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It's the plot (warmed-over GF/Superman: The Movie) that truly lets it down.
STARRING
Pierce Brosnan as James Bond 007
WITH
Denise Richards, Sophie Marceau, Robert Carlyle & Robbie Coltrane
THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH
MUSIC BY David Arnold
DIRECTED BY Michael Apted
TWINE received one last place and another 11 bottom 5 placements. That being said it was also put in second spot on one occasion, making it the lowest ranked film that ended with at least one podium finish. TWINE received three more top 10 spots, and 4 more top 15 spots.
I think Pierce Number 3 fares slightly better here than what we're used to in games such as this one, though it's fair to say it remains a very divisive entry in the franchise.
In total, TWINE collected 95 points.
Unfortunately, many scenes leave me cold: Electra calming down the people in Azerbaijan feels like made-for-TV in a cheap studio, the ski chase is unexciting, the attack by paragliding skidoos is far-fetched, Renard is under-used, the torture scene is unconvincing. But in the end, somehow, the whole thing holds together and delivers many satisfying plot-bits. M taking center stage for the first time, Robby Coltrane moonlighting as an ally, Pierce in great form. The film is not a failure and it speaks volumes for the series in general that this enjoyable film is ranked 20th.
Look, the first 15 minutes of the film rank among the very best stuff ever delivered by a Bond film. Seriously, both the Bilbao and London scenes absolutely rock! And I'm a fan of the theme song too.
But then the cracks begin to show early on, with Elektra's "complicated character" just a transparent villain soaked in melodrama and a plot that starts to grab at straws just to keep itself from falling down fast. The casino payoff to Zukowski, the Renard Stockholm thing, and the fact that the world's greatest spy is going to draw final conclusions from a motto... nah, that's not good writing, folks. Not to mention the fact that someone so happens to know a 'nephew' (small world, huh) who can arrange a nuclear sub, and something going on in a something device in a something chamber with a something tube doing something to something else and then the boat will explode... or something. (I read the novelisation to figure out the mechanics that are supposed to drive to climax's tension and even Raymond Benson couldn't make the reactor overload interesting. I understand the science and engineering side of it all, but where's the fun, the excitement, the tension?)
The action in this film has both highs (Thames, Caviar factory) and lows (Parahawks, climax). The Parahawks in particular: boredom all the way! Even Arnold has to slow down his beats lest the music outrun the rhythm of action. But Brosnan seems to be enjoying it all, so I'm with him. I'm especially with him at Zukowski's casino, where his playful act with the X-ray glasses and the knife-for-Vodka Martini is absolutely delicious. Until Elektra arrives, that is, and we must return to business, a business profoundly devoid of credibility, originality and cleverness.
People complain about Denise, but this film has bigger issues than her. Personally, I'm rather fond of Denise Richards as Christmas Jones. At least she gets the joke; she doesn't "speak spy" but she responds to the ridiculousness around her with subdued smirks and a few sexy poses. One can hardly blame her for not giving an Oscar winning performance in a film that demands very little from her. Meanwhile, Robert Carlyle, usually an actor I really appreciate, has to just be 'evil'; like Walken, his talents aren't nearly put to good use.
But the MI6 crew rocks, from Molly Warmflash over Q and Robinson to Tanner and ... uh, R? Yes, R. Look, I can appreciate John Cleese any day, but I found him far more enjoyable in DAD. Meanwhile, Desmond's almost prophetic farewell goes down as one of the most tear-jerking moments in the history of the series. I love the man, and now he's gone. TWINE gave him the perfect goodbye scene. Alas, there's also 'M', sucked into the whole affair as a personal player and M-acguyver is--I dunno--terribly out of character for that lovable bean counter.
All in all, TWINE has splendidness to offer, sadly also mixed with cringe to the max. There's greatness here, and then there are inexcusable lows to deal with. My major issue with the film is that Purvis and Wade seemed to reach for seriousness (which I can agree with) but tried to achieve that by adding layers of complexity and melodrama, the result of which is a film that's almost getting there but isn't quite polished yet. Don't get me wrong, it had the potential to be a far better Bond film than DAD, but it needed more work to make all the elements click, preferably without the silly twists and turns the script takes all the time. Why I prefer DAD over this one? Clearly, that film wanted to be another Moonraker, another joke, another over-the-top spectacle; and it made it happen. TWINE wanted to be something else, something I usually prefer over the DAD formula, but its ambitions weren't fulfilled, not at all, and what we are left with is, sadly, a road to excellence but with too many bumps in it.
That's where I am at with that girl. ;-)
They might've done better to split the PTS up in a pre- and post-PTS segment.
You see what comes of all this swinging around, Mr. Bond? Your arms must be killing you.
Confirmed: Bond is a swinger.
No, count me in too.
It wouldn't be as bad of there wasn't a briefing type scene at MI6 in the middle of it. Sort of gives the game away that it's meant to be the movie proper.
