Die Another Day (2002)

The critic lauds the film as the best Bond outing in years for its mix of high-octane action, humor, sex appeal, and classic elements while embracing modern thrills, with strong turns from Brosnan and Halle Berry. It outshines rival spy films through sheer excitement and entertainment value.

The critic praises the film's blend of traditional Bond elements with a more gritty, human portrayal of the character, especially in the opening sequences and character shifts. Tamahori's direction and the anniversary references to past films are highlighted as strengths.

The critic accepts Pierce Brosnan as Bond without reservation and praises the film for balancing absurd stunts with lean, tough action scenes. He singles out Halle Berry's competent and deadly Jinx character for benefiting from modern views of women in the series.

The review calls it perhaps the most satisfying Bond movie since The Spy Who Loved Me for pushing the story in interesting directions while staying in the formula. It praises the credit sequence's acknowledgment of Bond's vulnerability but criticizes the noisy, turgid ending and Tamahori's action direction in large-scale sequences.

Praises Brosnan's surefooted performance and the film's playful pastiche and strong supporting cast, while noting pacing issues and over-the-top gadgets.

Highlights the action set pieces, casting of Berry, and marketing potential while acknowledging it is not vintage Bond and has some coherence and CGI issues.

The review finds the film an intermittently entertaining but muddled patchwork that lacks restraint and clear execution in action scenes, though it praises strong moments like the fencing duel, sex appeal, and Brosnan's performance. It is seen as diverting but not the expected celebratory birthday outing.

The critic finds the film only intermittently entertaining yet hard to resist due to nostalgia and its wittily self-knowing title, describing it as caught between self-parody and a desire to be taken seriously as action. She praises director Lee Tamahori's facility for pulp and a nimbly choreographed swordfight but notes it is trapped in a prolonged middle-aged crisis.

Commends the pacing, locations, and Brosnan's performance but criticizes poor CGI and Madonna's contribution.

The review describes it as a midrange series entry with tasty scenes in the first half but faults the second half for pushing into CGI-driven quasi-sci-fi that betrays the franchise. It praises the extended fencing duel as the film's best sequence and Brosnan's dark shadings but criticizes the absurd CGI windsurfing escape and protracted fiery climax.

The critic notes the film's nods to previous Bonds and Brosnan's deeper performance but questions the longevity of the formula amid heavy CGI reliance.

The film starts with some promising formula-bending in its first hour but ultimately disappoints by reverting to predictable Bond tropes and overreliance on digital effects that make the action feel like a video game. Brosnan remains a capable but unremarkable Bond, and the director's involvement fails to elevate the material beyond the series' familiar limitations.

The critic finds the film full of cringe-making, cheesy lines and treats it as if Austin Powers never happened. He singles out the naff invisible car gadget and Madonna's wooden cameo for complaint while noting Halle Berry's sexy entrance.

The critic views the film as a travesty compared to classic Bond entries and argues the formula has had its day. He singles out Brosnan's limited screen presence and the sagging, over-processed quality of the whole enterprise for complaint.

The 20th Bond film recycles familiar gadgets, chases, and double entendres to the point of parody, with Halle Berry's role and Madonna's cameo adding little of substance. The relentless explosions and clichés suggest the franchise may have run its course.

The critic acknowledges that Die Another Day became one of the most critically lambasted Bond films, largely due to over-the-top gadgets like the invisible car, but argues that branding it the worst is a little harsh. They single out the film's gritty opening (Bond's captivity and resentment) for praise as a promising darker direction that was ultimately abandoned in favor of fantasy elements.

The film is not utterly irredeemable despite its reputation, though tonal inconsistency is its biggest flaw as a gritty first half gives way to ludicrous silliness. The opening third delivers a strong, hard-edged Bond adventure with an intriguing setup in North Korea.