Tomorrow Never Dies

James Bond has gone up against evil communists and power-hungry maniacs. Perhaps it was going to come that he would fight a media tycoon – the only type in today’s society that actually wants global domination. His nemesis in “Tomorrow Never Dies,” released in 1997, wants to start a war so that he can make headlines to start his latest news channel. Roger Ebert stated in his review, “Just imagine what Rupert Murdoch and Ted Turner would like to do to each other and imagine either one of them doing it to the Chinese, and you'll get the idea.”

Bond, reprised confidently and not with any sort of complaints by Pierce Brosnan, walks into the middle of the plan, created by Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce), who owns newspapers, TV stations and a huge Stealth warship that cannot be tracked. Carver’s plan is clever: He’ll use his satellites to make a British warship go off course, sink it with the Stealth ship, steal its nuclear weapons, and fire one at China, which will think it is under attack from the West. Ebert said, “The only flaw in this plan, as far as I can see, is the likely nuclear destruction of most of Carver's biggest markets.”

Bond movies usually start with an elaborate scene made with stunts and special effects, and “Tomorrow Never Dies” doesn’t break with tradition: We see British military officials guarding a “Terrorist Arms Bazaar on the Russian Border” (which border? Does it matter?). A livid British general gives an order that takes them to the possible detonation of nuclear weapons. Then Bond shows up, steals the plane that holds the weapons, uses its missiles to destroy every enemy, and takes off in it before…

I shouldn’t do a plot summary. Ebert is right when he says, “The plot has a lot of fun with the Carver character, played by Pryce in a platinum crew-cut.” He likes to write headlines and design front pages ahead of time of big news events, and then makes them happen, even though more than once he’s early when writing that Bond is dead. His wife, Paris (Teri Hatcher), turns out to be a former girlfriend of Bond, and M (the great Judi Dench), head of British secret service, makes a few critical suggestions about how Bond might make use of the connection.

The other Bond lady in this movie is a departure from many of Bond’s former women. She’s Wai Lin, an agent for the “Chinese External Security Force,” and she’s played by the amazing Michelle Yeoh as a karate expert with awesome fighting and intelligence skills. Obviously, Yeoh is a star in her own right, having headlined many Asian martial arts movies, and her appearance in the movie is so active that she’d be a natural to add to the other regulars, like M, Q and Miss Moneypenny.

In its 35^th year, the long-running Bond franchise had stayed on a dependable patter, focused on tricks, high-tech gadgets, chases, elegant stunts and the fight to ruin the villain’s evil plans. The gadgets this time are a couple of BMW vehicles: A motorcycle, used during an incredible chase scene over rooftops, and a car, which is remote-controlled by a hand-held device with a touch screen. In one original chase scene, Bond hides in the back seat of the car while driving it with the remote control.

Ebert noted, “All Bond movies include at least one Fruit Cart Scene, in which market stalls are overturned in a chase, and this one sets some kind of a record by having the carts destroyed by the blades of a helicopter that's chasing Bond and Wai Lin. There is also the obligatory Talking Killer scene, in which the madman explains his plans when he should simply be killing Bond as quickly as possible (“Caesar had his legions, Napoleon had his armies, and I have my divisions--TV, newspapers ... “).”

Is Pierce Brosnan better or worse as Bond than Connery, Lazenby, Moore and Dalton? This is one of those questions (like why doesn’t tomorrow ever die?) that can be talked about but never answered. Basically, you have Connery, and then you have everyone else. Ebert admitted, “I enjoyed Brosnan in the role, although this time I noticed fewer Bondian moments in which the trademarks of the series are relished.”

Ebert went on to say, “Yes, we have the usual double entendres and product placements (I find product placement distracting in most movies, but sort of anticipate them as part of the Bond formula). There's a high gloss and some nice payoffs, but not quite as much humor as usual; Bond seems to be straying from his tongue-in-cheek origins into the realm of conventional techno-thrillers.”

Still, “Tomorrow Never Dies” gets the job done, sometimes wonderfully, a lot of times with style. Ebert commented, “The villain, slightly more contemporary and plausible than usual, brings some subtler-than-usual satire into the film, and I liked the chemistry between Bond and Wai Lin (all the more convincing because the plot doesn't force it).” The look of the film is respected. The scenes involving warships and airplanes seem smooth and believable. There’s beautiful photography as trash sails in a sea containing heights, and adrenaline-rushing action choreography in the rooftop motorcycle chase.

Looking at the source of this entry, the longest-running franchise looks great for the 21^st century.

If you loved “Goldeneye” and was convinced at Brosnan playing Bond, then you will definitely love “Tomorrow Never Dies.” I think my sister’s best friend said this is her favorite Bond movie because of Michelle Yeoh, and I respect that. I personally think this was better than “Goldeneye” since everyone about this movie was taken further and it got you pumped with never a slow moment. Definitely do not miss this one and watch it.

Are you excited for more of Brosnan playing Bond in the 007 series? Look out tomorrow for more excitement in “James Bond Month.”