DIE ANOTHER DAY
UK, 2002, 132 minutes, Colour.
Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Toby Stephens, Rosamund Pike, Rick unit, Judi Dench, John Cleese, Michael Madsen, Will Yun, Kenneth Tsang, Emilio Echevarria, Michael Gor.
Directed by Lee Tamahori.
Much has been made of the fact that Dr No was released in 1962, 40 years ago, and that this is the 20th James Bond film, making it the most profitable 'franchise' in movie history.
Die Another Day follows the usual patterns of a James Bond blockbuster. The pre-credit sequences have become some of the most celebrated for their spectacular stunts. It is the same here with surfers riding gigantic waves in North Korea (though filmed in Maui) and military hovercraft skimming over minefields before they all blow up. Pierce Brosnan is Bond for the fourth time and is obviously at home in the role, and more like Sean Connery than the succeeding Bonds (although he is now nearing 50). He is suave in his manner, rispostes, action sequences and with the Bond women.
This time, however, he has an almost equal partner in Halle Berry's Jinx, a skilful American agent - but convention means that, ultimately, he has to rescue her and not vice versa. Toby Stephens snarls as the arch-villain, though how he created his empire and the means of mass destruction for the world in Iceland in fourteen months tips the credibility scales. Rick Yune is his offsider villain with a diamond-studded face after one of the initial explosions.
Judi Dench is back as M with a few more scenes than usual as is John Cleese as Q. Bond is wearing them down with his individualistic exploits but they have some satisfaction in his being imprisoned by the North Koreans for fourteen months, emerging as a lookalike for the count of Monte Cristo. The producers said that they were looking for an unknown country which audiences would find exotic so they chose North Korea (thankfully not Iraq). But reality has caught up with the movies as North Korea recently confessed to having nuclear weapons.
On a personal note: when Once Were Warriors was released, I had the opportunity for a long conversation with director Lee Tamahori. One of his chief ambitions was to go to Hollywood and make big movies. After Mulholland Falls, The Edge and Along Came a Spider as well as some episodes of The Sopranos, he has topped his ambitions by directing Die Another Day.
1. The James Bond series? From Sean Connery to Roger Moore? Timothy Dalton and the transition to Pierce Brosnan? The conventions of the genre, the opening, the music and theme, the action opening, the international situation, the archvillain, associates, Bond in action, the women?
2. The title? And the reference to the villain, his surviving, gene therapy?
3. The revelation that Bond was in prison in North Korea? M and her cutting him off? The opening, surfing the huge waves, the group landing on shore, their mission?
4. The North Koreans? The general? Colonel Moon? Jail? Bond and his impersonation of the diamond dealer? The case of diamonds? The transfer, the arms? Zao and his photo, identifying Bond? The confrontation, the capture? His imprisonment? Bond and the 14 months, his experience, treatment, torture? His haggard appearance? The sequence of the border, Bond thinking he was to die? The colonel, the pursuit, the cliff? The colonel going over the water fall? His father looking down?
5. Zao, the exchange from the west? His becoming the archvillain? Along with Graves?
6. Bond, the return to England, the harshness of M? Damian Falco and the Americans? The tension in the careers?
7. Bond going to Cuba, on his own, the encounter with Jinx? His discussions with Raoul? The information about the centre? The visit, the elaborate setup, seeing Jinx with the doctor, the discussion, her killing him? The gene therapy, the transformation? Zao and the revelation that he was there, the confrontation, the fights, his escape? The threats to Jinx, her diving into the water?
8. Bond, summoned by M? His time in London, his interest in Graves? The diamonds? The club, the fencing match, the cameo by Madonna? The fencing, the swords, Bond winning, Graves and his payment, his personality, the challenge? The presence of Miranda Frost and her working for Graves?
9. The transition to Iceland, the elaborate plant, exteriors, the vast interiors? The Icarus project? Graves and his pride, the assistance? The arrival of Zao? The revelation of who Graves was? The colonel and his transformation? His ambitions, his ruthlessness? Those working for him? His contempt for people?
10. M, with Miranda Frost, her being sent to Icelandic? Meeting Bond, the night with him, the revelation that she was the mole?
11. The crowd gathered for the demonstration? Bond and his infiltration, the fights, in the car, the pursuit, the lasers, his going over the cliff, his equipment and return? Q and the gadgets, Bond’s use of them, the concealed car?
12. The confrontations, the lasers, Jinx captured, the fight and her release? Miranda Frost and the revelation, her imprisoning Jinx in the ice room? The water, Jinx almost drowned? Bond, his secret return, the car, the water getting out, taking Jinx to the warm pool?
13. The confrontation with jail, the cars, the guns, the tactics, Zao’s death?
14. The plane, Jinx and Bond getting onto the plane? Graves and his being Colonel Moon, the revelation of his father, the domination, his father’s disagreeing, imperilling the whole nation, Graves killing his father?
15. The final fights, confrontations, Jinx piloting, Graves overcoming Bond? The parachute? The hook – and Graves going out the door, into the propeller?
16. Mission accomplished, him and the British watching, Damian Falco and the role of the Americans? Bonds escape, and with Jinx? Pierce Brosnan’s final Bond film?
