The World Is Not Enough

James Bond must rescue M, protect an oil heiress from her former kidnapper Renard, a terrorist who can't feel pain.

It begins with the sleek gun barrel Point of View walk, and what follows is arguably one of the greatest Bond pre-title sequences and certainly Pierce Brosnan's best. There's a specular escape in Spain, an explosion in MI6 headquarters London and a chase on the River Thames to apprehend an assassin (Sicillian star, Maria Grazia Cucinotta) that climaxes at the Millennium Dome. All this action before the James Bond title song and it's carried out not just for show, but as it's all part of the story's later developments.

Michael Apted directs the 19th Bond instalment in which Brosnan gives his finest performance as 007, he appears, confident, intellectual, more dangerous and authentic as the spy. In this he is injured and carries his ailment throughout the film, making him more vulnerable and real in life threaten situations, leaving the entertaining but bland Tomorrow Never Dies behind.

For the most part this instalment is more grounded and played serious with fewer gags than in previous Bonds, certainly less than Moore's outings. A lot of this is due to Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Bruce Feirstein screenplay which lends itself as a mystery, whodunit thriller theme and the villains, have more shades of grey as well as the heroes.

Despite, Denise Richards beauty with brains role as Dr. Christmas Jones, she still appears as the typical Bond girl by the end. Robert Carlyle character Renard is given depth and ulterior motives as the villain but he still is cliché Bond Villain with scars. This aside, Sophie Marceau is excellent as femme fatale oil baron heiress Elektra King and M's (Judie Dench) late friends daughter. Dench is given more to do and shines on screen, and regulars Desmond Llewelyn (Q), Samantha Bond (Miss Moneypenny) and Colin Salmon reprise their roles. Robbie Coltrane makes a welcomed return as Zukovsky to briefly assist Bond, and Goldie makes an appearance as a henchman. Comedy legend John Cleese plays Q's side kick R.

The music score and Barry's trademark theme comes in just at the right moments to heighten the action on screen. And as a bonus the title songs music is interlaced throughout the movie.

The World Is Not Enough is only marred by some poor cringe-worthy quips that are synonyms with the franchise. It's a shame that all the hard work of writers, Bronson's and Apted's subtly was discarded in Die Another Day (2002), where it was CGI heavy and returned to a Moore- like, lighter spectacle adventure.

This Bond is in the tradition of the earlier Connery outings, the vein of Dalton's steely incarnation, and a credit must goto Pierce Brosnan as this influenced the style of the later Casino Royale rework.

Ultimately, The World Is Not Enough due to it's great plot is one of the better Bonds that can be enjoyed by fans and the causal viewer.

Top casting and exciting action make this one of the most entertaining Bond films for a while.

Some may disagree, but I think Brosnan has the edge over Connery now. Sophie Marceau is fantastic as Electra, one of the most interesting characters to grace the series for a while. Carlyle, although shortlived, is a very believable and even sympathetic villain and Robbie Coltrane makes a meal of his second appearance as Valentin Zukovsky.

The opening scene of TWINE is probably the best action scene ever in a Bond film and while the ones that follow cannot quite match up to it, they are still top class. Director Michael Apted shows that he has a real talent for dealing with these parts of the movie, and the excellent soundtrack can only improve them.

I went to see this movie on consecutive days and bought the soundtrack (Garbage&David Arnold) the second time, this is the best recommendation that I can possibly give it.

The World Is Not Enough is ranked as one of the weakest of any of the Bond films, but it does have many positives. The action is very strong in this one, like the caviar factory and the ski chase. Pierce Brosnan is joined by two very good actors to be the villains, and are some of the vest in the franchise. The locations are good, and it gives the films a different dimension, particularly in terms of the role of M. It is badly underrated, and is a great film, but just has some issues in the actual story.

I first saw this in the early 2k on cable tv.

Revisited it recently.

This is the nineteenth in the Bond series and the third to star Pierce Brosnan as James Bond.

In this one Bond is assigned to protect an oil tycoon's daughter who had previously been held for ransom by an ex KGB turned terrorist. During this assignment, Bond unravels a scheme to increase petroleum prices by triggering a nuclear meltdown in the waters of Istanbul.

