The World Is Not Enough
Rating: 2 stars (out of 4)
The Info
Directed by: Michael Apted Written by: Bruce Feirstein, Michael France, Neal Purvis, Dana Stevens, Robert Wade Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Sophie Marceau, Denise Richards, Robert Carlyle, Judi Dench, Robbie Coltrane Produced by: Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson
The Nutshell
James Bond is back in yet another mission to save the world from evil.
The Review
There aren't many film series that make it past the third sequel or so. And of the handful that come to mind (Police Academy, Hallowe'en, Friday The 13th), only James Bond has managed to stay interesting and successful. While the other series suffer from a lack of star power, repetitive situational comedy or poor efforts, Bond has never failed. The lead actor switches help; when Roger Moore's run was starting to sag, even Timothy Dalton's presence helped, though not for long. A strong reliance on testosterone-fuelled explosions and sex has given the series a large set of fans which shows no sign of abandoning ship. The only problem with Bond is the fact that this, the 19th film in the series, suffers from an obvious lack of originality. Basically, everything has been done. Boat scenes? Check. Ski scenes? Check. Outer space scenes? Check. You name it and Bond has done it. This gives The World Is Not Enough a been there, done that feel, and makes for a forgettable cinematic experience.
Does this sound familiar? A bald, facially-scarred villain wants to re-shape the globe using a nuclear weapon. It should, because not only did classic Bond baddie Ernst Bloefeld try this, so did Dr. Evil from the Bond-parody Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. With nothing new left to try, director Michael Apted is forced to take Bond's adventures from the past, and make them better; he does not succeed.
The story, involving a nuclear bomb, some oil pipelines, and several beautiful women is as pointless as it is poorly written. The point of Bond is to remind us once again that he is "the gentleman spy" and that he can get out of any situation. Yet there is a sense of desperation about the film, as if the pantheon of writers involved in the project were worried that there wasn't enough "Bond-ness" to go around. So instead of a ski chase where he is pursued by other skiers, he is chased by ultra-cool para-choppers. Instead of a thrilling boat chase, we get a thrilling boat chase followed by a short trip through city streets and cafes, where in the real world he would kill easily five to ten people with his actions. Instead of simply being debonair with the ladies, he beds not one, not two, but three of them, including Denise Richards, who is 27 to Brosnan's 46. Some of the action sequences are undeniably interesting, but it has all been done.
The acting is what you would expect from a Bond film. Sophie Marceau does a better job as Elektra than she did previously opposite David Spade in Lost & Found, though this does not say much. Marceau has a monotone way of speaking that gets irritating after a short while, and does not fit the part very well. As Dr. Christmas Jones, Richards plays a nuclear physicist (the concept of which is laughable) and you just know her unorthodox name garners a few lame jokes in the film. Richards is a dreadful actress in my opinion and (I never thought I would say this of anyone in a Bond film) her lack of acting ability hampers the film greatly. Brosnan is in usual form, as are Judi Dench and Desmond Llewelyn in their returning roles as M and Q (John Cleese makes a cameo as R). Robbie Coltrane is amusing a Russian caviar gangster, while Robert Carlyle (of Ravenous and The Full Monty) joins a long list of over the top Bond villains as Renard, a terrorist who has a bullet lodged in his brain with gives him super-strength and pain tolerance.
About the only things that impressed me about this film were the opening credits sequence and the music. After the traditional shot of Bond centred in a gunman's sights, the title appears and we are treated to an appealing mosaic of flowing oil droplets which form female silhouettes while a song by rock band Garbage plays. While in no way revolutionary, the special effects display is intriguing and one of the few things about the film that didn't remind me of something else. The score by David Arnold takes the classic Bond theme song and gives it an electronica-laced overhaul, giving several scenes a musical boost.
The bottom line with this film is simple; if you are a devoted Bond fan, go see the film, you will probably like it. If you have hated every Bond film you have ever seen, then do not go see this one, it is more of the same. This is an old series which is in need of another boost (luckily Pierce Brosnan has declared this his final Bond, opening the door to another new face and some new ideas). One can hope that that boost will come soon, before Bond starts to sink, the way Batman did after his first film.
Copyright - Tim Chandler
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