1997 | Dir. Roger Spottiswoode | 119 Minutes
"Great men have always manipulated the media to save the world. Look at William Randolph Hearst, who told his photographers, 'You provide the pictures, I'll provide the war.' I've just taken it one step further."
Media mogul Elliot Carver uses the technology and influence at his disposal to instigate war between the British and the Chinese. James Bond must team up with Chinese spy Wai Lin to expose Carver's plot and dispel tensions between their respective governments.
Tomorrow Never Dies is a fine action film with consistently thrilling set pieces and an inspired plot about the hidden agendas of unethical news media, exponentially heightened for entertainment value to be sure, but it never quite reaches the overall quality level of the classic James Bond pictures. Its presentation is more polished than its immediate predecessor, composer David Arnold delivers a film score that's on par with some of John Barry's best work, and Roger Spottiswoode does a fine job balancing action and sly humor. However, the film distractingly falters a bit at a few points, particularly when it comes to Bond's romantic escapes. The unnecessary forced drama between Bond and Carver's wife Paris falls flat - yet another former lover predictably disposed of to clumsily give Bond personal stakes in the mission. The loss of Paris hardly registers before Bond runs off with Wai Lin. The British and Chinese spies work incredibly well together as an action duo but there is virtually no romantic chemistry between the two. The underwater "kiss of life" and subsequent make out session at the end of the picture feel unearned.
The picture perhaps most memorably features a fun car chase in a parking garage with Bond remotely controlling a BMW decked out with all of the trademark 007 explosive gadgets with a cell phone. While the remote control BMW sequence is definitely amusing, the best action sequence is the chase through the streets, rooftops, and alley of Saigon as an attack helicopter pursues Bond and Wai Lin handcuffed to each other while driving a motorcycle. The film's only missed opportunity for even more exhilarating action is the inability of the filmmakers to organically capitalize on international action star Michelle Yeoh's considerable kung fu skills. The momentum of the film grinds to a halt for an awkwardly shot fight scene in a ramshackle bicycle shop after fantastic helicopter chase sequence.
Evidently completely comfortable in the role, Pierce Brosnan continues to exude natural charisma in his second film as James Bond. Michelle Yeoh is great as Wai Lin, absolutely believable as an attractive and ultra-capable Chinese spy, despite her lack of romantic chemistry with Brosnan. Though Elliot Carver may not be one of the most memorable Bond villains, Jonathan Pryce does a fine and convincing job as the megalomaniacal madman. As the jaded rather underwritten Paris Carver, Teri Hatcher is mostly fine giving a somewhat stock performance. Götz Otto plays the standard brawny henchman Richard Stamper without much panache, while character actor Vincent Schiavelli is much more intriguing in his one scene as torture expert Dr. Kaufman, and professional magician Ricky Jay just feels out of place as hacker Henry Gupta. Judi Dench and Samantha Bond return as M and Moneypenny, growing well into their respective parts, and Joe Don Baker appears again as the goofy CIA Agent Jack Wade. As fun as ever, Desmond Llewelyn makes his sixteenth appearance as Q. Colin Salmon makes his debut as M's Deputy Chief of Staff Charles Robinson.
Though it doesn't rank among the best films of the series, Tomorrow Never Dies is overall an entertaining and perfectly serviceable James Bond adventure. With great action and a good central villain with a rather contemporary diabolical scheme executed well, the picture is a solid entry in Pierce Brosnan's run as 007. Its clever premise becomes more plausible over time as media conglomerates continue to consolidate their power and flex their influence.
THE COLD OPEN
Not one of the best but having Bond disobey orders from an admiral to stand down, blowing up a black market weapons deal and preventing a nuclear disaster is a decent way to jump back into the world of 007.
THE THEME SONG AND OPENING TITLES
Definitely carrying the swagger of a classic Bond tune, Sheryl Crow's "Tomorrow Never Dies" is as slick and stylish as Daniel Kleinman's kinetic opening title sequence featuring various digitally rendered images of suggestive feminine figures. Arguably the better song, k.d lang's "Surrender" written by David Arnold, which plays over the end credits, its tune prominently featured in the film's score, was originally intended to be the film's theme song.
THE BOND GIRL
Wai Lin is among the best Bond movie love interests despite having almost zero sexual chemistry with Bond. She's tough, resourceful, absolutely skilled in combat and, of course, beautiful. It would have been more interesting, if less acceptable at the time, for her to depicted just as Bond's platonic equal with no romantic connotations.
THE BOND VILLAIN
Elliot Carver is a heightened version of Rupert Murdoch though somehow less cartoonishly villainous in hindsight. As deep-fake videos and fact-bending grow in prominence, Carver's scheme and methodology seem less implausible and relatively quainter if anything.
FEATURED HENCHMAN
Richard Stamper is standard muscle despite his alleged talent for torture. He's not all that memorable though he is one of the few henchman with the honor of outliving their boss if only be a few minutes.
BEST GADGET
For better or worse, the remote control BMW is one of the most memorable gadgets of the series. While it may objectively seem over-the-top, it sure is fun and is becoming more plausible as automobile technology continues to evolve.
FLEMING FIDELITY
Tomorrow Never Dies is the first James Bond film not be be inspired by or even named after existing source material.
FRAGMENTS
- The film is dedicated to the memory of series producer Albert R. Broccoli who passed away in 1996
- The original title of this film was Tomorrow Never Lies
- Anthony Hopkins was originally cast as Elliot Carver but left the film after three days because the production was chaotic, carrying on without a completed shooting script
- Monica Bellucci auditioned for the part of Paris Carver; she eventually appears in Spectre as Lucia Sciarra
- A young Gerard Butler, at the start of his film career, appears as a Royal Navy seaman
- At the bottom of the end credits, the film advertises that "James Bond Will Return"
MCU CONNECTIONS
- Michelle Yeoh (Aleta Ogord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Jiang Nan in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings)
