Die Another Day revisited

[DangerMouse]

I HATED this film when it was first released in the theaters. In fact I even put it down as the worst Bond film of all time on this board.

I bought it tuesday on DVD to keep my Bond collection going. I watched it last night.

Great film. Very Solid film. I'm not sure if I was being a Bond-elitist and had a giant chip on my shoulder when I saw it, but I was wrong.

I am wondering if it was originally rushed out to the theaters. I remember seeing production errors when I saw it in the theaters. Specifically the CGI/blue screen shots from the Iceland location. I remember Bond landing after riding an ice wave and the background (obviously shot on blue screen) was extremely rough. In fact it looked like s*it.

On the DVD, its completely cleaned up.

Very solid script.

Unique villian.

Unique henchman.

Interesting plot twist with the MI6 agent although you can see it a mile away.

Strong female counterpart (Halle Berry).

Overall just a solid film.

In fact in hind sight, I'll put this film as Brosnen's second best Bond film after Goldeneye.

Anyone else have any new revelations after watching it again on DVD?

[Jarbacca]

i've always thought DAD was a great bond film

anyways, i too noticed that some of the blue screen or back drop shots seem a little bit better on the DVD then they did in theatres (either they fixed them up or they just look beter on a digital format then on film)

[Bigee04]

After seeing it again it's still certainly not even close to the top ten, but it was better than when I saw it in the theater. Two things that stick out to me as being some main drawbacks are unneeded special effects (camera rotating 15 degrees around people for no reason in a Matrix-style fashion or when Halle Berry jumps off the cliff) and an attempt at trying to be funny to often ( Jinx's awful, awful line of "you're mama" and when 007 and Moneypenny are "going at it" at the end). Just completly unneeded. I mean, come on, this is James Bond, not Austin Powers. But those things aside and aside from the fact that the plot is mostly recycled from previous Bond films, it was better seeing it for a third time in my own home.

[brody27]

I would agree with that. Die Another Day obviously falls shorter than the incorrect line used to describe it on the inside of the DVD cover. I quote "One of the Best Bond Films Ever" - Chicago Sun-Times. I think I have lost a lot of respect that I once had for the newspaper, but I am a Bond fan that supports even the not so good ones. The special effects are disgraceful and the line by Halle Berry, (I won't utter such a vomit enducing grouping of words,) is just lucky not to have James Bond fans looking for Neal Purvis & Robert Wade (the screenwriters) to string them up by the genitals. After working on a much better script to "The World Is Not Enough," you would think that Purvis would get the idea. Then comes the part in which Neal "The Purve" Purvis makes Miss Moneypenny give up everything she has given to the franchise by having virtual sex with Bond. Rigoshdarndiculous. I will agree with Bigee04 that the plot is taken from many past movies so it would naturally be more difficult for a long-time Bond fan to accept it for what it really is. Sub-par. I still enjoyed many parts of it more than the times in the theater.

[equipe]

It was a good Bond film, not great and I agree there are too many special effects, MGM/UA needs to make a lower budget Bond film, more plot involved instead of graphically stimulating.

[JediPaul]

File Die Another Day under the 'Sanity has left the building' section.

I liked the film and it's enjoyable to watch but I too felt slightly dissapointed when I saw it at the cinema. Jinx falling backwards off the cliff was just awful to look at on the big screen but didn't seem that bad once you watch it on the small screen. Gustav Graves dressed up in that armour suit of his made him look like an end boss in a beat 'em up game.

I think that the beginning was a bit of let down though, I mean after all this is James Bond. In the Bond world, James would have escaped capture from the Koreans or at least gotten himself out of the prison camp a lot quicker then 14 months (months?) rather than have been negotiated.

[Jarbacca]

i hope bond 21 is more like TWINE was (more of a spy film) than DAD was (more of an action film)

but at least they proved they can make an action film and still make it god (unlike TND which really isn't all that great)

[Kyle Katarn]

The thing that gets to me the most: the Matrix-esque camera rotations...wassup wit dat?
Overall, enjoyable though! I liked the score quite a bit. I think GoldenEye only had one strain of the classic Bond theme in the whole bit (when he crashes the tank through the wall). Whick sucks because it was one of the greatest "spy" Bond movies of the modern era...

For the 20th anneversary, it had to be big and spectacular. But for the next one, maybe....MAYBE...they'll go back to the "espionage" format.

[Bigee04]

probaubly not maybe, but hopefully.

[Kelso]

I enjoyed Die Another Day... but I still rank it beneath Tomorrow Never Dies and Goldeneye for Brosnan's best Bond outings.

Those who are hoping for less special effects and CGI in the years to come are going to be painfully dissapointed. Bond has evolved once again to keep up with the CGI-laden 21st century action flicks... hopefully, they can keep some great stories going as well.

