Your Love (and/or) Hate Relationship With The Bond Movies

chrisisall · July 2015

In the mid-Nineties I heard they were making Goldeneye with Pierce Brosnan. I was ecstatic, for he'd been my choice for Bond ever since Remington Steele. When it came out I saw it that weekend, and I was in Bond Heaven. When it came out on videotape I bought the overpriced thing. I was a happy camper. It instantly became my favourite Bond of all time.
When it was announced that Tomorrow Never Dies was in production, and that it would feature my #1 Hong Kong heart-throb from Wing Chun & Tai-Chi Master, Michelle Yeoh, I was MORE ecstatic. The movie did not disappoint, and instantly became my NEW favourite Bond movie of all time.
If memory serves, it was after this that I began to read the Fleming novels. Then my Wife got pregnant, and I missed seeing The World Is Not Enough in the theatre. My Son was Born, and sometime later it came out on videotape, and I blind-bought the overpriced thing. But. I didn't like it. It was neither the cinema Bond of GE & TND, nor the real Fleming deal. Its uneven-ness threw me for a loop, and I promptly sold the tape to a video place.
After a move, and 9-11, Die Another Day came out, and again, my life was too hectic at the time to see it in the theatre. Let's go to the DVD... hmmm... lots of fun, but it reminded me of MR in its OTT moments. I liked it, but not a great deal. Later I came to love it as the better version of DAF... then even later I hated it as nonsense & got rid of the disc.

Flash forward to after I joined AJB & re-discovered Dalton as the true cinematic version of Fleming's Bond (IMHO, of course)-

Now I love all the Brosnan movies as somewhat more serious takes on the likes of Moore's outings. The super-secret agent (that's not so secret).
For the more Fleming Bond, I still go to early Connery & Dalton.

That's my history with Brosnan's films; what's yours?

Barbel · July 2015

GE: it's been six years, for heavens sake, gimme a Bond film! Shame Dalton left, let's see if Brosnan's any good... Hey not bad at all! Love the new M! Shame about the music.

TND: my life was falling to pieces both personally and professionally, and I managed to sneak off for 2 hours and catch some relief, breathing space, escape, call it what you will, with this movie. Consequently my opinion of it may be somewhat skewed to this day.

TWINE: inherited some of the above, I'm sure, though I maintain that it's underrated. Loved this one from the start.

DAD: Life back in order, let's go see the new Bond movie... Good start, Pierce owning the part... oh dear, there's Madonna... Great scenes in Cuba (alright, "Cuba"), Flemingesque...oh dear,there's Madonna again... DJD ruling as always.. Shaping up well, off to Iceland... Ah. Oh well, still time to squeeze another film out of Brosnan before he enters Mooreland.

broadshoulder · July 2015

GE: The six years went on forever. I'd left home, moved to London, started my career. Very very disapointed in Tim going. Who is this Brosnan geezer? Oh, its him.Off that Remington Steele rubbish. From the start I didn't much like GE. I felt it was apologizing for Bond, the girl nagged and the last scene was just off? Decided GE was one of the worst outings

TND: an improvement although it was Bond by numbers. They had no direction to go in and James Bond was chasing round the sub with a machinegun shooting up objects like a videogame. And Carver was awful. The first inklings of doubt crossed my mind. Were the right people in charge?

TWINE: Wasn't excited about this one. What a mess. Electra King was great but the plot. A shocking plot where they get Robbie Coltranes brother in law and his submarine to take part and M tries to free herself from jail with a broomhandle. Hang on in there James - it can only get better.

It doesn't

DAD: The worst one. Where I had been enjoying myself with the Bonds since childhood if they were ending up like this - then its best they finish. That first time I left in such a rage after seeing it. There is not a section that does not self destruct in this film. In fact its easier to say what doesn't self destruct? How can the Bond people let them get this far? How can Babs and Mickey J let Cubby and Harrys hero come to this? If Bond was ending up like this - then I was out

Luckily, Brosnan got sacked

Hurray! Sing Alleleujah!

I'd learnt abit about acting and didn't think much of Brosnan. He wasn't an actor of any salt. But they got Casino Royale! Hurray! One of my favourite books! And they had got a great actor to play it...Sing halleujah!

The Brosnan era means nothing to me. Its an era we have to get over before we get to good stuff...

