James Bond - Die Another Day (Ultimate Edition, 2 DVDs)

Since Daniel Craig reinvented the James Bond character, the Bond series seems to be on the up what with the success of 'Casino Royale'. Of course the film prior to this latest edition of Bond, was the 2002 release of Die Another Day, the last of the films to feature Pierce Brosnan as the infamous womanising secret agent. How does Brosnan bow out of the role of a character that he has indentified himself with for four fully fledged movies? As you would expect, the film begins with a bang as Bond, James Bond, as he tries to outsmart the North Koreans and assassinate Zao (Rick Yune). Of course this leads to a semi-entertaining action sequence, but it seems that ...  Read the complete review

The fortieth anniversary James Bond film - Die Another Day - was released in 2002 to reasonably favourable reviews. Today it is widely regarded to be one of the worst films ever made. Or at least one of the worst James Bond films ever made. Is it as bad as some make out? The answer is yes and no. Problem number one for Die Another Day is the script. At the start of the film Bond is in North Korea. After a surfing sequence which probably took months to film for about three seconds of screen time Bond infiltrates the headquarters of colonel Moon, a North korean officer who trades in illicit weapons. Moon discovers that the man he is doing a deal with is actually ...  Read the complete review

Foreword: Criticising a James Bond film for being silly and far-fetched is a bit like criticising a porn film for being sexually explicit. Bear this in mind as you enter the world of Die Another Day. The film opens with Bond surfing the waves along the Korean coast, on a mission to intercept some illegal arms dealing. When Bond’s identity is compromised, he narrowly escapes death by exploding a briefcase full of diamonds, and a frantic chase follows. The chase ultimately results in the death of the bad guy, but Bond’s troubles are only just beginning as he is arrested by the dead man’s father and imprisoned for fourteen months. Just when he thinks ...  Read the complete review

Ah, Bond films. Love them or hate them... er, no, what am I saying? No one hates them, and anyone who says they do is lying, frankly. Bond films are strange, in that no one really cares if they're actually any good or not compared to normal films; we only care whether they're good compared to other Bond films. So while there probably aren't any Bond films that would genuinely pass muster if compared to 'proper' films like 'Taxi Driver' or whatever, it's entirely possible for a Bond film to be 'good', even though it isn't really, if you see what I mean. At the end of the day, a Bond film can't go too far wrong as long as ...  Read the complete review

James Bond movies are like a favourite pair of pants. They're a welcome sight; they fit snugly and have the same feel they've had all these years. But the new Bond movie Die Another Day leaves a stain. One that makes things feel a little different. Directed by - Lee Tamahori Starring - Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Toby Stephens, Rosamund Pike, Rick Yune, Judi Dench, John Cleese, Michael Madsen, Will Yun Lee, Samantha Bond, Colin Salmon, Madonna Length - 132 minutes Cert - 12A There are the usual trademarks that come with a Bond movie. Girls that look better then anyone you know in real life. Gadgets that'd benefit us all if ...  Read the complete review