The Visor
Haubs & Bob, Visor critics, debate merits of 'Die Another Day'Saturday, December 21, 2002 By Mitch Haubert and Bob Taylor
H--The 20th installment of the James Bond franchise, Die Another Day, fails to live up to the high standards I have come to expect from 007. B--I'm sorry, Mitch, but I believe Die Another Day is quite possibly the best Bond movie since The Spy Who Loved Me. Bond has been removed from the Secret Service after a mission goes awry, goes up against another villain bent on world domination, this time through a satellite that can focus the sun's rays onto one point of destruction. The premise is ludicrous as usual, but it is a Bond movie, so the viewer doesn't expect reality. All the trappings of Bond movies are there, and the director, Lee Tamahori, can work his way around an action sequence. H--Sorry to interrupt, Bob, but not all the action takes place on sets. I was both amazed and appalled to see an action scene shot with a GREEN SCREEN! That goes back to the Sean Connery roots in movies like You Only Live Twice. In the age of digital CGI, why must they resort to such cheap carnival tricks? B--I'm not against CGI in the Bond films, and although it's a bit more noticeable this time around, we are already suspending our disbelief in the action sequences. At least the effects are better than the Bond ripoff XXX. You fail to understand that Bond movies have slowly been maturing since License To Kill. With the Austin Powers movies and other send-ups, the Bond series has to become more focused. From the techno Madonna theme song to the realization that Bond is only human, the series is at its peak of creativity. H--Personally I don't find the Madonna theme creative at all. It is a desperate attempt to integrate pop culture into a long-standing franchise. It is a blatant failure. Bond themes should be sung by a sultry songstress, not a pop singer. B--De gustibus non dispantandum. And the Bond themes are always best when sung by a diva. From Shirley Bassey to Tina Turner, these divas make most memorable music. H--Good villains are in short supply in the acting world. Gustav Graves, played desperately by Toby Stephens, came nowhere near the quality of former Bond villains like Goldfinger. Eminem had a better villain performance in 8 Mile, and he was the good guy. Not that Stephens is a bad actor, but by the time he donned his Power Ranger suit, all hope was lost. B--I admit the final scene with Bond versus the "Black Ranger" was laughable. The director must have realized his error, because he downplayed the fight scene and instead focused on the admirable Halle Berry fighting the villainess, Rosamund Pike. And while I'm on the subject of Berry, surely you agree she is the best Bond heroine in recent memory. H--If you mean she successfully manages to portray a female version of 007, I absolutely agree. She has the same cocky attitude and sex appeal as Bond himself. But that fight scene of which you speak so highly was just and excuse to get a couple of half-naked females hopping around a screen. It was a blatant (and successful) attempt to grab my attention through sex appeal. I feel so used. Still, the movie does have all the Bond staples, from the indestructible car and gadgets, to the endless supply of puns and innuendos. My final qualm was Bond's gun. The small sleek PPK we knew so well was traded in for a lumbering Glock .45. Details like this drove my dislike of this Bond installment. B--Although the Glock did end up replacing the PPK, I enjoyed many other homages to other Bond films. Tips of the hat were made to such films as From Russia With Love and Thunderball. I highly recommend this Bond film not only to Bond fans, but also to anyone who loves action movies. H--Stay at home, unless you're a hard-core Bond fan. (2 stars) B--Except for a few minor missteps, this is a great action movie. (3 1/2 stars) |