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{{Short description|2002 James Bond film by Lee Tamahori}} | |||
{{BondInfo| | |||
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image=]| | |||
{{Good article}} | |||
James Bond=]| | |||
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} | |||
Writer=]<br>] | | |||
{{Use British English|date=March 2016}} | |||
Screenplay=Neal Purvis<br>Robert Wade| | |||
{{Infobox film | |||
Director=]| | |||
| name = Die Another Day | |||
Music=]| | |||
| image = Die another Day - UK cinema poster.jpg | |||
Theme=]| | |||
| caption = Theatrical release poster | |||
Distributor=]| | |||
| director = ] | |||
Date=]| | |||
| producer = {{Plainlist | | |||
Runtime=133 min.| | |||
* ] | |||
Preceded=''''']'''''| | |||
* ] | |||
Followed=''''']'''''| | |||
}} | }} | ||
| writer = {{Plainlist | | |||
'''''Die Another Day''''' is the twentieth ] ] made by ] and the fourth and final film to star ] as ] James Bond. It was released in ] and produced by Bond veterans ] and ]. It is the first movie to not feature ] as ] since '']'' (]). | |||
* ] | |||
}} | |||
| based_on = {{based on|]|]}} | |||
| starring = {{Plainlist | | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
}} | |||
| music = ] | |||
| cinematography = ] | |||
| editing = ] | |||
| studio = ]<br />]<br />] | |||
| distributor = MGM Distribution Co. (United States)<br />] (International) | |||
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2002|11|20|United Kingdom|2002|11|22|United States}} | |||
| runtime = 134 minutes | |||
| country = United Kingdom<ref name=lumiere>{{cite web |title=Die Another Day |website=] |publisher=] |url=http://lumiere.obs.coe.int/web/film_info/?id=18801 |access-date=9 October 2020 |archive-date=25 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925143626/http://lumiere.obs.coe.int/web/film_info/?id=18801 |url-status=live }}</ref><br />United States<ref name=lumiere /> | |||
| language = English | |||
| budget = $142 million<ref name="numbers">{{cite web |title=Die Another Day (2002) - Financial Information |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Die-Another-Day#tab=summary |website=] |access-date=10 August 2019 |archive-date=25 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200825234157/https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Die-Another-Day#tab=summary |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
| gross = $431.9 million<ref name="numbers" /> | |||
}} | |||
'''''Die Another Day''''' is a 2002 ] and the twentieth film in the ] produced by ]. It was directed by ], produced by ] and ], and written by ]. The fourth and final film starring ] as the fictional ] agent ], it was also the only film to feature ] as ], and the last with ] as ]. It is also the first film since '']'' (1973) not to feature ] as Q as he died three years earlier. ] co-stars as ] and ] agent ]. In the film, Bond attempts to locate a traitor in ] who betrayed him and a ] billionaire who is later revealed to be connected to a North Korean operative who Bond seemingly killed. It is an original story, although it takes influence from Bond creator ]'s novels '']'' (1955) and '']'' (1965), as well as ]'s novel, '']''.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last1=Field |first1=Matthew |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/930556527 |title=Some Kind of Hero : 007 : the Remarkable Story of the James Bond Films |date=2015 |first2=Ajay |last2=Chowdhury |isbn=978-0-7509-6421-0 |publisher=The History Press |location=Stroud, Gloucestershire |oclc=930556527 |access-date=9 September 2021 |archive-date=28 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211128234516/https://www.worldcat.org/title/some-kind-of-hero-007-the-remarkable-story-of-the-james-bond-films/oclc/930556527 |url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
''Die Another Day'' released on November 20, 2002 internationally by ] and November 22, 2002 in the United States by ]. It marked the ''James Bond'' franchise's 40th anniversary. The film includes references to each of the preceding films.<ref>{{cite web|title=20 things you never knew about... James Bond|url=http://www.virginmedia.com/movies/features/20-things-you-never-knew-about-james-bond.php?page=18|work=Virgin Media|access-date=8 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211144455/http://www.virginmedia.com/movies/features/20-things-you-never-knew-about-james-bond.php?page=18|archive-date=11 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> It received mixed reviews; some critics praised Tamahori's direction, but others criticised the reliance on CGI, ], the story and the villain. Nevertheless, the film was a box-office success with it grossing $431.9 million worldwide, becoming ]. | |||
''Die Another Day'', being the twentieth Bond film and also being released the year of the Bond film's "40th Anniversary", pays homage in some sort of way to every previous official James Bond film . It also additionally references several Fleming novels as well as novels by other official Bond authors. | |||
== |
==Plot== | ||
<!-- Per WP:FILMPLOT, plot summaries are 400 to 700 words only. --> | |||
The movie departs from the usual Bond formula in several ways. ''Die Another Day'' begins with an action set-piece which, instead of a comic ending, ends with Bond captured by the ]n army, after which he is tortured for fourteen months, depicted in a stylized manner through the title sequence. The movie also shows some attempts to improve the appeal of Bond to a younger audience, featuring two separate scenes of Bond surfing, a more contemporary ] (by ]), and extensive use of '']''-style slow-motion pans. Critical reaction to the film was mixed, even allowing for the typical disdain of ]s (and of sequels) held by many reviewers. Many felt that it was merely a tired retread of old ideas, and the attempts to appeal to a younger audience were unsuccessful; supporters of the film counter that the so-called "retread of old ideas" was simply the film paying ] to earlier Bond films, adding that Bond's incarceration and torture at the start of the movie sufficiently broke the pattern of recent Bond films. Some also felt that the extensive use of ] special effects detracted from one of the major appeals of the older films—that the ]s, however preposterous, were actually performed. The quality of the CGI effects in some scenes was also criticized. | |||
] agent James Bond infiltrates a North Korean military base where Colonel Tan-Sun Moon is trading weapons for African ]s. After Moon's right-hand man Zao receives notification of Bond's real identity, Moon attempts to kill Bond and a ] chase ensues, ending with Moon's craft tumbling over a waterfall. Bond is captured by North Korean soldiers and imprisoned by the Colonel's father, General Moon. After fourteen months of captivity and ] at the hands of the ], Bond is traded for Zao in a ] across the ]. He is sedated and taken to meet ], who informs him that his status as a ] has been suspended under suspicion of having leaked information under duress to the North Koreans. Bond is convinced that he has been set up by a ] in the British government. After escaping MI6 custody, he finds himself in ], where he learns from Chang, a Chinese agent and old colleague, that Zao is in ]. | |||
In ], Bond meets with ] agent ] and follows her to a ] clinic, where patients can have their appearances altered through DNA restructuring. Jinx kills Dr. Alvarez, the leader of the therapy, while Bond locates Zao inside the clinic and fights him. Zao escapes, leaving behind a pendant which leads Bond to a cache of conflict diamonds bearing the crest of the company owned by British billionaire Gustav Graves. Bond learns that Graves only appeared a year prior, apparently discovering a vein of diamonds in Iceland leading to his current wealth and celebrity. At ] in ], Bond meets Graves along with his assistant Miranda Frost, who is also an undercover MI6 agent. After a ] match that escalates into a ] duel, Graves invites Bond to ] for a scientific demonstration. M restores Bond's Double-0 status, and ] issues him an ] with ]. | |||
Marketing for the film was also criticized by some fans. Unlike previous Bond films (with the exception of '']'') the actor to portray Bond is undoubtedly the top-billed star with all other actors in a supporting role; however with ''Die Another Day'' ] ] had been elevated to co-star status with Pierce Brosnan. | |||
] and Bombardier MX Rev Ski-Doo used in the film]] | |||
The film also ironically united opinion across the ], with the ] unhappy with its portrayal as a brutal, war-hungry state, whilst many ] were offended by a romantic scene conducted in a ] ] and a scene where an ] officer issues orders to the South Korean army in the defense of their own homeland. | |||
At his ] in Iceland, Graves unveils a new orbital mirror satellite Icarus, which is able to focus ] on a small area and provide year-round sunshine for agriculture. Frost seduces Bond and Jinx infiltrates Graves' command centre but is captured by Graves and Zao. Bond rescues her and discovers that Graves is Colonel Moon, who has used the gene therapy technology to change his appearance and amassed his fortune from conflict diamonds as a cover. Bond confronts Graves, but Frost arrives to reveal herself as the traitor who betrayed him in North Korea, forcing Bond to escape from Graves' facility. He returns in his Vanquish to rescue Jinx, who has been recaptured in the palace. As Graves uses Icarus to melt the ice palace, Zao pursues Bond into the palace using his ]. Bond kills Zao by causing an ice chandelier to fall onto him and revives Jinx after she has almost drowned. | |||
Bond and Jinx pursue Graves and Frost to the ] and stow away on Graves' ] cargo plane. Graves reveals his identity to his father, and the true purpose of the Icarus satellite: to cut a path through the ] with concentrated sunlight, allowing ] to invade South Korea and unite the peninsula. Horrified, General Moon rejects the plan, but Graves murders him. Bond attempts to shoot Graves, but is prevented by a soldier. In their struggle, a gunshot pierces the fuselage, causing the plane to decompress and descend rapidly. Bond and Graves engage in a fistfight, and Jinx attempts to regain control of the plane. Frost attacks Jinx, forcing her to defend herself in a sword duel. After the plane passes through the Icarus beam and is further damaged, Jinx kills Frost. Graves attempts to escape by parachute, but Bond opens the parachute, pulling Graves out of the plane and into one of its engines, disabling the Icarus beam. Bond and Jinx escape from the disintegrating plane in a helicopter from the cargo hold, with Graves' stash of diamonds. Later, they spend a romantic evening at a Buddhist temple. | |||
