The elaborate chases, escapes and explosions begin to seem forced and disconnected; the pun-laden wisecracks fall flat. The final half-hour or so of the movie, for all its polished firepower, seems interminable.
The World Is Not Enough (1999)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:113
Fresh:58
Rotten:55
Average Rating:5.7/10
Consensus: This Bond flick focuses a little too much on action, with a plot too weak for the movie's length.
Runtime: 2 hrs 9 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Synopsis:
Greed, revenge, world dominance, high-tech terrorism - it's all in a day's work for James Bond, who races to defuse an international power struggle with the world's oil supply hanging in the...
Greed, revenge, world dominance, high-tech terrorism - it's all in a day's work for James Bond, who races to defuse an international power struggle with the world's oil supply hanging in the balance in The World is Not Enough, the 19th installment in the longest-running and most successful film franchise in cinema history.
From the banks of the Nervion River in Bilbao, Spain, to a spectacular high-speed boat chase up London's River Thames and through the highlands of Scotland, James Bond (Pierce Brosnan, in his third appearance in the role of the world's best-known secret agent) barely survives a potential nuclear explosion in a vast oil pipeline in Turkey - all in the name of protecting beautiful oil heiress Elektra King (Sophie Marceau) from notorious international terrorist Renard (Robert Carlyle).
With nuclear weapons expert Dr. Christmas Jones (Denise Richards) at his side, Bond travels to Azerbaijan, the Caspian Sea and Istanbul. There, a former enemy (Robbie Coltrane) becomes a formidable ally before the final dramatic showdown in the claustrophobic confines of a nuclear submarine beneath the surface of the Bosphorus Sea.
The World is Not Enough is an exhilarating adventure that takes all of the compelling elements expected of the Bond series and sets them against the background of a contemporary crisis on the cutting edge of today's news. Clearly, James Bond - Agent 007 - is back.
The World is Not Enough also stars Desmond Llewelyn, who returns as weapons and gadget wizard Q, as well as Dame Judi Dench as M and Samantha Bond as Moneypenny. Robbie Coltrane reprises the character of double agent Valentin Zukovsky. The film also features John Cleese (A Fish Called Wanda) as Q's assistant, Serena Scott Thomas (Diana: Her True Story) as Dr. Holly Warmflash, who ministers to Bond, Maria Grazia Cucinotta (Il Postino) as Cigar Girl and music artist Goldie as Bull, Zukovsky's chauffeur.
A key element in the extraordinary success of the Bond series was the casting of Pierce Brosnan as Agent 007, first in 1995 in GoldenEye and again in 1997's Tomorrow Never Dies.
Dame Judi Dench, an Academy Award winner for Shakespeare in Love and a Tony Award winner this past season in the Broadway production of "Amy's View," plays M for the third time.
Desmond Llewelyn plays Q for the 17th time in The World is Not Enough, while Samantha Bond makes her third appearance as M's able assistant, Miss Moneypenny. And character actor Robbie Coltrane has the distinction of being one of the few Bond villains to return to the series, having first played sinister double agent Valentin Zukovsky in GoldenEye in 1995. An imposing ensemble of actors make their Bond movie debuts in The World is Not Enough.
Sophie Marceau (Braveheart) plays Elektra King, the daughter of a murdered oil tycoon whom Bond is assigned to protect.
British actor Robert Carlyle, perhaps best known for his starring role in The Full Monty, was cast as international terrorist Renard, a ruthlessly vicious villain - with a bullet lodged in his brain which makes it impossible for him to feel pain.
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Sophie Marceau, Robert Carlyle, Denise Richards
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Sophie Marceau, Robert Carlyle, Denise Richards, Judi Dench, Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Desmond Llewelyn, Samantha Bond, Robbie Coltrane, John Cleese, Colin Salmon, Goldie
Director: Michael Apted
Director: Michael Apted
Screenwriter: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Bruce Feirstein
Producer: Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson
Composer: David Arnold
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Reviews for The World Is Not Enough
Cleese may only be in a few scenes, but he adds his unique humor to the film, giving moviegoers something to look forward to in the next Bond adventure.
Confusing, drab and joyless, "The World Is Not Enough" is the worst James Bond movie in 25 years.
A thoroughly satisfying, completely entertaining film that's also, rather surprisingly, an emotionally full experience.
Familiar and competent, the last Bond film of the millennium adheres to the formula and mostly succeeds in meeting the ritualistic demands of the series.
Retirement’s sounding good for 007; we've certainly had more than enough.
Has all the makings of a classic Bond film plus a more original plot than usual.
[Apted's] attempts to create emotional depth reveal an underlying contempt for what the Bond movies actually are.
Special effects have slowly been replacing stunt work in the Bond films, which has resulted in the loss of that extra dimension of danger.
"Unless you are James Bond fan, you can skip this one. If you never miss a Bond Flick then by all means see this one, but it's pretty bad.
What makes this one different is that the villains are really interesting.
Brosnan brings just the right amount of charm and smarm to his third Bond film.
Like the original Coca-Cola; the formula remains pleasing, and will have you wanting more.
The World Is Not Enough lives up to the 007 formula, even taking it a step further to tongue-in-cheek.
A superior outing for 007, with all the required ingredients of the formula in place.
Despite his lackluster co-star, I actually like Brosnan as Bond. I just wish that he had, well, better working conditions.
The hodgepodge of strong and weak characters makes the film move slowly at times -- slowly enough for us to notice some of the little things that weren't done right.
Even diehard Bond aficionados may find themselves thinking that the formula is not enough.
Latest News for The World Is Not Enough
November 10, 2008:
Bonding with Bond, Day 21: The World Is Not Enough
Community Manager RT-Ryan has never seen a single James Bond film, except for 2006's Casino Royale. To rectify the situation, he decides to watch every Bond film and write... More...
June 20, 2007:
Director Change for "Narnia 3"
Andrew Adamson directed the first two "Narnia" chapters, and it looks like he's about to hand the reins for Part 3 to an old veteran. More...
May 24, 2007:
Screenwriter Paul Haggis Enticed Back to "Bond 22"
If you liked "Casino Royale," (and who didn't?) you'll be happy to know that the screenwriting trio is now back in action for the 22nd Bond flick. More...
November 16, 2006:
Box Office Guru Preview: Toon and Bond Battle for #1 Spot
It's a box office battle royale at the multiplexes this weekend as two guys in penguin suits fight over the number one spot with their new releases. More...
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