Die Another Day

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

I 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.

Look, 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.

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!

I 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.