Regardless of these criticisms, ''Die Another Day'' is one of the most successful James Bond films to date and is the current title-holder for highest grossing James Bond film taking in roughly $432 million in ticket sales worldwide (some sources claim as high as $456 million ). According to MGM/UA the film grossed $432 million worldwide not counting the Japanese gross, and $456 million worldwide counting the Japanese gross. Some sources that list the $432 million gross figure have simply not counted the gross from Japan. | |||
==Cast== | |||
''Die Another Day'' was the first movie since '']'' to not feature ], who had died in 1999 just after the release of '']''. ], formerly of '']'' and ] takes over the role of Q; however, it is clear that he is playing a different character (who had been introduced as Q's assistant in ''The World Is Not Enough''). | |||
* ] as ], an ] agent. | |||
* ] as ], an ] agent.<ref>{{cite news |title=Halle's big year| work=Ebony | date=Nov 2002 | quote=Of her character, Berry said: She's the next step in the evolution of women in the Bond movies. She's more modern and not the classic villain. She also said that Jinx is fashionable. She's fashion-forward, very sexy and takes fashion risks, and I love her for that.}}</ref><ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041215015552/http://www.mi6.co.uk/news/index.php?itemid=1276 |date=15 December 2004 }}. Retrieved 28 March 2008</ref> Before Berry's casting ], ], and ] were also considered for the role.<ref name=":1" /> | |||
* ] as Gustav Graves, a British entrepreneur and the alter ego of Colonel Tan-Sun Moon. Graves was modelled after ] in Ian Fleming's original '']'', a ] who switched places with a British soldier at the end of World War II, became a well-respected and wealthy philanthropist, and used this cover to plan a nuclear missile strike on London. He was also modelled after ] and ].<ref name=":1" /> | |||
* ] as Colonel Tan-Sun Moon, a rogue North Korean army colonel and the original persona of Graves. | |||
* ] as Miranda Frost, undercover MI6 agent and ]. | |||
* ] as Tang Ling Zao, a North Korean terrorist working for Moon and living as an exile. | |||
* ] as ], the head of MI6. | |||
* ] as ], MI6's ] and armourer. | |||
* ] as Verity, Graves' and Frost's fencing instructor. | |||
* ] as Damian Falco, Jinx's superior in the NSA. | |||
* ] as ], M's secretary. | |||
* ] as ], M's Deputy Chief of Staff. | |||
* ] as General Moon, Colonel Moon's father. He assists in Bond's release back to the West. The North Korean general wishes for a peaceful reunification of Korea, whereas his son is bent on war. | |||
* ] as Vladimir Popov, Gustav Graves' personal scientist. | |||
* ] as Mr. Kil, one of Gustav Graves' henchmen. | |||
* ] as The Hotel Manager and ] Mr. Chang. In early drafts of the script, it was ] (]) who aided Bond in Hong Kong, but the idea fell through and Chang was created to replace her.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/bond_20_wai_lin.php3?t=&s=articles|title=James Bond 007 :: MI6 - The Home Of James Bond|work=MI6-HQ.COM|access-date=11 January 2014|archive-date=10 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110031612/http://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/bond_20_wai_lin.php3?t=&s=articles|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last= |url=http://archive.org/details/james-bond-die-another-day-wai-lin-unshot-elevator-sequence-story-board |title=James Bond Die Another Day Wai Lin Unshot Elevator Sequence Story Board |date=2002-02-12}}</ref> | |||
* ] as Peaceful Fountains of Desire, a Chinese agent working for Mr. Chang, undercover as a ]. | |||
* ] as Raoul, the manager of a Havana cigar factory, and a British ]. | |||
* ] as General Li | |||
* ] as Elderly Cigar Factory Worker | |||
* ] as Dr. Álvarez | |||
* ] as Airline Hostess (the daughter of former Bond actor ]) | |||
* ] as Mr. Van Bierk | |||
* ] as Concierge at the Fencing Club | |||
== |
==Production== | ||
After the success of '']'', producers ] and ] asked the director ] to return to direct. Although Apted accepted, they rescinded the offer in order to ask ] and ], who both declined. Scott claims to have suggested ] as director, although Wilson denies that any formal negotiations were held with him. Pierce Brosnan suggested ], ] and ] as potential choices, and informally discussed the idea of directing a Bond film with Scorsese on a flight. ], ] and ] were later in negotiations to direct, before ] was hired.<ref name=":1" /> | |||
{{spoiler}} | |||
The plot, reminiscent of '']'', '']'' and '']'', involves billionaire businessman ], who through genetic engineering, is actually a ]n Colonel (Colonel Moon) who in the pre-title sequence was supposedly killed by Bond. The film's title, ''Die Another Day'', refers to Colonel Moon surviving his first encounter with 007. Upon meeting later in the film Bond comments, "So you live to die another day." | |||
===Filming=== | |||
Graves' scheme involves the construction of an orbital mirror system made of diamonds that will supposedly focus solar energy on a small area to light the Arctic nights, however, in truth the orbital mirror system is actually a superweapon designed to destroy the ] that separates North Korea from ]. | |||
] | |||
]]] | |||
] of ''Die Another Day'' began on 11 January 2002 at ].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/01/12/nbond12.xml |title=Brosnan meets the two-faced Bond villain |work=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=17 July 2009| location=London | first=Hugh | last=Davies | date=12 January 2002}}{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The film was shot primarily in the United Kingdom, ] and ]. Other locations included Pinewood Studios' ] and ], Hawaii, in December 2001. | |||
Bond, with the aid of ] agent Jinx (played by ]), defeats Gustav Graves, whose other major technotoy is an exoskeleton equipped with a high-voltage electric weapon, and prevents global catastrophe, along the way bedding both Jinx and Graves' assistant, the blond "ice queen" Miranda Frost. Frost, in a succession of twists, is first revealed to be working for ], then later as a double agent for Graves. | |||
], ], and ] performed the pre-title surfing scene at the surf break known as "Jaws" in ],<ref>{{cite news |title= Maui's monster surf break getting bigger by the day |author= Timothy Hurley |newspaper= ] |date= 18 November 2002 |url= http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Nov/18/ln/ln04a.html |access-date= 29 November 2010 |archive-date= 11 August 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190811093433/http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Nov/18/ln/ln04a.html |url-status= dead }}</ref> while the shore shots were taken near Cádiz and ]. Scenes inside Graves' diamond mine were also filmed in ], at the ]. The scenes involving the Cuban locations of ] and the fictional Isla de Los Organos were filmed at ].<ref name="locales">{{cite web |url=http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/d/dieanother.html |title=Die Another Day filming locations |access-date=20 September 2007 |archive-date=2 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130702201608/http://movie-locations.com/movies/d/dieanother.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
The scenes featuring Berry in a bikini (designed to resemble ]' swimming costume in '']'') were shot in ]. The location was cold and windy, and footage has been released of Berry wrapped in thick towels between takes to avoid catching a chill.<ref>{{cite video|title=Die Another Day |medium=DVD |year=2002 }}</ref> Berry was injured during filming when debris from a smoke grenade flew into her eye. The debris was removed in a 30-minute operation.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/1390372/Halle-Berry-hurt-in-blast-during-Bond-film-scene.html |title=Halle Berry hurt in blast during Bond film scene |author=Hugh Davies |work=] |date=10 April 2002 |access-date=8 March 2012 |location=London |archive-date=16 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121116093807/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/1390372/Halle-Berry-hurt-in-blast-during-Bond-film-scene.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Brosnan also sustained a knee injury during the shooting of an action scene in ].<ref>{{cite news |title=Bond star Brosnan hurt while filming 007 stunt |url=https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/film-and-tv/bond-star-brosnan-hurt-while-filming-007-stunt-1-603509 |work=www.scotsman.com |language=en |access-date=16 February 2020 |archive-date=16 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216072900/https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/film-and-tv/bond-star-brosnan-hurt-while-filming-007-stunt-1-603509 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
==Cast & Characters== | |||
*] - ] | |||
*] - ] | |||
*] - ] | |||
*] - ] | |||
*Zao - ] | |||
*] - ] | |||
*] - ] | |||
*] - ] | |||
*] - ] | |||
*Raoul - ] | |||
*Damian Falco - ] | |||
*Mr. Kil - ] | |||
*Vlad - ] | |||
*] - ] | |||
*] - ] | |||
*Verity - ] | |||
*Peaceful Fountains of Desire - ] | |||
*Mr. Chang - ] | |||
*] - ] | |||
