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Although it immediately followed 'License to Kill', a legal battle resulted in a six
year hiatus between these films: the longest gap ever in Bond's 50-year-history. When the
17th 007 picture finally made its way to the screen in November of 1995 though, we were
treated to an overhauled, modernized Bond universe with all new lead actors in most
of the familiar roles: most notably of course Pierce Brosnan as Commander Bond, and Judi
Dench as "M". The two veteran actors share a cold and intense conversation early in the
film that expertly establishes their frosty, by respectful relationship. After his friend
and fellow-agent 006, played by Hollywood Red-shirt Sean Bean, is executed during a
Cold-War mission gone bad: Brosnan finds himself hunting down the thief of an EMP satellite
weapon known as GoldenEye - who just so happens to be the same Russian evil-doer who killed
his friend nine years prior. Director Martin Campbell effortlessly adapts this series for
the 90's - which, in a post Soviet world, many thought ill-advised. The script, a hold-over
from the Dalton days, still has a tinge of the dark theme to it, and is all the better
for it: GoldenEye is arguably the strongest of Brosnan's four pictures: which became decidedly
more playful and unbelievable as they progressed. Brosnan blends the best comedic elements that
Moore pioneered with the sexiness and determination Connery introduced: giving us quintessential
actor-hero in the process. The
film opens with a spectacular cold-open that introduces us to the new Bond, as he bungee-jumps
off a 700-ft dam in the Soviet Union, and sneaks into a weapons facility, before setting
some bombs, and narrowly escaping, by driving a motorcycle off a cliff to catch a falling
airplane. Why he doesn't just repel off the dam is another question... It's a hell of
a way to kick off the film, a well-written sequence that'll instantly remind any 90's
kids of the classic "Facility" level from the iconic N64 video game. Izabella Scorupo
is a fine Russian Bond girl, but her portrayal is mostly overshadowed by the great performances
around her. As the femme fatale that flirtatiously plays cat-and-mouse with Bond, Famke Janssen
is one of the stand-out female baddies in this series: who manages to be menacing and
seductive at the same time. For his contribution as 006, Sean Bean is an absolute pro: equally
matched to Bond's skills and talent, he is an excellent foe that's a pleasure to watch.
As a bonus, he also lives up to his humorous internet memedom, by getting himself killed
not once, but twice -- both instances done incredibly well. Relying more on models than
CGI, the visuals here are gritty and realistic, the explosions loud and gigantic, the sound
editing layered and coherent. Grossing over six times its 58-million dollar budget, this
well-paced 130-minute action film truly hits all the right marks of a Bond film, the girls,
gadgets, car chases, card games and drinks: feeling at times like a "paint-by-numbers"
adventure more than anything else though. GoldenEye: "Formulaic execution, but memorable
thrills". Now lets see what you had to say about Bond 17 in the YouTube comments.
"GoldenEye" on the rate-o-matic... a NINE and an EIGHT. You praised Sean Bean as the
bad guy here: who did a tremendous job fighting Bond at every step, you it was Awesome. Almost
serving as a 90's reboot for the franchise, I loved the action, hand-to-hand combat, tank
chase through Russia, and everything else here, even if it wasn't particularly original.
I thought it was great.