Die Another Day (2002)
Lee Tamahori
Bond, James Bond: Pierce Brosnan
Arch Rival: Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens)
Bond Girl: Jinx Johnson (Halle Berry)
Die Another Day (2002)
Brosnan’s final film as Bond is a mess, to say the least. Strong contender for the title “1001 bad puns”, this installment follows James Bond after he is captured in North Korea following a betrayal by a fellow agent. He is exchanged for a notorious terrorist Zao, but not after being tortured like hell. He gets out of the confinement imposed on him by M and goes on a journey of personal vendetta and tries to get back Zao, in the process discovering an Icelandic diamond giant’s connections with Zao. Bond now travels to Iceland to meet this man, Gustav Graves and his assistant Miranda. He is also aided by another agent Jinx, as he tries to hunt down the person who betrayed him.
Perhaps the worst Bond film ever, Die Another Day goes on and on without even noting that nobody cares beyond the 70 minute point (and that is for the patient viewer). Toby Stephens as the villain seems like a high school kid who has stolen his father’s pistol and is threatening his fellow school kids. And what were they thinking when they put in the invisible car? A monumental showcase of characteristic Bond puns and double entendres, Die Another Day feels like His Girl Friday for its judicious use of runtime, only that it isn’t even half as funny. It feels like the dreaded days of Roger Moore again, for the bond between the films is so evident (oops!).
The Seventh Art 