Gadgets and other props from every previous ''Bond'' film and stored in Eon Productions' archives appear in Q's warehouse in the ]. Examples include the jetpack in '']'' and ]'s poison-tipped shoe in '']''.<ref name="dvdcommentary1">{{cite video|title=Die Another Day ] 1|people=], ]|location=''Die Another Day''}}</ref> Q mentions that the watch he issues Bond is "your 20th, I believe", a reference to ''Die Another Day'' being the 20th Eon-produced Bond film.<ref name="dvdcommentary2">{{cite video|title=Die Another Day ] 2|people=], ]|location=''Die Another Day''}}</ref> In London, the ] was used to shoot several places in the film, including the lobby and gallery at the Blades Club, MI6 Headquarters, Buckingham Palace, Green Park and Westminster. ] was used for the car chase on the ice. Four Aston Martins and four Jaguars, all converted to four-wheel drive, were used (and wrecked) filming the sequence. A temporary dam was constructed at the mouth of the narrow inlet to keep the salty ocean water out and allow the lagoon to freeze.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.travelociraptor.com/die-another-day-iceland-frozen-lake-scene/|title=Die Another Day Car Chase on Frozen Lake Filmed in Iceland|date=29 June 2017|access-date=29 December 2018|archive-date=30 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181230181110/http://www.travelociraptor.com/die-another-day-iceland-frozen-lake-scene/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Additional chase footage was filmed at ], ], and ].<ref name="locales"/> ] in ] was used for the scenes involving the Antonov cargo plane scenes.<ref>{{cite web|author=Kent Film Office|url=http://kentfilmoffice.co.uk/2002/02/die-another-day-2002/|title=Kent Film Office Die Another Day Film Focus|date=19 February 2002 |access-date=18 July 2013|archive-date=30 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730080148/http://kentfilmoffice.co.uk/2002/02/die-another-day-2002/|url-status=live}}</ref> The scene in which Bond surfs the wave created by Icarus when Graves was attempting to kill Bond was shot on the ]. The waves, along with all the glaciers in the scene, are computer-generated.<ref>{{cite web|author=<!--not stated-->|url=https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/the-famous-james-bond-surfing-scenes-in-007-die-another-day|title=The famous James Bond surfing scenes in "007 - Die Another Day"|work=surfertoday.com|access-date=2023-10-30|archive-date=6 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306043027/https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/the-famous-james-bond-surfing-scenes-in-007-die-another-day|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
==Crew== | |||
*Directed by: ] | |||
*Written by: ], ] | |||
*Produced by: ], ] | |||
*Composed by: ] | |||
*Cinematography by: ] | |||
*Production design by: ] | |||
The hangar interior of the US Air Base in South Korea, shown crowded with ] helicopters, was filmed at ] in Hampshire, UK, as were the helicopter interior shots during the Switchblade sequence. These latter scenes, though portrayed in the air, were actually filmed entirely on the ground with the sky background being added in post-production using blue screen techniques. Although the base is portrayed in the film as a US base, all the aircraft and personnel in the scene are British in real life. In the film, Switchblades (one-person gliders resembling fighter jets in shape) are flown by Bond and Jinx to stealthily enter North Korea. The Switchblade was based on a workable model called "PHASST" (Programmable High Altitude Single Soldier Transport). Kinetic Aerospace Inc.'s lead designer, Jack McCornack was impressed by director Lee Tamahori's way of conducting the Switchblade scene and commented: "It's brief, but realistic. The good guys get in unobserved, thanks to a fast cruise, good glide performance, and minimal radar signature. It's a wonderful promotion for the PHASST."<ref>{{cite press release |title=Bond Flies PHASST |publisher=Kinetic Aerospace |url=http://www.kineticaerospace.com/ |access-date=18 November 2006 |archive-date=12 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130612150303/http://kineticaerospace.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
==Soundtrack== | |||
] | |||
The theme music to ''Die Another Day'' with the title of the same name was written and sung by ]. Madonna also had a small cameo in the movie as Verity, a leather-clad fencing instructor. | |||
The satellite attack at the end of the film was at first written to take place in Manhattan, but after the ], it was moved to the ].<ref name=":1" /> | |||
The soundtrack was composed by ]; this is his third time composing for a James Bond movie. The soundtrack album was released by Warner Bros. Records. | |||
===Music=== | |||
Although the Bond films have a longstanding connection with the pop music world, the choice of Madonna's song, coupled with the use of ]'s "]", proved wildly controversial with some fans who felt the two pieces of music were somehow inappropriate for a Bond movie. "London Calling" was used briefly in the film as Bond returns to England via British Airways; at the time, the airline was using the song in American radio and television commercials. Regardless, the title song, "Die Another Day", was nominated for a ] for Best Original Song. Conversely, the song was also nominated for a ] for ]. | |||
{{Main|Die Another Day (soundtrack)}} | |||
The soundtrack was composed by ] and released on ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.soundtrack.net/albums/database/?id=3150 |title=Die Another Day at Soundtracknet |access-date=20 September 2007 |archive-date=24 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524015809/http://www.soundtrack.net/albums/database/?id=3150 |url-status=live }}</ref> He again made use of electronic rhythm elements in his score, and included two of the new themes created for '']''. The first, originally used as Renard's theme, is heard during the mammoth "Antonov" cue on the recording, and is written for piano. The second new theme, used in the "Christmas in Turkey" track of ''The World Is Not Enough'', is reused in the "Going Down Together" track.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/die-another-day-music-from-the-motion-picture-mw0000662575|title=Die Another Day |work=AllMusic|access-date=6 October 2014|archive-date=25 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925142907/http://www.allmusic.com/album/die-another-day-music-from-the-motion-picture-mw0000662575|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
The ] was co-written and co-produced by ] and performed by ], who also had a ] in the film as Verity, a fencing instructor. The concept of the title sequence is to represent Bond trying to survive 14 months of torture at the hands of the North Koreans. Critics' opinions of the song were sharply divided; it was nominated for a ] for Best Original Song and the 2004 ] for Best Dance Recording,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/5310300/a/Die+Another+Day.htm |title=Die Another Day at CD Universe |access-date=20 September 2007 |archive-date=23 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023202505/http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/5310300/a/Die+Another+Day.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> but also for a ] for ] of 2002 (while Madonna herself won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress for her cameo). In a ] poll for the ] programme ''"James Bond's Greatest Hits"'', the song was voted 9th out of 22, and also came in as an "overwhelming number one" favourite among those under the age of 24.<ref>{{cite video|people=] (Narrator) |year=2006 |title=James Bond's Greatest Hits |medium=Television |location=UK |publisher=North One Television}}</ref> | |||
===Track listing=== | |||
# "]" - Madonna | |||
# "Bond Vs. Oakenfold" - (Oakenfold mix) | |||
# "Gun Barrel / On The Beach" | |||
# "How Do You Intend To Kill Me Now, Mr. Bond?" | |||
# "Hovercraft Chase" | |||
# "Kiss Of Life" | |||
# "Peaceful Fountains Of Desire" | |||
# "Welcome To Cuba" | |||
# "Jinx Jordan" | |||
# "Wheelchair Access" | |||
# "Jinx And James" | |||
==Marketing== | |||
==Vehicles and gadgets== | |||
Reportedly, twenty companies paying $70 million had their products ] in the film, a record at the time,<ref name=":0" /> although '']'' reported that number to be as high as $100 million.<ref name="Smir" /> | |||
{{main2|List of James Bond vehicles|List of James Bond gadgets}} | |||
*] - The car is equipped with all the usual refinements including front-firing rockets, hood mounted guns, and passenger ejector seat that was a homage to original ] that Bond drove in '']''. The car was also equipped with an adaptive camouflage device, that allowed it to become invisible at the push of a button. | |||
*] - While not technically a Bond car, this car was driven by the criminal Zao. Like Bond's car, it came equipped with guns mounted on its hood, missiles, and it could launch mortar shells. | |||
*] - Although only in the movie for a short period of time, the vehicle was marketed as a Bond car. Jinx drives the 2002 Ford Thunderbird up to Graves ice palace. It's unknown what type of gadgets, if any, were installed. | |||
*Glass Shattering Ring - This ring, given to Bond by Q-Branch, emits a high pitch sound that shatters any glass it's near. | |||
*Rebreather - Seen only briefly (when Bond is swimming under the ice), the rebreather is along the same design as the one in '']'', allowing the user a short supply of oxygen. | |||
*Watch - Seen in the pre-title sequence, the watch included a concealed explosives detonater, activated by turning the bezel. | |||
*Surfboard - Also seen in the pre-title sequence, Bond's surfboard includes a trick compartment which houses a Walther P99 (and silencer), 2 bricks of C4 explosive and a GPS equipped knife. | |||
The ] was featured in the film as Jinx's car, with a ] colour paying homage to a paint option for the ], and matching her bikini. ] produced a limited-edition ''007''-branded 2003 Thunderbird as a tie-in for the film, featuring a similar paint job.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2015/03/24/35-million-worth-of-james-bonds-cars.html|title=$35 million worth of James Bond's cars|last=Frank|first=Robert|date=24 March 2015|website=CNBC|language=en|access-date=4 December 2019|archive-date=4 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191204200217/https://www.cnbc.com/2015/03/24/35-million-worth-of-james-bonds-cars.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
==Locations== | |||
===Film locations=== | |||
*], ] | |||
*] | |||
*], ] | |||
*] | |||
*], ] | |||
*] | |||
] produced "''007'' Colour Collection" ] inspired by Jinx.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/secret-agent-007-open-to-any-appropriate-offers-20021029-gdfrqx.html|title=Secret agent 007 open to any (appropriate) offers|date=29 October 2002|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|access-date=4 December 2019|archive-date=4 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191204200224/https://www.smh.com.au/business/secret-agent-007-open-to-any-appropriate-offers-20021029-gdfrqx.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Bond ] dolls inspired by the franchise were also produced, featuring a red shawl and an evening dress designed by ], and sold in a gift set with ] posing as Bond in formal wear designed by the Italian fashion house ].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/10/18/nbond18.xml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113035029/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2002%2F10%2F18%2Fnbond18.xml |archive-date=13 November 2007 |title=New Bond girl is a real doll |access-date=17 July 2009 |work=] |location=London |url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
