It's the 20th Bond film and premiered on the 40th anniversary of the series, and, in many ways, it is really a tribute to the entire series itself. This film's strength and its weakness both lie in the fact that it is a blend of the classic Connery films, the outlandish Moore films, and the grittiness of the Dalton films. It's rolling the entire series into a single two hour adventure and the result is actually pretty entertaining. The first half is definitely stronger than the second; a more serious adventure with a classic feel to it, before taking a nose dive down into utter camp territory. I didn't mind the idea of making some scenes a little over-the-top, but I think they went overboard at times. Throughout the movie, the filmmakers toss in little references to previous Bond films. I suppose it's a fun idea to stop and consider how far these films have come over the last 40-something years, and a long time Bond fan can find amusement in finding these subtle, but long remembered treasures that poke their head in this film for one last time. As for the technical aspects of the film: The special effects are a little too ambitious and don't always come across convincing. The dialogue goes back and forth from excellent to atrocious. The ensemble of actors is pretty strong, except for Halle Berry, who in my opinion was completely wrong for a Bond movie. The villains are a little more dynamic. The action sequences are an improvement, in my mind. Granted, there are some instances where the filmmakers push the envelope a little too far, as mentioned above. However, they also show a certain amount of creativity that seemed to be lacking in the previous two films. Overall, this film is really a mixed bag. At moments there is potential for one of the greatest Bond adventures. At other moments you're thinking, "What the heck am I watching." Personally, I feel the positives balance out the negatives, but if anything, this film is a good popcorn movie. All in all, it wasn't a bad way to close out the series before rebooting it again with Casino Royale.
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namideo16 October 2007
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Creating new, exciting adventures for 007 after 20 feature films in forty years is a difficult task at best, particularly as public tastes change, and the character of James Bond has to maintain at least a degree of the 'persona' created by Ian Fleming. While the heirs of Albert Broccoli, his daughter Barbara and son-in-law Michael G. Wilson, have done a remarkable job in keeping the series 'fresh', if DIE ANOTHER DAY is any indication, the creative forces surrounding them seem to be losing 'touch' with James Bond, and his world.
After an astonishing pre-title sequence, climaxing with Bond being captured by the North Koreans, the film offers a horrendous montage of torture, with Bond only surviving due to a timely prisoner exchange (with an unsympathetic M remarking, "If it had been up to me, you'd have stayed in North Korea...", obviously forgetting that 007 had saved her life in THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH). Pierce Brosnan, at fifty, is superb in this sequence, vulnerable yet defiant, and to this point, DIE ANOTHER DAY has all the makings of a first-class Bond entry.
Then Bond jaunts off to find the agent who betrayed him, becoming involved in an investigation involving diamonds, solar power, and a 'too-good-to-be-true' industrialist (smarmy Toby Stephens), and all of the creativity of the opening is lost, with the film becoming an uneasy mix of references to past films and silly, unbelievable situations, sets and gadgets (culminating with an 'Ice Palace' and an 'invisible' Aston Martin).
As she had won an Oscar prior to filming DIE ANOTHER DAY, sexy Halle Berry, 36, was publicized extensively as Bond's latest leading lady, CIA agent 'Jinx'. Unfortunately, after a spectacular 'rising from the waves' introduction (borrowed from Ursula Andress, in DR. NO), and a few nicely choreographed fights, she spoke...and lost all of her credibility in the role. While much of the problem was certainly in the script, she was never believable as Bond's 'counterpart' in the American intelligence community. On the other hand, Rosamund Pike, 23, was both sexy and duplicitous as British double agent Miranda Frost, as chilly as her name, but capable of igniting under 007's gaze. In a part equally poorly written, she made far more of her scenes than the writers gave her.
The most interesting character in the film was certainly Rick Yune, as Graves' 'enforcer', Zao. Charismatic, ruthless, and nearly unstoppable, Zao was nearly a primal force, far more menacing than Graves at his worst.
While a sword-fight sequence between Bond and Graves provided a rare film highlight, and certainly ranks as one of the film series' more memorable sequences, much of the rest of the production was silly, with the story set at a break-neck pace to 'hide' the absurdities. The climax, as a solar 'ray' destroyed the minefield between North and South Korea, allowing an 'invasion' to occur, as 007 and Jinx attempted to commandeer the aircraft controlling the 'ray', stands as one of the most ludicrous finales to a Bond film since MOONRAKER.
Although DIE ANOTHER DAY would become Pierce Brosnan's highest-grossing Bond, to date, the film, despite heavily promoting Halle Berry's presence, failed to crack the 'Top Ten' box office attractions in the U.S., and disappointed many fans, worldwide.
With the purchase of MGM by Sony, which has wanted to produce a Bond film for years (the studios were entangled in a legal suit that ended just as DIE began production), surprising changes were in store...CASINO ROYALE, the only Fleming title NOT owned by Eon Productions was named as the next 007 adventure...and Pierce Brosnan was FIRED (a sad finish for an actor who'd worked so hard to make 007 viable in the new millennium!) While Broccoli and Wilson are still 'in charge' of Bond productions, they have to answer to new bosses, with definite opinions of their own on where the franchise should go...Can 007 survive THIS?
We can only wait and see! -
Colbridge19 September 2021I saw this film on it's release in 2002 and several times since, and on a recent viewing in 2021 I was pleased to see it has aged quite well, with this being Pierce Brosnan's 4th film as Bond which he had comfortably grown into by this stage.
It has been knocked by critics and fans a like over the years for some questionable CGI effects and fantastical ideas, like Bond using an invisible car for instance, but on the whole it is hugely entertaining and along with Goldeneye this is Brosnan at his best.
This was the 20th Bond film released 40 years after Dr. No (1962) and the filmmakers clearly decided to pay homage to previous films with the gadgets of Connery's Bond, the playfulness of Lazenby & Moore and the grittiness of Dalton's outings. For fans there are plenty of references to previous Bond films, the most obvious being Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and New Zealand director Lee Tamahori uses some slick visuals to bring Brosnan's Bond bang up to date and throws everything in but the kitchen sink.
Halle Berry is an above average Bond girl who is introduced by rising out of the water in homage to Ursula Andress in Dr. No but it's a shame Michael Madsen isn't given much to do. Judi Dench plays M with dignity once again and there's light relief with John Cleese stepping into the role as Q. Pop star Madonna makes an appearance in one scene after providing the disappointing theme tune, with an awful remix that appears over the end credits, but David Arnold's score is on par with his other Bond scores, although this lacks any thematic qualities to give Die Another Day an identity of it's own and seems to totally ignore the main song which usually gets referenced.
This certainly isn't the best Bond but it is not the worst either as some would like you to believe, although the criticism the film received made the producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson take notice as they let Brosnan go after only his 4th film and decided to reboot the franchise with a much harder edged Bond 4 years later with Daniel Craig.
I always felt Brosnan had at least one more Bond left in him and that his tenure was prematurely cut short. For me he has the best Bond 'look' out of all the actors who has played him but didn't necessarily get the best directors or scripts he deserved to fully flesh out the role. He may have been 47 when this film was made, and fans were quick to allude the initials of the film's title spelled out DAD, meaning the character was no longer hip or relatable to a younger audience, however Daniel Craig was 52 when he filmed his last Bond so age should not have been an issue.
