THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH

UK, 1999, 128 minutes, Colour.
Pierce Brosnan, Sophie Marceau, Robert Carlyle, Denise Richards, Robbie Coltrane, Judi Dench, Desmond Llewellyn, John Cleese, Samantha Bond, Michael Kitchen, Colin Salmon, David Calder, Serena Scott Thomas, Goldie.
Directed by Michael Apted.

The World is Not Enough is the third James Bond film with Pierce Brosnan (after Golden Eye and Tomorrow Never Dies and before Die Another Day).

Pierce Brosnan by this time was comfortable in the role. Robert Carlisle portrays an arch villain. Sophie Marceau seems to be the leading lady but turns into an even more deadly villain. Denise Richards (one of those Believe It Or Not situations) is an atomic scientist. The film has an excellent supporting cast including Robbie Coltrane with Judi Dench being M again and Desmond Llewellyn doing his last role as Q (from the very beginning of the series). His successor is played by John Cleese in his most eccentric style.

The film focuses on the world need for oil, the manipulation of the oil pipes. It also focuses on world power, especially by rogue villains with nuclear warheads.

The film is also exotic, especially in the opening chase sequence culminating on the London Millennium Dome. There are also sequences in Kazakhstan.

The film is regular James Bond material, Brosnan style. It was directed by Michael Apted, a versatile director of many genres from documentary (The Seven-Up? series) to thrillers like Gorky Park.

1.The popularity of the James Bond franchise? The incarnations in Sean Connery, Roger Moore? The continuity with Pierce Brosnan?

2.The updating of the stories? The end of the 20th century? The Millennium situation? Oil, nuclear power, rogue states?

3.The title, the focus on Reynard, on Elektra, her ambitions, her greed, her ruthlessness?

4.The plausibility of the plot: the kidnapping of Elektra and her being brainwashed, the Stockholm Syndrome? Reynard and his cohorts? His manipulation of agents all over the world? Bond and his work, his role as 007, his relationship with M, with Miss Moneypenny? Going on the mission, undercover, meeting Elektra, the relationship with her? The pursuit of Reynard? The confrontations with Zukovsky? The plans, the warehouse, his infiltrating, the explosions? His being on the plane? The build-up to the confrontation, the kidnapping of M, the pinpointing of her whereabouts, the thwarting of the plan? The confrontation with Elektra and Reynard?

5.Bond as a character, suave, 007, with M, with Q and the gadgets, being lectured by R? The opening, in Spain, the shooting, his being left alive? Bringing the money back to England, the pursuit? The death of Sir Robert King? His own injuries? Persuading the doctor to let him have a clean bill of health? His going on the mission? Meeting with Elektra, deceived by her? His pursuit of Reynard, the nuclear weapons, the plane? Discovering the truth? Meeting Christmas Jones? Saving her? The build-up to the climax, the heroics? The rescuing of M?

6.Elektra, her relationship with her father, her mother? Power? The kidnapping, her father not wanting to rescue her, M using her as bait for Reynard? Influenced by Reynard, the Stockholm Syndrome? With Bond? The revelation that she was the mastermind? Her love for Reynard? Her power, cruelty? The final confrontation, her death?

7.Reynard, as a villain, his power, his henchmen, ruthlessness? His disfigurement? The fact that he was dying? Not able to feel? With Elektra, confronting Bond, his death?

8.Zukovsky, millionaire, his club, the pressures on him, his factories? His helping, his death? The betrayal by his minder?

9.The authorities, M, her position, believing Elektra, going to meet her, being imprisoned? Letting Bond know where she was? The background of Q, the comedy with R? The other authorities and members of the Secret Service?

10.The villains in Kazakhstan, Bond and his disguise, eliminating them, taking their place?

11.Audience enjoyment, even after forty years of the franchise, of the personality of Bond, of espionage, of the glamour in Bond’s style, in the world conspiracies, arch-villains and the confrontations? The triumphant ending?