98 replies to this topic

[Skudor]

I've never understood why people don't like this. Bond and a beautiful woman kicking seven shades of in the world's largest aircraft with samurai swords and a villain in a RoboCop outfit as an outer space death ray causes war to break out between North and South Korea, liberally garnished with some truly buttock-clenching puns, and topped off with a freefalling helicopter full of diamonds and a rainstorm of sports cars. What's not to like? And what could be more Bond?

Of course, you do have a valid point. How can anyone have a go at DAD and love TSWLM at the same time? Is it that what is acceptable in a 1970s Roger Moore flick just somehow doesn't gel with today's fans?

In the future, when we all have invisible cars, spend half our time in virtual reality hologram studios and live in fear of China's space death-rays, we will no doubt look back at this movie more fondly. For now I just cringe. Go figure.

[Loomis]

In the future, when we all have invisible cars, spend half our time in virtual reality hologram studios and live in fear of China's space death-rays, we will no doubt look back at this movie more fondly. For now I just cringe. Go figure.

LOL! Good job CASINO ROYALE's just around the corner for you, then.

[Skudor]

Who knows. Maybe I'll walk out of the cinema thinking "That was a great film, but was it a James Bond movie?". I don't think so from what I've seen so far, though. But it has been a real possibility from a lot of what I've heard.

I do think there's room for both the CR/OHMSS and the MR/TWLM type movies in the franchise. DAD just went a few steps too far - it's the Moonraker of it's time and a few steps further. I completely accept Moonraker as a classic Bond movie - despite the space station (to me it's not as far fetched as the invisible car).

If it wasn't for the awful cgi, the invisible car and the holograms I would be much more willing to accept Die Another Day. Plot holes, dodgy lines and hammy acting are part of most Bond movies.

[DaveBond21]

I like these things about DAD:-


the PTS - loved the hovercraft chase and "Saved by the Bell".

The Cuba scenes - meeting Raoul, punching the South African gangster and stealing a grape.

The fencing duel - well done and good fun.

and that's about it.

[Loomis]

Maybe I'll walk out of the cinema thinking "That was a great film, but was it a James Bond movie?".

Yeah. I know where you're coming from.

I do think there's room for both the CR/OHMSS and the MR/TWLM type movies in the franchise.

Totally agree. In fact, it's not just that "there's room" - this kind of variety has always been absolutely essential for the success, nay, the survival of the series. Besides, much as I love DIE ANOTHER DAY, I don't want DIE ANOTHER DAY every time out.

[Skudor]

And I love Hally Berry - she's almost as hot as my fiancee.

[DaveBond21]

Oh yeah, and I liked Miranda Frost's outfit at the end.....
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[Skudor]

Yep - that was one stunning outfit.

[Double-0-7]

I liked the PTS action scenes, even if Brosnan's lines were forced. I particularly liked the kick-boxing workout the colonel went through to vent his anger!

I liked everything about Jinx - right up to the point that she said something, then the corniness killed it. In other words, she looked good walking out of the ocean.

Miranda Frost is an excellent Bond girl, good or evil.

I enjoyed the nostalgic tour of Q's museum of former Bond gadgets. Really gave it that 40th anniversary feel.

I REALLY like that on DVD I can hit that little skip key and avoid the whole death laser vs ice rocket followed by CGI tsunami ski bit of ugliness.

[Harmsway]

Have I? Well, okay, the dialogue's hardly great, but it does the job. Even at its worst, though, it's a heck of a lot better than some of the supposedly clever and classy lines in TWINE.

Of course it's better than TWINE's boring, not even remotely humorous dialogue, but come on, "Now there's a mouthful" has to be one of the least-appealing innuendo moments in the franchise, and this film is full of that graphic, gross sort of speak ("Leave it in" is another one that comes to mind). I'm all for innuendo, but this stuff is outright explicit in a way the franchise hadn't really been before.

Scenes/things that I personally find particularly poor: ... the finale on the plane.

