In the turbulent world of entertainment Bait is an intriguing proposition that goes deeper than some people might think. Created by Oscar winning actor Riz Ahmed, this Prime Video original is a multicultural exploration of London life forged around James Bond auditions. A story that dissects contemporary prejudice, flashes back to formative moments, and captures it through the eyes of Shah Latif. A struggling actor who runs an existential gauntlet to grab this Holy Grail of acting opportunities.
There is a certain to charm to the hapless performance from this Sound of Metal leading man. One that taps into cultural accountabilities, racial stereotypes, and the zeitgeist element that James Bond casting brings with it. The fact that Bait is produced by Prime Video demonstrates a degree of self-awareness around 007 some audiences might find surprising. That Riz Ahmed also throws in some surreal elements to counterbalance the identity angle also gives this show an extra edge.
Shah is a man in freefall hemmed in on all sides by responsibilities bigger than himself, including becoming the first actor of colour to play James Bond. Ian Fleming created a cold and calculating womaniser who was callous about human life and perpetually disconnected from his own emotions. Created in a time when gender diversity was unheard of and machismo ruled the roost, 007 has always struggled to evolve.
Image Courtesy of Prime Video
Bait proposes a step into unknown territory, that sidelines the Aaron Taylor-Johnson debates and moves things in a different direction, banishing Callum Turner and those actors who might have been. Putting one of the most iconic casting calls in cinema on the back burner and reducing James Bond to a sub-plot for the first time. What audiences get instead is a family melodrama punctuated by moments of emotional depth.
A character in conflict who constantly seeks approval from his family and those he represents in a broader sense. Someone who is forced to take on an entire national identity, both good and bad, purely because of the iconography behind James Bond. As actor, writer, and producer Riz Ahmed has run with this prescient project creating something unique in the process. With Ritu Arya from The Umbrella Academy on hand as a jilted ex-girlfriend, Rafe Spall dropping in to do a drive by cameo, and Patrick Stewart on voice over duties, Bait packs in a lot.
The question of whether all those elements come together to create something cohesive is another matter. Tonally, Bait is a little haphazard, neither pulling off the surreal segues courtesy of Jean-Luc Picard or landing those culture clash comedy moments, where entertainment industries meet religious doctrine. Offering endless dramatic choices for audiences who jump on board but sometimes denying them the roadmap to navigate.
As a result, Bait sits somewhere in no man’s land until the final moments of this series. It is only in the epiphany that audiences experience in the final few seconds that Bait comes together. Turning something with a social conscience and endless issues to address into something packed with pathos, that really allows Shah’s journey to connect.
Bait is now streaming on Prime Video.