Out of all the films in the Pierce Brosnan era, The World Is Not Enough was definitely a film that could've ended up a classic. First of all the title itself, probably got people thinking about Bonds past and family, only to be disappointed when the titles meaning is summed up in a throw away line by Bond himself. We also have a interesting story with M and the villain. We get hints into M's family. The World Is Not Enough could have been up there with the greats, if they didn't play it oh so damn safe. First of all, I don't think Brosnan is that bad of an actor. Films such as The Ghost prove this. If Brosnan is given the right material, then he can make a belter of a performance. Just look at GoldenEye.
Overall the Brosnan era played it safe. What if it didn't though? What if Sam Mendes came on board 13 years early? Allow Brosnan to show a more human, and complex side to Bond. It's just a shame 1990's action films were completely dependant on scope and CGI and not story. The World Is Not Enough is definitely a missed opportunity. It's just a massive shame it wasn't done justice. In the right hands, I'm sure it could have been a classic Bond film, right up there with Goldfinger. I've always said that Skyfall is The World Is Not Enough done right. Think about it in terms of story and acting talent. (Robert Carlyle, Sophie Macau, Judi Dench, Robbie Coltrane) in the right hands, that film could have been a blockbuster.