As a 40-year fan of the 007 films, I have to confess that I'm prepared to accept the fact that a few of the films have been real clunkers. I'm afraid that DIE ANOTHER DAY may be one of them. It's a great story spoiled badly by cartoonish stunts. The computer-created special effects in this film drag it down to a level somewhere between MOONRAKER and a Wile E. Coyote cartoon. The computer animators seem to have been carried away by their enormous budget, and some of the gags in this film are simply beyond all belief. Great stunts are exciting when the viewer can believe that an actual person is performing them and that the stunts lie within the realm of actual physical possibility. Let's face it, the special effects, gadgets, gimmicks, and outlandish stunts have taken over, and the story exists only to move us from one stunt to the next. The best part of the film was Bond's customary visit to Q (John Cleese does a wonderful job of replacing the late, much-loved Desmond Llewelyn). In the background we see many of the gadgets and paraphernalia from 007's past missions: Little Nellie from YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, the underwater sled from THUNDERBALL, and many others, each of them a reminder that once upon a time, these were genuine action movies that called upon some great stuntmen to perform their craft. The action film has become make-believe. I'll be generous and give it 7 stars, largely because of Halle Berry's wonderful performance. Otherwise, it was a great disappointment to me.
Review of Die Another Day
