Review of Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) by Steve U — 13 Sep 2010
TOMORROW NEVER DIES is very much a nineties movie: it's fun, but without substance. Brosnan made a good Bond, but it's clear the cynicism of post-9/11 hadn't taken over films yet because everything here seems like it's more suited to a lighthearted superhero plot.
The stunts are so outlandish that only in the wildest of dreams could they ever be achieved (riding a motorcycle like a one-handed twin?), the fights are so staged you can see how Michelle Yeoh and other kung fu fighters swing and kick to pre-choreographed marks, and the acting is either stereotypical or glib.
It's funny because I absolutely love the idea of a villain who controls the world's flow of information. It's the most realistic idea for an antagonist when you think about it. Anyhow, Brosnan shows a lot of opportunity for the darkness of a Bond who can turn coldblooded in a heartbeat.
Sadly, however, every time the story starts to show some real bite, it either 1.)reverts to that iconoclastically tongue-in-cheek attitude that plagued the 1990s or 2.)kicks into another over-the-top action scene.
Very fun, but still flawed--sort of like the 1990s themselves, now that I think about it. GREAT MUSIC, though... kudos to David Arnold for bringing back the big band sly jazz of the Connery era! Forget Sheryl Crow! This guy knows how to write a Bond melody!
This review of Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) was written by Steve U on 13 Sep 2010.
Tomorrow Never Dies has generally received positive reviews.
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