I've never understood why people don't like this. Bond and a beautiful woman kicking seven shades of in the world's largest aircraft with samurai swords and a villain in a RoboCop outfit as an outer space death ray causes war to break out between North and South Korea, liberally garnished with some truly buttock-clenching puns, and topped off with a freefalling helicopter full of diamonds and a rainstorm of sports cars. What's not to like? And what could be more Bond?

I hate the Robocop suit - and I don't think that's Bond. I originally thought the Robocop suit could be cool, but that horribly fake electricity glove (looks like the Emperor out of STAR WARS) ruins it. And the fact the suit just looks kind of... laughable in its design/execution.

And "Read this, b*tch" is a line I have nothing but contempt for. It doesn't belong in the Bond films, which have a history of appealing to being classy films, even when they were larger than life (say what you will about MOONRAKER, but that film was still a pretty classy affair).

There's a time and place for Daniel Craig and a gritty, intelligent return to Fleming by way of Bourne and BATMAN BEGINS (and, believe me, I'm very excited about CASINO ROYALE, and I'm glad it won't be DAD II - or at least I hope it won't be), but this isn't it.

Oh of course, I by no means want to dismiss the larger-than-life Bond entertainment in the Moore-style. And again, I like DIE ANOTHER DAY, even if the dialogue could have really used a polish.

[Turn]

What do I like about DAD? When I saw it for the first time, I had fun and loved that Bond was back. Not the best film, but far from the worst and a relief after the disasterous TWINE. I'll gladly take invisible cars and CGI parasurfing over touchy-feely Bond any day.

[DavidSomerset]

This is a movie much better than all the Bonds since 'For your eyes only' .

Lee Tamahori, the director made

[Santa]

Who knows. Maybe I'll walk out of the cinema thinking "That was a great film, but was it a James Bond movie?". I don't think so from what I've seen so far, though. But it has been a real possibility from a lot of what I've heard.

I do think there's room for both the CR/OHMSS and the MR/TWLM type movies in the franchise. DAD just went a few steps too far - it's the Moonraker of it's time and a few steps further. I completely accept Moonraker as a classic Bond movie - despite the space station (to me it's not as far fetched as the invisible car).

If it wasn't for the awful cgi, the invisible car and the holograms I would be much more willing to accept Die Another Day. Plot holes, dodgy lines and hammy acting are part of most Bond movies.

For me there's one huge difference between MR and DAD, it's the only reason I can get away with liking MR and not DAD, and that's Roger Moore. Pierce is very personable and everything and I can see why many others adore him even though I don't, but Roger is just in a different league. It's Roger's charm and that alone that carries his sillier films, and Pierce simply can't match it.

stealing a grape.

I'd forgotten about that bit. It was good, a very Connerybond moment.

[JimmyBond]

stealing a grape.

I'd forgotten about that bit. It was good, a very Connerybond moment.

It's also the only time we see Bond eating during the Brosnan era. Strange but true.

[Loomis]

What do I like about DAD? When I saw it for the first time, I had fun and loved that Bond was back. Not the best film, but far from the worst and a relief after the disasterous TWINE. I'll gladly take invisible cars and CGI parasurfing over touchy-feely Bond any day.

[scottright]

I think the first hour is really good...the capture of Bond (and yes, the image of seeing a less than well-groomed 007 held captive and tortured in a prison is genuinely jarring), the sword fight at Blades, Cuba (Bond crusing along in a beautiful old car is a great image). All of these are terrific...but the problem is that it sets you up for another harder-edged movie, and not the science fiction epic to follow.

That said, Brosnan's in fine form...and it's pity he didn't get a better Bond movie to go out with.

[DaveBond21]

Remember this post is about what we like about Die Another Day.

But I do agree, Brosnan deserved a better movie to go out on. I am a fan of Brosnan (I am a fan of all the actors who played Bond), and he deserved better than being chased in a Star Wars speeder by a giant laser from space, and surfing CGI ice, whil driving an invisible car.

[ACE]

[size=4]ICARUS SOARS
A

[Skudor]

Damn it... where is my copy of DAD????



Bravo Ace!

