Die Another Day Review
by Shannon Patrick Sullivan (shannon AT morgan DOT ucs DOT mun DOT ca)December 10th, 2002
DIE ANOTHER DAY (2002) / ***
Directed by Lee Tamahori. Screenplay by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. Starring Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Toby Stephens. Running time: 132 minutes. Rated AA for violent scenes by the MFCB. Reviewed on December 7th, 2002.
By SHANNON PATRICK SULLIVAN
Synopsis: British superspy James Bond (Brosnan) is captured in North Korea in the wake of a failed mission. His freedom is finally secured by a reluctant M (Judi Dench) after more than a year, and Bond quickly sets about discovering who betrayed him. The trail leads him to recently-wealthy Gustav Graves (Stephens), who claims to have discovered diamonds in Iceland -- diamonds Bond realises are actually being smuggled through Korea.
Review: After the lacklustre "The World Is Not Enough", the James Bond franchise returns to fine form with "Die Another Day". All the elements that have made the Bond films so enduring are in evidence here, supported by innumerable nods to past movies, in celebration of the series' fortieth anniversary. The plot is, of course, utterly absurd, but in the best of ways: "Die Another Day" is a fun romp which never becomes a self-parody, and which offers plenty of luscious scenery and exhilarating set pieces. This being a Bond film, it is forgivable that the laws of physics are sometimes strained. Less acceptable, though, is when the script contravenes its own rules. In one scene, for instance, Bond is pursued across an ice lake by a laser keyed in on his heat signature. He falls over the edge of a cliff, and the laser inexplicably stops; is it afraid of heights? Brosnan is again picture-perfect as Bond, ably opposed by Gustav Graves, played by Stephens with all the hammy gusto that he can muster, and the delectable Miranda Frost (Rosamund Pike). The only real disappointment is Berry, who imparts little charisma to the role of Jinx. Tamahori does an assured job in the director's chair, although he tends to overuse some stylistic flourishes, such as slo-mo sequences. Still, "Die Another Day" is a suitable celebration of what makes James Bond great.
Copyright © 2002 Shannon Patrick Sullivan.
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