Die Another Day deserves another look and to be re-evaluated, sure it's loud, flashy, full of explosions with some outlandish concepts that pushed fans too far but seen as a tribute to the previous 40 years of Bond it does a fitting job whilst being great entertainment. -
kphurley-123 November 2002Look, let's be clear about it...it's the year 2002, not 1962. This franchise of movies has evolved over the years from a cool and clever spy series to an over-the-top slam bang action series. When you go to see a James Bond film, you should EXPECT any or all of the following: 1) A completely unrealistic, contrived plot 2) Unbelievably cheesy and corny one-liners (almost all of which are sexual in nature) 3) A supervillain seemingly brilliant and mad enough to quest for world domination, but is somehow stupid enough to let Bond get close enough to spoil the whole thing 4) A female counterpart (or several) that looks good, gets captured, and ultimately gets saved by our hero 5) Gadgets, cars, and weapons that do fantastic, unbelievable things 6) Action sequences and stunts that defy fundamental laws of physics and logic
Having said all of that, and knowing what I knew, I was so excited to see this movie, and I loved it. Why? Because I got to escape for a couple of hours in a fantasy-spy world. Because I've seen the other 19 movies and I got to see what other directions they went with the characters. Because I love the characters and have gotten to know them over the course of the last 19 movies. Of course it has its shortcomings (the CG was weak in parts) but it has everything that makes the franchise successful. It pays homage to the older films while pleasing younger fans with it's incredible action sequences.
Like it or not, this is what the series has evolved to. Personally, I like it, but having seen Dr. No, From Russia With Love, etc, I know that the newer movies don't really appeal to many of the fans of those movies (my dad hates the new movies) because they have completely moved away from reality (not to mention the novels). So understand that before you go and see this movie. If you can just sit back and enjoy the ride, you will. But if you're looking for the magic of 1962 to return, than you might be disappointed. But I will bet on this...judging by the reaction of the theater I was at, James Bond isn't going away anytime soon.
Oh by the way, what's with the comment "Look out Bond, xXx is taking over." Huh? When xXx has 20 successful movies under his belt, then we can start comparing the two. -
Fella_shibby14 May 2021I first saw this in the early 2k on cable tv.
Revisited it recently.
This is the twentieth in the Bond series and the fourth and final film to star Pierce Brosnan as James Bond.
This time Bond infiltrates a North Korean military base but his true identity is exposed by an unknown source. Bond is captured by North Korean soldiers and imprisoned but after fourteen months of captivity and torture, Bond is traded for a prisoner in exchange but is shocked to learn that his status as a 00 Agent has been suspended under suspicion of having leaked information under duress to the North Koreans.
This one has an action filled pre credit scene and shockingly this is the first film where Bond doesn't get to escape but is captured n tortured by a foreign power.
Some may rejoice when a sexist, misogynist dinosaur, a relic of the Cold War is tortured via scorpion venom.
This time Bond faces a hot tempered Colonel Moon and his loyal henchman Zao.
Bond also faces Gustav Graves and his bodyguard Mr. Kil.
This time Bond gets to cool off with Samantha Bond via virtual reality simulations but the real cool off is with Halle Berry n with the blonde babe Rosamund Pike way before her Gone Girl days. -
Theo Robertson28 October 2004DIE ANOTHER DAY is a unique Bond film for me because I had seen the other entries in the franchise before I discovered the IMDb . In other words my only knowledge of its reputation is down to the comments I have read on these pages and because many commentators are so loud in their condemnation ( Bad CGI , awful title track etc ) I was expecting a really bad movie never mind a really bad Bond movie , but DIE ANOTHER DAY wasn't as bad as I was expecting
It's interesting to note that the Bond series never really concerned itself with painting communists as bad guys . OCTOPUSSY ties in with the cold war very much as does THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS to a lesser degree but in no way can the series be criticised as being right wing or reactionary with GOLDENEYE wearing its heart on it's sleeve that Russian gangsterism is more of a worry than Russian communism so it's something of a shock seeing Bond battle Stalinist commies in North Korea . That is in no way a criticism either .
We're then treated to a bizarre title sequence composed of a torture montage with quite simply the worst theme tune ever devised for a Bond movie . I don't know what is about the Pierce Brosnan Bonds but they all have very poor title songs despite having all round superb production values and DIE ANOTHER DAY continues the high production values , a lot of people complain about the CGI and I must admit the cartoonish jet at the end does look like a cartoon but compare this sequence to all the action scenes in the 1980s which were composed of Roger Moore standing in front of some back projection and no matter how much you don't want to say it you must confess we've come a long way since then
Some people have also let rip that the film is ruined by post modernist self reference but I disagree . Come on chaps when you've seen one Bond movie since the late 1960s you've seen most of them . Plot wise DIE ANOTHER DAY is very , very similar to GOLDENEYE with a " British " villain in charge of a death ray in outer space with a fair amount of LICENSED TO KILL thrown in . It should be remembered both YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE and THE SPY WHO LOVED ME had the same identical plot with serious hardware being stolen from the USSR and America in order to start a nuclear holocaust . There is a ridiculous amount of humour though involving John Cleese as Q . I know you shouldn't take James Bond movies seriously but did we need an invisible car ?
The other thing I disliked was Jinx . Think about it , she's tough and kills without hesitation so how come she needs rescuing from Bond ? She's just a cypher there to create a love interest and it's amazing that the producers seriously considered starting a spin off series with Jinx as the heroine . It would have been as successful as CATWOMEN . There is a problem with a plot twist involving both Gustav Graves and Miranda Frost , the twist is good but unfortunately the surprise only works once which means on second viewing the shock value of the plot revelation is gone therefore DIE ANOTHER DAY doesn't have the same enjoyment second , third or fourth viewing unlike classic Bond movies
I'm not a big Bond fan but have been fairly impressed with the standards of the franchise from GOLDENEYE to DIE ANOTHER DAY , they've really come leaps and bounds from the Roger Moore debacles like MOONRAKER and VIEW TO A KILL . One aspect that is over looked in the series is the character interaction between Bond and M ( Convincingly played by Judi Dench ) and I hope to see this abrasive relationship continue when the series returns with a new actor in the lead role -
ma-cortes16 May 2007This outing begins when James Bond(Pierce Brosnan) is taken prisoner by two evil Corean men(Rick Yune and Will Yun Lee).He flees but again is prisoned,later is freed .He's accused by M(Judy Dench: Shakespeare in love)as informer and is forced to renouncement.He goes to Habana(Cuba),while he's drinking a typical beverage called ¨mojito¨,he knows a gorgeous NSA agent named Jinx(The winner Oscar,Halle Berry)who makes an explosive appearance emerging from the seaside.They teams up to investigate the rare operations in a clinic ruled by a suspect medic(Simon Andreu,an usual Spanish secondary).Then he follows clues and contacting with a cocky megalomaniac(Toby Stephens: son of Robert Stephens and Maggie Smith)and begins an exciting fencing duel.Besides a sexy woman and fence expert(Rosemund Pike),who is actually an MI6 agent.Later they're going to an ice hotel located in Island ,where are developed pursuits,fights and incredible feats, plenty of frenetic action and suspense.There by the crazed industrialist is used a laser-satellite named Icarus against Bond.Ultimately, the story again torn to Corea frontier where inside a Boeing happen a hair-rising final highlight.