[Bryce (003)]

The first 1 hour and 9 minutes - Right after the blasting Bond theme following Bond arriving at the Ice Palace.

For those 69-70 minutes, it was everything I wanted a 40th anniversary Bond film to be.

I enjoyed what followed, but in retrospect, it just seemed that the effort and style was lacking.

OK, I did enjoy the Aston vs. Jag chase (largely because the invisibility was blown right at the start) but IMO, the film just lacked the punch and follow through it had built itself up to once Bond arrived in Iceland.

I still enjoy it though.

[Bon-san]

Bravo Ace!

Seconded. A very nicely written piece, sir. I find a lot to enjoy in DAD. It has its flaws to be sure. But then, so do all the other Bond flicks.

Thanks, ACE for having the balls to stand by your convictions in the face of a glacial tide of loud DAD-hating around here. Count me as one of the few, the proud, that found much to enjoy in the performances of Brosnan, Berry, Pike and Stephens. And while I resent Tamahori's insistence on using gobs of cgi, he made a lot of nice moves elsewhere.

[Harmsway]

Interesting article ACE (I always enjoy your reviews), but you do fail to make any mention of the absolutely *banal* dialogue this film presents and really is the Achilles' heel of the film. One line after another:

-"Saved by the bell" (Why is Bond referencing an 80s American TV show for teenagers?)
-"Now there's a mouthful..." (Has any worse and grotesque line been said in the history of the franchise?)
-"I trust Mr. Bond's been explaining his Big Bang theory..." (If Bond had any sort of cover as a scientist, it would fit, but he doesn't, and so it flounders.)
-"Leave it in..." (Not only is this incredibly vulgar, it's entirely nonsensical - why the hell does Jinx have a diamond in her belly button? And while this is unrelated to dialogue, it's entirely disgraceful that they're having sex in a Bhuddist shrine.)

And personally, I think in a few cases the dialogue is actually made worse by the actors, as in the case of Gustav Graves (his lines at the press conference aren't all that bad, but he delivers them in such a smarmy, over-the-top fashion that they're entirely ridiculous). And Rick Yune's delivery couldn't be any more flat, either (though at least it's not offensively bad).

True, not every exchange is bad (the stuff with Raul in Havana is decent, and a lot of the stuff between Bond and Frost's is pretty good), but this really does have a lot of terrible writing.

And as I said before, I hate that stupid Robocop suit with the electroglove (the electroglove is entirely unnecessary - not is it unimportant, it's remarkably uninteresting, failing to be menacing but succeeding in being laughable), and the laser fight is pretty dull too (Mr. Kil is a terrible character, and the fight is ruined by having too many lasers - it would have been much cooler to see a single bad- laser).

And the other thing that irks me is that the whole "Bond wants revenge" item just gets thrown out in the second half of the film. We find out Miranda betrayed him, but he never dispatches her. That's a mistake - Benson's novelization got it right: Frost survived the fight with Jinx and begs Bond to take her with him as he escapes. Bond refuses. Wouldn't that have been cool as hell if it had actually happened in the film?

And for all its visual flair, DIE ANOTHER DAY doesn't exactly feel classy. I can't really put my finger on it, but there's a lack of sophistication to it. Now, it's not necessarily a make-or-break thing, but it's worth mentioning.

But I really do enjoy DIE ANOTHER DAY, even if I have those criticisms. It's as well put-together as many of the Bond flicks, and more enjoyable than a lot of them. At the very least it's vibrant, fun, and never takes itself as anything other than popcorn entertainment (and it does have truly great, classic moments, such as Bond taking Van Bierk's glasses). As a retrospective, it works beautifully and successfuly provides an end cap to a certain era of Bond history, opening the door for CASINO ROYALE's reboot. Had the dialogue been polished and some of the sillier moments removed, it would have been better.

[Skudor]

Harmsway - check out the subject of this thread

There's much to not like in DAD, but I think this thread is an excellent idea for pointing out that (like many not-so-good Bond films) it's not all bad.

