Rate 'Tomorrow Never Dies'

[Kevin Roegele]

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I would describe this as a John Woo remake of The Spy Who Loved Me. It has the most succesful and popular Bond girl of the Pierce Brosnan era in Michelle Yeoh's Wai Ling. It has loads and loads of impressive stunts and action including a superb pre-credit sequence. It has Teri Hatcher, Bond preventing World War III and, of all people, Sheryl Crow singing the title song.

The most memorable thing about TND is it's unusual political statement; that media barons are becoming real life, meglomaniacal Bond villains. It's almost heavy-handed, and Jonathan Pryce is certainly not subtle, but it's a worthy and different approach.

What's your take on 1997's Tomorrow Never Dies?

 

[The Joker]

It was good. Not great, just good, IMO.

Carver was a good villain, Wai Lin was a formidable partner and love interest for Bond, Paris Carver made a decent sacrificial lamb, and Dr Kaufman was a great villain in his brief scene.

But, I felt it was more wall to wall action rather than actual story.

 

[Furious Styles]

I've always had mixed emotions about TND. I don't consider it a bad Bond film, but I don't consider it a great one either. If anything, I think TND signals an abrupt departure from Goldeneye. You made an interesting point in another thread, when you talked about Brosnan's films moving at break neck speeds and there was Brosnan, trying to stay afloat so to speak. TND is a perfect example of that sentiment.

I think alot of Bond's depth is lost in this film, or quickly passed over. Especially in the scene's regarding Bond and Paris. I think they could have gone along way with Bond and Paris, solidifying the change they had decided to make in Goldeneye. However, TND brushes it off after Paris' death scene and we're back to big action sequences and bigger explosions.

The action sequences, although spectacular, don't really possess the grace and charm of other Bond action sequences. It's just Brosnan blowing $hit up here and there. But it's still exciting I suppose. Luckily, David Arnold brings some added excitement to the scenes with his John Barry influenced score.

I think TND showcases Brosnan's ability as an actor and how natural and smooth he appeared as Bond. It's a fun film to watch, with great action sequences, but it doesn't really leave any lasting impression with me. Brosnan's films have always intrigued me, because I'm still trying to give them some historical perspective.

There are alot of variables to look at: this was Michael G. and Barbara's first Bond film without Cubby, there was no finished script when shooting began, Brosnan had one film under his belt, then again, I suppose none of that matters.

 

[Arkady Rossovich]

I thought it was horrible,the only good film Brosnan played was Goldeneye.It was not his fault,its just bad directing and script.

 

[Prognosticator]

Pierce's Bond flicks went downhill, progressively, one after the other. IF a person were to be kind enough to give Goldeneye 4 stars, I'd give TND 3, and the other two Brosnan Bonds 1 1/2. The story/sets/action of TND were pretty good. The end definitely drags out in that submarine, *ZZzzzz* but overall it's a good one.

It's too bad they only worried about making Bond movies for the sake of making Bond movies because that really hurts Brosnan's legacy as Bond!

 

[Everyman]

I have mixed feelings about this one. It had good potential, a good badguy's scheme, which sadly relies too much on gagdetry borderline sci-fi (the submarine), some great action scenes, Brosnan plays very well Roger Moore, some funny villains (but most of them utterly unthreathening), etc. I never liked Wai Lin so much, one of many "Bond's equal" that really get in the way of the plot and are superfluous, and Michelle yeoh while a great actress isn't exactly sexy enough to be a Bond girl. Paris was miscasted and criminally underdeveloped, and what's the point of having Bond loose a woman he once almost fell in love with if he is back his usual self playing with his car five minutes after her death?

 

[Kevin Roegele]

I never liked Wai Lin so much, one of many "Bond's equal" that really get in the way of the plot and are superfluous

She's the only Bond girl ever who has been convincing Bond's equal. Michelle Yeoh is a legitimate action star in her own right (worldwide she is probably more famous than Pierce Brosnan). The fact that we had seen a woman who really could kick ass in TND made Halle Berry's Jinx in DAD even less convincing.

Holly Goodhead from Moonraker was pretty good.

 

[Everyman]

She's the only Bond girl ever who has been convincing Bond's equal. Michelle Yeoh is a legitimate action star in her own right (worldwide she is probably more famous than Pierce Brosnan). The fact that we had seen a woman who really could kick ass in TND made Halle Berry's Jinx in DAD even less convincing.

