A film review by Nick Stewart Copyright © 1999 Nick Stewart

Few movie characters have been so consistent and successful as James Bond. In a time where movies are criticized for being too formulaic and predictable, the Bond franchise flourishes on being just that. When a person goes to see a Bond movie, they know that 007 will, by the end, have worn some nice suits, used some nifty gadgets, slept with several women and of course, saved the world. If any part of this formula isn't followed, the movie is a disappointment. While the most recent installment of the franchise, The World is Not Enough, does in fact follow this formula, it veers from other aspects of Bond convention that seems to be a portent of things to come in the Bond Universe.

The World is Not Enough’s plot manages to bring together all the factors of the usual 007 movies. Bond (Pierce Brosnan) fails to save the life of a prominent oil baron in the movie's opening scenes, and thus must watch over his daughter, Elektra King (Sophie Marceau) who is potentially threatened by those who did in her father. The villain and leader of the assassins is Renard (Robert Carlyle), a former MI6 agent with a bullet in his brain that renders him impervious to pain or sensation, but is also slowly killing him. As with all Bond villains, Renard has a serious axe to grind and is seemingly intent on venting his frustrations on the oil world, and toying with the lives of Bond and those he holds dear. While this might sound like a typical Bond plot, it turns out that M was a close and personal friend of the now-deceased oil baron, and so becomes personally involved in the whole affair. Throw in Bond's doubt as to Elektra's loyalty, and the stage is set for a somewhat more complex story than 007 fans have come to expect.

Pierce Brosnan does an excellent job of portraying 007, maintaining the standard in The World is Not Enough that was set in his previous two movies. With the penultimate confidence and wittiness that typifies Bond, Brosnan is rapidly proving himself to be Sean Connery's one true successor to the 007 throne. His every move, word and smirk exudes smug suavity and sophistication which helps to draw you into the movie. There are however a few notable changes to Bond's character in this film. For one, the Bond's standard sexual quips seem to be a tad more on the triple-X side than usual, but this has to be expected for a Bond making his way into the new millenium. He is no longer a '60s character, and the slightly more extreme degree of his comments reflects this.

What is perhaps the most note-worthy change in Bond's persona is his seemingly newfound cold-bloodedness. A standard Bond rule is that he never kills anybody in cold blood, regardless of personal feeling or circumstance. This rule was first broken in the last movie, Tomorrow Never Dies, and is broken again on several occasions in this movie. For example, a bad guy notices James hiding in the trunk of his car. Instead of simply knocking the enemy unconscious, 007 shoots him twice in the chest. The fellow was unarmed and could easily have been subdued. Instead, James kills him. This is extremely uncharacteristic of Bond and does not suit him at all. Perhaps the writers are trying to gradually alter the character, but this would almost definitely be a mistake. Part of Bond's appeal is his unshakeable cool and sophistication, and having him develop the habit of killing in cold blood would only tarnish the face of the 007 legacy, taking his ethical level down to those of his enemies.

As the primary villain in The World is Not Enough, Robert Carlyle would seem to fit the character of Renard like a glove. From the steely, wild-eyed look down to the scars, Carlyle looks the part. Renard could've been one of the great Bond villains, in the company of Goldfinger and Blofeld, but due to no fault of Carlyle's the character falls flat. The concept of a morally devoid man who feels no pain has great potential, but unfortunately the writers did nothing with him. Short of punching through a glass tabletop and holding scalding-hot stones without flinching, Renard does little to prove his near-invulnerability. His character might have been somewhat salvaged had he posed some sort of threat to 007, but as James wallops the tar out of him every time the two meet, there is nothing particularly threatening about him. Even his villainous goal is mostly financial, and so there is no real feeling of the classic "global threat" instilled by previous villains. All in all, Renard was a tremendous let-down.

As is the prerequisite for a Bond film, The World is Not Enough features a couple colorful Bond girls. The newest incarnations, Elektra King and Christmas Jones, are as opposite in quality as night and day. Sophie Marceau, for example, plays Elektra to the hilt, not only seducing James but leaving him confused and wondering as to who he is really fighting for. She is a memorable character in the Bond franchise and will most likely be remembered for this role. Then there is her polar opposite, Christmas Jones, played terribly by Denise Richards. Her acting is flat and uninteresting, with a character who neither advances or helps the movie in any tangible way. In a sense, Richards is the film's bellybutton: interesting to look at, but completely useless. The film could easily do without her and still be the same movie in the end. Traditionally, the Bond girls are given sexually-tinged names, such as Octopussy, Xenia Onatopp and so on. In The World is Not Enough, the two main women are given more socially-acceptable, PG-oriented names. Perhaps this is further evidence of the franchise being gradually shifted into the new millennium.

While it might sound as though I hated the movie, The World is Not Enough is actually a good Bond flick. It had some good action and chase scenes that make up the usual Bond flick, and was replete with witty sexual innuendo and double-entendres. Sure, it wasn't nearly as good as the Connery-era films, but it's still good enough to put Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton's Bond flicks to shame, and was a great way to spend a night at the movies. Unfortunately for the diehard fans, the lack of a threatening villain or serious global threat will make Bond's efforts seem more like a protection of political agendas rather than a genuine heroic act for the Greater Good. If you can get past the fact that for James Bond, the world is not enough ... of a challenge, this movie is well worth your time.

	Running Time: 128 Min | Rated PG-13 | US Release: Nov. 19th | More >>

Related Links:

• Official Site
• 0 0 7 NEWS: The World Is Not Enough
• BondIsBack.com - The World Is Not Enough
• Upcomingmovies.com: The World is Not Enough

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