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Pierce Brosnan (TV’s Remington Steele) makes his debut as James Bond in GoldenEye, the first Bond film after a then-record 6 year gap. He finds himself battling a former fellow MI6 agent (Sean Bean) who has teamed up with a Russian syndicate to seize control of a deadly new satellite defense system. The adventure takes place mostly in Russia, including a centerpiece tank chase on the streets of St. Petersburg, before shifting to sunny Cuba for the final act.
Brosnan’s take on Bond is something of a blend of Sean Connery and Roger Moore. He’s more dangerous than Moore, but more cheeky than Connery. While GoldenEye‘s script doesn’t offer the character much depth, Brosnan proves a worthy heir to the character’s mantle. He’s joined by a new ‘M’ who would remain with the series for 17 years — Dame Judi Dench. Her stern but affectionate attitude toward Bond would make her rendition of the character the most impactful version to date. There’s also a new Moneypenny (Samantha Bond), but we still have the same old, loveable ‘Q’, played by Desmond Llewelyn in his 15th appearance in the franchise.
Sean Bean is reliable as a Bond villain, even if the script never takes full advantage of the dramatic potential in his history and relationship with Bond. Izabella Scorupco is the ‘Bond Girl’, a Russian computer programmer who teams up with Bond to stop Bean from using the eponymous weapons system to blow up London. She and Bean are both handily upstaged by a scene-stealing Famke Janssen (X-Men). She plays Xenia Onatopp (get it?) a sadistic femme fatale who crushes men to death between her legs. Other notable supporting players include Alan Cumming, Robbie Coltrane, and Joe Don Baker.
While GoldenEye largely succeeds in bringing the dormant franchise back to life, it’s comparatively light in the sort of elaborate action set-pieces for which the series is known. The plot hinders the pacing and momentum at times, especially in the first act. Eric Serra’s synth-heavy score is perhaps the most underwhelming of the entire franchise, effective only when it incorporates Monty Norman’s beloved James Bond theme. But after a six year absence, you gotta start somewhere, right? Welcome back, Mr. Bond. You were missed.
Directed by Martin Campbell (No Escape, Casino Royale). With a title song written by Bono and The Edge, performed by Tina Turner. Look for Minnie Driver in a small, goofy role.