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.
1,040 Reviews
Fourth Brosnan 'Bond' Starts Promisingly, but Falters...
cariart8 May 2004
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!
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!
It has been knocked by critics and fans a like over the years but on the whole it is hugely entertaining
Colbridge19 September 2021
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.
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.
Well, what did you expect??
kphurley-123 November 2002
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.
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.
Action packed pre credit scene but a lousy n cartoonish parachute-assisted surfing stunt at the end.
Fella_shibby14 May 2021
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.
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.
Better Than I Expected
Theo Robertson28 October 2004
DIE 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
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
The legendary British agent returns again well incarnated by Brosnan in a spectacular action movie
ma-cortes16 May 2007
This 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.
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.
Promising start fades
SnoopyStyle27 November 2013
Pierce 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.
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.
Die Another Day means Landscapes, Gadgets, non-Visual but Virtual Effects in Bond literature
CihanVercan14 August 2009
There 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)
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)
What on earth have they done to James Bond?
bahgdadc15 January 2004
Come 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.
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.
Moneypenny finally gets her first hot kiss after exactly 40 years!
Nazi_Fighter_David4 November 2007
After 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!
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!
My main problems with this entry are with Madonna...
TheLittleSongbird18 August 2010
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
Three and one-half of four stars
RTomZ4 January 2003
Die 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
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
Takes its place as one of the worst Bond films ever made
MasterDebator54 January 2009
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
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
Very good punchlines
nirtere15 August 2019
I'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 !
End of Pierce Brosnan
waqassaleem-852016 June 2021
Watch It Some Other Day
Haze17 June 2004
Die 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 :)
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 :)
The series needs some new blood, and right away
Agent1028 January 2003
Most of this film was rather excruciating. Halle Berry seemed to forget the fact she won an Oscar, Pierce Brosnan did some rather incredible things that looked more like a ripoff of XXX, and the whole Icarus laser thing seemed really contrived. While this isn't the worst film in the series, it proves that new blood is needed in the writing and directing department. They need to get real professionals to make these type of films, not some hack who maybe shot a few commercials and TV movie. This series isn't dead yet, but another sub-par outing will eventually put the last nail in the coffin.
(However, Rosamund Pike was a good detail within the film)
(However, Rosamund Pike was a good detail within the film)
Fun but tries too hard to it's detriment
bob the moo5 December 2002
On a mission in Korea, James Bond is captured and tortured for 18 months. He is swapped with Korean agent Zao for his freedom. However M has swapped him not to save him, but because she believes Bond has cracked and is giving away information. However Bond knows there is another mole in the area and escapes to uncover what Zao is up to and to uncover his Western ally.
I looked forward to this film because I like Bond and easily get caught up in the hype. I think it is just down to the success of the formula and the fact that it feels comfortable to know you're getting a slightly different version of reliable product. For me, familiarity has yet to breed contempt in this series. I wanted to like this film more, although I did enjoy the vast majority of it. It's biggest problem is simply that it tries too hard and wants to do too much. The plot is OK and is a brave start showing our hero broken and in prison, but from there it does try and do way too much. It was good to relate the pre-credits scene to the rest of the film but the film seems restless unless it is having a major bit of plot happening - too many little twists or new bits of plot that stopped the film flowing. The plot is OK at heart but the little additions of diamonds, ice palace, weapons in space, DNA alteration, electrical suits all gets a bit much.
The film's direction is also a bit frantic. A little bit of Matrix creeping in and sudden rushing cameras etc. It isn't needed, indeed they make the cake feel over egged, like the director didn't trust himself enough to a good job and needed gimmicks etc. On top of this there are three or so cgi shots that are really poor (and I mean Mummy Returns poor). It doesn't help that the theme song is one of the worst ever but I could get past that as the action under the credits helped distract from it. The action is all good on the whole but there didn't seem enough room for them and all that plot - also everything was overdone. We don't need matrix type effects in Bond - all we need is a certain amount of flair and well designed shots etc. I sound negative but I still enjoyed this despite the weaknesses cause at the end of the day the formula still works even with the monkeying around.
