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James McMahon --
A human Bond with emotions that make him fallible. He s used to knowing who his enemy is, and dealing with tangible weapons. Elektra King, surprisingly revealed as the principal villain, attacks from an unexpected quarter. She manipulates Bond by his emotions taking him unawares. All the while we had thought disfigured ol' Renard was the top baddie, but he's Elektra's victim, too. This is pretty daring ground for a Bond film to tread. Brosnan's acting is very skillful, but you can still see he's acting. In the next film, Die Another Day, he simply is James Bond.
Robert Cotton --
Brosnan pulls it off. The first female main villain. Would pass GE if Denise Richards had been too busy to be in the film.
Paul Baack --
The best James Bond film since OHMSS. Although the plot is a little more complex than it needs to be, the story unfolds in an almost leisurely, novelistic fashion, with little side-detours to take and interesting characters to meet. Brosnan's 007 is mature and steely, but also very human, capable of kindness and sympathy. He's very interesting to watch on screen, something of a rarity in a series character. Like a proper Bond film, this movie takes us places and shows us things that can only exist in the fantasy universe created by Ian Fleming. This one belongs in the pantheon of definitive James Bond movies.
Michael Reed --
Brosnan's best film is among the series' best. The only issues are the ditzy acting by Denise Richards and having Elektra's end come before Renard's. Marceau is exquisite and delivers the best female performance in the series. Brosnan is in great form. As in Goldfinger and GoldenEye, an over-the-top plot point (Renard's nerve problem,) is played so straight it works.
| Bill Koenig --
More complicated plot than average is helped by extended screen time for Judi Dench as M (she gets kidnapped, increasing her screen time). Yet again, another script by committee with Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Bruce Feirstein getting credit and other screenwriters working anonymously. Michael Apted was brought in as director because of his experience directing dramas and there's a little more oomph here as a result. Robert Carlyle was a bit disappointing as one of the villains. Longest pre-credits sequence of the series includes an impressive boat chase, though it goes over the top at times.
Ed Werner --
A better Bond movie than TND but still not as good as the first or latest. Interesting plot
revolving around terrorist activities and oil piplines in Turkey. A terrorist named Renard
(Robert Carlyle) who is impervious to pain due to a bullet lodged in his brain thanks to the
British Secret Service. Carlyle is an anomaly regarding Bond villains, you actually begin to
feel sorry for him and what he's going through. An oil heiress (Sophie Marceau) whom
Bond is sent to protect after her father is assassinated in MI6 headquarters. There is oilyness
about her, it may be very good acting or just the way the character was written, I'm not
quite sure why, but she is different than any other female in a Bond movie. Then we have
the miscasting of the century - Denise Richards as nuclear physicist Dr. Christmas Jones.
I'm sorry but I still can't get over this. What were they thinking when they cast this role?
Tom Zielinski --
Pierce Brosnan´s best performance of the four Bond films in which he starred. The tone is darker here, and that suits Brosnan just fine. The excellent screenplay (Neal Purvis and Robert Wade) overcomes some of the weaker spots; Michael Apted´s attempt at the action sequences as one example, the inexplicable (though drop-dead gorgeous) Denise Richards as atomic physicist another. But no matter, Sophie Marceau is beautiful and terrific, and Robert Carlyle appropriately menacing. This was to be Desmond Llewelyn´s last film before his tragic death, and he goes out in some style. John Cleese takes over as Q and is introduced here. Robbie Coltrane is also great. One moment of this film that really works and is quite Fleming-esque is Bond´s assassination of Elektra. A more revealing flash into Bond´s psyche is rare.
Well done, and (when released) the best Bond film since 1969.
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