The 19th Bond adventure opens with a high-octane jetboat chase along London’s River Thames leading to a fight on the Millennium Dome. From then on the pace never lets up.
While Pierce Brosnan returns as the suave secret agent, James Bond, director Michael Apted moves away from the cartoon acting style of previous Bond outings and coaxes subtle performances from his cast, especially Robert Carlyle as Bond’s international terrorist adversary, Renard (pictured), who is intent on global domination and has a nerve-paralysing bullet wedged in his brain.
Bond also has to fend off a small army of evildoers as he protects Elektra King (Sophie Marceau), the daughter of a slain oil baron.
Dame Judi Dench reprises her role as his boss, M, Robbie Coltrane returns as a now-legit Russian smuggler, Denise Richards adds to the glamour as tank top-wearing nuclear physicist Christmas Jones (yes, really) and a buffoonish John Cleese debuts as aged gadget-master Q’s assistant, R.
The World Is Not Enough was the most commercially successful film in the history of the Bond franchise, grossing $125 million in North America alone, despite opening on the same day as the much more heavily publicised Titanic. Even the title song by Garbage is a homage to the glory days of the franchise.
James Bond
Pierce Brosnan Elektra King
Sophie Marceau Renard
Robert Carlyle Dr Christmas Jones
Denise Richards Valentin Zukovsky
Robbie Coltrane M
Judi Dench Q
Desmond Llewelyn R
John Cleese Miss Moneypenny
Samantha Bond Bill Tanner
Michael Kitchen Charles Robinson
Colin Salmon Bullion
Goldie Sir Robert King
David Calder Dr Molly Warmflash
Serena Scott Thomas
Director
Michael Apted
Related Posts
Where The Spies Are (1965) One of the many dozens of James Bond send-ups and rip-offs, this spoofy affair is distinguished by a typically suave…
Where the Bullets Fly (1966) This bargain-basement spoof of the Bond films starred Tom Adams as secret agent Charles Vine, and Michael Ripper as the…
Whistle Blower, The (1987) Michael Caine gives a full-bodied performance as a middle-aged Briton seeking the truth about the mysterious death of his son…
Plunkett and Macleane (1999) Set in the 18th Century, Plunkett and Macleane is the story of two notorious highwaymen based on real-life characters. The film opens…
Wings of Eagles, The (1957) U.S. Navy pilot Frank 'Spig' Wead (John Wayne) is a fun-loving and rowdy adventurer, but also a fierce proponent of…
World According To Garp, The (1982) Splendid performances highlight this sharp, satirical adaptation of John Irving's dark best-seller about the adventures of an illegitimate, eccentric young…
Where Eagles Dare (1969) Chest-thumping gung-ho action as a group of commandos set out to rescue an allied officer from an impregnable Nazi fortress.…
While Pierce Brosnan returns as the suave secret agent, James Bond, director Michael Apted moves away from the cartoon acting style of previous Bond outings and coaxes subtle performances from his cast, especially Robert Carlyle as Bond’s international terrorist adversary, Renard (pictured), who is intent on global domination and has a nerve-paralysing bullet wedged in his brain.