[Jarbacca]

yeah, i hate to say it but the CGI is here to stay, it all part of the evolution of the movies

its just up to EON to use the tools wisely and not go George Lucas on us (although Jar Jar would make a great bond villian:))

[Kelso]

^^ Forget that... let's see Gollum in a Bond film :D

[teewee1432]

I have to disagree with most of you guys, I thought that Die Another Day was fantastic. I brought it on dvd on wenesday along with the special editon of terminator 2. I have not watched dad yet I'm starting on all the awesome features first. But this is the first bond flick that I wanted on dvd. I saw all the bonds that pierce bronsen has played in an I liked this the best. I thought that him and halle made a good team and I'll be interested to see how she will handle her own jinx franchise which startes filming after she finishs Catwomen. They said that Die Another Day sold one million dvd's on tuesday alone, so I no I'm not the only one who enjoyed this film.

[George Bushs 18th cousin]

I liked Die Another Day, but a couple things disapointed me.

A) The cheesey one liners...there were way too many, it was like watching Batman and Robin. Bond is known for putting in a clever pun or one liner at the right time. Not throwing them around with every setence.

B) The prison camp. The man was in a prison camp for 14 months, but what was the point of it? It didn't effect him at all. I would've liked it to see it explored how the prison effected Bond. He was tortured, deprived, etc...and that should've been explored.

[Kevin Roegele]

DAD was a joke.

1. The innuendos were sub-Austin Powers. Jinx and Bond spend a minute at the end talking about, "Taking it out" and "keeping it in." Gosh, THAT'S FUNNY. For a 12 year old.

2. Grave's RoboCop armour. You've got to be kidding me. After TWINE tried so hard to make Bond as serious and believable as possible.

3. Invisible car. Even KITT, even the Batmobile, can't turn invisible. If they did it in a Predator-like way, it could be pulled off, but it was like a cartoon.

4. Jinx. What does she do in this film? What is her purpose?

5. Hip, Matrix-style editing and camera work. Even more ludicruos when the ageing, 50-ish Pierce Brosnan is in frame.

6. Action scenes. Edited to death.

7. Electrocuting gloves. And the cartoon efffects of people being electrocuted by purple (?) electricity for 20 seconds.

8. Laser beams all over the place. Okay, Bond has faced lasers for 30 years, but when you add all the other comicbook sci-fi stuff I've mentioned, it gets way beyond typical 007 territory of believability.

9. A satelitte laser beam created by a suave, gentleman genius. Used to hold the world to ransom. GUYS, GET SOME NEW IDEAS. PLEASE.

10. When Brosnan had a beard and long hair, it was brown, but when he got it cut, it was black.

After TWINE, which, despite it's faults, was a special Bond movie in which the whole team tried their hardest to create a great film, DAD is just another movie for the sake of it. Even the title is a tired mix of previous movies.

DAD is pure PlayStation. On the plus side, Miranda Frost was pretty sexy, especially in that white trousers/black top she wore to fight Halle Berry at the climax.

[Jarbacca]

wow, you really didn't like DAD die you ;)

[JBond]

I woudl have to agree with all of those...except for maybe 10, that didn't seem to bother me or come to my attention. But somehow I still don't hate it...then again I don't hate any of them.

I think it could have been a huge improvement with someone better than Halle Berry, no RoboCop finish, and no invisible car...and not such bad lines...and a more interesting plot...and more spying...better song too....oh well I still enjoyed it. ;)

[Jarbacca]

at first the invisible car kind of turned me off, but after Q explains how it would be possible, i just accepted it

i appreciate that they came up with a theory rather then just throw an invisible car at us

[JBond]

Although the theory has some truth behind it, it is IMPOSSIBLE for it to be that accurate. If sides of the car were displaying what was across from them, it would be displayed on the side of a car like a television screen. Now when you walk around a TV, does the projection change any? Can you go all the way around Harrison Ford if you walk around a TV showing Indiana Jones? No. This car, IF it could do what it said, would only slighty resemble the color around it, maybe good for camoflauge from a distance.

Not to mention, you couldn't have these "screens" on things like the tires. I just wanted to clear this up for the many people I see that think this was good enough.

[George Bushs 18th cousin]

Originally posted by JBond
Although the theory has some truth behind it, it is IMPOSSIBLE for it to be that accurate. If sides of the car were displaying what was across from them, it would be displayed on the side of a car like a television screen. Now when you walk around a TV, does the projection change any? Can you go all the way around Harrison Ford if you walk around a TV showing Indiana Jones? No. This car, IF it could do what it said, would only slighty resemble the color around it, maybe good for camoflauge from a distance.

