007 TOMORROW NEVER DIES (1997) Starring PIERCE BROSNAN as James Bond

After GOLDENEYE came out in 1995 to great financial success, Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli, one of the original two producers of the legendary film series, passed away. This would make the 18th Bond movie the first film made totally by Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson. It can of course be suggested that Cubby may not have had an active hand in the production of GOLDENEYE, but his influence was most certainly felt. It is strange then perhaps to see a non-Fleming title with very little actual meaning become the title of a big production. But TOMORROW NEVER DIES would be directed by Roger Spottiswoode and written by Bruce Feirstein and would prove to be a vast improvement on its predecessor.

In the teaser sequence, James Bond disrupts an arms bazaar scene for terrorists on a remote airport strip close to the Russian border, with rather explosive results. The main story then unfolds, to deal with a media mogul by the name of Elliot Carver, who, quite clearly insane, will instigate a war between England and China to get the rights for media coverage by his media enterprise over the vast Chinese market. Carver has the HMS Devonshire sunk and has it arranged that it looks like China may have had something to do with it. Bond is sent to Hamburg to meet Carver at a business presentation and check him out. At this presentation, Bond also meets Paris Carver, Elliot's wife, with whom Bond had had a previous relationship. (Oh?) Paris makes it possible for Bond to get access to Carver's Hamburg HQ, where Bond finds a gadget that was used to disguise the true location of the Devonshire,  With this device, the location of the Devonshire was made to look like it was in Chinese waters when it sank. Elliot however kills Paris for this 'betrayal' and Bond finds her dead. A number of exciting sequences follow in which Bond teams up with a Chinese agent, Wai Lin, played by Michelle Yeoh.

One can tell that Brosnan by now has settled well into the role as he gives his scenes with Paris Carver, played by Teri Hatcher remarkable sensitivity. Judi Dench, too, is again remarkable as M, this time efficiently assisted by Colin Salmon as agent Robinson and Samantha Bond as Ms. Moneypenny. Bruce Feirstein's story is not bad, (even though the second half is slightly less well structured because it just seems to be one scene after the other), but with regards Bond's past, it seems strange that we have never heard of Paris as a love interest before. Did anyone mention the word 'reboot'??   Daniel Kleinman again does an appealing title sequence with a lot of CG while composer David Arnold seems to hit all the right chords for the music. His score is brilliant, very rhythmic, forceful and very reminiscent of Classic John Barry.

The film does still suffer from the A-Team Curse (millions of bullets fired that seem to hit NO ONE!!), but in sexiness, it does seem to allow for a bit more than usual, although nothing graphic is shown. It is interesting to note that Teri Hatcher was still working on LOIS & CLARK in the USA during the shoot and that she was pregnant while making this movie. Vincent Schiavelli plays an interesting role as a professional assassin and producer Michael Wilson shows up at 20 minutes into the film on one of Carver's screens. (Michael Wilson has been known to show up in cameo's now and then.) Finally I'd like to note that the oriental locations may seem familiar: these scenes were very close to where twenty years earlier THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN was shot.

TOMORROW NEVER DIES is a definite improvement over GOLDENEYE and although it has some structural problems in the second half, these problems are minor. All in all, a good film, also very enjoyable, well produced, well acted and very well directed. Thank you all ! Looking forward to the next one.

"Am I going to be in that as well? "

"NO !"