SummaryBond (Pierce Brosnan), feeling responsible for the death of a British oil tycoon friend, takes the position as bodyguard to the daughter (Sophie Marceau) of the slain man, while trying to catch his killer.
SummaryBond (Pierce Brosnan), feeling responsible for the death of a British oil tycoon friend, takes the position as bodyguard to the daughter (Sophie Marceau) of the slain man, while trying to catch his killer.
That's what Bond is all about -- dazzle, some really bad puns and the kind of sexy fun that satisfies high-school urges while masquerading in tux and tails.
THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH is one of the best James Bond 007 films ever made, and it's one of my my favourite James Bond films. Spectacular Action Set-Pieces, a Wonderful Plot with Twists and Turns, Two Hot & Sexy Bond Girls, and Pierce Brosnan's Fantastic & Stylish Performance as James Bond make this one of the best James Bond films ever and a visual delight for James Bond fans. THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH sticks to what makes Bond, Bond and in doing that it truly embraces the James Bond formula in the best possible manner...
I am a fan of James Bond, and I have to say I love The World is Not Enough. It mayn't be the best of the Bond films like I consider a film like Goldfinger, but it is easily one of the better Bond films with Pierce Brosnan in the title role. I also think it is incredibly underrated, for as I have said this is really good and second only to GoldenEye as the best of the Brosnan Bonds. I loved that The World is Not Enough was a welcome return to the gritty glamour as seen in From Russia With Love, and that the story is quite hard-hitting as well as suspenseful and thrilling. The stunts are truly spectacular, as is the action which is enough to make your adrenaline pump up, with the opening speedboat chase complimenting it perfectly. The cinematography is effortless and the scenery is splendid, while the music and theme song are certainly memorable. The acting is very well done, Pierce Brosnan is very likable and clearly comfortable as Bond, while Sophie Marceau matches him perfectly and her character Elektra King is for me the best and sexiest Bond girl in ages and Robert Carlyle is perfect as the vicious and chilling villain. And I actually didn't mind Denise Richards that much, admittedly she isn't brilliant, but I certainly didn't hate her, and Judi Dench once again proves what a fine actress she is and even gets to go out into the Middle East battlefield and show off her gadget ingenuity. Overall, this is really underrated and quite an excellent film. 9/10 Bethany Cox
The latest 007 extravaganza has enough plot developments, double-entendres, emotional underpinnings and, of course, Bond girls, action scenes and explosions to furnish at least a couple of Bondfests, with plenty left over for an episode of Nash Bridges.
Pierce Brosnan does a great job at bringing the emotional side of Bond to this picture and the story is inventive and interesting, even if it is at times way over the top, but that is what I want in a movie. The villains in the film are interesting and the acting is great in this film (except for one Denise Richards, who is sometimes okay, but she has her bad moments). The action is awesome in this film and the music is perfect. I really enjoyed this film and the fact that they brought the more emotional side of Bond out.
“The World is Not Enough” is a run-of-the-mill Bond entry that lands squarely within the territory of a middling presentation. While there are a number of facets that keep the film from sliding too far from grace, such as its’ solid casting and engaging music scores, there also are quite a few hindrances that keep it from becoming anything noteworthy when compared to its predecessors (including a muddled plot line, the waste of character potential, and a complete lack of tonal consistency). Though the film can likely be enjoyed as background entertainment if taken at face value for the niche and campy product that it is, those attempting to rationalize the movie on a more comprehensive level will likely have their work cut out for themselves.
Concerning the story, T.W.I.N.E. sets its stage by placing James Bond within a terrorist strike that wounds the iconic agent right out of the gate. Following the death of a prominent oil tycoon, Bond is swiftly introduced thereafter to the tycoon’s daughter, Elektra King, and tasked with keeping her safe after prior attempts to do so ended poorly. After another attempt is made on her life and intel is gathered from King and a past “associate”, Valentin Zukovsky, Bond heads after the primary suspect of the incidents; a man by the name of Renard. After confronting him and surviving the destruction of the facility alongside nuclear physicist Dr. Christmas Jones, the two set out to prevent Renard from using the Plutonium he obtained. After a major plot twist turns a certain character against Bond and places his boss, M’s, life on the line, the climax sees his endurance and wit put to the test as the clock ticks down to the destruction of Istanbul and the inevitable fallout of all the major oil pipelines connected to it.
