The World Is Not Enough (1999)

 

Hey, what do you know? We're back with a grittier Bond and once again it is one of the better ones. Sure, of the Brosnan-era, you would always be hard pressed to top 'Goldeneye' as it is so iconic, but this is a step up from the action-filled yet forgettable 'Tomorrow Never Dies'. 

Heck, the intro is already a combination of the hardboiled and the spectacular, as we start very low key with Bond and a malevolent banker in an office, nothing more. The fight that ensues is pretty hardcore. Then it's off to London and an assault on MI-6, followed by an insane speedboat chase across the Thames. 

Good stuff.

During the bombing of MI-6, an old friend of M is killed and now she wants to find those responsible. Sir King is of course a man with a vast empire (mostly oil) and now his daughter Elektra is the sole heiress. But Bond and M feel she might be at risk from a terrorist called Renard, who, several years prior, had already kidnapped Elektra but she managed to escape. 

Elektra is not a pushover by any stretch of the imagination, but Bond discovers along the way that there's more to the motives of Renard than at first glance would seem. A plot for revenge is in motion and the participants are never quite obvious, nor are the sides on which everyone is on...

Yes, this is kept purposefully vague, as some of the reveals are pretty cool and make the film work as a whole. 

Like stated in the beginning, this Bond is a lot more dirty and down-to-Earth for the most part and it suits the character Brosnan portrays better. In a way, this feels closer to 'Licence to Kill' in terms of overall presentation. Yes, there are some whacky moments, but they are few and far between. Most of the time, it's clenched teeth and hardcore action, only this time, it does stick with you. The boat chase, the attack with the helicopter, the brawl with Renard... Not only that, but the characters are so much more memorable. Judi Dench gets more to do as M and she truly is the best version of that particular character. No disrespect to the original of Bernard Lee, but he never had more to do than let Bond into his office and then berate him a little. 

But you know who works really well? Sophie Marceau as Elektra King. She is one of the strongest female leads in a Bondfilm and you can instantly tell she is a great actress, as her emotions and mindgames run the gamut of skill. She really is excellent. Robert Carlyle doesn't have that much to do as Renard, but his look and affliction (he is dying and his nerves are shot, so he doesn't feel pain) are a nice touch. Robbie Coltrane is a lot of fun as Valentin Zukovsky and provides some nice comic relief, which is something Coltrane can pull off easily. Heck, even Denise Richards is decent as dr Christmas Jones, even if she is introduced rather late in the story and feels more like an afterthought, because at one point they needed a nuclear physicist. 

Also: whoever thought the name 'Christmas Jones' was a good idea? I'll take Pussy Galore or Holly Goodhead over that any day. 

Oh, and the title? Turns out it's the Bond family motto. Fitting.

'The World Is Not Enough' is a very good entry in the series and works mostly because the sidecharacters are better and because Sophie Marceau is great. So give it a chance. You can already feel some of that Daniel Craig rawness coming through here.