One of the main reasons is Brosnan himself. he is getting better every film. He does some bad puns but never to the mocking extent of Moore and he also does the dangerous element of Connery. Even when the film starts to get silly he remains strong in the lead. Berry is wasted and is a distraction more than a good addition. From the cringe worthy first scene with Bond (trading smutty one liners) onwards she has no character worth speaking of. Her dialogue is innuendo and not lines, her acting is all in the twitch of her lips as she flirts and that's it. To look at, she does the job, but i thought we'd gotten past Bond girls that are eye-candy and nothing more. Pike is given a more frosty role and does pretty well despite being very cold when viewed beside the flirtatious Berry. Stephens hams it up as Graves. He starts well but the plot spin on his character (esp. the electric suit stuff) takes away from his credibility as a bad guy and he ends up as a cartoon type rather than a real threat. Yune on the other hand is a real good villain - a gimmick (his face) but also presence and real menace without hamming it up. I had hoped he would be the focus but alas no. Dench is good and Madsen is an interesting addition - but perhaps he wasn't the best choice for the head of NSA given the type of roles he is best known for - how many other people could only see Mr Blonde? Cleese does well as the new Q and brings his comedy into the role well, making it similar to the spirit of Q without being a copy. Madonna's cameo is as bad and as pointless as her theme song.
Overall let me stress I enjoyed this film but couldn't help but see the many flaws. It simply tries too hard in almost every area - plot, writing, action, direction. The formula is all there but it feels like they want to up the ante in every way, only at the basic level does the film feel comfortable in it's own skin and relaxes, for most of the time you'd think this was a new film desperately trying to start a franchise as opposed to a long running series.
I looked forward to this film because I like Bond and easily get caught up in the hype. I think it is just down to the success of the formula and the fact that it feels comfortable to know you're getting a slightly different version of reliable product. For me, familiarity has yet to breed contempt in this series. I wanted to like this film more, although I did enjoy the vast majority of it. It's biggest problem is simply that it tries too hard and wants to do too much. The plot is OK and is a brave start showing our hero broken and in prison, but from there it does try and do way too much. It was good to relate the pre-credits scene to the rest of the film but the film seems restless unless it is having a major bit of plot happening - too many little twists or new bits of plot that stopped the film flowing. The plot is OK at heart but the little additions of diamonds, ice palace, weapons in space, DNA alteration, electrical suits all gets a bit much.
The film's direction is also a bit frantic. A little bit of Matrix creeping in and sudden rushing cameras etc. It isn't needed, indeed they make the cake feel over egged, like the director didn't trust himself enough to a good job and needed gimmicks etc. On top of this there are three or so cgi shots that are really poor (and I mean Mummy Returns poor). It doesn't help that the theme song is one of the worst ever but I could get past that as the action under the credits helped distract from it. The action is all good on the whole but there didn't seem enough room for them and all that plot - also everything was overdone. We don't need matrix type effects in Bond - all we need is a certain amount of flair and well designed shots etc. I sound negative but I still enjoyed this despite the weaknesses cause at the end of the day the formula still works even with the monkeying around.
One of the main reasons is Brosnan himself. he is getting better every film. He does some bad puns but never to the mocking extent of Moore and he also does the dangerous element of Connery. Even when the film starts to get silly he remains strong in the lead. Berry is wasted and is a distraction more than a good addition. From the cringe worthy first scene with Bond (trading smutty one liners) onwards she has no character worth speaking of. Her dialogue is innuendo and not lines, her acting is all in the twitch of her lips as she flirts and that's it. To look at, she does the job, but i thought we'd gotten past Bond girls that are eye-candy and nothing more. Pike is given a more frosty role and does pretty well despite being very cold when viewed beside the flirtatious Berry. Stephens hams it up as Graves. He starts well but the plot spin on his character (esp. the electric suit stuff) takes away from his credibility as a bad guy and he ends up as a cartoon type rather than a real threat. Yune on the other hand is a real good villain - a gimmick (his face) but also presence and real menace without hamming it up. I had hoped he would be the focus but alas no. Dench is good and Madsen is an interesting addition - but perhaps he wasn't the best choice for the head of NSA given the type of roles he is best known for - how many other people could only see Mr Blonde? Cleese does well as the new Q and brings his comedy into the role well, making it similar to the spirit of Q without being a copy. Madonna's cameo is as bad and as pointless as her theme song.
Overall let me stress I enjoyed this film but couldn't help but see the many flaws. It simply tries too hard in almost every area - plot, writing, action, direction. The formula is all there but it feels like they want to up the ante in every way, only at the basic level does the film feel comfortable in it's own skin and relaxes, for most of the time you'd think this was a new film desperately trying to start a franchise as opposed to a long running series.
I liked the opening in North Korea with Pierce Bronson Bond surfing and it was entertaining with him and M the back in forth and Halley Berry as NSA agent Jixx was good i
rpoc-4471110 March 2022
Was a good movie I liked Pierce Bronson 👍😊🍸Bond Movies he was surfing the beginning liked that him and Hallie Berry 👗and M the tough role she and Bond OO7 were going out it she left him in Korea I through it was sad for Bond he looked rough and good theme song by Madonna .!
Pretty Entertaining
booboobear197024 November 2002
I 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.