Though simplistic at first glance, the film itself doesn’t go out of its way to pave the road of the plot for its viewers. Unfortunately, for the sake of the pivotal twist two-thirds into the run time, certain details such as the identity of the true antagonist and their admittedly underwhelming motives are left unspoken until the big reveal. While this could have worked had more attention to detail and nuance been granted to the core story elements that preceded it, as it stands upon the first time watching the film, the events and suspense that follow the twist felt rushed, unearned, and lacking in gravitas. As for the characters, Pierce Brosnan’s Bond worked well within his usual guise, though fell victim this time around to the same tonal inconsistencies that plagued the rest of the film; more on that later. Sophie Marceau and Denise Richards’ Elektra King and Dr. Jones (respectively) both lended well to the “Bond Girl” staple, despite a decisive lack of backstory, especially on Jones’ part. In that same light, Robert Carlyle’s performance as Renard was also undercut by the mismanaged plot he was given, though this didn’t wholly stifle his ability to make the character intimidating when he had the chance. Alternatively, Desmond Llewelyn’s “Q” was a breath of fresh air, and in as much as this was the final time he would play the role of the quirky gadget designer, his brief appearances in the film concluded his place within the franchise on a high note.
Another negative point to include here is the film’s waste of certain characters that could have added more layers to the plot if given a chance. This would include both the assassin that ends herself after getting caught at the beginning of the film, and a subordinate of Renard that is seemingly brought into the limelight for a significant purpose, only to be promptly offed shortly thereafter. Perhaps the greatest thorn in the side to this particular outing of Bond’s, however, is the aforementioned tonal inconsistencies that riddled the film with little to no break. On one hand, there are sequences of action and dialogue that feel as solid and palpable as to be expected from the franchise; all of which setting a serious tone. Yet on the other hand, there are goofy and ludicrous scenes depicting haphazard and nonsensical combat and gadgets (such as the outlandish ball-suit) that introduce comedic beats strong enough to suggest a lighthearted atmosphere; killing any tension that might have been built up. Though previous Bond films have been no stranger to mingling in a spot of humor here and there, the degree in which this movie employs it likens it more to a modern superhero film than an espionage-driven set piece, which in turn makes it hard to take seriously.
All in all, while there are elements to be enjoyed in “The World is Not Enough”, the combination of its disonant plot threads, squandered potential and chaotic tone make it a challenge to get invested in beyond a casual watch to kill time.
I watched all 25 from **** to Spectre, I would place The World is Not Enough at 20/25.
Brosnan was the worst Bond. The World is Not Enough is his worst Bond.
I would say Tomorrow Never Dies is actually worse, but in that one, I find an odd fascination with how much I can hate it. Getting drunk and hating on a terrible movie is a form of enjoyment to find.
In here, there is nothing. The plot is uninteresting. The villains are VERY uninteresting, and are probably the worst part of the movie. The scenes are uninteresting. The action, which was at least bombastic in Tomorrow, is now just hashed out and extremely synthetic.
This movie has the odd distinction, in a franchise full of crazy ideas, poor taste, and nonsensical plots, that still get to be forgiven and enjoyed, to be the one that doesn't have anything "really" bad. Instead, it is that low in my list because it just has nothing good. Actors, plot, emotion, action, there is nothing. Just an utterly skippable and pointless movie. The only thing to see is Sophie Marceau, which is still a sight to see, but everything else should be skipped.
The nineteenth James Bond movie and the end of an era as it is the last appearance of Q played by Desmond Llewelyn. He became a pop culture legend along with James Bond and everyone of us wanted his awesome gadgets or be as smart as him. I want to thank him for everything. John Cleese is introduced here and took over. Good decision for me and Desmond Llewelyn wanted someone to take the mantle as he got old and thought that he could not be forever Q (He will always be Q in our memories;-). The story starts when Sir Robert King a close friend of M is assassinated inside the MI6 headquarter and James Bond gives a great chase after the assassin. Later he is send to protect Elektra King the daughter of Robert King who does not trust the MI6 because of their failing with her father and rescuing her when she was kidnapped. The rest after this intro I wont spoil. This is the strangest movie in the franchise for me. On paper it has an awesome story or good ideas but it never got me hooked. I never felt much immersion and still today I do not know why exactly. It has a great intro, an amazing twist and characters that work. The action scenes are also well done. If I have to explain it I would say it feels like they did a to do list and try to fill the rest up with awesomeness. It is somehow a bit empty. The acting is good for franchise standards. Pierce Brosnan delivers and Sophie Marceau is truly excellent. Renard is an interesting villain but will not be that high in the favorite list. The older movies have the best villains like Scaramanga, Jaws, Goldfinger and Blofeld. Strangely the newer movies often struggle with creating good villains. But back to this review. The action and special effects work well. I see no missteps here. The soundtrack is decent, neither great nor awful. Overall this is my least liked James Bond movie to date. I know “Die Another Day” is considered by many as inferior and worst movie in the franchise. However “Die Another Day” has good ideas and even if there are awful scenes it got more immersion for me.