Matt S · July 2015

I was a kid when Brosnan first became Bond. I had grown up watching Connery and Moore (never saw Lazenby or Dalton at that point), and Brosnan really didn't seem like Bond to me. He was too fake in GE and TND, and the movies had changed to a different genre I wasn't familiar with. But then I saw TWINE, and it's still the only Brosnan Bond film I like. The action seems to have a little more purpose than in Brosnan's other films, the action is more creative than Bond just shooting everything, and Brosnan acts more human than in his other Bond films. Brosnan can be a good actor, but with Bond I think he was just trying to hard to act cool. I've seen him in many other films, and I've seen every episode of Remington Steele. Why is he so much better in everything that's not Bond? Michael Apted was really the only decent director that worked on his films. Campbell and Spottiswoode were good at action but not as the more down-to-earth parts of the stories, and Tamahori was just messed up. How Tamahori could take an Oscar-winning actress like Halle Berry and make her act the way she did makes him a true failure.

Absolutely_Cart · July 2015

His films are at their worst incohesive corny and horribly written. But at their best, exciting, modern, fun, irreverent, comprehensive

Nothing but love for Brosnans acting though

Asp9mm · July 2015

It's funny. As they came out I liked them and looked forward to the next, well apart from DAD. Now I find them awful and cringeworthy. It was a great time for me too and apart from GE, I attended all the premieres and after show parties and made a good few days of the event. So I should look back at them with rose tinted glasses, but it ain't happening

Golrush007 · July 2015

I like them all apart from Die Another Day (and it's only the second half that really lets it down). I didn't see them as they were coming out, apart from DAD which was the first Bond that I saw in the cinema. I think GE is great, TND and TWINE are decent, and DAD is the worst Bond film of them all (But still entertaining in parts). So, DAD is the only one which I would say I have a sort of love/hate relationship with.

AlphaOmegaSin · July 2015

I was only Four Years old when GE came out, so obviously I can't remember the lead up to GE. But when I first saw it on VHS around 1999 , It became my favourite of the Brosnan Films and remains in my Top Ten.

With TND, I first saw it during ITV's 00 Heaven Season during 1999/2000 (Which is how I first saw the Films in chronological Order) I was blown away by a lot of the Stunts, and it remains another one of my favourite Brosnan Bonds.

With TWINE, I didn't see it until I received the Ultimate Edition Set for Christmas 2002. I still remember being disappointed after watching it. And remains my second least favourite of the Brosnan Films.

DAD holds a lot of Memories for me, as it was the first Bond I saw in Cinemas. It may not be my favourite Bond Film of all Time, but it still has its good Points.

Like many others, I was expecting him to do a filth Film. Obviously this never happened.

HatThrowingHenchman · July 2015

my experiance with Pierce Brosnan as Bond is similar to the one of AOS

GOLDENEYE was my first Bondfilm ever at the age of 5 in 2001.since I immediately liked it and got another bond film every now and then from my parents (but PB was THE Bond)or I went into town with my grandmother who bought me MOONRAKER for an example.in the year 2002 DIE ANOTHER DAY came out and we went to the cinema but I wasn't allowed in. we then got the poster and a really cool and rare brochure that I still worship to this day.in the following years Piercy B did the video games which I played so I will definately see him as my Bond.
therefore I love his film and don't listen to any critisism about them (e.g.: a lot of people complain about the tsunami surf but I think it only lasted for about 30sec so what?)
I was really sad when he left

Absolutely_Cart · July 2015

I recently watched TWINE, and I think that movie best exemplifies my love-hate relationship with Brosnan's era.

Here we have a dark true-to-Fleming Brosnan, a complex plot about banking and terrorism, a really unique pair of villains, one a woman with her own unique take on the Bond Villain and an anarchist who can't feel pain.

And then we have spinny-blade helicopters, bullets and explosions everywhere, weak dialogue, dreadful Christmas puns, and an unrealistically less professional M in a barely plausible situation.

Matt S · July 2015

Absolutely_Cart wrote:

And then we have spinny-blade helicopters

That's one of the best parts of TWINE!

HatThrowingHenchman · July 2015

why is M unreallistcally less professional in TWINE ? she goes out in the field to help her friends daughter.

broadshoulder · July 2015

HatThrowingHenchman wrote:

why is M unreallistcally less professional in TWINE ? she goes out in the field to help her friends daughter.

With a broomhandle?

Barbel · July 2015

M disregards Tanner's wise advice and lets her emotions cloud her judgement.

broadshoulder · July 2015

I feel I am being hard on Brosnan.

I think his weak thing is the directors that he was given. Michael Apted, Roger Spottiswoode and Lee Tamahori have a lot to answer for...

Matt S · July 2015

broadshoulder wrote:

With a broomhandle?

That's more realistic than a gadget she may happen to have on her.

broadshoulder wrote:

I think his weak thing is the directors that he was given. Michael Apted, Roger Spottiswoode and Lee Tamahori have a lot to answer for...

