'No Time To Die' Branded "Lazy" For Villain with Facial Scarring
#JamesBond #NoTimeToDie has received rare reviews after it premiered last night but it has been branded "lazy" and "outdated" by those with facial disfigurements for featuring a villain with scars https://t.co/BHYy28ypX3
- ITV News (@itvnews) September 29, 2021
- No Time To Die has been branded "lazy" and "outdated" by those with facial disfigurements for featuring a villain with scars.
- The latest Bond film, which premiered last night at the Royal Albert Hall, features Rami Malek as the mysterious assassin Safin, who hides his disfigured face under a mask.
- The movie is said to be the most socially aware film in the franchise yet with viewers promised strong female characters, including Actor Lashana Lynch who makes history as the first black 007 when her character inherits the title, but people with visible differences say they feel they have been left behind, and criticised the choice of villain.
- The Bond films are well-known for using disfigurements and disability as a trope for villainy.
- In 2012’s Skyfall Raoul Silva had a misshapen jaw and missing teeth, while in 2006’s Casino Royale, Le Chiffre’s damaged eye bled bloody tears. In 1962 Dr Julius No had his missing hands replaced by mechanical prosthetics.
- "When the only character with a scar or disfigurement is shown on screen as the villain, it’s perpetuating the use of an old-fashioned and outdated trope," said presenter Adam Pearson.
- "This isn’t about banning baddies from having scars or telling people not to enjoy a trip to the cinema, it’s about putting a line in the sand and saying now is the time to ensure other characters can be seen on screen with a visible difference too," he added.