Pierce Brosnan as James Bond is nice,he gets toughness and coldness characterized by Sean Connery blending with irony,sympathy,suavity characterized by Roger Moore.As always,this is a globe-trotting spy tale set in several countries(Corea,England,Cuba,Island) where is developed an international intrigue with unstopped,interminable action,sophistication and extraordinaries special effects. It's brimming with impressive scenarios,stunts and gimmicks. Usual appearance of ¨Q¨(John Cleese substituting to Desmond Llewelyn)who delivers the ingenious gadgets like a prodigious ring or an invisible car, objects with special transcendence for the movie.Again Samantha Bond as MonneyPenny in an enjoyable intervention of wet dreams with James Bond.Eye-popping cinematography by David Tattersall.Madonna sings the main title and makes an uncredited appearance as a blades expert.The habitual the last entries ,David Arnold musical score fitting to James Bond action movies.The motion picture is professionally directed by Lee Tamahori.Fun to watch for Bond lovers. -
SnoopyStyle27 November 2013Pierce Brosnan returns for his fourth and final appearance as agent 007. It started great but then fades. It introduces the delicious Halle Berry as NSA agent Jinx. She makes a great Bond girl.
James Bond is sent to North Korea to kill a renegade colonel selling weapons for diamonds. He is double crossed by someone and is captured. An American agent is killed and 007 is suspected to have cracked. He is quickly returned in a trade for Zao but now British intelligence doesn't trust him. Bond runs away to track down Zao himself. He finds him working for British billionaire Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens). They go to the ice hotel to play with his ray beam satellite.
The North Korean start has some decent action, but it's the fact that he's captured that makes it great. When he had to go to the Chinese for help, I thought this could get interesting. The high point of the movie has to be Halle Berry coming onshore with that bikini. From there, the movie slowly grinds down with one silliness after another.
The worst has to be the villain played be Toby Stephens. His character is unimaginative and can be best describe as a twit or a douche. I was hoping for threatening. Then there's the ice hotel. That just screams trying too hard. And finally the ray beam satellite. It's been done so many times. The movie started off with some grittiness, but slides into cartoon action. -
David_Frames9 November 2004Pis*-poor, Ill-conceived, soulless, mindless, horrifying - and thats just the title track in this 40th Anniversary defunctular - proof positive that the series is in terrible terrible trouble. In fact, based on the this exercise in self-parody (even the title sounds like a parody), devoid of any new or exciting elements, it might be worth pondering whether its time for the super-spy to take a sabbatical while all concerned contemplate a wholesale reinvention of the Francaise; a full-scale rebuilding from the ground up with absolutely no return to the cut and paste methodology that rots this one from the inside out. It isn't even worth discussing the story to this anniversary entry because there isn't one but it might be worth pointing out the contrast between this and the last anniversary story The Living Daylights (1987) for therein lies the clues to what's gone wrong with 007's exploits. Whereas Dalton's film used the anniversary as a sort of reaffirmation of principles and a throw back to the series dramatic and literary roots, a new dawn if you like (and frankly even if you don't), Die Another Dies goes the other way and represents the zenith of the Pervis/Wade era of Brosnan Bonds that has seen the action and budgets scale upward while the substance has conversely dipped and with the arrival of an invisible car, evaporated. This is about a trillion miles away from the 25th anniversary Bond in which familiar elements made the odd cameo appearance - the Astin Martin for example. Here the familiar is everything - in fact its the building blocks of the story (such as it is) and the characters and, well everything really. The tone is pure fantasy - deadly lasers in space, an evil ice palace lair for the villain, Madonna etc... Characters with silly names trade puns and insipid dialogue while Brosnan goes through the motions. If it was the intention of all concerned to make a companion piece for Austin Powers then they should consider DAD a roaring success. For those of us expecting a serious Bond movie however, its a minor travesty - Bonds have been lazy before (Moonraker, naturally) but this one completes the post-Goldeneye trajectory toward total self-parody and in doing so arguably takes its place along other genre greats such as Rocky 4, Star Trek: Nemesis and Batman and Robin in the 'film that crashed the series' category. Bond films have also been looking down the business end of oblivion before but 'tis no exaggeration to say that this time the martini loving super-spy is fighting for his life. Bond is a great character but unless the powers that be start to take him seriously again and refrain from this derivative fluff, they might as well call it a day.
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CihanVercan14 August 2009There is one of the widest cluster of spectators ever possible for a franchised movie. There is its own fans. For almost half a century from the old generations to the youth it is always advised that the 007-Bond movies are the best action & thriller of all. Yet to watch Die Another Day there are so many other reasons! Relying on the protection of its confidence and splendour, Die Another Day sight sees some of the larger-than-life and glamorous centres of the earth. In "You Only Live Twice" and "The Man with the Golden Gun" Bond has visited Hong-Kong several times; and he does once more in Die Another Day. We are going to see Cuba for the second time after "Golden Eye", and again for the second time we will be in Bond's top-secret MI6 office in London,U.K after "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". We also have a chance to see unforgettably spectacular views from Hawaii's virgin hills and from Iceland. In fact, wherever it says it's North Korea, it's location is still Hawaii. Some of the North Korean scenes like the elaborate hovercraft chase scene were shot in U.K. as well.
It is joyful to catch homage moments in respect to the previous Bond movies like the conspiracy plot at the presidential suite in the Hong Kong hotel with the Chinese masseuse beauty, and Halle Berry's first appearance moment where she wore an orange bikini with a white belt attached to an army knife. Best of all -the most alluring of all- were the gadgets and equipments used throughout the movie:
* Hovercrafts
** Electromagnetic ring
*** Bounding mines
**** Laser cutting watch
***** Giant Space Laser Mirror named "Icarus"-a satellite weapon that directs a blazing ray of heat at its landed or aerial global targets
****** Switchblade Jet Gliders
******* The Invisible Aston Martin
If you liked the movie, you'd better see the Special Edition D.V.D that includes very very precious and confidential technical details: -DataStream's trivia track with video streaming, storyboard comparisons from scratch to the shot,the advisory details on how to choose the best suitable FPS adjusted camera giving samples of multi-angle camera explorations, the visual effects featurette transcribes the odds-and -ends differences between make-ups and models and non-computer based visual effects and CGI based virtual effects, and finally Madonna's original uncut edition of 007-Nightfire music video that has been banned in some countries of Europe at its time of screening. It is as good as an HD-DVD of today's.
Die Another Day is Brosnan's fourth Bond movie. Director Tamahori, who has gained recognition in his film "Once Were Warriors", is an award-winning commercial director; and in my opinion he has been influenced by Paul Verhoeven a lot. Die Another has some snoops from Verhoeven, mostly Robocop and Total Recall.
The title has taken from an A.E.Housman poem. In Housman's poem, it is the coward who runs away from battle so that he may die another day. Die Another Day is a perfect choice for a wonderful evening with family and friends,neighbours,relatives,colleagues and with all types of crowds.
Film: 7/10 DVD: 10/10(one of my favourite DVDs of all-time) -
bahgdadc15 January 2004Come back George, all is forgiven: At lease "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" was recognizable as a Bond film. The latest installment in the franchise, the 20th installment in fact, should have been a cause for celebration. Instead, I have to rate it a solid 1, and that only because the system won't let me rate it lower. When did James Bond morph with Rambo? What happened to the wit and charm that was evident in the best of the series, films like 'Goldfinger" and "The Spy Who Loved Me"?
There is nothing in this film that feels original or fresh. And the John Woo influenced cinematics have no place in a Bond film. And what's with the use of CGI in place of real stuntmen doing the impossible, as they did in every other film? Sure, it may look "super cool" in concept, but in fact it looks fake and out of place. They didn't use CGI to make trucks act like race cars in "License To Kill".
