Alternate Versions
The UK DVD version edits the scene where Natalya tries to hit Xenia with a branch but Xenia headbutts her and says "Wait for your turn". The line is said but the headbutt has been removed.
The UK Special Edition DVD of the film, released March 2001, includes the sequence where Onatopp tells Natalya to "Wait for your turn" as she is crushing Bond. However the UK DVD re-release still removes the actual headbutt from the scene, and every other headbutt in the film. Also missing is when Brosnan ear claps and knees Bean in the face during the climactic brawl in the antenna room.
UK Ultimate Edition DVD is uncut and rated 15.
As detailed on this page, the film received cuts for the MPAA and BBFC. Some of these are missing from the so-called "Uncut" Ultimate Edition DVD released in 2006.
The first DVD release of this film in Europe had to be cut to fit several counties local censor cuts. Scenes previously seen intact in cinemas or on VHS by, for instance Swedish audiences, where omitted on DVD e.g. "The good squeeze" line, the satellite crashing down on Alec Trevelyan or the close up of Xenias face showing her reaction after she has mowed down the Severnaya personell.
In addition to the Xenia headbutt, the British version also has cuts to the final fight between Brosnan and Sean Bean. Bean headbutting Bond in the antenna room and the headbutt on the cradle delivered by Brosnan are missing.
The film had some cuts to qualify for a PG-13 rating in the US. To name a few:
- In the scene when 006 is shot, one originally clearly saw the impact of the bullet to the head.
- When Xenia shoots the workers at the Severnya station, there were originally several more shots of the people being killed.
- Xenia's death was trimmed. The shot of her choking was longer.
- The rabbit punch by Bond on Xenia is missing, but this was because of the BBFC, not the MPAA. The BBFC objected to it and Martin Campbell saw no need in making two versions of the scene for the US and UK, so it was cut from both.
In some television airings, the scene where Xenia and the Canadian war official kiss and she begins to suffocate him with her legs is cut, and we skip right to the scene where he manages "XENIA! I... CAN'T... BREATHE..." while trying to breathe and straining his face.
German theatrical version omits the scene when Alec is crushed by the dish and the scene when Bond says about Onatopp: "She always liked a good squeeze." to secure a "Not under 12" rating. This version was also released on VHS and DVD (first editions only). In 2001 the film was re-released on DVD (special edition) and VHS, this time uncut with a "Not under 16" rating.
US Network version shown on NBC omits the part where Xenia curses at Bond in Russian. After Bond says "No more foreplay," and cocks his gun, Xenia yells, "Blyad!" which is equivalent to "fuck". Additionally, the scene where a soldier is shot by Ourumov for trying to shoot at Bond in the pre-titles is eliminated.
