there’s a world of difference between Bond films from the 60’s and 70’s, and the ones on this side of the century. And that is purely a factor of time. Because love them or hate them, no one can argue that Bond films aren’t entertaining. But as a franchise, it has actually made the effort of correcting some of the problematic themes from its past, which is something that’s rare.
For example, if you think of Bond Girls, one of the first images that pops into most people’s heads is that of Ursula Andress’ Honey Rider emerging from the Caribbean in a bikini. It’s an iconic scene, one that is well-embedded in the pop culture Hall of Fame, but as far as characters go, far better-written Bond Girls have graced the screen. Eva Green’s Vesper Lynd (Casino Royale), Michelle Yeoh’s Wai Lin (Tomorrow Never Dies) and Léa Seydoux’s Madeleine Swann (Spectre, No Time To Die) are all terrific characters, who often outshine Bond in some scenes. Don’t believe us? Just go to Prime Video and watch Tomorrow Never Dies and see what a treat it is to witness action scenes featuring Wai Lin.
And here’s why real Bond fans matter - unlike the surface fans, we want the Bond films to remain relevant, we want them to be loved by future generations. We understand that by giving up some done-to-death and problematic tropes, and yet maintaining other thematic elements that make these films amazing, the franchise can increase its shelf life. We criticize the wrong bits because we love the good bits. And the good news is, the franchise returns the love by creating better films every single time. Personally speaking, I loved the Pierce Brosnan phase of Bond films, as they tackled a lot of contemporary issues - post-Cold War geopolitics, the power of media moguls, and whatnot. But I was absolutely blown away when the Daniel Craig era started. The fact is, Bond films have evolved with the times.
And now, with potentially a new Bond on the horizon, we can’t wait to see what’s next.
'No Time To Die' will be streaming on Amazon Prime Video from 4th March, 2022, in six languages - Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada.
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