I'm afraid that on his 40th anniversary, the cinematic James Bond is looking every bit his age, dressed up like a 70 year old hustler trying to pick up teenagers. Forget the snazzy trappings and the flashy action scenes and get back to the basics. -
Nazi_Fighter_David4 November 2007After being captured, imprisoned and tortured in North Korea for 14 months, Bond (Pierce Brosnon) is released in exchange for a recently captured Zao Unfortunately, MI6 and the American NSA believe the mission was compromised They think their super agent has cracked under torture So Bond's license to kill is rescinded along with his freedom by M (Judi Dench) and is ordered to be send to an evaluation center in the Falklands
Determined to clear his name and find out who really betrayed him in North Korea, Bond soon escapes and tracks Zao to Cuba, who was undergoing a 'D.N.A. transplant,' in a strange clinic, to heal his ravaged face There, he finds someone else after the Korean, a capable secret agent, called Jinx...
After having proved himself to MI6 and to the NSA, Bond returns to London and has a spirited fencing match with Graves at the Blades Club There he meets his publicist the gorgeous Miranda Frost
In "Die Another Day," Brosnon is wild, and ready to light the fuse on any explosive situation His methods are to provoke and confront His Aston Martin is loaded with high tech gadgetry that renders his vehicle invisible to Zao's sporty Jaguar There's an amazing chase between the two across the frozen waters of Iceland There's also an interesting battle inside Graves' treacherous fortress; and two battles to the death aboard Graves' airplane
Halle Berry is one of the Bond girls who looks so stunning especially when she emerged from the Cuban waters in her bright orange bikini This Oscar-winning beauty matches 007 in intelligence, sophistication and toughness, leaving Bond in the island in an explosive situation
Toby Stephens as the psycho billionaire Gustav Graves appears determined to use his unique satellite the Icarus using its power to 'bring light and warmth to the darkest parts of the world or to clear the minefield creating a highway for his North Korean's troops Rosamund Pile plays the fencing master with breathless beauty Miranda Frost
Rick Yune plays Zao, the dangerous Korean arms dealer and sports-car aficionado who works for Colonel Moon (Will Yun Lee), the renegade North Korean army officer who was determined to invade the south
Michael Madsen plays Damian Falco, NSA spy master and Jinx's boss who's tough on Bond
The comical British character actor John Cleese takes over the role of Q...
Madonna was hired to record the title tune and appeared in a cameo role as a fencing instructor
"Die Another Day" is the 20th in the series, and is arguably a fun movie to watch delivering a great sword fight so don't miss it! -
I am going to start with the strengths of this Bond entry. It is for me one of the better-looking Bonds, both the cinematography and locations are truly inspired, and I loved the Icelandic snow palace. The pacing is relentless and the direction is done with fluid style, while the incidental music is good enough. The script has some nice moments too apart from some cringe-worthy one liners, while the action is very intense. In terms of acting, Pierce Brosnan is on fine form as the betrayed and vengeful secret agent. Bond is still charming and witty in some ways, but also tough and angry, Brosnan portrays this excellently. Halle Berry is a nice addition, and Judi Dench and John Cleese are solid too as is Toby Stephens as villainous Graves and especially beautiful Rosamund Pike as chillingly frosty Miranda Frost. However, the plot is quite familiar and quite preposterous in a sense in the second half, and there is an overload of CGI and sadly it's awful. My two main problems though are both to do with Madonna. One is that her theme song is truly grating and one of the more forgettable theme songs. The other is that her cameo as a fencing instructor is truly dire. In conclusion, a mostly solid if slightly disappointing entry in the series. 7/10 Bethany Cox
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An outing which represents a first for the Bond franchise i.e. one that fails abjectly in virtually every discernible area. The most prominent one being that of a cut'n'paste, dog's dinner of a screenplay that looks as though it was cobbled together by the screenwriters during their dinner break. Previous entries such as 'OHMSS' and 'From Russia With Love' managed to treat their audiences with more than a modicum of intelligence. This is in stark contrast to D.A.D. which seemed to be aiming for an audience predominately populated by XXX-loving, popcorn-munching, baseball capped cretins who will demand the right to see as many things blown up as possible with at least as many people being either shot or wasted whilst being assured that such minor trivialities as 'plot' or 'characterization' are not allowed to spoil their enjoyment of proceedings.
The standard of acting varies from merely perfunctory to downright dreadful. Brosnan simply goes through the motions whilst Halle Berry tries desperately hard to pass what turned out to be an audition for her own character's franchise but ends up being the most irritating leading lady since Tanya Roberts. In her Ursula Andress homage (on second thoughts, make that 'rip-off'), you can almost sense Tamahori saying 'That's right, Halle, swivel your hips. A bit more. A bit more. Keep going and cut !!!' Any chemistry with 007 is all but non-existent with their 'banter' being invariably puerile and tedious.
We have a nemesis who is totally lacking in anything remotely resembling charisma, threat or menace. Indeed Gustav Graves' only real 'gimmick' appears to be a total lack of need for sleep ( watching this drivel would soon change that ). The obligatory henchman, Zao, had mild potential but was under-used.
Much has been said about the risible CGI sequence involving the ice wave ( and deservedly so ) but, for me, the sequence which preceded it was even more ludicrous. Our hero is doing about 300mph in a rocket car and heading for a plunge to his certain death. Don't fret, however, as a trailing anchor digs a few inches into the ice and, over the space of a few yards, brings the car to a complete halt, causing it to flip over the edge and smash into the side of the precipice without so much as a scratch on the vehicle and 007 left not the least bit shaken nor stirred. It was a scene which was more akin to 'The Wacky Races' with Dastardly & Muttley once again receiving their come-uppance.
On the subject of growlers, the living legend (in her own mind) that is Madonna ensured that the title 'song' would, by several light years, be the worst ever. However, Madge's monstrous ego ensured that her contribution to proceedings wouldn't end there and so the unsuspecting viewing audience would then be treated to an equally awful cameo. Did Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones or Carly Simon receive cameos ? Of course not. Many would correctly say that none of them can act. However, based on the evidence of D.A.D. and a clutch of other big-screen stinkers, neither can Madonna.
Pierce Brosnan's outrageous salary demand ( £24 million ) for the next epic appeared to give the producers little option but to announce that it was 'taxi for Brosnan'. Granted, this sage and onion-stuffed extravaganza managed to trouser over 400 mill at the box office so many might say that it's only fair that he's entitled to be angling for a bigger slice of the pie. Never-the-less it sure as hell wouldn't have just been Brosnan's name that sold tickets for a film which I'm sure would still have made a mint even if Graham Norton had been donning the tuxedo. OK, perhaps a slight exaggeration but clearly no individual is bigger than the licenced to kill ( and make money ) Bond franchise.
All-in-all, a charmless, hideous mess that tries, like 'Octopussy', to cram too much in. The introduction of Daniel Craig (and hopefully a decent script) can perhaps inject the series with fresh impetus to help prevent the 007 money-making juggernaut from going the same way as the one from 'Duel'. -
RTomZ4 January 2003Die Another Day 3½ Stars (Out of Four)
After forty years of mostly phenomenal success, the latest James Bond film, Die Another Day, faced a SPECTRE-like challenge to bring something new moving forward, while including essential ingredients from the past. The twentieth official EON-produced James Bond film celebrates its own anniversary with several sly winks to long-time fans of the series, while delivering a solid, if not rollicking, fun adventure in its own right.
Sean Connery has said that the role of James Bond should not be underestimated. Pierce Brosnan, to his considerable credit, does not. He is once again perfectly tough, suave, and witty. That he is able to do so seemingly effortlessly may be a double-edged blade, as it is also likely an explanation as to why he is somewhat under-rated in the role.
Brosnan has attempted, throughout his tenure, to explore the inner workings of the James Bond character, and has consistently presented a decidedly more introspective interpretation than any of his predecessors. In this, his fourth 007 adventure, he has combined that with all of the right moves, and it is a fair statement that he has solidified the role as his own. It is certainly a continuation and outgrowth of what he accomplished in the very good The World Is Not Enough (1999), and had hinted at in 1995's GoldenEye and in the Stoke Poges hotel scene of Tomorrow Never Dies (1997).
