Review of Dr. No (1962) by Caspar R — 13 Dec 2009
Dr. No is the very first adventure in the campy and long-lasting James Bond franchise. It is a simplistic spy drama of substance and intelligence, with a spectacularly interesting lead character. In seeing this, there is absolutely no question why the character has returned so many times since. He is playful, witty, strong and skilled.
In this adventure, see Bond's American CIA counterpart Felix Leiter for the first time (as played by the great Jack Lord). See Bond bed a tarantula. See a fire-breathing dragon tank. And enjoy the once world-renowned beauty of Ursula Andress in her classic, sporty white bathing suit.
Where Dr. No lags and ultimately fails to succeed in entertaining comes from the fact that it runs for less than 2 hours but feels like it drags tremendously. The pacing is troubling in this film and the amount of time taken to do menial things is uncomfortable. I love Bond here and I enjoy the investigation he undertakes, as well as the adventure it leads to. But the movie as a whole wore on me dreadfully, too.
Even so, let Dr. No wear on you if you enjoy James Bond or even just old-fashioned detective films. It won't kill you.
This review of Dr. No (1962) was written by Caspar R on 13 Dec 2009.
Dr. No has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
