Taking place at the Zurich Convention Center two days before its official theatrical release, the Swiss premiere of “No Time to Die” attracted a slew of local celebrities, Zurich Film Festival delegates and even Finnish racing driver Kimi Räikkönen, all of whom were eager to witness Daniel Craig’s last outing as 007.
It was the first film festival screening of a James Bond movie. The audience responded with no-nonsense opinions.
“It was surprising, it was different, it was good,” Swiss TV host Sven Epiney, one of the country’s top presenters, shared with Variety after the screening. But with a run time of 163 minutes, “It’s a long, long movie.”
Online content creator Adrian Vogt also bemoaned the length of the film, adding: “It’s not the best Bond, but it’s the most impactful Bond. I remember watching the one with the exploding milk bottles [‘License to Kill’], but there is no comedy in the new James Bond films — it’s too serious! Daniel Craig never smiles. No time to smile!”
While others praised Craig’s performance and highlighted the emotional power of the story (“I almost cried,” shared actor Annina Euling, while radio producer Ranja Kamal deemed it “more emotional than your usual Bond film”), audiences were surprised by the movie’s twists and turns.
“It was just different,” said model Kevin Lütolf, with artist Marc Ohnio adding that the film represented “something new for the James Bond franchise.”
“The end was not what I expected,” said Marc Schmidt, who attended the screening with wife Irene after winning tickets to the premiere. “Still, everyone should see it — just make sure to find a comfortable chair!”
Swiss R&B and soul singer Seven appreciated the film’s finale, calling it “pure drama.” After a long wait (“It feels like we’ve been waiting to see this film for 10 years”), he was hoping for something dark and dramatic, and an “honorable” exit for Craig. What he got certainly lived up to his expectations: “It was so classy,” he said.
“It wasn’t fishing for gadgets, there wasn’t a lot of product placement — it was a deep, very good movie and it showed just how damaged these characters are on the inside, how they clash and how similar they are in the end,” Seven continued. “I thought we would be reminded of everything Daniel Craig has gone through as Bond; ‘The best of’ kind of film. And they just didn’t go there! Whether you haven’t seen any Bond movies or seen them all, it just doesn’t matter.”
The expectations were riding high already before the screening, with guests sharing their memories of the franchise — which celebrated Swiss landscapes in films such as “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” — and debating its future.
“For me, it’s all about the first Bond and the last: Sean Connery and Daniel Craig, who changed this role a bit,” Epiney said. “But it’s good. The times are changing and so do the people. That’s why I’m looking forward to seeing who will be next, if it’s going to be a he or a she.”
A long-rumored female Bond — ruled out earlier this week by producer Barbara Broccoli — wasn’t something everyone was waiting for, however, with former Miss Switzerland Christa Rigozzi stating: “I love James Bond as a man.”
“I don’t think we need a female James Bond — just give us another franchise with a female lead,” added Swiss sprinter Mujinga Kambundji, noting that she wouldn’t mind appearing in one of the films herself. “If they would ask me, I would do it. I don’t have that many skills, but I can run really fast.”
Grammy-nominated singer Eric Benét, in town with the Montreux All Star Band, also threw his hat into the ring.
“It’s time for a Black James Bond,” he declared. “That good-looking guy [‘Bridgerton’ breakout Regé-Jean Page] is great, there’s Idris Elba, and I would be an even better one. Where the Broccolis at?”