===Shooting locations=== | |||
*] | |||
*], ] | |||
*] | |||
*], ] | |||
*], ] - as ''"U.S. Command Bunker, ]"'' | |||
*], ], ] - as Korean border | |||
*] | |||
*The ], ], United Kingdom | |||
*Holywell Bay, ], Cornwall | |||
== |
==Release== | ||
''Die Another Day'' had its world premiere on 18 November 2002 at the 56th ], a fundraising event held in aid of ]. The event took place at the ] in London and ] and ] were guests of honour.<ref>{{cite web|title=Various: Queen Elizabeth II Attends James Bond Film "Die Another Day" Premier at the Royal Albert Hall|url=https://reuters.screenocean.com/record/966254|publisher=Reuters Screenocean|date=20 November 2002|access-date=3 April 2022|archive-date=22 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222181041/https://reuters.screenocean.com/record/966254|url-status=live}}</ref> The Royal Albert Hall had a makeover for the screening and had been transformed into an ice palace. Proceeds from the premiere, about £500,000, were donated to ], of which the Queen was patron.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ctbf.co.uk/events/events_q4.html |title=Stars come out to support the cinema & television benevolent fund's 60th royal film performance|access-date=17 July 2009|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070815074942/http://www.ctbf.co.uk/events/events_q4.html |archive-date = 15 August 2007}}</ref> | |||
] | |||
The novelisation to ''Die Another Day'' was written by the then current official James Bond writer, ] based on the screenplay by ] and ]. Like the movie, the novel also featured many references to past Bond movies and novels. A few months after its publication, it was announced that Benson was retiring as the official James Bond novelist, and ] (owners of the Bond literary franchise) announced that the series was going on hiatus. A new series of Bond novels was launched in 2005, however these books focus on Bond's adventures as a teenager (]). As result, ''Die Another Day'', the novel, is for the time being the final literary adventure featuring Bond as originally conceived by Ian Fleming. | |||
''Die Another Day'' was controversial in the ]. The North Korean government disliked the portrayal of their state as brutal and war-hungry. The South Koreans boycotted 145 theatres where it was released on 31 December 2002, as they were offended by the scene in which an American officer issues orders to the South Korean army in the defence of their homeland, and by a lovemaking scene near a statue of the Buddha. The ] issued a statement that the film was "disrespectful to our religion and does not reflect our values and ethics". '']'' reported growing resentment in the nation towards the United States. An official of the South ] said that ''Die Another Day'' was "the wrong film at the wrong time."<ref>{{cite web|title=Both sides of the DMZ irked by James Bond |work=Northwest Asian Weekly |url=http://www.nwasianweekly.com/archive/commentary04.htm |access-date=18 November 2006|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061116151009/http://www.nwasianweekly.com/archive/commentary04.htm |archive-date =16 November 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
{{Bondbook| | |||
author=]| | |||
publisher=]| | |||
hardbackUK=2002| | |||
hardbackUS=None| | |||
paperbackUK=2002| | |||
paperbackUS=2002| | |||
titles=| | |||
preceded= '']''| | |||
followed= '']'' (first book of Young James Bond series)| | |||
}} | |||
== |
===Home media=== | ||
''Die Another Day'' was released on ] and ] on 3 June 2003.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lawson |first=Terry |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108612525/terminator-2-goes-to-extreme/ |title='Terminator 2' goes to extreme |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903172900/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108612525/terminator-2-goes-to-extreme/ |date=June 6, 2003 |access-date=September 3, 2022 |archive-date=September 3, 2022 |page=71 |work=Knight Ridder Newspapers |publisher=] |via=] |url-status=live}} {{Open access}}</ref> It was released on ] on October 21, 2008.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Die-Another-Day-Blu-ray/970/ |title=Die Another Day Blu-ray |access-date=2024-09-30 |via=www.blu-ray.com}}</ref> It was released digital in ] on September 15, 2015.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/digital/Die-Another-Day-Digital/9170/ |title=Die Another Day Digital (4K Ultra HD) |access-date=2024-09-30 |via=www.blu-ray.com}}</ref> | |||
Berry's performance was heavily criticized by many reviewers and fans, though ironically she won an ] for Best Actress (for '']'') in the midst of filming, making her only the second actor after ] to be an Oscar-winner at the time of their appearance in an official Bond film (Judi Dench also won an Oscar in ], but this was after her debut in the series). Regardless of these criticisms, the character of Jinx was nonetheless popular enough that ] announced plans for the first-ever James Bond spin-off movie based upon the character and starring Halle Berry. Production was abruptly cancelled in late 2003. ] was attached to direct. The reason for the film's cancellation has not been revealed, although it has been speculated that it may have been connected to the box office underperformance of several female-led action films in 2003, most notably '']''. | |||
== |
== Reception == | ||
=== Box office === | |||
*First 007 film to take place in three ]s - ], ] (a portion of the plot is set in the ] Special Administrative Region), and ]. | |||
On the first day of release, ticket sales reached £1.2 million at the UK box office.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/tv_film/newsid_2505000/2505093.stm |title=Die Another Day explodes at the box office |work=BBC News |access-date=21 September 2007 |date=22 November 2002 |archive-date=10 November 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051110055820/http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/tv_film/newsid_2505000/2505093.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Die Another Day'' grossed $47 million on its opening weekend in the US and Canada and was ranked number one at the box office.<ref>{{cite news |title='Die Another Day' tops US box office |url=https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2002/11/24/Die-Another-Day-tops-US-box-office/67221038164084/ |access-date=13 March 2022 |work=] |date=24 November 2002 |archive-date=March 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313180112/https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2002/11/24/Die-Another-Day-tops-US-box-office/67221038164084/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The film would compete against '']'' and '']'' during the ] weekend. Moreover, all three films were able to defeat the underperforming animated film '']''. Later on, ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' and ''Die Another Day'' would simultaneously reclaim the number one spot at the box office.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Karger|first=Dave|title=Harry, Bond finish neck and neck at the box office|url=https://ew.com/article/2002/12/01/harry-bond-finish-neck-and-neck-box-office/|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=March 1, 2022|date=December 1, 2002|archive-date=March 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307012725/https://ew.com/article/2002/12/01/harry-bond-finish-neck-and-neck-box-office/|url-status=live}} | |||
</ref> For six months, they were both the latest films to return to the top spot at the box office, until '']'' joined the group in June 2003.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Karger|first=Dave|title=''Finding Nemo'' scales to the top at the box office|url=https://ew.com/article/2003/06/13/finding-nemo-scales-top-box-office/|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=February 7, 2022|date=June 13, 2003|archive-date=April 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408050200/https://ew.com/article/2003/06/13/finding-nemo-scales-top-box-office/|url-status=live}}</ref> The film earned $160.9 million in the US and Canada, and $431.9 million worldwide, becoming the sixth-highest-grossing film of 2002. Not adjusting for inflation, ''Die Another Day'' was the highest-grossing ''James Bond'' film until the release of the next ''James Bond'' movie, '']'', in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?view2=worldwide&yr=2002&p=.htm|title=2002 Yearly Box Office Results|work=]|access-date=6 October 2014|archive-date=17 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217130020/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?view2=worldwide&yr=2002&p=.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
=== Critical response === | |||
*It has been suggested that ] was the inspiration for the Graves character. | |||
On ], the film received an approval rating of 56% based on 220 reviews, with an average rating of 6.1/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Its action may be a bit too over-the-top for some, but ''Die Another Day'' is lavishly crafted and succeeds in evoking classic Bond themes from the franchise's earlier installments."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/die_another_day/ |title=Die Another Day (2002) |website=] |publisher=] |access-date=15 May 2018 |archive-date=19 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180819173209/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/die_another_day/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On ], the film has a weighted average score of 56 out of 100 based on 43 critics, indicating "mixed and average reviews".<ref name="meta">{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/die-another-day |title=Die Another Day Reviews |website=] |publisher=] |access-date=15 May 2018 |archive-date=12 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612105647/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/die_another_day/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Audiences surveyed by ] gave the film a grade "A−" on scale of A to F.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |title= Cinemascore |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |archive-date= 20 December 2018 |access-date= 10 August 2019}}</ref> | |||
