For the first half of its length this is a terrific Bond movie: fast, funny, clever, exciting, glamorous and full of intrigue to keep everyone happy. Moreover, its commentary on the power of media and its abuse of public consciousness is cunningly and caustically composed, played like an Oliver Stone conspiracy theory. And then, in a sloppy and perfunctory second half set in Vietnam, the whole falls apart with indignity. Direction becomes discomfited, the script is written on foot, the action succumbs to horrid slo-mo and dull martial arts derring-do, and Bond himself gets to deliver some of the worst one-liners in the series. A missed opportunity.
Review of Tomorrow Never Dies
