“Bond, James Bond.” He’s back, and he’s smoother, faster, smarter, and, according to my mother, sexier than ever. Bond returns for his 19th feature film, The World Is Not Enough.
Pierce Brosnan reprises his role as the world’s most popular super spy, Brosnan has starred in the past two Bond films, GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies.
The Bond villain is Renard, played by Robert Carlyle, who is best known for his role in the hit British comedy, The Full Monty. The Bond girls are played by Denise Richards as Dr. Christmas Jones and Sophie Marceau as Elektra King.
As always, Bond is led by the ever-thinking M, played by esteemed actress Judi Dench.
Desmond Llewelyn returns for his 17th Bond movie as the master of gadgets, Q.
The World Is Not Enough is a typical Bond movie. There are plenty of explosions, chases, seduction and bad puns.
As the film opens, Bond is securing money for a friend of M’s. The deal goes bad, and Bond uses his unique abilities to work his way out of trouble and save the money.
When Bond returns the money to its owner at MI6 headquarters, things turn bad again. A bomb causes the MI6 headquarters to explode, killing Sir Robert King, Elektra’s father.
As Bond dusts himself off from the explosion he spots a suspicious boat floating on the Thames. Bond borrows Q’s newest invention, a super speedboat, and the chase is on.
After a series of impressive stunts, Bond ends up injuring his shoulder. The injury nags him throughout the course of the film.
The source of the explosion is thought to be notorious international terrorist, Renard. Renard was shot in the head once, but the bullet did not kill him. It is lodged in his medulla oblongata. Renard has no sense of touch, taste or smell. He can push himself to new limits, due to his lack of pain. This makes him a formidable foe.
Because oil tycoon Sir Robert King dies in the MI6 explosion, Bond is sent to protect King’s only heir, Elektra, but not before he makes a visit to Q Branch.
Q gives Bond the usual array of gadgets, weapons and toys to play with. However, Q has a new assistant, R, who is played by Monty Python’s own John Cleese. R is Q’s prot?g?. After Q and R fit Bond with the latest in gizmos and the newest BMW, he heads to Turkey, where he is to safeguard Elektra.
Bond keeps Elektra from harm in typical Bond style, with a large bottle of champagne, a bed and a lot of heavy breathing. When security is breached at the King residence, Bond jumps into action.
Bond’s travels lead him to a nuclear site in Azerbaijan, where he is introduced to the nuclear scientist, Dr. Christmas Jones. As Bond sneaks his way into the nuclear compound, he discovers Renard’s plan. Bond must rush into action to save the world.
With big stunts, lots of sexual tension and bad puns, The World Is Not Enough is one of the best Bond films yet. It is, by far, the best of Brosnan’s Bond films.
Carlyle makes a great Bond villain. His portrayal of Renard is spectacular.
Richards and Marceau make fabulous Bond girls, since both are very sexy and smart at the same time. Even if Richards is barely old enough to drink, she still makes a great nuclear scientist.
The World Is Not Enough is a definite winner at the holiday box office.