That said, never before have we seen James Bond as we see him in Die Another Day, and by that I am not referring to the Hawaiian shirt or cigar. Brosnan's tone and straight-forward approach throughout the film is perfect, and the rest of the film follows suit nicely. No tie-straightening scenes here!
The best James Bond pictures have always followed a formula. One essential component of that formula is that no matter how outlandish the plot, the approach and tone of the film remains serious. So when a mute Korean throws a deadly bowler hat, or a megalomaniacal villain uses a bevy of unsuspecting women armed with cosmetics compacts to carry out his evil plans, or James Bond's car features an ejector seat and smoke screen, the audience simply is pulled along for the glorious ride. Another component is that the villain and his henchman must be memorable as well as dangerous, no easy task in a series that lists Dr. No, Red Grant, Goldfinger, Odd Job, and Blofeld on its baddie roster. Die Another Day delivers on all these counts.
Neal Purvis and Robert Wade have written a very good screenplay that slyly celebrates the series' anniversary, as well as includes all the essential ingredients of the James Bond films. Most (myself included) would have been satisfied with that, and be done with it. Surprisingly, Die Another Day goes the extra length, and includes some elements as non-formulaic as ever seen in the series. The plot is indeed over-the-top, but one would never know it from observing the characters executing it.
There are elements that are today very topical, and interestingly, the twisted motivation of the villain Graves includes paternal approval as well as world domination. He rails against "Western hypocrisy" and the British government as "policeman of the world". He has the chutzpah to parachute into Buckingham Palace. He reads Sun Tzu. It would not be a cliché to say there is more much more to this guy than meets the eye.
Ian Fleming's novel "Moonraker" serves as a touchstone in many ways for this film, and a great one it is. James Bond is up against his fellow countryman and universally respected Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens, who delivers a terrific performance). Graves, the mysterious "industrialist", has developed technology that can be used for human good, or cause great catastrophe. It is up to James Bond to determine which. A nice touch, we even get to see Bond at the private club, "Blades", where the arrogantly snobbish Graves (shades of Hugo Drax!) is also a world-class fencing champion. This sets up a balls-out match between he and Bond that escalates into a full-scale sword fight. Not once played for a laugh, it is a highlight of the film.
The pre-credits and credits sequences depict Bond captured by the villain, I mean seriously captured, and tortured and imprisoned for a considerable time. A haggard James Bond is not something the audience is used to seeing, and it is precisely this kind of touch that separate and elevate the last two Bond pictures this close to the level of the series' glory days. (That would be the 1960's, for those who might consider the arched eyebrow the height of Bondian sophistication.)
During the initial sequence, Colonel Moon (Will Yun Lee) is seen during an intense work out with a kick-boxing bag. After he finishes his vicious session, the bag is opened to reveal an under-achieving underling. Well done! James Bond, under the guise of selling diamonds for weapons, meets up with Moon in North Korea. Bond is ultimately unveiled as a spy, leading to his capture and imprisonment. But not before a kick-ass hovercraft chase, and an especially witty bon mot. (This is also the only scene where James Bond fires a machine-gun, if that matters.) Zao (Rick Yune) is introduced as a worthy physical adversary for Bond. A well known and effective trademark of all the Bond henchmen is some type of physical exaggeration or deformity, and Zao has a personal score to settle with Bond for causing his own.
This leads right into Danny Kleinman's credit sequence, and it may just be his best, if not the best of the entire series. That is saying quite a lot considering the great talent and legacy of Maurice Binder. Simultaneously stunningly beautiful and achingly disturbing, this sequence is reason enough to see the film, which I also said of Kleinman's work in Tomorrow Never Dies. There is also no denying that Madonna's controversial theme song has a tangible synergy with the credits, and although the song is certainly a departure, I think it will eventually rank with some of the most memorable Bond themes. Overall, the credit sequence is easily one of the highlights of the film.
Bond eventually does get out of North Korea, and finds himself in an MI6 hospital, where he encounters a particularly harsh M concerned with what he might have revealed under torture. She rescinds his "00" status, he escapes, and is off to track tracks Zao (and Graves) to Cuba, London (where his licence to kill is reinstated), Iceland, and eventually back to North Korea, where he ultimately confronts Graves. The plot is nicely straightforward, certainly not so unwieldy as to render itself moot, though there are a couple surprises including a traitor within MI6 that make it all the more a satisfying story.
Bond meets up with the beautiful Jinx (Halle Berry) in Cuba while posing as an ornithologist named James Bond(!) Beautiful and talented, casting Berry was a major coup, though depicting her in the film as 007's equal took some of the essential focus from Bond. This is one of my biggest quibbles with the film. The climactic fight scene at the end between Bond and Graves was intercut with Jinx's own battle. Ironically, I think Jinx's was superior.
The rest of the stellar cast includes Rosamund Pike as "Miranda Frost", and she is a wonderfully pleasant surprise. Judi Dench is as per usual, excellent. Samantha Bond's "Moneypenny" gets to experience some things we've always suspected she has desired, and at least one she probably hasn't. Toby Stephens is very good as already noted, and Rick Yune is more than memorable as the dangerous and lethal henchman, Zao. Michael Madsen isn't given much to do, which is unfortunate as he is a great and interesting actor. Nice touch to again include Colin Salmon as Charles Robinson. Madonna's character is quite unnecessary, although she does get in one good line.
It has been well publicized that Die Another Day contains many references to previous Bond films. Impressively, none of them seem forced, and several are especially well done. One needs to pay attention to catch many of these subtle touches, if one is so inclined. (The fan in me was, and loved every one.) They do not take away from the experience of the film, but add to it. Somewhat similarly, an ongoing criticism of the James Bond films has been "blatant product placement." Even though Die Another Day has one of the biggest marketing campaigns in memory, blatant product placement here is minimal. The Aston-Martin Vanquish gets quite a bit of screen time of course, and the Jaguar XK8 is simply a beautiful car, but besides that, there is but one mention of Bollinger, and just a few unobtrusive shots of well-placed products such as Heineken, Sony, Brioni, and Norelco.
John Cleese as "Q" is inspired casting, and he does the memory of Desmond Llewelyn proud, while still putting his own stamp on the role. The chemistry between Brosnan and Cleese is much more apparent than in The World Is Not Enough, and works as well and is as crisply written as any `Q scene' in the previous films. Bond's invisible Aston Martin sounds particularly unbelievable, but somehow, Q's matter-of-fact and simple explanation makes it work. A brilliant moment during one of their scenes, a subtle film reference had me rolling on the floor in laughter, though it has more to do with John Cleese's history than James Bond's.
The very talented David Arnold delivers a wonderfully Bondian musical score, and occasionally includes a subtle homage to John Barry, which is very much in keeping with the tone and celebration of the rest of the film. In addition, I don't think a James Bond movie has ever included an original song by the original artist to enhance what is depicted on-screen. Nice touch.
New Zealander Lee Tamahori takes the directorial reins, and his approach suits the film and character well. Incorporating several stylistic techniques (slow-motion, black-and-white, flashbacks) could have been a distraction, but they work, and do provide the film a contemporary feel. The staccato action sequences also reminded me somewhat of Peter Hunt's editing work from way back when. Tamahori should also be given credit for maintaining the more serious tone of the film. There has not been much continuity with Bond directors since the 1980's, it would be interesting to see him do another.