Not to mention, you couldn't have these "screens" on things like the tires. I just wanted to clear this up for the many people I see that think this was good enough.

However, I doubt a man could really get a bullet stuck in his brain that prevents him from feeling either. But it's a stretch of the imagination that every movie makes us take.

[Jarbacca]

yeah, i'm not asking that the reasoning be 100% accurate in the real world, i just appreciated them giving us a reason and not just saying "here's an invisible car"

[JBond]

Originally posted by George Bushs 18th cousin
However, I doubt a man could really get a bullet stuck in his brain that prevents him from feeling either. But it's a stretch of the imagination that every movie makes us take.

Actually that's quite possible...the stretch in that movie was the fact that he gets stronger and stronger til he dies...that was stupid.

[Jarbacca]

Originally posted by JBond
Actually that's quite possible...the stretch in that movie was the fact that he gets stronger and stronger til he dies...that was stupid.

it wasn't really that he became physically stonger, it was more that with the loss of his senses he was a stronger opponent to bond, because he couldn't feel pain

[George Bushs 18th cousin]

Ok! that's enough from you JBond! shouldn't you be in the James Bond forum or someth......oh....nevermind ;)

[pitcherpat]

halle berry is so overrated

[Jarbacca]

oh yeah, she is one of the worst bond girls, yet the main stream press thinks she did a good job and that she should get her own series

[George Bushs 18th cousin]

Originally posted by Jarbacca
oh yeah, she is one of the worst bond girls, yet the main stream press thinks she did a good job and that she should get her own series

It seems like every Bond girl as of late they have tried to make into a female equivilant of James. Michelle Yeow, Halle Berry, etc...Denise Richards may not have been able to act, but atleast she wasn't a Bond wanna be

[JBond]

That's true, it's because they afraid of being "sexist" like the earlier Bond films.

[Kyle Katarn]

lol.....I just finished the latest Bond novel, and Benson carries on the Fleming tradition with Bond's line, "never rely on a woman to keep her mouth shut!!!" :D

[Jarbacca]

i hate the new "independant" bond girl, give me the bimbo's of the 60's and 70's :D

[teewee1432]

I think that Halle Berry did a good job in DAD and she isnt by far the worst. I've seen plenty that were bad and unrememrable. Most people today don't wanna see a dumb bimbo bond girl because thats not realistic today.

Their spinning off Halle Berrys character because see is one of the most memerable bond girls in todays times and a lot of people like her. So I think she will carry her own movie well.

[Jarbacca]

i think the best bond girl of the last few films was Natalia from goldeneye, i think she was almost the prefect bond girl

she was smart, but still needed to rely on bond

[JBond]

Originally posted by teewee1432
Their spinning off Halle Berrys character because see is one of the most memerable bond girls in todays times and a lot of people like her. So I think she will carry her own movie well.

They're using her character for a spin-off cause they're running out of ideas. True maybe she wasn't annoying as say, Tonya Roberts from A View to a Kill, but I still say she was pretty bad even for a non-ditz role. And if she's the most memerable it's because the movie was released last year ;). Wait a few years and see what happens.

And I agree with Jarbacca, Natalya was a good mix.

[Jarbacca]

MGM is the reason behind a jinx movie

they realize that there only franchise is the bond films, and they want to try and sqeeze every penny out of it, they probably figure that a jinx movie will make its money back (hell, i think the idea sucks, but i will probably see it when and if it comes out)

[Kevin Roegele]

Yeah, MGM want to make movies with a connection to James Bond and Halle Berry in them. Makes financial sense, but something tells me Halle Berry can find far better things to do.

[diasyjazz]

Just rented this last night...I thought that it was okay...somewhat entertaining. but Berry as a bond girl just didn't do it for me- i thought she was very transparent and look silly running around with a gun....but then again I am a girl...so....but like i said, it was good entertainment and i am glad that i rented it and am sure that i will end up watching it again.

[Jarbacca]

Originally posted by Kevin Roegele
Yeah, MGM want to make movies with a connection to James Bond and Halle Berry in them. Makes financial sense, but something tells me Halle Berry can find far better things to do.


well at least there not doing "Q's wacky road trip", or "Dude, Where's my Astin Martin?"

[Bigee04]

People go to the theater to see a BOND FILM not a BOND/JINX FILM or a BOND/FEMALE EQUIVALENT FILM.