This one has an amazing pre credit scene (not the lousy window jump sequence). The boat chase sequence is amazeballs.

The villain, Reynard, is truly sinister n Carlyle did a fine job but his character ain't developed well.

The story ain't engrossing n none of the henchmen is memorable.

This time Bond faces Reynard who is hell bent on causing chaos n destruction.

Bond faces many henchmen, Gabor, Mr. Bullion, etc. But the most noteworthy is the attractive cigar girl (Giulietta da Vinci).

Bond gets to cool off with Serena Scott Thomas, Denise Richards and Sophie Marceau.

Some info on Reynard: His real name was Victor Zokas n his childhood was particularly traumatic as he was raised in poverty.

At the age of fourteen, he ran away from home and joined the Soviet Army. Due to his vicious nature n brutal methods, he was given a place in the KGB. Due to his cunning and effectively discrete ways, he got the nickname, "Renard The Fox".

Aft his expulsion from the KGB due to his evident mental instability, Zokas took "Renard" alias and became one of the world's most feared terrorists.

It was 009 who shot Reynard in the head n although a doctor was able to save Renard's life, he was unable to extract the bullet from his patient's skull. Due to its retention within his brain matter, Reynard lost most of his senses and pain was never felt by him.

This allowed him to push himself much further than the ordinary human limits.

The film opens with a formidable assassin who had recently posed as a banker's secretary… She had given Bond a cigar, before killing her boss in the Swiss banker's office in Bilbao, Spain…

Now, when a bomb blew a hole in MI6's London headquarters, the super spy sped off in the Q boat, ignoring Q's plaintive cry, "Stop" Stop! It isn't finished!" It was Q's fishing boat for his retirement… There's a splendid boat chase along the River Thames between 007 and the stunning Maria Grazia Cucinotta, the "Cigar Girl" – who worked as a barmaid at the village inn in "Il Postino." Bond was eager to capture her for questioning…

When a bomb planted in a briefcase of money killing British oil tycoon Robert King, M was determined to bring the perpetrators to justice… The prime suspect was Renard who had once kidnapped King's daughter, Elektra… M (Judi Dench) believed Elektra was next on Renard's list and 007 was assigned to act as her "shadow" while she supervised the building of an oil pipeline in Azerbaijan… Yet despite his powerful urge to protect her, there was something about this beautiful, cunning, willful woman that aroused his suspicions…

Bond flew to Azerbaijan, where King Industries was building an oil pipeline… Elektra gave 007 a 'cold' reception, taking him up into the snowy peaks to the pass where the two ends of the pipeline would soon meet... It was then that unsocial 'visitors' struck…

Sophie Marceau plays the magnate's daughter Elecktra who had once escaped Renard's clutches all by herself… Her favorite motto: "There's no point in living if you can't feel alive."

Robert Carlyle plays Renard, the former KGB hit-man who had set up his own organization and demanded fanatical loyalty… He was a murderer, a terrorist, and a kidnapper… His only goal was chaos… Subordinated who failed him killed themselves rather than face his wrath… After Robert King came to see M, she sent 009 to kill Renard… 009 caught up with him and put a bullet in his head…The bullet was now killing off all his senses and was impervious to pain… Renard was determined to pull off one last coup against the West… But his motivations were motivated by blind hatred, or blind love?

Goldie plays Bull, Zukovsky's shifty, gold-toothed bodyguard… He was a menace to his boss and an important Renard spy…

Denise Richards plays Christmas Jones, the sexy atomic scientist overseeing the dismantling of the Kazakhstan nuclear test site… Dr. Jones became an invaluable ally of 007's following Renard's theft of a nuclear bomb…

For "The World Is Not Enough," Q equipped Bond with the faster car 007 had ever been entrusted with: the MBW Z8, armed with a radar-guided missile system...

Robbie Coltrane returns as the duplicitous Russian black marketeer Valentin Zukovsky whose ebony walking gun stick seemed a typically showy affection - but it had its uses...

A final sad note: "The World Is Not Enough," marked the final appearance of the beloved Desmond Llewelyn, who acted from 1964 to 1995, except for "Live and Let Die." A perfect foil to 007's lighthearted nature… Q has been one of the series' most enduring character...