Cinematographer David Tattersall has assured that the film looks great and Peter Lamont has again delivered some beautiful sets. The car chase on ice, "Blades" and the Ice Palace are especially memorable. Though most everything looks marvelous, Die Another Day contains a surprising amount of CGI in its second hour. My biggest criticism about the film is its over-reliance on that arcade-game look and feel at times. I would add, a scene where a CGI Bond is "surfing" while holding onto parachutes is a pale reminiscence of a far more exciting scene from earlier in the film which was physically shot in Maui. What is the logical extension of using extensive CGI, an animated Bond film? The films have sometimes been described as "cartoonish". I trust the producers do not interpret that as a preference.
But these are relatively minor quibbles. Overall, Die Another Day works exceedingly well, and is superb entertainment that will also please the long-time fan of the series.
Finally, it might be said that Gustav Graves has no advantage over M and James Bond when it comes to understanding Sun Tzu and his "The Art of War": "It is the wise general who uses the highest intelligence of the army for the purposes of spying, and thereby achieves great results."
Great results indeed. Well done, 007 -
Die Another Day
Directed by Lee Tamahori.
Starring Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry and Judi Dench.
Pierce Brosnan's fourth effort as James Bond turns out to be by far his worst, resulting in the overly cheesy and disappointing "Die Another Day." Marking a double anniversary for the series (twenty films in forty years), the movie celebrates the tried-and-true Bond formula by tossing in at least one reference to each previous installment. While it may be fun to play 'Guess That Bond Movie' for a bit, there is generally not much enjoyment to be had in this uninspired entry.
The pre-title sequence kicks things off in typical Bond fashion. 007 invades a North Korean military base and, after an exciting hovercraft chase, is captured and imprisoned for over a year. As the credits roll -- to the sub par theme sung by Madonna -- the audience sees Bond beaten and tortured. MI6 only comes to his aid because they believe that he has cracked under pressure, and don't want the North Koreans siphoning important information. The once-heroic secret agent returns to his homeland a disgrace. The intro sets a serious tone for the film, duping its audience into suspecting that a similarly themed story will follow. That's what would have made sense, but it certainly isn't what occurs.
"Die Another Day" is split into two very different films. In the first half, it's a revenge story played relatively straight with interesting plot turns and developments. Bond, without the backing of his agency, seeks revenge for his betrayal in North Korea, following a trail (with stops at Hong Kong, Havana and Iceland) that eventually leads to diamond tycoon Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens). Graves is a pretty standard villain at first glance: rich, eccentric and power hungry. In fact, the entire first hour is business as usual for the series; nothing new but enjoyable nonetheless.
The story takes a turn for the outrageous in its second half, starting with Bond's initial encounter with Graves. The two quickly clash egos at a prestigious London fencing club. Their friendly match soon becomes an over-the-top sword fight that toes the line between exhilaration and camp. In the very next scene, Bond is reinstated at MI6 and "Die Another Day" simultaneously ditches the revenge theme. Apparently, Tamahori was no longer concerned with that aspect of the story, instead preferring to prop up his movie with ridiculous gadgets and unconvincing action sequences. The series typically employs stunt men to realize its fantastic feats, but this outing amps up the CGI to a disappointing degree. Seeing a computer-generated Pierce Brosnan riding a tidal wave and dodging icebergs on a makeshift surfboard is just too much. Remember, just because you can doesn't mean you should.
Brosnan's effort in "Die Another Day" recalls that of Sean Connery in his last 007 feature, "Diamonds Are Forever." Much like Connery at the time, Brosnan has simply lost interest and sleepwalks from scene to scene. His heart clearly isn't in it, whether it be due to the corniness of the film or boredom with the role in general. He stars opposite Halle Berry, whose Jinx character is set up as Bond's female equivalent. She's an American agent working for the NSA, with an appetite for sex and excitement. Despite the good intentions, Jinx is just a poorly disguised effort to appease feminist sensibilities (not to mention, she's just plain annoying). The producers make sure that she kicks butt, yet she is still the helpless damsel in distress when the time comes.
This twentieth installment means well, and in the hands of a more competent director it could have been much better, but "Die Another Day" ultimately fails because of its indecisiveness. The film sacrifices story to make way for mindless action, but in order for the audience to care about the action there needs to be a compelling story driving it along (I guess those responsible for the movie never heard about the chicken and the egg). It attempts to pay tribute to the past, but instead combines the worst bits of the old movies. As a result, "Die Another Day" takes its place alongside "Diamonds Are Forever", "Moonraker" and "A View to a Kill" as one of the worst Bond films ever made.
Final Grade: D -
ironhorse_iv14 January 2016I absolutely love the Bond movies, however, as a devoted fan of the series, I acknowledge that the films vary dramatically in terms of artistic quality. Die Another Day is one of the stupidest 007 movies, I have ever saw. It's the 'Moonraker' of the modern era. A over the top escapism film that try too hard to be young and hip, that it tire itself out, with its old and heavily clichéd premise. Not only did, this movie derailed the spy franchise for years to come, it also put the franchise in so much deep ice, that 2006's Casino Royale had to come and reboot it with its Jason Bourne like realistic style. While, I wouldn't say, it's the worst Bond movie, ever. I do have to say, that the movie is so bad, it's kinda good, in how entertaining bad it was. However, that doesn't make it, a good movie. Directed by Lee Tamahori, the movie tells the story of James Bond (Pierce Brosnan), being sent to South Korea to investigate the connection between a North Korean terrorist named Colonel Moon (Will Yun Lee) & a diamond mogul, Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens). It's there, that he find out, that both are funding the development of an international space weapon call Icarus that could wipe South Korea from the face of the earth using concentrated sunlight. Can Bond stop this weapon from doing that, or will the villains gain the upper-hand? Watch the movie to find out, if you want to! Without spoiling the movie, too much, I have to say, the whole kill sat plot is nothing new. This is fourth time, a Bond movie use the killer satellite plot, after 1971's Diamonds are Forever, 1979's Moonraker and just recently, 1995's GoldenEye! Honestly, in my opinion, these killer sat plots are just really ridiculous, and childish. It's almost borderline into self-parody. You would think, they would have learn, their lesson, after seeing 1999's Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, lampoon the idea, to the ground; but no, they still thought, it was a good idea. Like really, what was Moon's plan should the good guys attack during night? I ask this, because Earth's shadow extends far enough into space to eclipse the Moon! No viable orbit would be high enough to ensure that Icarus always had sunlight to reflect. I don't think the writers for this movie, Neal Purvis & Robert Wade thought of that. They're so idiotic. Not only that; but a lot of the crazy sci-fi elements, they wrote, fail to impress me. Among them is "The Vanquish" cloaking car, in which the filmmakers already forgot how it works after explaining it. It's clear by what they wrote, that if objects pass, beside the car, it would appear on the other side, making it visible. So they isn't anywhere, Bond could honestly hide, besides going in. Another sci-fi element that seem unbelievable, is the DNA restructuring sub-plot. While, the science for it, seem off the wall, impossible, because how bone marrow and voice therapy honestly works; that isn't my main problem with it. Honestly, I found the whole subplot, somewhat offensive. The reason why, is because I felt like the writers only brought this sub plot up, because the filmmakers must have, thought that the Asian actor, they hired, didn't seem very appealing or believable as a main 'Bond' villain to the mostly white English people. So they hired an English Caucasian actor to replace him in most of the film. I call it as it is, it's the filmmakers having cold feet and playing to stereotypes that Asians actors cannot act. Anyways the twist that came with this move, was very predictable, lame and not really needed. Don't get me wrong, Toby Stephens is a fine actor, but his character is one of the weaker James Bond villains, I ever saw. I found his henchman, Zao (Rick Yune), to be more appealing. However, that diamonds still sticking to Zao's skin doesn't make much sense, in the long run, if the villains are trying to change his face. Anyways, the worst sci-fi gadget, this movie adds is the virtual-reality simulator. Not only does it has nothing to do with the main plot, it felt like a 'Bobby Ewing in the Shower' cop out. Those trolling action scenes are just filler, at best. Talking about action, I have to say, it's a mixed bag for me. I kinda do like the Iceland car chase, in the middle of the film, however, the CGI parasailing surfing on a tidal wave, heart stopping sequence, ice palace melting and cyborg suit is a serious no-no for me. There were all badly done. And while we're at it, the hovercraft chase and disintegrating airplane scene had some really blatantly obvious green screen as well. It was a bit jarring to watch. But by far, the worst thing about this film is the opening torturing scenes, with the title music by Madonna. I hate the horrific auto tune and repetitive lyrics. Still, I have to say, that Pierce Brosnan in his last appearance as the character was alright for the most part, however it's clear that he can't do much, realistic stunts, as he used to. About Halle Berry being the bond girl, Jinx; she was believable in the action scenes, however her sassy acting is really bad. 100 percent line readings, pointless whining, and awkward blaxploitation one-liners like lame 'yo mamma' jokes made her, very unwatchable. Thank god, that Jinx never got her own spin-off film series. I like Rosamund Pike as bond girl, number 2, Miranda Frost in her film debut over her. She was amazing. Still, the age-gap between Pierce Brosnan and her, is somewhat alarming, and disturbing. They also don't have any chemistry together on screen. Overall: I found the movie to be subpar. The 50th anniversary of the first novel, and the 40th anniversary of the film canon, deserve better than this. Check 2012's Skyfall, instead.
