If you're the pacifist type, "international superspy" is the wrong career for you. It's not all spying on people through their microwaves. You have to get out into the field, which means getting your hands—and your impeccably tailored suit—dirty.
Over the course of Dr. No, Bond shoots people, gets shot at, gets into fist fights, chokes a man, watches a car fly off a cliff and explode, knifes a guy, watches a man get torched by a giant flamethrower, and beats the stuffing out of a really hairy spider.
It's the life of a spy, but someone has to do it. Your all-expense paid trip to Jamaica isn't much of a vacation when he leaves covered in blood (not all his), bruises, and bullet holes. But hey, at least MI6, the CIA, or the intelligence agency of your country of choice will cover your laundry bill.
Questions about Violence
- In what situations does Bond exercise his "license to kill"? Does he ever go overboard with violence?
- How is the violence in Dr. No different than in other Bond films? Is the violence in this film more realistic or more cartoonish than in modern day Bond films?
- How does Bond often react after committing a violent act? What does his behavior say about his character?
- Why does Honey have an aversion to violence?
Chew on This
Bond has a license to kill, but he often reacts in a flippant manner after killing someone. Either he's completely callous, or a sociopath.
Bond rarely, if ever, chooses a non-violent option when dealing with his enemies. His philosophy is to shoot first, ask questions later.