The ever-daring James Bond taking on a North Korean leader who undergoes DNA replacement procedures that allow him to assume different identities. American agent Jinx Johnson assists Bond in thwart...
Die Another Day has left me profoundly disheartened. For one, this is the final performance by Pierce Brosnan, whose time as Bond was marred by poor supporting performances, and worse scripts. Secondly, Die Another Day was the final James Bond film released for the home video market on glorious VHS, a format I treasure.
As is typical of Brosnan’s films, Die Another Day opens strong. Bond goes undercover to infiltrate a diamond smuggling operation, but when his cover is blown much shooting and stunt work follow. Bond is taken prisoner in North Korea where he is tortured and, by the time he returns to England a year later, closely resembles George Harrison circa 1971. This opening satisfies one of my frequent gripes about Brosnan’s Bond films: the lack of opportunities given to let his dramatic acting skills shine. Brosnan walking around with a full beard and long hair might be a bit much, but it’s executed well enough that I’m sold.
Bond realizes he’s been set up and, after M rescinds his 00 status, goes hunting for answers. I was very excited by this setup. We finally get something different for this era of the series: a badass, pissed off Bond, and Brosnan appears to have an opportunity to follow this character straight down into the muck. I couldn’t wait to see what direction things were headed. It should come as no surprise that the creative forces behind this film didn’t have the guts to follow through. Within ten minutes we’re watching Jinx (Halle Berry) walk out of the ocean Ursula Andress-style, and the old libertine is back to basics.
Once Jinx enters the mix, things fall off a bit. Berry’s line deliveries are flat and she has little chemistry with Brosnan, in bed or otherwise. Berry certainly hurts the film, but things progress well enough towards the hour mark as the plot is still unraveling with relative intrigue, and we’re introduced to new characters Gustav Graves (Tobey Stephens) and Miranda Frost (Rosamund Pike). A highlight of the film is when Graves and Bond engage in an over the top (but highly enjoyable) sword fight through the grounds of an old hotel--an undeniably gratutious scene that made me want to stand up and applaud. Sadly, this is the last time I’ll be enjoying the film as it quickly goes off the rails in less entertaining ways.
The second act begins when MI6 equips Bond with an invisible car, which he then drives to an ice castle. Take a moment to let that sink in. When Gustav’s secret satellite (which can harness the power of the sun and fire heat beams at earth like a miniature Death Star) attacks the ice castle, Bond uses a makeshift surfboard to ride over the newly melted waves. This actually happens. Seriously, go rent to movie.
The film should have wrapped itself up here but no, we get another twenty minutes of unnecessary action on an airplane when all I want are the closing credits.
I’d like apologize to Pierce Brosnan on behalf of all the Bond fans out there. Pierce, you deserved better. You’re a fine, handsome, charming actor who should have had a long, successful run with these films. Instead you were frequently given unworthy scripts and co-stars, dated visual effects, and the worst musical themes of the series. It’s likely that film fans will look back on your time as Bond with disdain, I certainly do, but please don’t take it too hard. It wasn’t you, it was them.