The best of Brosnan
DamRho20 January 2003
We have to admit that the actors that have portrayed James Bond in 40 years have been both great actors and bad actors. Pierce Brosnan fits in the first category. Brosnan is probably the second best Bond after Roger Moore - Sean Connery was great but being the first didn't give him too much visibility, George Lazenby was a very sad choice, and Timothy Dalton was unlucky enough to have 3 not-so-good movies although I really appreciate him as an actor. What was lacking in Pierce Brosnan's 007 career was a really good Bond movie. Die Another Day is that movie. Of course I've realized that the plot is senseless and silly... so what? All James Bond movies are about great action sequences, car chases, women and, naturally, Bond getting out of the most wicked situations in the most unpredictable way. In Die Another Day, 007 achieves it all. He surfs, he runs, he jumps, he drinks, he drives and he fights, all the time with flawless hairstyle & tux. This is, after all, James Bond's finest trademark. Two notes go to Toby Stephens (Gustav Graves), the first since Christopher Lee (Francisco Scaramanga) in The Man With The Golden Gun to level up with Bond and face him eye-in-the-eye, and the great Monty Python John Cleese (Q) whose performance is equal to the late Desmond Llewelyn (and who will always be Q in the hearts of James Bond fans) if not even superior. Die Another Day is probably the best bond movie since A View To A Kill because it is the first of these to have all the classic James Bond elements. All 007 fans should definitely watch this movie but viewers that are not into the genre should not get high expectations about Die Another Day. It is a movie for the fans, and what a great James Bond this is!
Die Another Day — Villains threatening the world, 007 to the rescue
AvidClimber21 March 2013
Die Another Day is probably the best James Bond with Pierce Brosnan. It was an anniversary piece containing many cameos of past incarnations in the form of gadgets or scenes. Halle Berry plays a great and strong Bond girl. Rosamund Pike is not so bad either. Personally, I thought she was a good fit for her ice cold role.
The scope of the story was large enough to equal the best before it, so I gave it a slightly higher mark for that reason. Lots of one liners, including a one liner joke on one liners. Seduction, high stake, car chases, lots of fights and action. The scenario was interesting, if unimaginative. Of course, any Bond movie tries to fit the mold to rake in as many viewer as possible, and in that respect, it hit a bulls-eye.
If you want to see a good Bond movie, it's for you.
The scope of the story was large enough to equal the best before it, so I gave it a slightly higher mark for that reason. Lots of one liners, including a one liner joke on one liners. Seduction, high stake, car chases, lots of fights and action. The scenario was interesting, if unimaginative. Of course, any Bond movie tries to fit the mold to rake in as many viewer as possible, and in that respect, it hit a bulls-eye.
If you want to see a good Bond movie, it's for you.
Shockingly awful
supersonic142529 January 2004
I like James Bond films. I haven't seen them all, but I've seen most. This has got to be the worst one out of the ones I've seen.
The best word I can think of to describe this film is: Stupid.
The plot is stupid. The gadgets are stupid (invisible cars? Who the hell thought of that?). The big action scenes are stupid. The characters are stupid. etc.
A few moments in this film really stand out as being awful. One of these is the ridiculous surf scene where Bond uses a piece of metal and a parachute from a crashed 'something' and uses them to surf this huuuuuge tidal wave. Not only does this scene look unbelievably fake, but it also is too ridiculous even for a Bond movie. Bond films are known to have over-the-top action sequences that probably wouldn't ever happen in real life, but this just takes it too far.
They tried to mix Bond, The Matrix & music videos. Not my cup of tea, to be honest.
The best word I can think of to describe this film is: Stupid.
The plot is stupid. The gadgets are stupid (invisible cars? Who the hell thought of that?). The big action scenes are stupid. The characters are stupid. etc.
A few moments in this film really stand out as being awful. One of these is the ridiculous surf scene where Bond uses a piece of metal and a parachute from a crashed 'something' and uses them to surf this huuuuuge tidal wave. Not only does this scene look unbelievably fake, but it also is too ridiculous even for a Bond movie. Bond films are known to have over-the-top action sequences that probably wouldn't ever happen in real life, but this just takes it too far.
They tried to mix Bond, The Matrix & music videos. Not my cup of tea, to be honest.
A james bond b-movie
Jolly_Jumper14 March 2004
This is without doubt the one of the very worst James Bond movies. In fact this is a b- movie, plain and simple. The Storyline is crap, the acting is crap and the special effects are especially crap (the die cast car models cast thrown out of the "airplane" at the end). Brosnans acting is as wooden as ever, and the story is just laughable. Let's face it, there is noting left that distinguishes a James Bond movie form any other action movie. They have run out of ideas.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