Holly Goodhead from Moonraker was pretty good.

Yes, at least she is convincing... But the fact that she is a predecessor of Jinx is in itself a terrible sin, IMO. But I hate the idea of a "bond's female equal" in a Bond movie. The character becomes redundant, and ultimately useless, because whatever she can do, Bond should do it. It's his movie after all.

 

[Prognosticator]

I couldn't even finish DAD!

 

[PWN3R]

It was good. Not great, just good

Pretty much my thoughts exactly.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

Yes, at least she is convincing... But the fact that she is a predecessor of Jinx is in itself a terrible sin, IMO. But I hate the idea of a "bond's female equal" in a Bond movie. The character becomes redundant, and ultimately useless, because whatever she can do, Bond should do it. It's his movie after all.

I agree with that to an extent. For instance, DAD felt like a 007/Jinx team-up movie (the writers say they deliberately wanted Jinx to feel as if she came from a different movie series). When Bond has a female equivalent, it's like he only has to do half his usual workload and she does the other half for him.

Plus, the rules of such heroic narrative (atleast those I subscribe to) dictate that you pair the hero with a normal person who can't kick ass/perform stunts/do the incredible stuff, to show how amazing the hero (in this case Bond) is in contrast.

 

[Two-Face]

i like TND and it is better then TWINE but still can't top GE.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

i like TND and it is better then TWINE but still can't top GE.

I think TND is a far better action movie (TWINE has lame action scenes), but TWINE tells a much better story.

 

[Mr Jide]

I actually thought TND was an ok Bond movie, its nothing to worship but its not something to hate either.

 

[Everyman]

I agree with that to an extent. For instance, DAD felt like a 007/Jinx team-up movie (the writers say they deliberately wanted Jinx to feel as if she came from a different movie series). When Bond has a female equivalent, it's like he only has to do half his usual workload and she does the other half for him.

Plus, the rules of such heroic narrative (atleast those I subscribe to) dictate that you pair the hero with a normal person who can't kick ass/perform stunts/do the incredible stuff, to show how amazing the hero (in this case Bond) is in contrast.

We know how this Jinx spin-off idea went, in the end. Anyway, I would say that Wai Lin was the most convincing of the Bond's female equivalent, but in the end, she diminished Bond's importance in his own film. And in the end, because of the rules you mentionned, she becomes all of a sudden a damsel in distress!

 

[Everyman]

I think TND is a far better action movie (TWINE has lame action scenes), but TWINE tells a much better story.

I agree. And TWINE is more a Bond movie than TND. It was more original anyway, TND's plot was a rewriting of YOLT with a bit of Goldfinger thrown into it.

 

[The Chairman]

I give TND a 4. It's not the best, but it's a lot of fun. Plus, I saw it with my grandfather just before he passed away, so I guess there's some sentimental value.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

It's doing a lot better in the ratings than I expected.

 

[Everyman]

It's doing a lot better in the ratings than I expected.

But then again, there is neither a great enthusiasm for it or a great contempt for it. I think the feeling for TND illustrates it's quality: it was an enjoyable ride, but not the most intelligent Bond. I watched a bit of it recently, and now that CR is released, TND is quite tamed.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

But then again, there is neither a great enthusiasm for it or a great contempt for it. I think the feeling for TND illustrates it's quality: it was an enjoyable ride, but not the most intelligent Bond. I watched a bit of it recently, and now that CR is released, TND is quite tamed.

Understand that TND, atleast in my experience, usually gets slated on the net as an empty-headed John Woo-crib. Usually reviews are atleast three to one against. So I was expecting it to recieve mainly 2's, and 3's at best.

 

[George Lazenby]

Brosnan's best Bond by a long shot, which still only lands it a 3 in my book.

 

[Bruce_Wayne29]

It's probably my favourite of Pierce's Bond movies, teo great Bond girls and it has my favourite villain the insanely brilliant Elliot Carver masterfully played by Jonathan Pryce.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Given the ratings i voted 2/5,i would have went for average if it had been an option

 

[*ANTHONY*]

Great Bond film!!!! Loved it! So exciting! The car chases were amazing, action scenes that never bore, I love it.

GoldenEye was boring. Better story, but still boring. I am sick of more Russia involvment already. The World Is Not Enough was good. The story was kinda dull, but also exciting. Die Another Day... was okay.

 

[Clouseau]

i absolutely hated TND! if there was an option for 0/5, i'd probably have chosen it...