What's so bad about the Brosnan scripts?

ZorinIndustries · June 2013

I enjoy the Brosnan films a lot and I think the scripts aren't all that bad. I really enjoy GE's script more than the other three, but I don't think the other three are terrible as people have written here on AJB. Thoughts?

hehadlotsofguts · June 2013

I'll admit DAD's script was terrible because it consisted mostly of puns but the scripts for the other movies are decent.

davidelliott101 · June 2013

I think by the time of DAD the films were becoming cliched (like the Moore era)... but still enjoyable and great escapism.

Thunderpussy · June 2013

I enjoy the Brosnan films but think he did get some weak scripts in that
there wasn't a lot of Characterization. With the feeling that the likes of TND
( which I love by the way ) was only a series of chases strung together for
a couple of hours.
I do think after Goldedeye if Brosnan had of gotten better scripts he'd be
regarded by many more as one of the Best Bonds.

Napoleon Plural · June 2013

Weak villains, imo. Not real or menacing enough, not really larger than life.

Poor jokes, real feeble stuff.

And if you will, factor in no really great, ingenious action scenes either for the most part. I admit the tank chase in GE has a certain viscereal energy, as does the pts, but otherwise it's a bit meh for the series, something always missing.

Thunderbird 2 · June 2013

I do find the references to the previous films in DAD a bit heavy handed, and the "buddy" dialogue in the PTS of Goldeneye seems a bit artificial in my ears but otherwise I thought the Brosnan films were great! My personal favorite is TWINE, but I think that stems from the old and new mix and I love the look, style and storyline.

Oh dear, just remembered the Christmas puns...

Even so, I don't see the Brosnan films as "lesser."

Thunderpussy · June 2013

I'd like to start by saying I do love the Brosnan films. -{ But
in retrospect, they do seem to be almost like the series was
Treading water.

always shaken · June 2013

hehadlotsofguts wrote:

I'll admit DAD's script was terrible because it consisted mostly of puns but the scripts for the other movies are decent.

Give me "They feast " any day

hehadlotsofguts · June 2013

Wow! Now there's a mouthfull

)

always shaken · June 2013

hehadlotsofguts wrote:

Wow! Now there's a mouthfull )

yep, cant beat it

Thunderpussy · June 2013

Although I do remember reading that Brosnan hated many of the one-liners he was given,
Which I think proves the guy has Taste.

Blackleiter · June 2013

hehadlotsofguts wrote:

Wow! Now there's a mouthfull )

"I think I got the.....thrust of it!" 8-)

walther p99 · June 2013

Even though TND's had some of the usual lame innuendos that poor Pierce had to deliver, that film had alot of standout lines like "what the hells he doing!?" "his job!" and "exactly what kind of banking are you into mr. Bond?" "Hostile takeovers, shall we?"

ZorinIndustries · June 2013

walther p99 wrote:

Even though TND's had some of the usual lame innuendos that poor Pierce had to deliver, that film had alot of standout lines like "what the hells he doing!?" "his job!" and "exactly what kind of banking are you into mr. Bond?" "Hostile takeovers, shall we?"

"I'd be lost at sea... adrift...."

Firemass · June 2013

I share the sentiments of ZorinIndustries in that Brosnan films are unfairly criticized for having weak scripts.

Is it the dialog or the plot or both that are considered weak?

Goldeneye is great and I see no drop in quality with Tomorrow Never Dies or TWINE. Yeah, Die Another Day has some issues, especially Jinx's pun-only dialog.

Overall, Brosnan's era was inspired, fun, action packed and delivered the complete package of what a 007 film should be.

Stawaz · June 2013

I really like the Brosnan movies, save DAD.

ZorinIndustries · June 2013

Firemass wrote:

Overall, Brosnan's era was inspired, fun, action packed and delivered the complete package of what a 007 film should be.

VERY well said, Firemass! -{

minigeff · June 2013

GE was the first bond film I saw in a cinema, and I worked on DAD ;% so I have a certain influenced opinion of the brossa era.

