2020-04-01_Total_Film

W

ith No Time To Die

marking Daniel Craig’s

final outing as 007,

a variety of candidates

have been rumoured and suggested

as his replacement: Richard Madden,

Idris Elba, Dev Patel, James Norton...

But one name has been conspicuously

absent from the conversation so far –

one that could transform the James

Bond franchise: Sacha Baron Cohen.

“What? The man responsible for

Borat, Bruno, Ali G and [deep gasp]

Grimsby?” I hear you howling. Yes, him.

And no, I don’t hate James Bond, or

Baron Cohen, or your eyes and ears,

and wish to destroy them.

I genuinely believe he would be an

excellent 007. In the last decade, he has

patiently pivoted from variations on his

patented pantomime act into more

challenging and dynamic roles. In

2011’s Hugo, he turned heads with an

empathetic performance – one he

swiftly followed up with an impressive

turn in Les Misérables (2012).

However, what eventually convinced

me of his superspy credentials was

his role as a different Mr. Cohen. In

Netflix’s thriller series The Spy, he plays

Eli Cohen, a real-life Israeli spy who

in the 1960s managed to infiltrate the

highest levels of Syrian government

in true super-spy fashion. Yes, it takes

a few minutes to get used to the sight

of Cohen in an entirely straight-faced,

dramatic role; but with his comedic

crutch removed, he is a revelation.

Carrying a quality six-episode series

full of classic spy-thriller intrigue with

ease on his tall, capable shoulders,

Baron Cohen oozes charm and flaunts

his action chops. He even musters

a fair bit of menace as Eli becomes

an increasingly hardened spy who is

so immersed in his mission that he

begins to question his real identity

and loyalties. The star received a

Golden Globe nomination for the role,

and deservedly so. Like many Bonds

before him (Moore, Brosnan, almost

Sam Neill), Baron Cohen could take

skills acquired on TV, and add double-

O-sized bombast to them. Plus, if a

Moore-like comic touch were needed,

Cohen could do that in his sleep.

Yes I know, someone like Richard

Madden is probably getting the role

anyway. But I can’t help feeling Baron

Cohen would bring something truly

refreshing to Bond. Or is it just me?

Share your reaction at http://www.gamesradar.

com/totalfilm or on Facebook and Twitter.

OR SHOULD SACHA BARON COHEN

BE THE NEXT BOND?

JEREMYAYTOUN

NoLongfilmsareaturnoff

Twohoursismaxforme

EOINMAHER

Longerbutmaybebroken

upintoconsumablepieces

withpausesorintermissions...

Ohwaitthat’stelevision

THOMASMCGUIRK

Wellconsideringthecostof

cinematicketsetc...I’d

haveto sayhoursplusplease

MALCPARRY

Ifwehavetocanwe

bringbackthehalfway

intermissionandbring

outtheicecream

ladytothefront?

Goldendays

LAST TIME DO WE NEED MORE LONG FILMS?

NE

TFL

IX

IS IT JUST ME...

Tobeclearourwriter’snot

advocatingthatBaronCohen’s

Bondretainthat’tache

CAITLINRIX

Ifyouhaveenoughmaterialand

compellingcharacterstopulloffa

   min-longfilmgoforitIfyouhave

ashortstoryfeaturingthreecharacters

thathaveoneortwocharacteristics

betweenthemdon’tdoit

GAMESRADARCOM/TOTALFILM APRIL 2020 | TOTAL FILM



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