[Laterose]

Originally posted by teewee1432

Their spinning off Halle Berrys character because see is one of the most memerable bond girls in todays times and a lot of people like her. So I think she will carry her own movie well.
I do too, though I may not see it

[mastertips03]

well, i would have to go with your first reaction to "die another day". This film is terrible. Starting with the starting sequences to the stupid madonna song to the stupid fight scenes that go on for too long each person beating each other up senseless with no one hardly getting a scratch or a broken bone to the ridiculous invisible car to the jet slider floating through the ice and all of a sudden we see trees burning then miles of ice ....oh i could go on. hell, even the greetings sucks. When the cold lady asks him for his name he brosnan says james bond. whatever happen to BOND, JAMES BOND. AND I UNDERSTAND ANOTHER IS ON IT WAY, JINX. PLEASE PUT SOME WARMTH, ROMANCE, AND DEBONIAR STYLING BACK INTO THIS SERIES. oH A GOOD SCRIPT WOULD HELP ALSO. OR DON'T DO THEM ANYMORE.

[Jarbacca]

So are you sayng you didn't like it ;) :funny:

[spiderman_2k]

:lol:
I guess u could say that about his post :D

[Bigee04]

It's safe to say that some thought went into that post.

[Jarbacca]

The more i watch DAD, the more i like it, sure it isn't a classic bond, but it a fun action flick

over all, its well written and well acted, had it had more of a spy feel to it, it would have been one of the top 10 bonds, but because it doesn't it will join the ranks of Moonraker and TND as one of the throw away bonds

but its still a good movie

[sone]

I liked the movie too. The opening sequence was one of the best ever from Bond.

[Jarbacca]

yeah the opening was very good, not the best, but definetly one of the best

[Alexander JL]

I'll have to disagree.

I believe with DAD, this is where the franchise starts its REAL decline. Starting with a full on parody, and what struck me as a desperate attempt to grab the XXX audience, we see Bond surfing... SURFING???

The torture scene was pretty cool since it was unexpected.

[Bigee04]

On the other hand, Bond snowboarded all the way back in 1985 (which created a real boom in the activity by the way) and some of the best Bond films in years followed directly after, and A View To A Kill was just as bad as Die Another Day, probabuly worse.

[JBond]

That scene wouldn't have been so bad had they not used the Beach Boys for the music ;)

[Bigee04]

That's true. At least they didn't use Surfin' U.S.A. (or Califorina Girls) during Bond's surf scenes in D.A.D.

[TheBatman_9]

by the way, i loved the use of that song "london calling" when bond was on his way to meet graves

[DangerMouse]

That was added as a tribute to Joe Strummer (lead singer of The Clash). He passed away during post production.

[brody27]

Back to page one, I would agree with kevin roegele's 10 loads of crap they added to Die Another Day. Like JBond said there isn't a single movie I hate, but this one really started to make me consider hating one.

[Cipher Jo]

haha

[tedward]

For all the money they spent on c.g.i effects my favourite scene didnt use any - the mamoth fencing battle, one of my favourite peirce scenes.

The rest of d.a.d was pretty forgettable - not long after seeing it I was asking what was the opening scene again?

[SharpShooter]

i have to admit that the surfing scene looks better on DVD, then it did on the big screen (i wonder if they fixed it for the DVD to make it look more real after everybody complained about it)

[brody27]

I just got through watching Die Another Day the second time on DVD. Fourth time overall. It brought up the same things I've always said I didn't like about the movie. Well in my opinion the top 5 things that needed to be fixed in Die Another Day would be:

1. The invisible car. Wow, could Bond get anymore ridiculously impossible. That just sucked. Even with John Cleese's great attempt to fill in for Desmond, I hate watching that part because I know what's coming.

2. Halle Berry. Need I go on with this list after naming this one. I think Ursula Andress could have come back and would've been better. Halle may be very good looking to a lot of people, but she can't act. The Best Actress in 2001 was a joke.

3. The electricity jolting glove or whatever the hell it is. What happened to the good old fashioned ways of taking some one out. I guess knocking people in the head with a heavy or hard object is too old and out-dated.

4. Special Effects. Wind-surfing scene. Let's put it this way, I close my eyes. Matrix style camera shifting. Last time I checked it was a Bond movie that doesn't need that crap to make the movie look good. It's Bond, it should look good regardless. Opening gun barrel scene should've been switched on DVD to have no bullet fly by as though to scare you or something. A little thing that would take hardly any effort to change I'm sure.

5. The most un-original Bond movie plots of all. It's the 40th Anniversary, the 20th movie, okay everyone knows it. Instead, let's celebrate them all. No, the only way to celebrate it is to come up with the best most original plot, or at least make an attempt. The only part that was cool with the references was the part in Q's laboratory with the old gadgets, but I already said I don't like watching that part because of the "Vanish." I feel like I'm watching a horrible version of Diamonds Are Forever.

Well, I don't hate the movie as much as it sounds like I do. I simply dislike it in comparison to the others. I know many enjoyed it, but to be quite frank it wasn't true James Bond by any means. Then again, have we really seen the true James Bond since Sean Connery? Some may say we haven't.