Following an initially intriguing premise, the narrative of this Bond movie takes every ludicrous turn possible in order to force any cheap-jack interest it can get. Consequently, every time the film falls in a trap set by itself it simply resorts to inanity to get back on track, brackishly exclaiming its Bondian identity. The producers might have thought that this was a smart thing to do, but the joke is utterly played at the audience's expense: We are aware of Bond's invincibility from the outset therefore what we'd rather see is the upping of the stakes in the thrill factor than consistent provocation of smug self-reference. And since the narrative itself -the movie's spinal cord- is so hideously marred, dullness sets in within half hour into the film. There are flaws elsewhere as well. The film lacks the imaginative depth to sustain a plot device such as an 'ice-palace', the much-publicized CGI special effects are not special at all (they are often laughable), the hyped-up battle between the Aston Martin and the Jaguar is woefully inter-cut with scenes of Jinx getting drowned, director Tomahori constantly attempts to give Jinx a more prominent stage to the point of making Bond a second banana, and the climax is so laboriously shot on foot that feels as if it ends before it even starts. A dismal case of a Bond picture the kind of which hopefully we'll never have to experience again, and a major warning to the producers that Bond should be tampered by people who love the material rather than just appreciate it.
Review of Die Another Day