[DaltonCraig]

The end credits! Sorry! )

[Harmsway]

Harmsway - check out the subject of this thread

Hey, I know, but there also has to be freedom to respond to certain posts - and I was responding purely to ACE's review, in which I feel he neglected some issues.

However, to correct it, I shall explain what I do really love about DIE ANOTHER DAY:

The Visual Flair
This is DIE ANOTHER DAY's greatest asset. It has it in nearly every facet - gorgeous cinematography, lush and vibrant settings, stylish costumes, and so on.

Just look at Bond's bedroom in the ice palace. It's absolutely beautiful, and clearly one of the nicest pieces of set design in the franchise (and you have to love Tattersall's cinematography during the Frost/Bond love scene, which beautifully shows it off).

Pierce Brosnan
DIE ANOTHER DAY is Brosnan's finest hour as James Bond. He's comfortable, cool, and overall a lot of fun. Just check out the moment where he takes Van Bierk's glasses - that's classic Bond right there.

The Lack of Pretentiousness
Following THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, the most pretentious entry in the franchise, it was nice to see a carefree, relaxed Bond adventure.

The Epic Bond Returns
It was about time to see a really epic Bond film in the tradition of YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, and MOONRAKER, and we got one. It was perhaps too big for some, but I really do like how huge this film dares to be.

A Fantastic Retrospective
As a retrospective on the EON franchise, this is really great as a good epilogue of sorts of to the film Bond as he's been known. Tons of winks and nods populate the film which should be a delight to fans everywhere (my personal favorite: Moneypenny finally gets Bond).

[Skudor]

And perhaps a fitting finale to the first 20, before the start of (and I hate this expression) Bond Series 2, with Bond 2.1 Casino Royale. Makes you wonder if they already knew what direction they were going to go in. Moneypenny finally getting Bond...

Thanks for playing nice and giving the positive view as well

[Harmsway]

And perhaps a fitting finale to the first 20, before the start of (and I hate this expression) Bond 2, with Bond 2.1 Casino Royale. Makes you wonder if they already knew what direction they were going to go in. Moneypenny finally getting Bond...

I think they did. Lee Tamahori commented to the effect that whoever followed his work on DIE ANOTHER DAY would have room to do something entirely different, and the film does seem set up to lead the way to a new vision.

[Judo chop]

Love "Saved by the Bell". The best quip since Moore, and possibly since Connery. (As a sidenote to Harmsway, I may be wrong, but I do believe this phrase existed prior to the horrible sitcom of the same name.)

Love the swordfight. The most intense fight scene in Bond next to the FRWL train fight. My hands were sweaty afterwards.

I love how Bond uses his sonic ring both times. The first took me completely by surprise, thanks somewhat to Tamahori's quick cuts. The 2nd time is clever as well; helps add a bit more sense of emergency to the scene. The only problem here being that I was hoping Berry would drown. Ah well.

I don't hear it praised a lot, but I love the ice palace as well. Just it in of itself. It was a great throwback to the bad guy palaces of the Moore days.

In fact, I like the movie overall. If one approaches it as a TSWLM of the new millenium, and is ready to celebrate an endless battery of nods and winks to the franchise, it's a fun, fun film. It's just the dialogue and specifically Berry that kills it for me. You'd think I would be acclimated to obnoxiously bad acting after enduring that nitwit from TWINE, but I think Berry...

oops. Stay positive Judo Chop. Stay positive.

I like DAD. 2nd best of Broz's. Probably somewhere around the 50th percentile in Bond films overall.

[Skudor]

I have a warm, fuzzy feeling that Die Another Day will pass the test of time and slowly work its way up the ranks of Bond films past and present. There will come a time when even the invisible car becomes a quaint idea, rather than a ridiculous one. And the bad cgi wil be no worse than the b&w backgrounds during Connery's drives in Jamaica.

And the sword fight really was excellent.

[Bon-san]

Love "Saved by the Bell". The best quip since Moore, and possibly since Connery. (As a sidenote to Harmsway, I may be wrong, but I do believe this phrase existed prior to the horrible sitcom of the same name.)

Yes, the phrase pre-dates the sitcom by a number of decades.