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waqassaleem-852016 June 2021The film is good and a great end to pierce Brosnan as James Bond. The biggest issue is the films CGI felt like I was watching a cartoon. Worth the watch still though.
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nirtere15 August 2019I've only watched the most recent James Bond(Casino Royale etc), so I don't know a lot about the previous James Bond. But I've really appreciated the punchlines of the James Bond character and Giacinta "Jinx" Johnson the NSA spy ! Usually it doesn't make me laugh but in this case, with this timing, I found it really great ! However, the scenario is a little weak sometimes, as the some of the things the villain does seem a little far fetched ... Still, I had a good time watching it !
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bushtony4 April 2011There are Bond films that are so lacking in self-consciousness they just bring a smile to your face and make you feel good. Then there are some that are so resolutely self-satisfied, egocentric and hideously sanctimonious, believing they've got it so right when they've got it so wrong, it just succeeds in hacking one off. DAD is in the latter category. It is delusional as it presents as a smart and sassy crowd pleaser, slapping itself vigorously on the back for it's "cleverness," when it's actually a misfiring, poorly conceived, badly scripted, appallingly acted, ineptly directed, chunk-blowing no-brainer that succeeds in insulting the audience like few Bond films ever have before. Those in the audience who were not insulted - you failed to notice, but you were in fact slashed and burned big time. Lack of insight has protected you this time, my children. Now, back on the short bus.
Still, to be fair, like all the Brosnan movies, although it's largely a brain-bending bum-steer of a Bond film, it has some plus points as well as minus points. For me this is how they stack up:
The Plus:
The hyper-stylised torture motif played-out through the opening credits. Bond in captivity. Toby Stephen's sneering portrait of upper-middle class nouveau-riche Brit villainy. Rosamund Pike – cool, gorgeous, willowy, Brit beauty The sword fight – well-choreographed, good fun Judi Dench as a particularly callous and ruthless M The Ice Palace set design. The scientifically feasible invisible car (yes, it has a basis in fact) Some of the cinematography is lovely Cuban locations Disused part of the London underground as an MI6 enclave The cars are fabulous Bond sucks on a big Cuban (cigar) Love that shirt
And, one of the best, most superbly ironic and witty one-liners in any Bond movie ever: "Ice?" "If you can spare it."
And, and, and, the hovercraft chase - although an unlikely choice of vehicle due to being impossible to handle at speed - was unique and a bitch to get right. We must also know that the air cushion supporting a hovercraft would set off a pressure sensitive landmine as surely as Jack Black tap dancing through the location in mining boots. Still, let that one pass.
The Minus:
Brosnan's worst performance ever as Bond. Introducing Coma-boy. "Doctor, will he ever regain consciousness?" "Maybe when the pay cheque arrives, Mrs Brozza." Appallingly bad one-liners delivered appallingly badly by a man sleepwalking towards payday with a self-satisfied smirk on his chops. Good for him, though. Rehashed satellite weapon McGuffin (DAF, GE). OK to recycle, providing it's done well (main lesson being - TSWLM *take note). Bond is the most well-nourished torture victim/captive ever on screen. Koreans feed their captive on Pizza Hut, Burger King and Krispy Kremes these days? Transcendental Zen-Buddhist skills to lower heart rate. Huh? One years worth of filthy, matted beard removed by a Philishave that would actually be hard pressed to razor the hairs from a particularly languid gooseberry. Worst ever Bond song – no tune or melody that could be used as a signature by Arnold during the film. Techno-drone rubbish. Diamond-faced henchman. Pair of tweezers could have removed them in 1-3 minutes flat. Was it a fashion statement? Gene-transplant malarkey. PowerRangers suit. Virtual reality sex scene (Moneypenny/Bond). Crass and crude, unnecessary. Ruinous of the frisson their relationship should have thrived on. Lousy, dopey direction by Tamahori for the most part. CGI surfing – if CGI is to be used, at least spend some money on it. Playstation 2 games do it better and more creatively. Do it right, or don't do it Madonna parody – sorry, cameo. Halle Berry ("Yo Mama," etc). Whatever happened to her acting skills? Sorry, scratch the word skills. And acting. Might as well. "Put yer back inta it!" Tick – gurn – grimace – letch! Bond submerged in sub-zero water with nary a shiver or a quiver. It's not suitably self-aware or bright enough to even be a parody. Suspension of disbelief is a given in the Bonds - but the sledge-hammering it gets here is a little too overpowering even for me.
Oh, and swimming miles in Tokyo harbour - one of the most effluent, filthy, virulently toxic stretches of water in the world would actually put Hellboy in intensive care for a month. Please, don't get me started on the unscathed super-cars that plummet thousands of feet into a rice paddy without a scratch.
Personally, the sum of the minus parts outweigh that of the plus in terms of my capacity to enjoy this movie as a Bond film or a film in general. Too many WTF moments to maintain any credibility. It may not be the least creatively successful in the series, but they must have sweated nights to try and make it so. It's a fine line to tread - establishing clear or sheer impossibility rendered in a style that successfully engenders suspension of disbelief, or a feeling in the audience that this is so good it doesn't matter if it's totally off the wall. It needs skillful handling, scripting and execution. DAD ain't got any of those.
Maybe if you want to make a good Bond film, choosing a director who dresses as a woman, cruises sailors on shore leave and advocates the mind-numbingly stupid James Bond-as-codename theory to the public was not that great a place to start. Maybe his "feel" and understanding for the subject matter was a little off-kilter from the outset. After which, the whole shebang was duct taped to a greased day-glow toboggan speeding all the way to hell. -
BandSAboutMovies21 April 2020All things come to an end with Bond, as this is the last Pierce Brosnan movie. It's packed with product placement - even more than many Bond films - and was nearly the pilot for a series of films with Halle Berry's Jinx Johnson character. MGM wanted to move on to a new series, to the dismay of Eon. It would have been interesting.
