Tomorrow Never Dies

Well, the first time I commented on Tomorrow Never Dies, I wasn't exactly a "well-read" Bond fan, so I was pretty rough with the review. Today, however, is not yesterday, so I am correcting it. Roger Spottiswoode filmed a truly perfect Bond with a current overlap to the manipulative power of the media, but otherwise with a typically carefree (in Brosnan's version almost boyish) charm and style, which in many ways (musical accompaniment, a good old Aston Martin, quotes from older Bond films) invokes 007 classics. Jonathan Pryce is really excellent as the bad guy, he's got that typical mix of cunning, danger and sleazy cowardice. Götz Otto alias Mr. Stamper's nothing special, but he's got a few brighter moments. However, he was completely overshadowed by the excellent Vincent Schiavelli vulgo Dr. Kaufmann. Otherwise, it's James Bond with everything that comes with it – inventions more than ever, action scenes spectacular exactly according to the Brosnan model for the late 20th century, beautiful women, martinis with vodka shaken, not stirred. Only two things spoil my joy – a very unfunny ending (where are the genius Roger Moore barks?) and the title song by Sheryl Crow, which absolutely can't compete with the final Surrender. Edit 2012: Even in the context of the rapidly aging GoldenEye, this Bond film still feels very fresh. It has a much more balanced pace, which reminds of 1990s fashion through certain techniques (fast camera, perspective turning), but essentially refers to classic films from the beginning of the series with its clear and detail-free style. But the end is weaker, more static and wooden. By the way, it's a good thing Brosnan gave up trying to humanize Bond with emotion (the romance with Teri Hatcher really can't count in that category) and leads him down the previously questioned "boy with a toy" path. This is where he manages to be persuasive. (11/02/2004)

Hi-tech, but it's not it. This episode has aged a lot, but it's not so much the direction's fault as it is the time when it was made. The end of the 20th century with its massive boom of IT and digital media, the film is saturated with it, in fact, it forms the backbone of the story. The Bond girls are okay, especially Teri Hatcher's cameo, which is truly charming. It's clear that Bond is gradually becoming a money-making machine, and participation in this project is always something "special" for everyone involved. Music by David Arnold, theme song by Sheryl Crow, renowned actors, famous directors, and for the first time a budget of over 100 million dollars. Yet, despite all that, it is narratively unengaging and boring, with very few truly thrilling moments, and the ones that are good were only due to fantastically shot action scenes – the helicopter, the motorcycle, and the BMW. (25/05/2014)

Just as good a Bond film as Golden Eye. The writers have come up with a quite interesting media plot, director Spottiswoode does an above-average job (not only by his standards), especially in the action escapades, Michelle Yeoh is perfect, and Jonathan Pryce can boldly rank among the really great villains. The "motorcycle-car-copter-clothesline" scene is (after Bond's tank ride in Goldeneye) probably the most imaginative moment in the Brosnan Bond films. (25/01/2010)

I don't mind Pierce Brosnan, but frankly, I can't say the same about his Bond. He comes across as more of a comedian than an agent and the script unfortunately plays into that. The main villain is played by Jonathan Pryce, and I have to say I remember him in better roles. He was memorable in Brazil, but that was a whole other level. (04/08/2016)

I won't claim that it's an excellent Bond movie, but for me, it's more interesting than "GoldenEye". It's mainly because even though the logic gets thrown out the window again, it's not as obvious as in the previous film. Although Teri Hatcher wasn't a great choice, Michelle Yeoh is something else. However, the big problem is Jonathan Price, who didn't fit the role of the main villain for me. Terrible acting performance and just overall character. On the other hand, the theme is quite interesting. (11/03/2014)