I think Apted was the only good director Brosnan got. The problem with TWINE was the script. The other directors were terrible, especially Tamahori.

AlphaOmegaSin · July 2015

He did the best he could with the Scripts.

HatThrowingHenchman · July 2015

broadshoulder wrote:

HatThrowingHenchman wrote:

why is M unreallistcally less professional in TWINE ? she goes out in the field to help her friends daughter.

With a broomhandle?

whatever she could have grabbed -{

Jarvio · July 2015

I know that this is a very common opinion, but I find GE to be miles better than the other 3.

Absolutely_Cart · July 2015

Barbel wrote:

M disregards Tanner's wise advice and lets her emotions cloud her judgement.

Exactly. And she's basing her policy decisions on personal relationships. Making the Kings close friends of hers kind of made the whole scenario seem unlikely.

HatThrowingHenchman · July 2015

if bond goes on a personal assignment and stuff his orders why can't M?

Absolutely_Cart · July 2015

stag wrote:

IMO the producers couldn't have chosen a worse actor. .

what about adam sandler?

(who i enjoy btw, but im just making a point)

Matt S · July 2015

stag wrote:

When I first heard that PB had been inducted as the new Bond my heart sank. IMO the producers couldn't have chosen a worse actor. The result is that apart from the truly awful DAD I haven't watched any of his outings.

I await shouts of 'he saved the franchise' etc but I am expressing no opinion but my own in the fact that he was miscast. He didn't look like Bond or act like Bond. All he was good for was as a vehicle for male grooming products as he pouted, jaw clenched & otherwise hammed his way through.

You must have been in the minority at the time.

HatThrowingHenchman · July 2015

stag wrote:

When I first heard that PB had been inducted as the new Bond my heart sank. IMO the producers couldn't have chosen a worse actor. The result is that apart from the truly awful DAD I haven't watched any of his outings.

I await shouts of 'he saved the franchise' etc but I am expressing no opinion but my own in the fact that he was miscast. He didn't look like Bond or act like Bond. All he was good for was as a vehicle for male grooming products as he pouted, jaw clenched & otherwise hammed his way through.

yeah right...
so much hate for Pierce in the last time. unbelievable

broadshoulder · July 2015

Matt S wrote:

stag wrote:

When I first heard that PB had been inducted as the new Bond my heart sank. IMO the producers couldn't have chosen a worse actor. The result is that apart from the truly awful DAD I haven't watched any of his outings.

I await shouts of 'he saved the franchise' etc but I am expressing no opinion but my own in the fact that he was miscast. He didn't look like Bond or act like Bond. All he was good for was as a vehicle for male grooming products as he pouted, jaw clenched & otherwise hammed his way through.

You must have been in the minority at the time.

No.....there is another...

HatThrowingHenchman · July 2015

stag wrote:

Like it or not that is my opinion & I am entitled to express it just as you all are entitled to express yours. I said it was my opinion in my post & didn't attach it to anyone else. However no need to meet opinion on this matter with aggression - where's that going to get you? Nowhere with me I'm afraid.

I respect your opinion but just out of couriosity where do you fing aggression in the two words yeah and right? it's rather sarcasm to express my opinion of the opposite :007)
I am NOT trying to get into a fight

Barbel · July 2015

I'm sure no-one is. stag is quite right to express his opinion on Brosnan, and you are too.

HatThrowingHenchman · July 2015

Barbel wrote:

I'm sure no-one is. stag is quite right to express his opinion on Brosnan, and you are too.

yes he is and I'm fine with that.we have the total opposite opinions on him (hence the yeah right)
but he said he awaited reactions from the opposite side anyway {[]

chrisisall · July 2015

Just a note here, I really wanted honest opinions & storytelling here, not defensive reactions to them. Comments, sure, but like I am one of Brosnan's biggest fans, and I have no problem with honest dislike of his Bond or his movies.

I'd like to open this up to your love (and/or) hate relationships with ANY or ALL Bond movies...

For instance, sometimes I really hate YOLT for the killing of Aki. There are times I can't even watch it. Then I come around & really have fun with it. I used to HATE FYEO because of the PTS & the parrot; now I completely enjoy most every moment.

Absolutely_Cart · July 2015

i try to be as gestalt about things as possible.

i try not to hate entire movies just because of a few corny moments, but rather as a whole. am i having having fun (or being enriched in some other way) the majority of the time?

AlphaOmegaSin · July 2015

Because we are such a diverse Fan Base, there's always going to be differing Opinions.