Michael Dequina of '']'' praised the film as the best of the series to star Pierce Brosnan and "the most satisfying installment of the franchise in recent memory."<ref name="meta"/> Larry Carroll of CountingDown.com praised Lee Tamahori for having "magnificently balanced the film so that it keeps true to the Bond legend, makes reference to the classic films that preceded it, but also injects a new zest to it all."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://countingdown.com/features?feature_id=2651677 |title=Review: Die Another Day |access-date=19 September 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012141200/http://countingdown.com/features?feature_id=2651677 |archive-date=12 October 2007 }}</ref> '']'' magazine also gave a positive reaction, saying that Tamahori, "a true filmmaker", has re-established the series' pop sensuality.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,392638~1~0~dieanotherday,00.html |title=Die another Day at EW.com |access-date=19 September 2007 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=2 December 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522210457/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C392638~1~0~dieanotherday%2C00.html |archive-date=22 May 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> A.O. Scott of '']'' called the film the best of the ''James Bond'' series since ''].''<ref name="meta"/> ] of the '']'', who gave the film three stars out of four, stated: "This movie has the usual impossible stunts ... But it has just as many scenes that are lean and tough enough to fit in any modern action movie".<ref>{{cite news |date=22 November 2002 |author=Roger Ebert |author-link=Roger Ebert |url=http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/die-another-day-2002 |title=die-another-day-2002 |access-date=29 March 2019 |work=] |archive-date=29 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329121102/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/die-another-day-2002 |url-status=live }}</ref> Kyle Bell of Movie Freaks 365 stated in his review that the "first half of ''Die Another Day'' is classic Bond", but that "things start to go downhill when the ice palace gets introduced."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://moviefreaks365.com/review.php?artid=63 |title=Die Another Day Review |access-date=2 April 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111205083458/http://moviefreaks365.com/review.php?artid=63 |archive-date=5 December 2011}}</ref> | |||
*The character Wai Lin, played by ] in '']'' was originally supposed to make her return, aiding Bond in Hong Kong, but no arrangement could be worked out with the actress and she was replaced by Chinese Intelligence agent (and hotelier) Chang. Wai Lin's presence is confirmed by an extra on the DVD release concerning the writing of the script: Barbara Broccoli is shown leafing through an early script, and it clearly contains lines for Wai Lin. | |||
Several reviewers felt the film relied too heavily on gadgets and special effects, with the plot being neglected. ] of ''ReelViews'' said: "This is a train wreck of an action film – a stupefying attempt by the filmmakers to force-feed James Bond into the mindless '']'' mold and throw 40 years of cinematic history down the toilet in favor of bright flashes and loud bangs." Of the action sequences, he said: "''Die Another Day'' is an exercise in loud explosions and excruciatingly bad special effects. The CGI work in this movie is an order of magnitude worse than anything I have seen in a major motion picture. Coupled with lousy production design, ''Die Another Day'' looks like it was done on the cheap."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/d/die_another.html |title=Review: Die Another Day |access-date=21 September 2007 |archive-date=21 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200221023620/http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/d/die_another.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Gary Brown of the ''Houston Community Newspapers'' also described the weak point of the film as "the seemingly non-stop action sequences and loud explosions that appear to take centre stage while the Bond character is almost relegated to second string."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ppl.nhmccd.edu/~garyb/reviews/dieanotherday.html |title=Not a good ''Day'' at the office for James Bond |access-date=21 September 2007|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071012141108/http://ppl.nhmccd.edu/~garyb/reviews/dieanotherday.html |archive-date =12 October 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> ], who played Bond in earlier films, said: "I thought it just went too far – and that's from me, the first Bond in space! Invisible cars and dodgy CGI footage? Please!"<ref>{{cite news |author=Roger Moore |title=Bye bye to Ian Fleming's James Bond? |newspaper=The Times |date=4 October 2008 |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/london_film_festival/article4866756.ece |access-date=5 October 2008 |location=London |archive-date=15 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615113213/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/london_film_festival/article4866756.ece |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
*On Bond's flight to London, the flight attendant who serves him a ] is played by ]'s daughter, ]. | |||
The amount of product placement in ''Die Another Day'' had been a contemporaneous point of criticism, with the ], '']'' and ] referring mockingly to the film using the title "Buy Another Day".<ref name=":0">{{cite news |title=New Bond film 'a giant advert' |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2488151.stm |access-date=23 March 2006 |date=18 November 2002 |archive-date=12 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112195613/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2488151.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Smir">{{cite news|title=Bond reunites with Smirnoff|work=]|url=https://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2006-07-23-bond-usat_x.htm|access-date=24 July 2006|first=Theresa|last=Howard|date=24 July 2006|archive-date=21 August 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060821180451/http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2006-07-23-bond-usat_x.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The producers subsequently chose to limit the number of companies involved in product placement to eight for the next Bond film, ''],'' in 2006.<ref name="Smir"/> | |||
*The magazine with the picture of Gustav Graves that Bond reads on his flight to London is actually the real November 2002 in-flight magazine for British Airways. The magazine does in fact have an interview with ] about playing the role of Graves. | |||
=== Retrospective === | |||
*The book '' ''A Field Guide to the Birds of the West Indies'' by ], the ] whose name inspired ], is picked up by Bond with a pair of binoculars in a scene that takes place in Havana. Bond also calls himself an ornithologist when Jinx asks him what he does. | |||
Despite favour from fans who prefer Bond's more "camp" films, a comment piece in 2020 stated that it is "considered by many to be the worst entry in James Bond's canon" and compares unfavourably to '']'' (released months earlier), which "ushered in a new era of violent, gritty action-espionage movies" and gave rise to the "stripped-down, no-nonsense" Bond of ].<ref>{{cite web |last=Elvy |first=Craig |date=3 February 2020 |url=https://screenrant.com/die-another-day-james-bond-movie-problems-pierce-brosnan/ |title=What Went Wrong With James Bond's Die Another Day |website=Screen Rant |access-date=7 February 2020 |archive-date=6 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206132243/https://screenrant.com/die-another-day-james-bond-movie-problems-pierce-brosnan/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
It often occupies a low rank on Bond-related lists. In a 2021 ] survey consisting of 2200 experts and superfans, ''Die Another Day'' was ranked as the third-worst installment after '']'' and '']''. The authors of the study did, however, specify that "every Bond film...is always someone's favourite".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/biggest-007-fans-choose-best-james-bond-movie-104936385.html|title=The best James Bond movies according to the experts and its biggest fans|work=Yahoo!|first=Mark|last=O'Connell|date=5 February 2021|access-date=16 July 2021|archive-date=5 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805034818/https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/biggest-007-fans-choose-best-james-bond-movie-104936385.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
==Media== | |||
*Although the basic plot and the title do not derive from any James Bond novel, this is the first film since 1989's '']'' to include notable elements from the Bond books, In particular, the Korean villain, Colonel Tan-Sun Moon, has a similar name to that of ], the villain in ]'s Bond novel of the same name. Plus, a number of elements from Fleming's original novel '']'' are included. In that novel, a ] adopts a new identity and becomes a popular British mutli-millionaire. That villain donates millions to create a "Moonraker" missile which is supposed to be for Britain's protection but is actually meant to destroy London. The parallels between that plot and Die Another Day's plot are apparent. In addition, the club called Blades, a fencing club in this film, was featured as a card club in "Moonraker". The character of Miranda Frost was originally named Gala Brand, the same name as the Bond girl in the original ''Moonraker'' novel. | |||
''Die Another Day'' was novelised by the then-official James Bond writer, ], based on the screenplay by ]. An effort is made to depict some of the film's more outlandish elements with more believability, in the style of Fleming's original novels' use of cutting-edge technology. So, for example, the non-bodywork elements of the Aston Martin with its 'cloaking' function (the glass windows and rubber tyres) are described as having retractable covers to achieve the invisibility effect. Fan reaction to it was above average.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://commanderbond.net/article/1717 |title=Novelized ''Die Another Day'' |publisher=Commanderbond.net |date=11 November 2002 |access-date=5 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070620152015/http://commanderbond.net/article/1717|archive-date=20 June 2007}}</ref> After its publication, Benson retired as the official James Bond novelist; a new series featuring the secret agent's ], by ], was launched in 2005. | |||
