This Bond instalment was effectively the climax in the decline of the Brosnan films which started brilliantly with Golden Eye and got progressively worse. This film ultimately prompted a change in the direction of Bond.
Over budgeted and under developed, Die Another Day is an entertaining but frankly ridiculous outing with James Bond. For a Bond film to be great it has to have the high tech stuff but a gritty, believable story to go with it. This gets the balance totally wrong - the gadgets are almost as ridiculous as the story itself and feel like (especially in the case of the cars) they were developed purely to fit a daft and unbelievable chase scene, which of course they were - it all adds up to the unrealistic feel of the whole film.
Next up, product placement - another key factor in bond films but it's overkill here - ok Ford, we get it, you supply the vehicles...
Then of course we get to the acting. Brosnan is of course as good as ever but Halle Berry is dreadful - playing a weak and disappointing American agent - Her wooden acting aside, the character has a pathetic feel to her and is neither sexy nor exciting and after around 5 minutes becomes just plain irritating. I'm not sure which producer Madonna humped to be granted her woeful cameo appearance either. Only the beautiful Rosamund Pike gets it right with her delightfully straight laced and down right evil role as one of the villains, the rest of characters are either gross caricatures or weak in every sense.
I suppose the one good thing to come of this messy attempt is the change it prompted in the series, getting back to no nonsense spy thrillers rather than Hollywood trash.
Over budgeted and under developed, Die Another Day is an entertaining but frankly ridiculous outing with James Bond. For a Bond film to be great it has to have the high tech stuff but a gritty, believable story to go with it. This gets the balance totally wrong - the gadgets are almost as ridiculous as the story itself and feel like (especially in the case of the cars) they were developed purely to fit a daft and unbelievable chase scene, which of course they were - it all adds up to the unrealistic feel of the whole film.
Next up, product placement - another key factor in bond films but it's overkill here - ok Ford, we get it, you supply the vehicles...
Then of course we get to the acting. Brosnan is of course as good as ever but Halle Berry is dreadful - playing a weak and disappointing American agent - Her wooden acting aside, the character has a pathetic feel to her and is neither sexy nor exciting and after around 5 minutes becomes just plain irritating. I'm not sure which producer Madonna humped to be granted her woeful cameo appearance either. Only the beautiful Rosamund Pike gets it right with her delightfully straight laced and down right evil role as one of the villains, the rest of characters are either gross caricatures or weak in every sense.
I suppose the one good thing to come of this messy attempt is the change it prompted in the series, getting back to no nonsense spy thrillers rather than Hollywood trash.