Review of World Is Not Enough, The: Special Edition (James Bond)

Introduction

OK then – here we go with the 19th Bond flick, and the third jaunt for the new team of Pierce Brosnan, Judi Dench and the rest. There is some doubt as to whether the tagline of the ‘19th’ Bond movie is actually correct – did they include ‘Never Say Never Again’ in this count? I don’t think so…

Of course this is typical Bond – you know what you are going to see before the film starts – and that’s why we go to see it! The winning formula that has evolved over the series of films is exploited to the full in this movie. You get the gadgets, Bond babes with weird names (‘Dr Christmas Jones’… yeah, right), exotic locations, lots of action and Robbie Coltrane’s strange hybrid Scottish/Russian accent.

The plot (if we really need one in a 007 movie) does not this time revolve around some madman who is hell bent on taking over the world. Quite what these megalomaniacs want to do with the world after they have ‘taken over it’ we are never usually told, but this movie features Robert Carlyle as the Bond villain. He plays the anarchist Renard who due to a bullet in the brain cannot feel pain, who aims to disrupt the West’s oil supply. Sophie Marceau (‘Braveheart’) plays the wealthy oil heiress Elekta King (isn’t she a character from Starlight Express?!) who Bond is sent to protect.

Denise Richards (‘Starship Troopers’) plays the aforementioned Dr Jones, who fulfils her challenging role well as a top nuclear physicist (just how old is she then?) who’s penchant for running around in tight skimpy T-shirts while trying to help Bond out is extremely amusing to watch! Well, this is a 007 movie after all innit?

The usual supporting cast are all there, Judi Dench as ‘M’, Desmond Llewellyn as ‘Q’ (sadly his last role due to his untimely death earlier this year in a car accident), Colin Salmon and Samantha Bond. We see John Cleese make his debut as ‘R’, who is being groomed to take over from Q. How poignant. Lets hope we see a lot more of this new comic character in future movies, rather than just the two short scenes he enjoys in this one.

Video

Well, as you would expect, it really is a marvellous picture MGM are giving us. The 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer is superb with virtually no blemishes or dust evident (not that you’d expect there to be for such a recent movie).

Detail is high throughout and the picture is never overly dark, with blacks clear and well defined. Contrast is high which again serves to bring out detail. No colour bleeding was seen.

This is a great film for projector owners, and anamorphic capable units will really come into their own on this DVD. 32 chapters divide the film.

Audio

Again, this is a Bond movie, so naturally the Dolby Digital is excellent. Although never obtrusive, the rears and sub are used to the full through the many fast paced action scenes in the film. The many explosions and gun shots reverberate round the sound stage and check out that sound with the helicopters with the rotating Black & Deckers!

Dialogue is centrally located and the soundstage is used to the full. The musical score is classic Bond, and the Garbage theme is again unmistakeable.

Features

The elaborate menus are superbly animated and are real ‘Alien’ quality. They take the viewer down fast ‘wormholes’ that anyone who has seen ‘Contact’ would know, accompanied by voiceover snippets and ambient music.

Firstly, the ‘Making Of’ documentary is a short 15 minutes look into the sets at Pinewood Studios, the Thames sequence, and other useful info. Pierce Brosnan, the leading ladies and Director Michael Apted, hosted by a really annoying female American presenter who asks Pierce questions that you get the feeling he is annoyed at the banality of them!

You get two separate commentaries – one by the Director, and another featuring production designer Peter Lamont, second unit director Vic Armstrong and composer Davis Arnold. Both are highly entertaining but Michael Apted’s version held most interest for me.

‘The Secrets of 007’ is a new feature similar to the White Rabbit on The Matrix, whereby a 007 logo will appear at certain points throughout the film, where the user can press ‘Enter’ on the remote to view alternative footage on the making of the scene they are watching. All of these are also selectable via a menu.

You get the video of ‘The World Is Not Enough’ by Garbage, and also the trailer. A comprehensive booklet is included in the package.

The Region 2 version does actually have a couple more extras than this version – a tribute to the late Desmond Llewellyn, and a short documentary on how they shot the Thames sequence.

Conclusion

This for me is the second best of the three Brosnan movies (Goldeneye with its dodgy models being my fave and the weaker Tomorrow Never Dies the third).

The action and stunts are typically amazing, and the opening sequence with the Millennium Dome (I wonder how much the NMEC paid for that?!) confirms that the start of a Bond film is certainly not to be missed. Can these opening sequences get much more spectacular?

The plot is a little more believable this time, and all the main regulars seem to have settled well into their roles by this third film, however the villain this time is a little disappointing. He isn’t really evil enough, and his character is not really far enough developed. Nice death though! Also I couldn’t really understand what Denise Richards was doing apart from being the sex interest. A top nuclear physicist in her mid twenties? Hmmm. Still we all know the reasons why she is there, and they both perform very well together (!)

The DVD is well featured and is excellent video and audio quality. The Region 2 version does have a couple more extras on it, and you would benefit from the PAL picture quality, so really this is the one to go for.