Tomorrow Never Dies is one of the best Bond films yet, inexplicably, is widely considered to be one of the worst. Let us count the ways in which the film is awesome:
- Brosnan is superlative as Bond, offering a far more polished performance than he did in
Goldeneye.
- Great chicks, from the Norwegian(?) blonde at Oxford to Paris Carver to Wai Lin.
- Paris Carver continues the trend of a more self-aware Bond (and franchise) which started in
Goldeneye: Paris: "Did I get too close?" Bond: "Yes."
- Wai Lin is Bond's equal in every way - far moreso than whatsherface in
The Spy Who Loved Me - a true 21st century Bond Girl.
- Great settings and use thereof: Germany and Vietnam.
- Great opening sequence. Snow. Cooperation between Russia/UK in action against terrorists. Cruise missiles. "What the hell is he doing?" "His job!"
- Great tweaking of the American audience: "I wonder what the Americans will be more upset about: that they lost it or that we found it."
- CHINA.
Tomorrow Never Dies recognises the rise of the Middle Kingdom well before CNN catches on. True to past form re: Russia - and commendably for a western production - China isn't made the bad guy. (Wai Lin of course being a Chinese agent).
- THE POWER AND AMORALITY OF THE MEDIA. Today folks are talking about the way in which the entertainment-focussed media has been inflaming political discourse in the United States for its own benefit with tragic consequences. Tomorrow Never Dies was there first.
- Dr. Kaufmann: "I assure you Mr. Bond, I could shoot you from Stuggart and still create ze proper effect!"
- Great car sequence and related material: "Don't let her push you around."
- Great scenes with M and Moneypenny: "You'll just have to decide how much pumping is needed, James."
- The 'Stealth Ship' and naval action. The ship could almost be real (see: US Navy project 'Sea Shadow').
- Great motorcycle sequence in Saigon.
- I liked Sheryl Crowe's song even if nobody else did.
I'm probably missing some stuff but that'll do for the moment.