Personally, GE will always be a favourite for me as it had all I wanted, db5, gadgets, Q, big explosions and a fantastic chase sequence with that tank.

DAD will always be the thorn in the side for many bond fans. It's up there with MR for a lot of people, and too be honest, quite rightly so. DAD was too pun heavy, the nods to previous films were way to over the top and I honestly believe a villain should be somewhat of an intellectual genius and have some edge on bond. Graves was a guy in a robosuit. A robosuit that fell apart every 5 mins I might add.

When I watch SF, I'm still spotting lines or actions that nod back to previous bond films, that's how DAD should have been, a lot more subtle, less cliched and without a weirdo director.

Napoleon Plural · June 2013

A bit libellous there minigeff, the director got done for consorting with a male hooker in drag, not quite the same.

Thunderpussy · June 2013

And he still hasn't called.

ZorinIndustries · June 2013

minigeff wrote:

GE was the fiirst bond film I saw in a cinema, and I worked on DAD ;% so I have a certain influenced opinion of the brossa era.

Personally, GE will always be a favourite for me as it had all I wanted, db5, gadgets, Q, big explosions and a fantastic chase sequence with that tank.

DAD will always be the thorn in the side for many bond fans. It's up there with MR for a lot of people, and too be honest, quite rightly so. DAD was too pun heavy, the nods to previous films were way to over the top and I honestly believe a villain should be somewhat of an intellectual genius and have some edge on bond. Graves was a guy in a robosuit. A robosuit that fell apart every 5 mins I might add.

When I watch SF, I'm still spotting lines or actions that nod back to previous bond films, that's how DAD should have been, a lot more subtle, less cliched and without a weirdo director.

You worked on DAD?!

what did you do?

minigeff · June 2013

Napoleon Plural wrote:

A bit libellous there minigeff, the director got done for consorting with a male hooker in drag, not quite the same.

I thought it was some paul gadd type trip to thailand?

Anyway, i've changed the post, and tamahori is still a weirdo.

minigeff · June 2013

ZorinIndustries wrote:

minigeff wrote:

GE was the fiirst bond film I saw in a cinema, and I worked on DAD ;% so I have a certain influenced opinion of the brossa era.

Personally, GE will always be a favourite for me as it had all I wanted, db5, gadgets, Q, big explosions and a fantastic chase sequence with that tank.

DAD will always be the thorn in the side for many bond fans. It's up there with MR for a lot of people, and too be honest, quite rightly so. DAD was too pun heavy, the nods to previous films were way to over the top and I honestly believe a villain should be somewhat of an intellectual genius and have some edge on bond. Graves was a guy in a robosuit. A robosuit that fell apart every 5 mins I might add.

When I watch SF, I'm still spotting lines or actions that nod back to previous bond films, that's how DAD should have been, a lot more subtle, less cliched and without a weirdo director.

You worked on DAD?! what did you do?

props, models, miniatures and a bit of set dressing pieces. thought it was common knowledge that one?

Blackleiter · June 2013

minigeff wrote:

ZorinIndustries wrote:

minigeff wrote:

GE was the fiirst bond film I saw in a cinema, and I worked on DAD ;% so I have a certain influenced opinion of the brossa era.

Personally, GE will always be a favourite for me as it had all I wanted, db5, gadgets, Q, big explosions and a fantastic chase sequence with that tank.

DAD will always be the thorn in the side for many bond fans. It's up there with MR for a lot of people, and too be honest, quite rightly so. DAD was too pun heavy, the nods to previous films were way to over the top and I honestly believe a villain should be somewhat of an intellectual genius and have some edge on bond. Graves was a guy in a robosuit. A robosuit that fell apart every 5 mins I might add.

When I watch SF, I'm still spotting lines or actions that nod back to previous bond films, that's how DAD should have been, a lot more subtle, less cliched and without a weirdo director.

You worked on DAD?! what did you do?

props, models, miniatures and a bit of set dressing pieces. thought it was common knowledge that one?

