The 20th Bond film and sadly Pierce Brosnan's last, "Die Another Day"'s much-trumpeted twist is Bond's capture and torture at the hands of the North Koreans. While this is dealt with at the very outset of the movie, it cleverly forms the framework for everything that is to come.
Of course, Bond doesn't break under torture, even when deprived of a razor. But someone betrayed MI6, and if not him then who? In his quest to find out (after a bloody good shave), Bond comes up against billionaire playboy Gustav Graves, and immediately has one of the most dynamic swordfights ever committed to celluloid, under the watchful gaze of Madonna.
It's not just Graves, though; Rick Yune is also memorable as henchman Zao, his face embedded with diamonds after an explosion.
Director Lee Tamahori brings a real charge to the action as Bond surfs, races across ice-floes and even has a car chase through the melting corridors of an ice palace. His new car, enhanced by the new Q (a crotchety John Cleese), is an Aston Martin capable of invisibility. How cool is that?
Of the many references to other Bond movies crammed in, the most memorable is Halle Berry's Jinx recreating Ursula Andress's emergence from the water in "Dr No". Jinx is a fun, sexy character, and Berry has great chemistry with Brosnan.
With Brosnan now departed from the role, "Die Another Day" is a fitting swansong for the most popular Bond in years, a man who re-invigorated the whole series. James Bond will return....
007シリーズ第20弾。ブロスナン＝ボンドの大ヒット作。北朝鮮に潜入したボンドだったが、捕らわれた末に拷問を受ける。事件の裏に潜む陰謀を突き止めるため、キューバへと飛ぶが……。トビー・スティーヴンス、ハル・ベリーが好演。(CDジャーナル データベースより)
