Apr 13, 2009 10:51 AM
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When I watched Goldeneye, I saw Connery and Moore in Brosnan. But not in the next flick, TOMORROW NEVER DIES that was the first Bond film to be made after the death of Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli. Next to Desmond Llewelyn, no other member of the original Bond team has remained on the series as long as he has and will be remembered for always.
Because of his death, his children Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson were left as the sole producers of the Bond franchise. Perhaps their father's death was the cause of the problems of this film.
TOMORROW NEVER DIES looks like an ACTION film, it feels like an ACTION film, and is a good ACTION film, but Bond is not JUST an action film. He has suspense. He has the thriller/spy element. He has romance. He has drama. He has crime. Bond films are in their own genre, the Bond genre, and this film doesn't fit into that category. It is just an action film. Pierce Brosnan has matured into the part of James Bond from GOLDENEYE and gives an inferior performance.
But it is still too Connery for my tastes and the compassion Bond has with his leading ladies is unbelievable for the character. Speaking of which, both Paris Carver and Wai Lin are excellent. But Wai Lin's falling in love with Bond is uncharacteristic for her, and again, Bond's emotional attachement to Paris is uncalled for. I like women with personality, but they shouldn't over-do it and try to give Bond a true love again.
It's an insult to Fleming and OHMSS in particular. The MI6 staff returns doing a fantastic job, But Bill Tanner is left out, instead filled in by Robinson. He does a good job. Jack Wade also makes a welcome return. The villains have the worst problems. Elliot Carver is a one-dimensional, power-crazed, pure evil megalomaniac with no characterization. At least he's down to earth with a good believable plot unlike Moonraker or Die Another Day. His age makes his confrontation and death by Bond very dull. Stamper is a stereotypical henchman. Surprisingly Bond uses BMW instead of Aston Martin.
The only amusing villain is Dr. Kaufman, who describes doctorine in murder with excellent humor. The film has real-life stunts and incredible action, but that's all it focuses on. Just because Brosnan did not give as much performance as his predecessors, he was not wowed in Die Another Day ultimately frustrating fans thirsting for a better Bond. With it being an action film, not a Bond film, being the quickest way to summarize my complaints, this film gets a 2.5 out of 10.
