This article contains heavy spoilers for James Bond: No Time to Die. Read at your own discretion.

In the modern age, where it feels as though 90% of the big blockbusters we see are some superhero movie, No Time to Die is a nice reprieve from the otherworldly heroes with godlike powers. While it certainly isn’t the most realistic movie ever made, its more grounded and arguably more human approach gives it a special feeling of connection that many movies today sorely lack. And while realism is great, the more lucrative parts of the movie don’t disappoint either. The gunplay in this film, true to series fashion, is extraordinary, and the fights deliver breath-taking action that has just a bit of extra punch with the style it’s pulled off with. Double this with a spectacularly fitting score and exquisite camera work and you have some of the most flashy and adrenaline-filled action sequences of recent memory.

Many will frequently criticize most Bond movies for all being the same. However, No Time to Die makes sure to give itself a strong thematic and emotional identity to set itself apart from not only the competition but from its own series. The movie puts Bond in one of the most unique situations of the series to date. The movie starts with Bond being brought out of retirement to investigate a Spectre meeting, a cunning crime syndicate so powerful not even Bond himself could take it down, and starts off with a bang by destroying the elite criminal organization immediately, leaving Bond to put together the pieces and stop the perpetrator from killing millions of others. Add this on top of having to manage Bond’s newly discovered child and competing with his replacement, No Time to Die delivers one of the most unique experiences in the series, ending in a gut-wrenching sacrifice that’s sure to leave fans speechless and sending off Daniel Craigs 15 year run as James Bond with a bang.

Every character interaction is packed with emotion and drive, and there are no moments where the movie feels like it drags on or cuts itself short. Everyone feels developed enough for the viewer to have a concrete opinion on them while still leaving just enough room for a slight air of mystery so it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what they’re going to do next. No character feels half-baked or shoved in, everyone has a purpose and feels necessary to the overall plot progression. Add this with a variety of old characters like M and Q combined with Bond’s new rival and obligatory new lover and you have a set up for a classic yet distinct Bond movie.

No Time to Die, at the end of the day, is technically just another Bond movie. You can call it cliche, overdramatic, stereotypical, and unoriginal. And while some of these claims may some validity to them, what you cannot say is that it does not pull off these things with style.