When 1995's "GoldenEye" debuted to rapturous applause, and the tune of £240 million, James Bond had returned in style, with new recruit Pierce Brosnan relishing the opportunity once denied him. Brosnan's second outing in the famed tux sees him supremely comfortable in the role, an invigorating centrifuge to the formulaic chaos around him.
Following an edge-of-your-seat opening, with Bond foiling a terrorist arms bazaar, "Tomorrow Never Dies" finds 007 pitted against a topical villain: a megalomaniac media baron, intent on triggering a third World War to boost ratings. While not as diabolic as a Goldfinger (or a Zorin), Jonathan Pryce's hammy Eliot Carver is by no means a fatal flaw, with other key formula elements sufficient to take the slack.
Martial arts star Michelle Yeoh emerges as the strongest Bond girl in years, a superb ass-kicking foil to Brosnan's 'corrupt, decadent, Western agent', while Teri Hatcher as Bond's ex-flame allows Brosnan to inject Bond with some emotion. Elsewhere, Bruce FEIrstein's script captures the series trademark innuendo with such gems as: "You always were a cunning linguist, James."
Most of all, this is a pumped up Bond entry, with a succession of epic action set-pieces that, bar the finale, don't disappoint, including a carpark car chase, and Bond putting his remote-controlled BMW through its paces. If there is one gripe, Bond is too often the guns-blazing terminator than resourceful spy, barely registering the danger.
Even so, it's a strong entry, with Brosnan the comfortable, confident face of the invigorated franchise, reflecting the Connery glory days 30 years earlier.
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