Being a child of the 90s, I always saw Pierce Brosnan as The James Bond. Obviously, this is partly because he played the role while I was growing up but he also just has that vibe to him. When I think of James Bond I think of Pierce Brosnan.
That being said, I somehow hadn't actually seen any of his outings until very recently, except somehow for Die Another Day. I've seen at least one movie from every actor's era and that was... that one. But over the past few weeks, as I've been on vacation, I've sought to rectify this grave error. I can now say I've seen everything Pierce Brosnan era Bond has to offer, and on average I'd say it comes out... pretty decent. I think he does a fantastic job across the board in all his appearances so I'm gonna focus on the movies themselves. While I baseline enjoyed them all, each one does kinda slot into its own category.
Goldeneye, the throwback one
Goldeneye feels the most like a classic Bond film out of the four, from the story to the production to the characters. It's very much a 70s-type action thriller viewed through the glossy lens of the mid 90s. In that way it's like the transition from your dad's Bond to the new millennium's Bond - a 90s brand of sexy injected into a more traditional mold. Also, Sean Bean? Love. I liked it a lot, but would still place it third best. Which would also make it second to last, but like I said I do enjoy all four of these.
Tomorrow Never Dies, the worst one
But I like Tomorrow Never Dies the least, easily. Aside from the tank chase setpiece and Michelle Yeoh being as iconic as she always is, it's fairly forgettable fare. So forgettable I can't really think of anything more to say about it except that it had a tank and Michelle Yeoh. The bad guy ran a newspaper or something.
Edit: The tank was in Goldeneye, not TND. I really didn't retain any of this movie huh
The World is Not Enough, the best one
Killer opening sequence aside, I think TWINE stands out in all the right ways. It easily has the best villain of the bunch in Elektra King, played to absolute perfection by Sophie Marceau. And on Bond girls, Denise Richards gets way too much flack for her work here. She has good chemistry with Brosnan and her character being a doctor of nuclear whatever at 28 is hardly the most unrealistic thing we've seen in the series. Anyway, I loved the twisty plot, the deeper than usual character work, and the fabulous setpieces. The final line of dialogue is horrible, but it's horrible in such a James Bond way that I can't hate it.
Die Another Day, the disasterpiece one
I've always loved this stupid stupid stupid movie and that hasn't changed. The way we go from Bond being tortured in captivity for 14 months to him outrunning a space laser in his invisible car is just peak trash kino and I wouldn't change a thing. Well, maybe the race stuff. We didn't need that. This is also one of few movies to be shot in Iceland without it doubling for another location, which is fun. It's why this was the only one I had seen before, its release was an EVENT here. I'm fully aware that this is the actual worst one but idc I'll always love it
so yeah I like these goofy movies they're very fun. My ranking goes as such
1. The World is Not Enough
2. Die Another Day
3. Goldeneye
4. Tomorrow Never Dies
I think popular opinion is Goldeneye as the best and Die Another Day as the worst, with TWINE and TND in the middle. Which I get, even if it's not an order I can identify with.
included is a poll for the best theme song. TWINE wins out for me again, Garbage delivered a perfect Bond theme with just the right hit of 90s alt-rock. Tina Turner's Goldeneye is an easy second, with Madonna's Die Another Day in third. I've always been partial to its quirky electoclash sound, though I do also understand the hate it gets since it's such a break from tradition. Tomorrow Never Dies by Sheryl Crow is a fine enough song but much like the film it's from it's not especially memorable.
something something martini something something christmas
That being said, I somehow hadn't actually seen any of his outings until very recently, except somehow for Die Another Day. I've seen at least one movie from every actor's era and that was... that one. But over the past few weeks, as I've been on vacation, I've sought to rectify this grave error. I can now say I've seen everything Pierce Brosnan era Bond has to offer, and on average I'd say it comes out... pretty decent. I think he does a fantastic job across the board in all his appearances so I'm gonna focus on the movies themselves. While I baseline enjoyed them all, each one does kinda slot into its own category.
Goldeneye, the throwback one
Goldeneye feels the most like a classic Bond film out of the four, from the story to the production to the characters. It's very much a 70s-type action thriller viewed through the glossy lens of the mid 90s. In that way it's like the transition from your dad's Bond to the new millennium's Bond - a 90s brand of sexy injected into a more traditional mold. Also, Sean Bean? Love. I liked it a lot, but would still place it third best. Which would also make it second to last, but like I said I do enjoy all four of these.
Tomorrow Never Dies, the worst one
But I like Tomorrow Never Dies the least, easily. Aside from the tank chase setpiece and Michelle Yeoh being as iconic as she always is, it's fairly forgettable fare. So forgettable I can't really think of anything more to say about it except that it had a tank and Michelle Yeoh. The bad guy ran a newspaper or something.
Edit: The tank was in Goldeneye, not TND. I really didn't retain any of this movie huh
The World is Not Enough, the best one
Killer opening sequence aside, I think TWINE stands out in all the right ways. It easily has the best villain of the bunch in Elektra King, played to absolute perfection by Sophie Marceau. And on Bond girls, Denise Richards gets way too much flack for her work here. She has good chemistry with Brosnan and her character being a doctor of nuclear whatever at 28 is hardly the most unrealistic thing we've seen in the series. Anyway, I loved the twisty plot, the deeper than usual character work, and the fabulous setpieces. The final line of dialogue is horrible, but it's horrible in such a James Bond way that I can't hate it.
Die Another Day, the disasterpiece one
I've always loved this stupid stupid stupid movie and that hasn't changed. The way we go from Bond being tortured in captivity for 14 months to him outrunning a space laser in his invisible car is just peak trash kino and I wouldn't change a thing. Well, maybe the race stuff. We didn't need that. This is also one of few movies to be shot in Iceland without it doubling for another location, which is fun. It's why this was the only one I had seen before, its release was an EVENT here. I'm fully aware that this is the actual worst one but idc I'll always love it
so yeah I like these goofy movies they're very fun. My ranking goes as such
1. The World is Not Enough
2. Die Another Day
3. Goldeneye
4. Tomorrow Never Dies
I think popular opinion is Goldeneye as the best and Die Another Day as the worst, with TWINE and TND in the middle. Which I get, even if it's not an order I can identify with.
included is a poll for the best theme song. TWINE wins out for me again, Garbage delivered a perfect Bond theme with just the right hit of 90s alt-rock. Tina Turner's Goldeneye is an easy second, with Madonna's Die Another Day in third. I've always been partial to its quirky electoclash sound, though I do also understand the hate it gets since it's such a break from tradition. Tomorrow Never Dies by Sheryl Crow is a fine enough song but much like the film it's from it's not especially memorable.
something something martini something something christmas
Last edited:
