Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

Tomorrow Never Dies is one of the weakest installments of Bond. Entertaining enough, but nothing about it stands out.I don't care for the story or any of the villains. Carver was quite annoying and his muscle Stamper was as bland as can be. I think Teri Hatcher needed to be involved more and Michelle Yeoh's character was pretty uninteresting. There is so much unnecessary gunplay and kung fu. It might be the most action filled bond of the lot, trying to fill the void of the many things lacking. It's not just that though, it's quite a lot of bad action, I mean a chopper is flying behind them and they're just riding straight and the bullets are missing them. Just because you are Bond doesn't mean you can't be shot, you have to actually be better than them. The song by Sheryl Crow is also very weak and completely unmemorable. Despite a whole lot of negatives, it still isn't a bad film, just one of the worst in this particular great series.

This is the second James Bond film by Pierce Brosnan. It firmly plants the 007 series in the modern milieu of non-stop action for mystery, adventure, crime, and assorted other genres of film. One can hardly catch his or her breath between the fast action scenarios. This film had some 50 shooting locations. Outside of three different studies in England, scenes were shot at several sites elsewhere in the U.K. Other filming took place in Florida of the U.S., France, Germany, Mexico, and Thailand.This film was the first to introduce Michele Yeoh (as Wai Lin) to international audiences. The true-life martial arts specialist and trained ballerina had been starring in Hong Kong films for more than a decade. Her recognition spread further in 2000 with her female lad in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." Although she continued to appear in many martial arts action films, she also has had some dramatic roles. Among them were "Memoirs of a Geisha" in 2005 and "The Children of Huang Shi" in 2008. She is reportedly the only actress that Jackie Chan will allow to do her own stunts in his films. This also is the second 007 film in which a real Bond has a role. Samantha Bond (her real name as well as her stage name) plays Miss Moneypenny. Here are some favorite lines from this film. Q, "Grow up, double O seven." James Bond, to Paris Carver, "I always wondered how I'd feel if I ever saw you again." After she turns and slaps him, he says, "Now I know."Paris Carver, "Tell me, James. Do you still sleep with a gun under your pillow?"Wai Lin, "Exactly what kind of banking do you specialize in, Mr. Bond?" Bond, "Hostile take-overs."Henry Gupta, "I call it Gupta's Law of Creative Anomalies. If it sounds too good to be true, it always is."Wai Lin, "It's mostly dull routine, of course, but every now and then you get to sail on a beautiful evening like this and sometimes work with a decadent agent of a corrupt Western power." James Bond, "And they say the Communists don't know how to have fun."James Bond, "We're gonna finish this together. And if I may say so, you found the right decadent, corrupt Western agent as a partner."

After the incredible success of "Goldeneye" in Pierce Brosnan's first Bond outing, he returns here with a much more average campaign.For a basic plot summary, "Tomorrow Never Dies" sees Bond (Brosnan) trying to corral news mogul Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce) from setting up a network of satellites that will give him complete control over world news. Along the way, Bond meets up with former flame Paris (Terri Hatcher) as well as new "partner in spy" Wai Lin (Michelle Yeoh).Simply put, as the title of this review indicates, "Tomorrow Never Dies" is little more or less than the average Bond film. On the bright side, all the typical "Bond elements" are in place and in the right spots. On the downside, it takes a long time for this movie to shift from "exposition mode" to full-on "Bond-dom". Plus, the villains are completely dry (Carver is ridiculous) and even the henchmen are more cardboard than usual.Ironically enough, if one could combine the first half of Brosnan's later "The World Is Not Enough" with the second half of this effort, we would have maybe the best Bond ever! As it stands, though, this is probably Brosnan's 3rd-best effort, ahead of "Die Another Day" but behind the others.

Quite annoying James Bond Movie, I think this was/are. Can't help it; It just never comes to me, how many times I ever try to absorb this movie fair and square.*Pierce Brosnan continuing his mission as James B. quite moderate, almost in a diminished way. He sometimes disappears in the exhibit of sponsor cars and cell-phones, occasionally seems to get in the more silly smiling "Moore"-way. (Sorry about that, Roger....) 5 out of 10.*To me, Jonathan Pryce might be the most annoying and demanding villain of the whole Bond Encyclopedia. As Elliot Carver, a widely rich publisher, who's thirst after breaking news gets unsound. Overacting like h*** when shouting out his devastating plans (to get total control over world media) to anyone who comes in his way. 2 out of 10.*Teri Hatcher's brief cameo does not do her talents right. Just playing the usual symbol wife to Mr. Evil, and happens to have some 007 past stories. 4 out of 10.*Chinese agent Michelle Yeoh is a partner to old Jimmy in the same political way we've seen before. One participant from both the threatened sides. (Does it quite fresh and in a nice way, by all means.) But some super hero stuff pulls the grade some downwards. 5 out of 10.*Sheryl Crow is a favorite of mine, who's musicality has given me much pleasure over the years since the arrival on the public scene in the mid 90's. Being a talented studio musician/singer for years, working with - among others- Michael Jackson, Rod Stewart and Sting, she wanted to try the wings of her own, which went out pretty well. With catchy music and good looks a woman can hypnotize the world, that's for sure.But this theme score I found kind of anemic back then, and it didn't matured over the years either. An easy forgotten tune in my ears. 4 out of 10.*SUMMARY: The one - kind of - less good 90's James Bond. ( OK, there were only three of them...)There were some slight improvement to come in two years time, before the disastrous Brosnan Good-Bye in 2002.