As a mystery, "The World is Not Enough" is one of the best movies based on Ian Fleming's Agent 007 of England's Secret Intelligence Service, or MI6. This film has plenty of intrigue that the audience isn't aware even exists in the first third of the film. About midway, one begins to suspect that there's something not yet known about the bad guys. And the last one quarter to one third brings the mystery out into the light. This is one heck of a James Bond Thriller. There are a number of unusual aspects in this film. More than the usual amount of scenarios take place outside of the glamour and glitter of big cities, fancy digs and party places. Filming locations included Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Spain, France, England, Wales, Scotland and the Bahamas. And, true to the form of the James Bond series, some new and different source of mayhem are introduced in "Tomorrow Never Dies." The most gruesome of these is a helicopter tree saw. It's more ferocious than any pictures I've seen of such equipment. I don't know where modern writers come up with these ideas, but I doubt that Ian Fleming would have written about such a "weapon" in his mid-20th century novels. John Cleese joins the Bond "family," introduced as "R," to be the eventual successor to "Q." The aging Q has been played for several films by Desmond Llewelyn, who was 85 years old when this film was made. He died the same year. Cleese, of course, is no spring chicken, coming on board at age 60. But one can see a different comedy wrinkle he can add, continuing on as the new "Q."I marked this for possible spoilers just for tipping folks off that there's more intrigue about who the real culprit is in this film. But, I won't divulge who or what happens in the plot. Here are some favorite lines in this film. Q, "Now pay attention double O seven. I've always tried to teach you two things. First, never let them see you bleed." James Bond, "And the second?" "Always have an escape plan." He slowly descends. Elektra King, "There's no point in living if you can't feel alive."M, "If there's even the slightest chance, Bond will survive. He's the best we have... though I'd never tell him."Dr. Christmas Jones, "Do you wanna put that in English for the rest of us who don't speak 'spy?'"

There's been good Bond films and bad Bond films, but, in the long run, they're all pretty similar and you should - by now - know what you're getting with Bond, whether you're watching the new 'grizzled' Daniel Craig era, or anything before that which is distinctly 'lighter' in tone. I'm not going to say that 'The World is Not Enough' is 'classic' and will be remembered for being one of the seminal films of the franchise, but I was always surprised about the amount of hate it generated. Most people agree that the previous film 'Tomorrow Never Dies' was Pierce Brosnan's highpoint as the super-spy and the following two films were a slow decent into the reboot which came afterwards. I always thought that Brosnan had really settled into the role by now and was clearly having fun with it. As usual, he's got to save the world again and, besides the excellent action (highlight being the boat chase down the Thames) and naturally exotic locations, this one gave us quite a few new elements to the traditional mix. First of all we see more of MI6. I know it's a small thing, but I felt we got to see a lot more of what goes on behind the scenes of Bond's world. Plus Judi Dench was given a bigger role than any previous 'M' has ever been afforded. The villains (and, yes, there are two - just in case you don't know I won't spoil one of them). However, Robert Carlyle seems to be enjoying playing the bad guy who's impervious to pain due to a bullet being lodged in his brain, slowly cutting of the sensations one by one. Robbie Coltrane returns as his Russian gangster, which is a nice touch as it brings the 'Brosnan era' films together as one and - as a fan of John Cleese - was delighted to see that he was being lined up as Q's replacement (sadly the last time we got to see Desmond Llewelyn on screen).So, all in all, I thought it was a good time if you're looking for a decent enough Bond film that will kill a couple of hours. I guess most people's criticisms were levelled at Bond-girl, Dr Christmas Jones (played by Denise Richards at the height of her fame). Yes, I know it's a stretch to see her as a 'nuclear scientist' but - hey - this is James Bond, after all! Okay, so she's hardly going to win any Oscars for dressing like Lara Croft, but - again - she's hardly a reason to completely hate this film.If you're a fan of Bond then you should know what you're getting and this one should tick all the boxes you require to sit back with a vodka martini or two and have a good time.

Movie Review: "007: The World Is Not Enough" (1999)Producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson retreat to the classic "007" machinery with a late 1990s winter release, starring Pierce Brosnan for the third time with the "Licence To Kill", portraying the legendary MI6-spy with drive, wits and cold-blooded executions if necessary in another original screenplay by Bruce Feirstein, who gets succeeded by screenwriter duo Robert Wade & Neal Purvis. Together they manufacture on over two hour long action movie that contains major reprising scenarios from "007" history as an attack from the air with machine gun and grenades in a downhill skiing adventure, where Bond engages the leading actress Sophie Marceau, perfoming as the double-crossing Elektra King, who inherited an Oil empire from her deceased father, making fatal encounters along the way with shady business deals at casino gambling tables under instructions of a "GoldenEye" recurring character of Valentin Zukovsky, given face by actor Robbie Coltrane, who's character has his own way of dealing with "007" over a mutual drink in steamy offices."The World Is Not Enough" directed by competent as veternary Michael Apted, who navigates the visual image system executed by cinematographer Adrian Biddle (1952-2005) in a non-risky, more traditional fashion, making this Bond movie fair motion picture entertainment with minor surprises mostly achieved by the well-written twisting relationship between Elektra King and James Bond, who nevertheless takes his time to have the usual "Q" for quartermaster MI6-meetings with the final appearance of lifetime-achieving actor Desmond Llewelyn (1914-1999) who states with concluding words "Always have an escape plan at hand, 007". A statement that will follow the master spy / assassin to a tough decending-submarine confrontation with a no-pain-feeling Bond nemesis character in shapes of a menacing man called Renard, portrayed by actor Robert Carlyle, as further inclusion of last minute escape from an interior mine explosion, meeting love-spreading scientist Dr. Christmas Jones, performed by action-engaging actress Denise Richards, when Bond & Jones need to dismantle another timebomb in an highlighted highspeed pimpline chase scene.What is left of "Bond 19" in retrospective in reminiscence to Zeitgeist-confronting motion pictures as "The Matrix" and "Fight Club" directed by David Fincher out the same year of 1999, comes the wish to find exceeding production design measures, a leaner editorial in order to do one of the best mission briefings in "007" history justice, featuring iron-lady "M" portrayed by another fulminate performance by Dame Judi Dench with a beautifully captured balance between an audience-promising nemesis exposure, a thrilling plot dialogue and Bond's light-hearted medical exam statement as dessert. © 2017 Felix Alexander Dausend (Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC)

This is a Bond adrift.. Sure there'r the explosions, beautiful woman...as if these elements alone could possibly the film. Pity the producers thought so. Innuendo was made for Bond; Bond was not made for innuendo. Casting Cleese is a mistake. the comedic element is again given centre stage rather being kept in the wings, so to speak.Brosnan does try his hardest, and this is to be cummendid. Coltrane as Zukovsky is excellent. However, Denise Richard's acting leaves much to be desired. she and Marceau who is miscast - sink the film. Unfortunately her Frenchiness is all too evident plus she has very littl chemistry with Carlyle - who isn't bad as the villain but is under-written which detracts badly and adds t the film's incoherence. A very promising start though Maria Grazia Cucinotta is all too fleeting- pity, she'd'v' lifted the film no end I daresay. But the bathos overtakes... the action sequences are more set pieces rather than augmenting the overall plot - which is little existent. This picture doesn't care for the viewer much, I mean taking them to exotic sunny locations that ooze with espionagy atmosphere (I must ask did someone forget that JB is a actually a 'spy'?) Back t basics.