GoldenEye (1995)

GOLDENMOVIE


I started reading the 007 books while on a military base in Japan around 1963 about the time the first Bond movie, Dr. No, was showing. A few of us went downtown Yokohama to view the movie and cannot recall anyone not liking the flick. The PAN paperback books printed in Great Britain were making rounds in the barracks, most guys were reading them. We were part of a Security Group and these books were right up our alley to our interest.

Down through the years I've seen all the movies and have all the books in both SIGNET soft cover and hardcover as well. And in these high-tech times now have all 23 films on DVD, that's 23 counting Sean Connery's last one: Never Say Never Again.

With so many reviews here I will only say that in my opinion, this is one of the best all around Bond films ever made. If you enjoy the work of Pierce Brosnan, I do but know some who do not, viewers will find him very much up to being Bond and carrying it all off. And with Izabella Scorupco as leading lady, as opposed to the one in black- evil Famke Janssen, how can he fail. Both of these actresses are on-the-top. No pun needed!

Well enough, with 288 other reviews here, but the color, the camera work, the stunts, even the plot, makes this one of the more interesting of the Bond films of all time, and it came at a time in history where 'Star Wars' technology was being bandied about, and then there, thanks to FX, before our eyes is ole Goldeneye up in the sky.

Great film. Catch it, you won't regret it.

Semper Fi.

Great 007 movie
Great movie with tones of the cold war. Pierce Brosnan is absolutely great as James Bond in one of his best Bond movies. There are several very funny slams at Americans if you pay attention. Very well done movie.

[4.5] Almost as solid as the very first Bond films
Six years after Licence to Kill, Bond makes a return to the big screen with a new actor playing the role - Pierce Brosnan - along with a decent budget to produce "Goldeneye", one of the better modern Bond films that has a complete and sturdy feel just like the originals with Sean Connery. Brosnan is no Connery, though, in fact he feels like an evrage Bond to me. Every Bond actor before him had something recognizable, like Moore's humor or Dalton's toughness. Brosnan didn't seem to have anything unique about his character, except that his does a little bit of everything, which is still a good thing. Its the solid story and list of characters that give Goldeneye a good rating, along with some very memorable action scenes.

The movie begins on a good note. A breathtaking scene of a dam more than 600ft. high features Bond bungee-jumping off to the bottom. The camera catches a true sense of the massive proportions of the dam, as well as the fall. If that weren't enough, before credits start rolling, Bond escapes the scene of action by jumping off a mountain without a parachute, leaping into a falling unmaned plane, and steering clear of mountains just in time. Then the music begins, "Goldeneye", a very modern feel Bond tune - with a beat - performed by Tina Turner.

The story is actually nothing original here. Yet again, Russia is involved with the plot of a Bond film. The Cold War has ended, however, so things are a little different. A group of villains led by a man named Alec (Sean Bean) steals something known as "Goldeneye" which can control various satellites that can be used to target a city and destroy it. Its basically all about getting rich or innocent people will die. There are many more people involved, some more villainous than others. It was almost a bit confusing to keep up with, but I thought it kept things interesting. Sean Bean makes a great villain in this film, and a Bond movie first - is actually an ex double-O himself.

The action felt limited, but when it came it struck hard. The tank chase in the streest of St. Petersburg, Russia was the highlight, along with an excellent final fight between Alec and Bond - hanging in air from a massive satellite antenna. There were lots of explosions in this film too, and probably more than any other Bond fillm to this point.

The Bond girls were two of the best I thought, although one was actually more of a villain. With an already strange name of "Xenia Onatopp", thats basically what she does. An interesting character and decent actor, but probably just as crazy as say "May Day" from the View To A Kill movie. Only, this one gets off - literally - by shooting and strangling her victims. Yes, she freaky. The other girl becomes Bond's love interest, and actually has a decent character and use throughout the film.

Limited action, an unoriginal story and, well, Pierce Brosnan keep this from being the perfect Bond - but its not far behind. Brosnan does the job well, and though the story is unoriginal, it was told very nicely and tightly - kinda like the very first Bond films. Action is good, but only comes occasionaly. The charcaters are one of the best things about this film. Overall, Goldeneye is one of the best Bond films and definetly the best Brosnan Bond film.

Acting - 4
Action - 4
Characters - 4.5
Story - 4
Overall - 4.5