This film starts with Bond enduring 14 months of torture in North Korea and stripped of his 00 status after MI6 believes that he gave up information under torture. This puts him on the case of Gustav Graves, a seller of conflict diamonds who ends up being the very same Colonel Moon who held him as a POW.
For all of the derision tossed the way of this film, the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish ice castle sequence is - for me - on par with the Lotus Espirit scene in The Spy Who Loved Me. Roger Moore disliked both these scene and the CGI in this film, calling it a franchise low. This is the man who made A View to a Kill, so just imagine that.
Piling on the scorn, Elton John claimed that the Madonna theme for this film was the "worst Bond tune ever." Madonna also shows up in a brief cameo.
Director Lee Tamahori has an interesting resume, with everything from Once Were Warriors, xXX: State of the Union and Along Came a Spider on his IMDB list.
As this film was released on the fortieth anniversary of Dr. No, former Bond actors Moore, George Lazenby and Timothy Dalton joined Brosnan at the premiere. Connery was busy filming The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. -
Haze17 June 2004Die Another Day is almost like watching a parody of a Bond movie. The script and action is driven to the limit that you think your are watching a Zuckerman production.
Clearly the director must have thought that the ingredients for a Bond movie is explosions, gadgets, one liners and then multiplied that with 10. Not all but most Bond movies used to have a script suited for a spy movie. Die Another Day has a script suited for a Lethal Weapon movie or any movie of that kind.
If you are a Bond fan you will certainly need more than one vodka martini to get thru this movie :) -
tavm9 September 2022When I first watched this James Bond flick with some friends at a movie theatre 20 years ago, I remember enjoying it a lot! Now that I know that it's considered perhaps the least enjoyable among some Bond fans and that it has perhaps the most ridiculous of plots especially concerning some of the gadgets (i.e. An invisible car) and some of the CGI (i.e. The skydiving scene) are especially noticeable, well, I still highly enjoy it! I mean, Pierce Brosnan was still aces as Bond in what turned out to be his final outing as such, Halle Berry made a fine Bond Girl who more than matched him in intense action scenes, Rosamund Pike was also good as a fellow agent who...well, I don't want to reveal too much. Oh, and John Cleese, in his second Bond appearance, was also good for some laughs as the new Q, though this turned out to be his last time in the series. Director Lee Tamahori stages great action scenes almost non-stop making such an entertaining romp throughout! Oh, and I also liked Madonna's cameo before the fencing scene especially her exit line! And I also thought her title song was pretty cool especially during images of Pierce being...okay, I'll just now say that Mom and I really enjoyed Die Another Day and leave it at that! P. S. Deborah Moore, daughter of previous JB Roger, was the flight attendant serving Brosnan on a British Airways plane.
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booboobear197024 November 2002I must say the in the realm of Bond films that this one is fairly decent. Pierce Brosnan I have to admit is one of the best Bonds and has surpassed Roger Moore. Pierce Brosnan has come as close to getting Bond back to the level of Sean Connery as anyone could and I hope we can look forward to him as Bond until he gets tired of this role. The movie as a whole was entertaining and I do tend to prefer the Bond films with more action but this one goes a little over the top. And although I love Halle Berry, and not just because she is one of the most beautiful and talented actresses working today, but she just wasn't believable as a tough government agent. I have no problem with her being there as a glamorous beautiful woman Bond hooks up with but watching her run with a a gun was pretty amusing. She definitely didn't rise to the level of Michelle Yeoh or Famke Janssen in Brosnan's other outings as Bond. This one is good but I still think Brosnan's best as Bond is Tomorrow Never Dies. 7 out of 10 stars.
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cookscourt16 December 2002For those who haven't seen it yet, ***SPOILERS*** follow.
For me, and for many others, James Bond is a unique character who was established for decades by Sean Connery and Roger Moore. The producers quickly learned with the first few movies starring Sean Connery that the hard core Bond of the Flemming novels needed some adaptation to survive and they did a superlative job of doing so for quite some time.
As such, there is, (or I should say, WAS), a certain surrealistic magic about the James Bond character which allowed us movie goers to transcend reality and truly escape the headlines we all read daily regarding the heroes who die too young. During this period, if you wanted all out action and violence in a movie, you went to a Schwartznegger, Stalone, etc flick.
Certain rules, which have applied to James Bond for a long time, have been stripped away by most of the so called "Bond" films since Roger Moore's era and were ably and completely done away with in this film, such as:
1) Bond NEVER gets caught. Well, OK. He can get caught by the bad guy, threatened, bragged at by the Bad guy, then escape in just the nick of time and foil his plan. Truth be known, he could have escaped whenever he wanted to, but allowed himself to be held for a day or two just to learn more from the "inside."
2) Bond NEVER gets tortured endlessly. Maybe roughed up, but not tortured for over a year. His quick wit and matchless skills simply won't allow it.
3) Bond is NEVER in a situation from which his unmatched genius, talent, and cool can't save him.
4) Bond NEVER gets abandoned by his country or told by his superior that if it were up to her, he would still be rotting in prison. He might get a disapproving sneer from a stuffed shirt government rep, but deep down he's appreciated and respected for his talents and bravery.
Yet in "Die Another Day", we are presented with a James Bond who gets captured for 14 months, ruthlessly tortured by near drowning and scorpion stings, with anti venom used to bring him back from the brink of death time and time again. There was no doubt that he was captured, was to remain so, was completely at his captors mercy, and there was no way he could figure a way to escape.
At the end of the 14 months, when Bond thought he was going to be executed, he started walking that "last mile" out of the prison camp clearly in a hopeless situation in which he was going to be unceremoniously shot in the back with no way out. You could even see the look of broken despair and hopelessness on Brosnan's face as he walked bravely forward. One is reminded of Roger Moore in "Live and Let Die", when he is being quite literally walked out to a back alley by multiple thugs, spots an opportunity and takes out the gun men handily. A good job of acting out the role of helplessness, exhaustion, and nearly mental collapse by Brosnan, but simply not a fit for James Bond.
Last, but not least, when he realizes he is being traded and gets met by the "good guys", he is injected with a sedative and wakes up in a high tech "prison" of sorts where M tells him that if it were up to her, he would still be rotting in prison, that his freedom was bought at too high a price, that they suspect he was broken and gave away priceless secrets, and that he was to remain in their custody until she deemed it fit to release him.
I could go on, but the movie does so, (unfortunately), illustrating my point, so why bother?
In the real world, an agent with a license to kill and put on assignments like James Bond would probably not last very long. There are undoubtedly such heroes giving their lives daily in the protection of freedom and human rights which we will never hear about, as well as others who we do hear about. But the true Bond character is not real world. Rather, he stands unique. He allows us to escaped the carnage of real life and believe for a few fleeting moments, that the good guy really can survive AND save the day, and do it with suave and cool. What a shame they have ruined the franchise that was so ably established for decades.
Perhaps M's words to Bond summarized things best: Bond is not England's celebrated, priceless treasure anymore, not the man who stands head and shoulders above the rest. He does not walk coolly and calmly down the path to certain death, only to cheat death yet again simply because he is, well, "BOND, JAMES BOND!" In fact, at this point, he can be captured without displaying the wits necessary to escape, tortured endlessly, and taken out to the back ally and shot, in just the same manner as with any other John Doe in the real world. In fact, he is not even to be trusted and has been locked away indefinitely.
For my part, I've given the industry moguls many years to clean up the mess they've made of this franchise, and they will not get another dime of mine to see this (not even) poor excuse for James Bond they have been portraying recently in any future movies.