Review of GoldenEye (1995) by Jake R — 08 Jan 2012

GoldenEye is the seventeenth spy film in the James Bond series, and the first to star Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. The film was directed by Martin Campbell and is the first film in the series not to take story elements from the works of novelist Ian Fleming... and the result wasn't too bad!

This time, Bond fights to prevent an arms syndicate from using the GoldenEye satellite weapon against London in order to cause a global financial meltdown.

I have to say that I enjoyed the special effects and that was enough for me to give this movie a positive review! It seems that the critics like them, too, and the film received award nominations for "Best Achievement in Special Effects" and "Best Sound" from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (GoldenEye was the last film of special effects supervisor Derek Meddings, to whom the film was dedicated - Meddings' major contribution were miniatures - and it was also the first Bond film to use computer generated imagery). The film was viewed as a successful revitalisation and it effectively adapted the series for the 1990s. One of GoldenEye's innovations was the casting of a female M. In the film, the new M quickly establishes her authority, remarking that Bond is a "sexist, misogynist dinosaur" and a "relic of the Cold War".

Don't expect too much from it - there are plenty of stunts and explosions to take your mind off the plot - and if you enjoy pure action, maybe this is a movie for you!