Bond: "Slight miscalculation."
No. I love the Bilbao segment,that should have been it. Don t care for the boat chase at all.
I find that sequence hard to take seriously, as "Cheerful Charlie Chisolm" plays the banker!
(Fans of the T.V. series 'Minder' will know what I'm talking about!)
I know it's not exactly OHMSS, but for me there is a lot to enjoy about it, including Denise Richards, whom I've always liked.
That being said, Sophie Marceau is also a favourite of mine, here as well as outside the series. I love Zukovsky, the Mi6 crew is outstanding (Dr. Warmflesh!), so is the score and I think this is Pierce's best turn as Bond.
Now I know it has its flaws, but being the first Bond I ever saw (and therefore not only being responsible for me becoming a Bond fan, but also for me becoming a cinephile), I gladly look past these problems. I ranked it 10th, which says a lot.
I think it's Dr. Warmflash!!,
or was that deliberate, ye dirty minded thing ye!! 😝
Must have been my imagination :))
It tries to be a more character driven, harder thriller. But it doesn't achieve this.
They try to give Brosnan a chance to act, and he can in the right situation or great script. But here it's noticeable. There are moments, but then we get the infamous 'pain face' .
The plot is absurd imo, the line from Elektra, 'they will believe, they will all believe. Don't you see, no one can resist me!.'
Really?
The pts, is overlong and quite silly. Camera rigs noticeable at times, and then the boat takes to the road for some apparent reason. And continues to travel, making turns and crashing through a restaurant of people!
Robert Carlyle is wasted as the villain, never really given the opportunity to be bad. It's like he taunts his way through the movie. Aside from stealing the bomb and the climax, what does he actually do?
Then there's the action, that feel's like it's been slotted in because, well we need an action scene. Aside from the Thames boat chase, most of it is forgettable. Though the caviar factory assault is quite enjoyable. And the return of Robbie Coltrane is another highlight.
And then there's Denise Richards, the nuclear physicist Dr.Christmas Jones.
I don't think there's any need to explain why this character is so bad. It's as if casting said, we need a girl. Anyone will do.
As I've said, TWINE tries to be so much, but never is. And it's noticeable.
I love the PTS (yes, it is long), I'm a fan of Robbie Coltrane and I like the idea of a female villain (with her nice torture chair). A lot of solid stuff but not much that shines. My main issue: The action scenes are not as exciting as they should be (same problem as in SP), especially the ski chase where they try to shoot him with a machine gun from a VERY close distance is a bit too much and the caviar factory is a boring location for an action scene.
STARRING
Roger Moore as James Bond 007
WITH
Britt Ekland, Christopher Lee, Maud Adams & Hervé Villechaize
THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN
MUSIC BY John Barry
DIRECTED BY Guy Hamilton
(Always thought it was interesting that The Man with the Golden Gun got translated into German as The Man with the Golden Colt)
TMWTGG's highest finish was a 6th place, on one occasion. It received 2 other top 10 finishes and another 5 top 15 placements.
It also ended up in 11 bottom 5's however, including 1 last place finish. With 23rd being its most frequent position (6 times!), it shouldn't come as a surprise it did not end up any higher, despite having its fair share of fans too.
TMWTGG managed to collect 97 points in total.
German doesn't have a good concise word that means "gun", really.
A few tweaks here and there and TMWTGG could’ve been a much higher entry.
Except for the Beirut scene. Stupid as hell. Bond walks into this bar, ready to drop some cash. And even before he clearly takes too much of an interest in (the very unattractive) Saïda, some dude is ready to kick him out of there. Good idea, mate. Knock your customers on the floor; that's never hurt a business before. "Achmed!" Oooh, I'm scared. Thank you, screenwriters, for such a tense thriller. What happens next? A fight in a room so small, not even the sound and camera people had any free space. See, this is one of the weakest moments in the history of the Bond. "Guys, we need a fight scene, it's been far too long." "But sir, the story doesn't--" "I don't give a damn. Just throw in bad guys for no reason. The audience will accept it because people are stupid." *Cringe*
Oh yeah, the whistle? :p Sorry, John, you were the greatest, but that is the absolute worst any composer has ever done. An otherwise really thrilling and exciting car chase was corrupted in a big bad way.
All in all, I appreciate the symmetry of the film. We start in the funhouse, we end in the funhouse (and I'm doing my best to forget Bond vs NicNac, which is just... uh, not good.) The funhouse sequences are both great, well shot, well scored and overall well executed. They render the film "smaller" than most other Bonds, but that's okay. Most of the comedy works for me too. But Britt... I love you, girl, in that other film you did with Lee, with the dance and all. As Goodnight... I'm sorry, not your fault, but this is a serious bastardization of the character we got from Fleming.
The film feels rushed and approached from all the wrong narrative angles. The idea of a ruthless killer out to get Bond works for me, but not as presented here.