'']'', released in 2012, features Daniel Craig's James Bond in a ''Die Another Day'' level.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.destructoid.com/license-to-kill-die-another-day-appearing-in-007-legends-233256.phtml|title=License to Kill/Die Another Day appearing in 007 Legends|date=16 August 2012|access-date=26 August 2018|archive-date=10 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191110191527/https://www.destructoid.com/license-to-kill-die-another-day-appearing-in-007-legends-233256.phtml|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
*A few weeks before the film was released, TV news reports broke the story that ] had filmed a cameo appearance in this movie, possibly as Bond's father. The producers of the film strongly deny any such appearance had been considered, let alone filmed, so the origin of this news report remains a mystery. | |||
==Cancelled spin-off== | |||
*The title is taken from a poem by ]: "But since the man that runs away/Lives to die another day...". | |||
Speculation arose in 2003 of a spin-off film concentrating on Jinx, which was scheduled for a November/December 2004 release. It was originally reported that MGM was keen to set up a film series that would be a "]" alternative to the main series. In the late 1990s, MGM had originally considered developing a spin-off film based on ]'s character, ], in 1997's '']''. The spin-off ''Jinx'' was announced in December 2002. ] initially wanted to direct, but ] was ultimately hired. Berry and ] were originally going to reprise their roles as Jinx and Falco, while Jinx's lover was going to be played by ]. Bardem would later play ] ] in '']'' (2012). The film would have revolved around Jinx's entry into the NSA, revealing that she had been adopted by Falco after being orphaned in a bombing and being hired by him from the ] to do a job at the NSA as a favour.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-12|title=Cancelled James Bond Spinoff Jinx Plot Reveals Scrapped Origin Story|url=https://screenrant.com/james-bond-007-cancelled-jinx-spinoff-plot-details/|access-date=2021-09-14|website=ScreenRant|language=en-US|archive-date=14 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210914165008/https://screenrant.com/james-bond-007-cancelled-jinx-spinoff-plot-details/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-12|title=James Bond: Halle Berry's Scrapped Spinoff Script Has Made Its Way Online, And Wow|url=https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2562820/james-bond-halle-berrys-scrapped-spinoff-script-has-made-its-way-online-and-wow|access-date=2021-09-14|website=CINEMABLEND|archive-date=28 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828222221/https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2562820/james-bond-halle-berrys-scrapped-spinoff-script-has-made-its-way-online-and-wow|url-status=live}}</ref> Wade described the film as "a very atmospheric, Euro thriller, a ]-type movie."<ref name=":1" /> However, despite much speculation of an imminent movie, on 26 October 2003, '']'' reported that MGM had cancelled the project.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hp&cf=prev&id=1808475849 |title=Yahoo! Movies |access-date=11 January 2014 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031206052832/http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hp&cf=prev&id=1808475849 |archive-date= 6 December 2003 }}. Retrieved 28 March 2008</ref> MGM instead decided to reboot the James Bond franchise with the next film, '']'', with ] portraying the role of the titular character.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinema.com/news/item/6747/halle-berrys-bond-spin-off-cancelled.phtml|title=Halle Berry's Bond spin-off cancelled|work=cinema.com|access-date=6 October 2014|archive-date=4 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140704081448/http://cinema.com/news/item/6747/halle-berrys-bond-spin-off-cancelled.phtml|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, Berry revealed that the film was cancelled over its $80 million budget, saying: "Nobody was ready to sink that kind of money into a black female action star."<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-09-15|title=Halle Berry reveals why her Bond character's spin-off film was axed|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/halle-berry-reveals-why-her-bond-character-s-spin-film-was-axed-b435623.html|last=Nugent|first=Annabel|access-date=2021-09-14|website=The Independent|language=en|archive-date=14 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210914163427/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/halle-berry-reveals-why-her-bond-character-s-spin-film-was-axed-b435623.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Sharf|first=Zack|date=2020-01-16|title=Halle Berry's Bond Spinoff Was Killed Over Budget Fears, Enraging 007 Producer|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2020/01/halle-berry-bond-spinoff-jinx-killed-budget-1202203684/|access-date=2021-09-14|website=IndieWire|language=en|archive-date=14 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210914165009/https://www.indiewire.com/2020/01/halle-berry-bond-spinoff-jinx-killed-budget-1202203684/|url-status=live}}</ref> Purvis and Wade said that this decision was influenced by the failure of several action films with female stars, including '']'' and '']'', in 2003.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-08-27|title=Die Another Day's Jinx, and the lost James Bond spin-off franchise|url=https://www.filmstories.co.uk/news/die-another-days-jinx-and-the-lost-james-bond-spin-off-franchise/|access-date=2021-09-14|website=Film Stories|language=en|archive-date=14 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210914165011/https://www.filmstories.co.uk/news/die-another-days-jinx-and-the-lost-james-bond-spin-off-franchise/|url-status=live|last1=Harrison |first1=Mark }}</ref> | |||
==See also== | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
==References== | |||
{{reflist}} | |||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
{{Wikiquote}} | |||
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Latest revision as of 20:22, 21 December 2024
2002 James Bond film by Lee Tamahori For other uses, see Die Another Day (disambiguation).
Die Another Day | |
---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Lee Tamahori |
Written by | |
Based on | James Bond by Ian Fleming |
Produced by | |
Starring | |
Cinematography | David Tattersall |
Edited by | Christian Wagner |
Music by | David Arnold |
Production companies | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures United Artists Eon Productions |
Distributed by | MGM Distribution Co. (United States) 20th Century Fox (International) |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 134 minutes |
Countries | United Kingdom United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $142 million |
Box office | $431.9 million |
Die Another Day is a 2002 spy film and the twentieth film in the James Bond series produced by Eon Productions. It was directed by Lee Tamahori, produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, and written by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. The fourth and final film starring Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond, it was also the only film to feature John Cleese as Q, and the last with Samantha Bond as Miss Moneypenny. It is also the first film since Live and Let Die (1973) not to feature Desmond Llewelyn as Q as he died three years earlier. Halle Berry co-stars as Bond girl and NSA agent Jinx. In the film, Bond attempts to locate a traitor in British intelligence who betrayed him and a British billionaire who is later revealed to be connected to a North Korean operative who Bond seemingly killed. It is an original story, although it takes influence from Bond creator Ian Fleming's novels Moonraker (1955) and The Man with the Golden Gun (1965), as well as Kingsley Amis's novel, Colonel Sun.
Die Another Day released on November 20, 2002 internationally by 20th Century Fox and November 22, 2002 in the United States by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It marked the James Bond franchise's 40th anniversary. The film includes references to each of the preceding films. It received mixed reviews; some critics praised Tamahori's direction, but others criticised the reliance on CGI, product placement, the story and the villain. Nevertheless, the film was a box-office success with it grossing $431.9 million worldwide, becoming the sixth highest-grossing-film of 2002.
Plot
MI6 agent James Bond infiltrates a North Korean military base where Colonel Tan-Sun Moon is trading weapons for African conflict diamonds. After Moon's right-hand man Zao receives notification of Bond's real identity, Moon attempts to kill Bond and a hovercraft chase ensues, ending with Moon's craft tumbling over a waterfall. Bond is captured by North Korean soldiers and imprisoned by the Colonel's father, General Moon. After fourteen months of captivity and torture at the hands of the Korean People's Army, Bond is traded for Zao in a prisoner exchange across the Bridge of No Return. He is sedated and taken to meet M, who informs him that his status as a 00 Agent has been suspended under suspicion of having leaked information under duress to the North Koreans. Bond is convinced that he has been set up by a double agent in the British government. After escaping MI6 custody, he finds himself in Hong Kong, where he learns from Chang, a Chinese agent and old colleague, that Zao is in Cuba.
In Havana, Bond meets with NSA agent Giacinta "Jinx" Johnson and follows her to a gene therapy clinic, where patients can have their appearances altered through DNA restructuring. Jinx kills Dr. Alvarez, the leader of the therapy, while Bond locates Zao inside the clinic and fights him. Zao escapes, leaving behind a pendant which leads Bond to a cache of conflict diamonds bearing the crest of the company owned by British billionaire Gustav Graves. Bond learns that Graves only appeared a year prior, apparently discovering a vein of diamonds in Iceland leading to his current wealth and celebrity. At Blades Club in London, Bond meets Graves along with his assistant Miranda Frost, who is also an undercover MI6 agent. After a fencing match that escalates into a claymore duel, Graves invites Bond to Iceland for a scientific demonstration. M restores Bond's Double-0 status, and Q issues him an Aston Martin V12 Vanquish with active camouflage.
