Bond lives another day to take revenge
by Nick Nance, managing editor

    Sometimes it is hard to discuss a movie objectively. The most recent addition to the Bond action series, Die Another Day, is a perfect example.

   The difficulty begins when the reviewer must forget about all previous work the actors and crew have done.

   The latest edition to the Bond series contains performances that lack the bite of past performances.

   Die Another Day places Bond in situations he has not been presented with in movies past.

   The action begins quickly with Bond carrying out a mission to assassinate a North Korean leader’s son. The mission soon turns for the worse.

   In a rare occurrence throughout the Bond series, the usually careful spy is taken prisoner.

   What makes the situation more disconcerting is Bond’s careless and reckless evaluation of the enemy. It seems as though Bond allows himself to get captured.

   After being held for 14 months, abandoned and betrayed, Bond is released.

   The audience then sees Bond begin the journey to figure out why he was betrayed in the events leading up to his capture.

   Bond’s investigation takes him to Cuba, where he hooks up with the attractive Jinx (Halle Berry).

   The search leads Bond to the extravagant and evil millionaire diamond seller Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens).

   Graves has developed a powerful secret weapon. He is held up in Iceland in a secret lair made entirely out of ice.

   Graves reveals his new top-secret weapon; however, he does not reveal his true intentions for the powerful weapon.

   Bond is captured by the beauty of Graves’ personal assistant Miranda Frost (Rosamund Pike), but despite her resistance, Bond’s charm wins her over.

   In Die Another Day, Bond saves the world from evil yet again. However, this time the cheese factor comes close to overpowering the intense action scenes.

   The one-time charm of Bond lacks up-to-date appeal. Only the great action scenes save the future of the Bond series.

   Unfortunately, Brosnan and Berry give disappointing performances in this new tale of Bond.

   The new high-tech toys, cameo appearances by has-been pop stars and the love of the Bond series are the best reasons to torture oneself with Die Another Day.

   Perhaps Bond should retire.

   This movie left this reviewer shaken, not stirred.