Maybe I haven't been paying attention, but this is news to me. It must have been a fascinating experience, especially for a Bond fan. Lucky you! -{

ZorinIndustries · June 2013

minigeff wrote:

ZorinIndustries wrote:

minigeff wrote:

GE was the fiirst bond film I saw in a cinema, and I worked on DAD ;% so I have a certain influenced opinion of the brossa era.

Personally, GE will always be a favourite for me as it had all I wanted, db5, gadgets, Q, big explosions and a fantastic chase sequence with that tank.

DAD will always be the thorn in the side for many bond fans. It's up there with MR for a lot of people, and too be honest, quite rightly so. DAD was too pun heavy, the nods to previous films were way to over the top and I honestly believe a villain should be somewhat of an intellectual genius and have some edge on bond. Graves was a guy in a robosuit. A robosuit that fell apart every 5 mins I might add.

When I watch SF, I'm still spotting lines or actions that nod back to previous bond films, that's how DAD should have been, a lot more subtle, less cliched and without a weirdo director.

You worked on DAD?! what did you do?

props, models, miniatures and a bit of set dressing pieces. thought it was common knowledge that one?

I apologize, that's the first I've heard about it! Congratulations

LastRatStanding · June 2013

I know everyone says Moore was the 'light hearted' Bond and his movies were borderline comedies, and in many ways these people are right, but to me I kind of think of the Brosnan era as the 'light hearted' era. As Napoleon put it, there were pretty much no menacing villains. There was nothing dark. The Moore films were obviously comical, obviously eccentric, more so than Brosnans, but they didn't lack menace, or darkness or grit (minus perhaps Moonraker, but even then Drax brought sufficient enough menace). I never get particularly scared by anything in the Brosnan films. They are great entertainment and certainly don't lack excitement or wit, but they do lack a dark side. The worst part of the scripts for me was simply not enough Dialogue. Not enough character development, a little too much action emphasis. But just a little

DelicatessenInSteel · July 2013

I think most of the problem was execution..Goldeneye was a very confident Bond film with a great Brosnan performance regardless of that soundtrack & had four great Villains. TND seemed pretty cheap and at the time I thought they focused too much on the Wai Lin character & short changed Bond & the villain was as threatening as Largo from NSNA or heck Elvis & Dominic Greene from QOS, plus some great one liners were deleted. TWINE was so front loaded with action & felt so long it seemed like it didn't have any action & two very weak villains...DAD ughh I love camp I love silliness but the acting was awful especially from Halle Berry who seemed like she didn't understand her dialogue. Both her & Pierce were given really unfunny vulgar lines & were delivered in an almost uncomfortably creepy way.

bailorg · July 2013

To me, there are two main problems with the Brosnan scripts:
1. The jokes are so specific to the time they were made, that they lose all humor way too quickly. The Brosnan Bond/Moneypenny scenes are particularly cringeworthy.
2. As the Brosnan era goes on, Bond gets way too emotionally attached to the women he sleeps with and/or the films seem to portray the women in the movies as more special in Bond's life than they really have any reason to be.

Barbel · July 2013

Disagree! Jinx meant more to him than Electra? Frost meant anything to him at all?

bailorg · July 2013

Barbel wrote:

Disagree! Jinx meant more to him than Electra? Frost meant anything to him at all?

I don't see what was so particularly special about any of them, but for some reason Brosnan's Bond, was almost in tears when he was rescuing Jinx from the Ice Hotel and for some reason I can't fathom, the showdown between Bond and Electra was supposed to present some sort of dilemma for Bond as to whether or not he'd actually shoot her.

Barbel · July 2013

Bond's falling for Elektra was carefully and patiently established. His affair with Jinx wasn't, and neither was that with Wai Lin. Paris Carver's fling with him had been well before TND and is mostly recieved information.
I therefore disagree that Brosnan's Bond got more emotionally involved with his leading ladies as his stint progressed.

What's so bad about the Brosnan scripts?

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