When war horns bellow between China and the UK, MI6 sends their resident super-spy to get to the bottom of the grievance. It doesn't take much detective work to discover the man most likely to profit from such international conflict: media mogul Elliot Carver, who just so happens to have launched a 24-hour news network in time to broadcast the opening volleys.
It's a forward-thinking concept for the franchise, asking pertinent questions about the rooting interests of the press, but the whole affair is painted in rather broad strokes, every dilemma solved with the same rudimentary answer: shoot bullets until the problem goes away. Preferably in a big, round, satisfying fireball. Carver is a role that could have been really interesting, a menacing mash-up of Steve Jobs and Rupert Murdoch, and I would've loved to see Anthony Hopkins tackle it, as originally cast. Alas, his departure after a mere three days left the part to Jonathan Pryce, who really hams it up (even by Bond villain standards) and spoils the character's potential. Not that the thin, rushed script did him many favors. His henchmen are severely lacking, too, a rather pedestrian clan without much in the way of muscle or panache.
So we've got James, plus special guest-star Michelle Yeoh (a highly stereotypical, but effective, shot of adrenaline), mowing through a crowd of red shirts en route to a lackluster final showdown with the scrawny, intellectual owner of a media empire. It's not without merit - the chase scenes are still quite good and there's a renewed emphasis on gadgets this time around - but in the pantheon of 007, I would consider Tomorrow Never Dies middling at best.
Review by drqshadowBlockedParent2020-02-24T20:42:35Z
When war horns bellow between China and the UK, MI6 sends their resident super-spy to get to the bottom of the grievance. It doesn't take much detective work to discover the man most likely to profit from such international conflict: media mogul Elliot Carver, who just so happens to have launched a 24-hour news network in time to broadcast the opening volleys.
It's a forward-thinking concept for the franchise, asking pertinent questions about the rooting interests of the press, but the whole affair is painted in rather broad strokes, every dilemma solved with the same rudimentary answer: shoot bullets until the problem goes away. Preferably in a big, round, satisfying fireball. Carver is a role that could have been really interesting, a menacing mash-up of Steve Jobs and Rupert Murdoch, and I would've loved to see Anthony Hopkins tackle it, as originally cast. Alas, his departure after a mere three days left the part to Jonathan Pryce, who really hams it up (even by Bond villain standards) and spoils the character's potential. Not that the thin, rushed script did him many favors. His henchmen are severely lacking, too, a rather pedestrian clan without much in the way of muscle or panache.
So we've got James, plus special guest-star Michelle Yeoh (a highly stereotypical, but effective, shot of adrenaline), mowing through a crowd of red shirts en route to a lackluster final showdown with the scrawny, intellectual owner of a media empire. It's not without merit - the chase scenes are still quite good and there's a renewed emphasis on gadgets this time around - but in the pantheon of 007, I would consider Tomorrow Never Dies middling at best.