At his ice palace in Iceland, Graves unveils a new orbital mirror satellite Icarus, which is able to focus solar energy on a small area and provide year-round sunshine for agriculture. Frost seduces Bond and Jinx infiltrates Graves' command centre but is captured by Graves and Zao. Bond rescues her and discovers that Graves is Colonel Moon, who has used the gene therapy technology to change his appearance and amassed his fortune from conflict diamonds as a cover. Bond confronts Graves, but Frost arrives to reveal herself as the traitor who betrayed him in North Korea, forcing Bond to escape from Graves' facility. He returns in his Vanquish to rescue Jinx, who has been recaptured in the palace. As Graves uses Icarus to melt the ice palace, Zao pursues Bond into the palace using his Jaguar XKR. Bond kills Zao by causing an ice chandelier to fall onto him and revives Jinx after she has almost drowned.
Bond and Jinx pursue Graves and Frost to the Korean peninsula and stow away on Graves' An-124 cargo plane. Graves reveals his identity to his father, and the true purpose of the Icarus satellite: to cut a path through the Korean Demilitarised Zone with concentrated sunlight, allowing North Korean troops to invade South Korea and unite the peninsula. Horrified, General Moon rejects the plan, but Graves murders him. Bond attempts to shoot Graves, but is prevented by a soldier. In their struggle, a gunshot pierces the fuselage, causing the plane to decompress and descend rapidly. Bond and Graves engage in a fistfight, and Jinx attempts to regain control of the plane. Frost attacks Jinx, forcing her to defend herself in a sword duel. After the plane passes through the Icarus beam and is further damaged, Jinx kills Frost. Graves attempts to escape by parachute, but Bond opens the parachute, pulling Graves out of the plane and into one of its engines, disabling the Icarus beam. Bond and Jinx escape from the disintegrating plane in a helicopter from the cargo hold, with Graves' stash of diamonds. Later, they spend a romantic evening at a Buddhist temple.
Cast
- Pierce Brosnan as James Bond, an MI6 agent.
- Halle Berry as Giacinta "Jinx" Johnson, an NSA agent. Before Berry's casting Salma Hayek, Saffron Burrows, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor were also considered for the role.
- Toby Stephens as Gustav Graves, a British entrepreneur and the alter ego of Colonel Tan-Sun Moon. Graves was modelled after Hugo Drax in Ian Fleming's original Moonraker, a Nazi war criminal who switched places with a British soldier at the end of World War II, became a well-respected and wealthy philanthropist, and used this cover to plan a nuclear missile strike on London. He was also modelled after Uday Hussein and Richard Branson.
- Will Yun Lee as Colonel Tan-Sun Moon, a rogue North Korean army colonel and the original persona of Graves.
- Rosamund Pike as Miranda Frost, undercover MI6 agent and double agent.
- Rick Yune as Tang Ling Zao, a North Korean terrorist working for Moon and living as an exile.
- Judi Dench as M, the head of MI6.
- John Cleese as Q, MI6's quartermaster and armourer.
- Madonna as Verity, Graves' and Frost's fencing instructor.
- Michael Madsen as Damian Falco, Jinx's superior in the NSA.
- Samantha Bond as Miss Moneypenny, M's secretary.
- Colin Salmon as Charles Robinson, M's Deputy Chief of Staff.
- Kenneth Tsang as General Moon, Colonel Moon's father. He assists in Bond's release back to the West. The North Korean general wishes for a peaceful reunification of Korea, whereas his son is bent on war.
- Michael Gorevoy as Vladimir Popov, Gustav Graves' personal scientist.
- Lawrence Makoare as Mr. Kil, one of Gustav Graves' henchmen.
- Ho Yi as The Hotel Manager and Chinese special agent Mr. Chang. In early drafts of the script, it was Wai Lin (Michelle Yeoh) who aided Bond in Hong Kong, but the idea fell through and Chang was created to replace her.
- Rachel Grant as Peaceful Fountains of Desire, a Chinese agent working for Mr. Chang, undercover as a masseuse.
- Emilio Echevarría as Raoul, the manager of a Havana cigar factory, and a British sleeper agent.
- Vincent Wong as General Li
- Joaquin Martinez as Elderly Cigar Factory Worker
- Simón Andreu as Dr. Álvarez
- Deborah Moore as Airline Hostess (the daughter of former Bond actor Roger Moore)
- Mark Dymond as Mr. Van Bierk
- Oliver Skeete as Concierge at the Fencing Club
Production
After the success of The World Is Not Enough, producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson asked the director Michael Apted to return to direct. Although Apted accepted, they rescinded the offer in order to ask Tony Scott and John Woo, who both declined. Scott claims to have suggested Quentin Tarantino as director, although Wilson denies that any formal negotiations were held with him. Pierce Brosnan suggested John McTiernan, Ang Lee and Martin Scorsese as potential choices, and informally discussed the idea of directing a Bond film with Scorsese on a flight. Brett Ratner, Stephen Hopkins and Stuart Baird were later in negotiations to direct, before Lee Tamahori was hired.
Filming
Principal photography of Die Another Day began on 11 January 2002 at Pinewood Studios. The film was shot primarily in the United Kingdom, Iceland and Cádiz, Spain. Other locations included Pinewood Studios' 007 Stage and Maui, Hawaii, in December 2001. Laird Hamilton, Dave Kalama, and Darrick Doerner performed the pre-title surfing scene at the surf break known as "Jaws" in Peʻahi, Maui, while the shore shots were taken near Cádiz and Newquay, Cornwall. Scenes inside Graves' diamond mine were also filmed in Cornwall, at the Eden Project. The scenes involving the Cuban locations of Havana and the fictional Isla de Los Organos were filmed at La Caleta, Spain.
The scenes featuring Berry in a bikini (designed to resemble Ursula Andress' swimming costume in Dr. No) were shot in Cádiz. The location was cold and windy, and footage has been released of Berry wrapped in thick towels between takes to avoid catching a chill. Berry was injured during filming when debris from a smoke grenade flew into her eye. The debris was removed in a 30-minute operation. Brosnan also sustained a knee injury during the shooting of an action scene in Cornwall.
Gadgets and other props from every previous Bond film and stored in Eon Productions' archives appear in Q's warehouse in the London Underground. Examples include the jetpack in Thunderball and Rosa Klebb's poison-tipped shoe in From Russia with Love. Q mentions that the watch he issues Bond is "your 20th, I believe", a reference to Die Another Day being the 20th Eon-produced Bond film. In London, the Reform Club was used to shoot several places in the film, including the lobby and gallery at the Blades Club, MI6 Headquarters, Buckingham Palace, Green Park and Westminster. Jökulsárlón, Iceland was used for the car chase on the ice. Four Aston Martins and four Jaguars, all converted to four-wheel drive, were used (and wrecked) filming the sequence. A temporary dam was constructed at the mouth of the narrow inlet to keep the salty ocean water out and allow the lagoon to freeze. Additional chase footage was filmed at Svalbard, Norway, Jostedalsbreen National Park, Norway, and RAF Little Rissington, Gloucestershire. Manston Airport in Kent was used for the scenes involving the Antonov cargo plane scenes. The scene in which Bond surfs the wave created by Icarus when Graves was attempting to kill Bond was shot on the blue screen. The waves, along with all the glaciers in the scene, are computer-generated.
The hangar interior of the US Air Base in South Korea, shown crowded with Chinook helicopters, was filmed at RAF Odiham in Hampshire, UK, as were the helicopter interior shots during the Switchblade sequence. These latter scenes, though portrayed in the air, were actually filmed entirely on the ground with the sky background being added in post-production using blue screen techniques. Although the base is portrayed in the film as a US base, all the aircraft and personnel in the scene are British in real life. In the film, Switchblades (one-person gliders resembling fighter jets in shape) are flown by Bond and Jinx to stealthily enter North Korea. The Switchblade was based on a workable model called "PHASST" (Programmable High Altitude Single Soldier Transport). Kinetic Aerospace Inc.'s lead designer, Jack McCornack was impressed by director Lee Tamahori's way of conducting the Switchblade scene and commented: "It's brief, but realistic. The good guys get in unobserved, thanks to a fast cruise, good glide performance, and minimal radar signature. It's a wonderful promotion for the PHASST."
The satellite attack at the end of the film was at first written to take place in Manhattan, but after the September 11 attacks, it was moved to the Korean Demilitarized Zone.
Music
Main article: Die Another Day (soundtrack)The soundtrack was composed by David Arnold and released on Warner Bros. Records. He again made use of electronic rhythm elements in his score, and included two of the new themes created for The World Is Not Enough. The first, originally used as Renard's theme, is heard during the mammoth "Antonov" cue on the recording, and is written for piano. The second new theme, used in the "Christmas in Turkey" track of The World Is Not Enough, is reused in the "Going Down Together" track.
The title song for Die Another Day was co-written and co-produced by Mirwais Ahmadzai and performed by Madonna, who also had a cameo in the film as Verity, a fencing instructor. The concept of the title sequence is to represent Bond trying to survive 14 months of torture at the hands of the North Koreans. Critics' opinions of the song were sharply divided; it was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Song and the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording, but also for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song of 2002 (while Madonna herself won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress for her cameo). In a MORI poll for the Channel 4 programme "James Bond's Greatest Hits", the song was voted 9th out of 22, and also came in as an "overwhelming number one" favourite among those under the age of 24.
