GOLDEN EYE
UK, 1995, 130 minutes. Colour.
Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Izabella Scorupco, Famke Janssen, Joe Don Baker, Judi Dench, Robbie Coltrane, Gottfried John, Alan Cumming, Tcheky Karyo, Desmond Llewelyn, Samantha Bond, Michael Kitchen.
Directed by Martin Campbell.
Golden Eye was the first James Bond of the 1990s. There had been a six-year gap between Licence to Kill, the second of Timothy Dalton’s performances as James Bond.
With the fall of the Soviet empire, the enemies for Bond films changed, although the Russians still keep top place, especially with renegade Russians after the fall.
Sean Bean is 006, a man with a grudge against Britain because of war crimes against his family, who fakes his own death and takes control of the stealing of a nuclear weapon. He is aided in his work by Famke Janssen as a femme fatale and Gottfried John as a renegade Russian general.
However, audience interest was principally in how Pierce Brosnan would take up the role of James Bond. He harks back more to the style of Sean Connery, well dressed, well mannered, suave – although he has absorbed some of the Connery and the Roger Moore quips. He was to appear in three more James Bond films.
Izabella Scorupco is the Russian technology expert who is able to help Bond thwart the plans of his former colleague. Joe Don Baker (who had been a villain in For Your Eyes Only) is a CIA agent. Robbie Coltrane appears as a Russian, Alan Cumming as a vain technology expert, Tcheky Karyo as the defence minister. Desmond Llewelyn reappears as Q, with a range of special effects and Samantha Bond is the new Miss Moneypenny.
However, the biggest change was having Judi Dench as M. She is given a lot more to do, a lot more to say, interacts with Bond – and this was to increase in the ensuing films both with Pierce Brosnan and with Daniel Craig.
There are, as always, lavish locations, lots of action and effects. Direction is by Martin Campbell, New Zealand born, who directed the TV series Edge of Darkness, winning many awards. His films include Vertical Limit, The Legend of Zorro as well as The Mask of Zorro, a remake of The Edge of Darkness with Mel Gibson, The Green Lantern with Ryan Reynolds and the remake of Casino Royale with Daniel Craig.
1. A new era for James Bond? Pierce Brosnan as James Bond, a Bond of the 90s, his impact on audiences?
2. The long life of the series, Sean Connery and Roger Moore? Bond’s style, suave, the quips, women, action?
3. Pierce Brosnan introducing all these themes at once, the tag name, shaken not stirred, going into action, relationships with women, the suave style? Audiences accepting him as Bond?
4. The tradition of the series to have varied locations, beautiful colour photography? Russia before the fall of the Soviet Union? Later? The resorts, Siberia? The musical score – the theme not used for the credits but for a car chase?
5. The range of action, the opening, the dam wall, the leap, the car chases, the fights, the helicopter, planes? And the internet age?
6. Bond as 007, Alec as 006, their initial mission, the capture, Alec’s death? His later reappearance? Stealing the Golden Eye technology? Bond’s mission? Q? Bond and his relationship with M, the development of her character, her observations on situations? Her taking control?
7. The initial encounter with Xenia Onatopp? Her appearance, her malice, the race, the crash, on the boat, the helicopter and stealing it, later with the massacre, her relish with killing? Working with Alec? Her death?
8. The massacre in Siberia, Boris and his skills and his vanity? Natalya and her work, in the kitchen, the deaths, her escape? The general not realising that she had not been killed?
9. The new Russia, the meeting of the ministers, the minister and his confrontation of the general? His going to the location – and his being killed?
10. Natalya, her escape, her skills with computers and internet, her capture at the church, Boris betraying her? Confronting Boris? In the helicopter with Bond? Her puzzlement about his mission?
11. 006 and the revelation that Alec was alive? His control? Bond’s reaction? The back-story, his parents, the British, killing his parents, his motivation?
12. His plan, Boris and his skill with the computer, the military, Natalya and her skill with the computer, putting in a change of key? Boris believing he was invincible? The crash of the rockets, Boris and his death? The fight between Alec and Bond, on the heights, dangling, Alec and his fall?
13. A happy ending – and a satisfying Bond entertainment as well as update?
