A non-Bond fan watches all 25 James Bond movies.
I finished movie #20, Die Another Day. The Pierce Brosnan Bond era is now behind me. He did four Bond films, and this was the best of his four.
If you’re a James Bond fan, you should take that with a grain of salt because when I like a Bond movie, it tends to get negative reviews. When I despise a Bond movie it gets good reviews. I guess that’s the difference between me, a non-Bond fan, and a Bond enthusiast. But seriously, it was a mental task for me to sit down and watch the previous three of Brosnan’s films. This one I liked.
Here’s what stood out about Pierce Brosnan’s last Bond film, Die Another Day.
Pierce Brosnan as James Bond, His Evolution, etc
This movie came out in 2002 so it’s been forty years since Bond came out (1962) in the theaters. If Bond hadn’t evolved in all that time, surely there’s a problem with the Bond franchise. Time alone brings forth change.
Brosnan’s Bond has definitely evolved the most. Not just because it’s no longer 1962, but because a woman, Barbara Broccoli, became a co-producer. So, time and Barbara Broccoli moved the Bond franchise forward in this era. I’m not sure it would’ve changed much without her. I credit Barbara Broccoli for moving Bond out of his misogynistic ways (at least some of his ways) and bringing in a female as Bond’s boss.
Some things I hope are permanently gone–using vile sexual names for women characters. But some things will probably never change–Bond sleeping with at least two women in a movie. (I’ll see what happens with Daniel Craig in the upcoming era.)
Bond and Women in Die Another Day
As I mentioned, it’s standard that Bond has sex with at least two women in a movie. So, when he meets Halle Berry’s character, Jinx, they don’t waste time jumping in bed together.
Bond sleeps with another female agent, Miranda Frost, who turns out to be a double agent (i.e. villain). The two women, Jinx and Miranda, display jealousy toward one another at some point in the movie when they find out Bond’s slept with the other woman.
I was shocked to see James Bond and Moneypenny, the secretary, kissing passionately. But it turns out Moneypenny was fantasizing. Like she has nothing better to do than daydream about Bond.
Madonna has a small role in this movie. I’m surprised they didn’t have her character sleep with Bond. She also wrote and performed the theme song.
Filming & Production, Other Info
This movie came out in 2002. I liked it because the plot was straightforward. The action and stunts didn’t detract from the storyline. I’ve said it before but it’s true for me, when there’s too much action and stunts, it gets in the way of the story.
I’m sorry to say it, but the Pierce Brosnan Bond era was my least favorite. All along I was looking forward to this era because 1) Brosnan is the cutest Bond, therefore I thought he’d be my favorite. I was wrong.
2) I wanted to see how Barbara Broccoli would impact the films. And she did make an impact. Had she not come on board as a co-producer I’m not sure the Bond franchise would’ve progressed much.
And now, I’m moving on to the Daniel Craig era. I’ve heard he transforms the role of Bond more than any of his predecessors. We’ll see…