Marketing
Reportedly, twenty companies paying $70 million had their products featured in the film, a record at the time, although USA Today reported that number to be as high as $100 million.
The eleventh-generation Ford Thunderbird was featured in the film as Jinx's car, with a coral colour paying homage to a paint option for the original model, and matching her bikini. Ford produced a limited-edition 007-branded 2003 Thunderbird as a tie-in for the film, featuring a similar paint job.
Revlon produced "007 Colour Collection" makeup inspired by Jinx. Bond Barbie dolls inspired by the franchise were also produced, featuring a red shawl and an evening dress designed by Lindy Hemming, and sold in a gift set with Ken posing as Bond in formal wear designed by the Italian fashion house Brioni.
Release
Die Another Day had its world premiere on 18 November 2002 at the 56th Royal Film Performance, a fundraising event held in aid of The Film and TV Charity. The event took place at the Royal Albert Hall in London and Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were guests of honour. The Royal Albert Hall had a makeover for the screening and had been transformed into an ice palace. Proceeds from the premiere, about £500,000, were donated to The Film and Television Charity, of which the Queen was patron.
Die Another Day was controversial in the Korean Peninsula. The North Korean government disliked the portrayal of their state as brutal and war-hungry. The South Koreans boycotted 145 theatres where it was released on 31 December 2002, as they were offended by the scene in which an American officer issues orders to the South Korean army in the defence of their homeland, and by a lovemaking scene near a statue of the Buddha. The Jogye Buddhist Order issued a statement that the film was "disrespectful to our religion and does not reflect our values and ethics". The Washington Post reported growing resentment in the nation towards the United States. An official of the South Korean Ministry of Culture and Tourism said that Die Another Day was "the wrong film at the wrong time."
Home media
Die Another Day was released on DVD and VHS on 3 June 2003. It was released on Blu-ray on October 21, 2008. It was released digital in 4K on September 15, 2015.
Reception
Box office
On the first day of release, ticket sales reached £1.2 million at the UK box office. Die Another Day grossed $47 million on its opening weekend in the US and Canada and was ranked number one at the box office. The film would compete against Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and The Santa Clause 2 during the Thanksgiving weekend. Moreover, all three films were able to defeat the underperforming animated film Treasure Planet. Later on, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Die Another Day would simultaneously reclaim the number one spot at the box office. For six months, they were both the latest films to return to the top spot at the box office, until Finding Nemo joined the group in June 2003. The film earned $160.9 million in the US and Canada, and $431.9 million worldwide, becoming the sixth-highest-grossing film of 2002. Not adjusting for inflation, Die Another Day was the highest-grossing James Bond film until the release of the next James Bond movie, Casino Royale, in 2006.
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film received an approval rating of 56% based on 220 reviews, with an average rating of 6.1/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Its action may be a bit too over-the-top for some, but Die Another Day is lavishly crafted and succeeds in evoking classic Bond themes from the franchise's earlier installments." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 56 out of 100 based on 43 critics, indicating "mixed and average reviews". Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "A−" on scale of A to F.
Michael Dequina of Film Threat praised the film as the best of the series to star Pierce Brosnan and "the most satisfying installment of the franchise in recent memory." Larry Carroll of CountingDown.com praised Lee Tamahori for having "magnificently balanced the film so that it keeps true to the Bond legend, makes reference to the classic films that preceded it, but also injects a new zest to it all." Entertainment Weekly magazine also gave a positive reaction, saying that Tamahori, "a true filmmaker", has re-established the series' pop sensuality. A.O. Scott of The New York Times called the film the best of the James Bond series since The Spy Who Loved Me. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times, who gave the film three stars out of four, stated: "This movie has the usual impossible stunts ... But it has just as many scenes that are lean and tough enough to fit in any modern action movie". Kyle Bell of Movie Freaks 365 stated in his review that the "first half of Die Another Day is classic Bond", but that "things start to go downhill when the ice palace gets introduced."
Several reviewers felt the film relied too heavily on gadgets and special effects, with the plot being neglected. James Berardinelli of ReelViews said: "This is a train wreck of an action film – a stupefying attempt by the filmmakers to force-feed James Bond into the mindless XXX mold and throw 40 years of cinematic history down the toilet in favor of bright flashes and loud bangs." Of the action sequences, he said: "Die Another Day is an exercise in loud explosions and excruciatingly bad special effects. The CGI work in this movie is an order of magnitude worse than anything I have seen in a major motion picture. Coupled with lousy production design, Die Another Day looks like it was done on the cheap." Gary Brown of the Houston Community Newspapers also described the weak point of the film as "the seemingly non-stop action sequences and loud explosions that appear to take centre stage while the Bond character is almost relegated to second string." Roger Moore, who played Bond in earlier films, said: "I thought it just went too far – and that's from me, the first Bond in space! Invisible cars and dodgy CGI footage? Please!"
The amount of product placement in Die Another Day had been a contemporaneous point of criticism, with the BBC, Time and Reuters referring mockingly to the film using the title "Buy Another Day". The producers subsequently chose to limit the number of companies involved in product placement to eight for the next Bond film, Casino Royale, in 2006.
Retrospective
Despite favour from fans who prefer Bond's more "camp" films, a comment piece in 2020 stated that it is "considered by many to be the worst entry in James Bond's canon" and compares unfavourably to The Bourne Identity (released months earlier), which "ushered in a new era of violent, gritty action-espionage movies" and gave rise to the "stripped-down, no-nonsense" Bond of Daniel Craig. It often occupies a low rank on Bond-related lists. In a 2021 Yahoo! survey consisting of 2200 experts and superfans, Die Another Day was ranked as the third-worst installment after Quantum of Solace and Spectre. The authors of the study did, however, specify that "every Bond film...is always someone's favourite".
Media
Die Another Day was novelised by the then-official James Bond writer, Raymond Benson, based on the screenplay by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. An effort is made to depict some of the film's more outlandish elements with more believability, in the style of Fleming's original novels' use of cutting-edge technology. So, for example, the non-bodywork elements of the Aston Martin with its 'cloaking' function (the glass windows and rubber tyres) are described as having retractable covers to achieve the invisibility effect. Fan reaction to it was above average. After its publication, Benson retired as the official James Bond novelist; a new series featuring the secret agent's adventures as a teenager, by Charlie Higson, was launched in 2005.
007 Legends, released in 2012, features Daniel Craig's James Bond in a Die Another Day level.
Cancelled spin-off
Speculation arose in 2003 of a spin-off film concentrating on Jinx, which was scheduled for a November/December 2004 release. It was originally reported that MGM was keen to set up a film series that would be a "Winter Olympics" alternative to the main series. In the late 1990s, MGM had originally considered developing a spin-off film based on Michelle Yeoh's character, Wai Lin, in 1997's Tomorrow Never Dies. The spin-off Jinx was announced in December 2002. Lee Tamahori initially wanted to direct, but Stephen Frears was ultimately hired. Berry and Michael Madsen were originally going to reprise their roles as Jinx and Falco, while Jinx's lover was going to be played by Javier Bardem. Bardem would later play villain Raoul Silva in Skyfall (2012). The film would have revolved around Jinx's entry into the NSA, revealing that she had been adopted by Falco after being orphaned in a bombing and being hired by him from the RAND Corporation to do a job at the NSA as a favour. Wade described the film as "a very atmospheric, Euro thriller, a Bourne-type movie." However, despite much speculation of an imminent movie, on 26 October 2003, Variety reported that MGM had cancelled the project. MGM instead decided to reboot the James Bond franchise with the next film, Casino Royale, with Daniel Craig portraying the role of the titular character. In 2020, Berry revealed that the film was cancelled over its $80 million budget, saying: "Nobody was ready to sink that kind of money into a black female action star." Purvis and Wade said that this decision was influenced by the failure of several action films with female stars, including Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life, in 2003.
See also
References
- ^ "Die Another Day". Lumiere. European Audiovisual Observatory. Archived from the original on 25 September 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ "Die Another Day (2002) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Archived from the original on 25 August 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
- ^ Field, Matthew; Chowdhury, Ajay (2015). Some Kind of Hero : 007 : the Remarkable Story of the James Bond Films. Stroud, Gloucestershire: The History Press. ISBN 978-0-7509-6421-0. OCLC 930556527. Archived from the original on 28 November 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
- "20 things you never knew about... James Bond". Virgin Media. Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- "Halle's big year". Ebony. November 2002.
Of her character, Berry said: She's the next step in the evolution of women in the Bond movies. She's more modern and not the classic villain. She also said that Jinx is fashionable. She's fashion-forward, very sexy and takes fashion risks, and I love her for that.
- www.mi6.co.uk Archived 15 December 2004 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 March 2008
- "James Bond 007 :: MI6 - The Home Of James Bond". MI6-HQ.COM. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
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{{cite web}}
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External links
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