--- title: "The World Is Not Enough: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-world-is-not-enough/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-world-is-not-enough" critics_score: 62 critics_reviews: 13 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The World Is Not Enough (1999): what the critics said Critics' score 62 from 13 reviews: 6 positive, 4 mixed, 3 negative. Most critics come away broadly satisfied, and nearly all agree on one thing: the pre-credits boat chase is among the strongest openings the series has managed. Brosnan is judged comfortable in the part and, several reviews say, more human and angrier than before. Praise clusters around Sophie Marceau’s Elektra, credited with making Bond himself more interesting, and around Apted’s effort to put some dramatic weight between the set pieces. The reservations begin where the opening ends. Several reviews find the plotting creaky and the puns wearing once the boat chase is over, and the spread is wide: RogerEbert.com calls the film inventive and graceful, while Den of Geek calls it the worst of the Brosnan Bonds. The villain divides them too, three-dimensional to Ebert, commonplace to the Guardian. Sight and Sound faults the very emotional depth others admire, saying it clashes with the series’ escapism. ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 19 November 1999. Ebert praises the film as a splendid comic thriller that is exciting, graceful and endlessly inventive. He singles out the logical flow of the plot and the more three-dimensional villain played by Robert Carlyle. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-world-is-not-enough-1999) ## The Telegraph Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 12 January 2021. Apted brought a welcome grit and realism to the Brosnan-era Bond, resulting in the best film of that period with deeper character moments. The director's eye for dramatic substance between the action elevated the franchise. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/world-not-enough-michael-apted-wrenched-bond-new-darker-era/) ## Radio Times — Alan Jones Rating 4/5. The film returns to gritty glamour with a topical oil-pipeline plot and strong action, including a spectacular boat chase; Apted blends the elements effectively and Brosnan is comfortable in the role. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-2h6fr6/the-world-is-not-enough/) ## Empire — Kim Newman Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The film checks off all the expected Bond elements with panache and is a solid addition to the canon, though a little too pat and familiar, with strong turns from Marceau and Carlyle but some lumpen comedy. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/world-enough-review/) ## The New York Times — Janet Maslin Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 19 November 1999. Maslin finds the film allows Bond to grow up a little, with Brosnan giving a more human performance. She singles out Sophie Marceau's mischievously sexy turn as Elektra for making Bond more interesting. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/19/movies/film-review-submarines-balloons-and-a-guy-named-bond.html) ## Time Out — DA Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2012. This is one of the more watchable Bonds thanks to efficient direction and an impressive opening sequence, even if the story is overloaded with too many locations and puns. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-world-is-not-enough) ## Sight and Sound — Jos Arroyo Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). The film sticks closely to the Bond formula with strong set pieces and production values, but the director is faulted for trying to add emotional depth and character complexity that clashes with the series' escapist fantasy. [Read the review](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/552) ## The Guardian — Philip French Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 28 November 1999. The film delivers spectacular opening sequences and maintains a high-velocity pace overall, with Brosnan confidently in the role. However, the plotting becomes creaky after the first 20 minutes and the villain feels commonplace. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/1999/nov/28/philipfrench) ## Variety Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 15 November 1999. The review finds the entry undone by villainous scripting and misguided casting in key roles, though it has moments like the pre-credits boat chase and solid work by Brosnan and Marceau. It singles out the capable but straightforward staging by Apted. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1999/film/reviews/the-world-is-not-enough-1200459720/) ## The Independent — Gilbert Adair Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 28 November 1999. The critic finds the film less feeble than recent Bond entries thanks to Sophie Marceau's character but ultimately a biannual disappointment that is mundanely choreographed and fails to recapture the myth's original frightening, sexy and exotic qualities. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-review-why-pierce-is-not-enough-1129184.html) ## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 22 November 1999. Lane enjoys the explosive opening sequences but finds the rest of the film an anticlimax marked by sameness. He singles out the lack of fresh air and style once the initial boat chase ends. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1999/11/29/all-over-the-map-3) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 19 January 2001. The critic highlights the film's dizzying pyrotechnics and Brosnan's commanding, angry Bond performance amid the usual gadgetry and one-liners, while noting that the convoluted plot is quickly forgotten after viewing. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-world-is-not-enough-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) ## Den of Geek — Mark Pickavance Rating 2/5. 26 February 2009. The critic calls it the worst of the Brosnan Bonds and finds the film boring and convoluted after a strong opening. He singles out the jet-boat chase sequence for praise as one of the best Bond openings. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-world-is-not-enough-blu-ray-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-world-is-not-enough.md