When did Die Another Day's backlash begin?
DieAnotherDay
Glasgow, ScotlandPosts: 460MI6 Agent
It's pretty much common fact now that DAD is one of the worst, if not the worst Bond film in the franchise (although I love it to bits) bit when did the tables turn on this film?
Back in 2002 all the initial reviews of the film seemed pretty mixed to positive, perhaps even more positive than Brosnan's previous 2 adventures. Even though most of the critics and fans did point out the nonsensical story, wonky CGI and awful dialogue, back in the day ... it didn't seem enough to warrant it being slated, in fact a good few seemed to even think it was Pierce's best film to date. So when did the opinions on DAD sway so drastically as it went from being an over the top, popcorn blockbuster - to the worst entry in the franchise?
Back in 2002 all the initial reviews of the film seemed pretty mixed to positive, perhaps even more positive than Brosnan's previous 2 adventures. Even though most of the critics and fans did point out the nonsensical story, wonky CGI and awful dialogue, back in the day ... it didn't seem enough to warrant it being slated, in fact a good few seemed to even think it was Pierce's best film to date. So when did the opinions on DAD sway so drastically as it went from being an over the top, popcorn blockbuster - to the worst entry in the franchise?
....and the best he ever managed was a sermon on the mount.
Comments
I don't remember these mixed to positive reviews you speak of.
Rotten Tomatoes has some very amusing lines from top critics about how great DAD was, with one critic saying it's the best since The Spy Who Loved Me. See here: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/die_another_day
Pretty much this
Only time I’ve ever left the cinema after a Bond film and felt WTF???
First half is good though...
There's a cosy sort of arrangement that goes on between the mainstream press and movie makers.
The UK daily freebie gave it 'Try another day?' I think as a headline and yet while Empire magazine slated it pretty much, it still wound up giving it four stars if I recall. The Evening Standard's Alexander Walker gave it the full five stars, but he'd been granted a cosy interview with the producers. He was losing it a bit around that point and died not long after.
Another UK movie mag - Neon, I think - gave it one star but that came out on newsstands well after the release date.
TBF from the general outline the film is not that bad you'd think - you get bang for your buck - but for me it was an abomination, esp coming after the very decent TWINE.
On AJB reviews were generally positive - until I arrived!
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Really? I don't even consider it a bad film. It has some extremely bad moments peppered throughout but it's still brilliant fun and has many entertaining, well made segments. All just my opinion though, I can easily see why it's pretty despised by most ... The film doesn't do itself any favours lol.
News articles hyped the dual anniversaries, told us there were references to each previous film to watch for, and Halle Berry. Berry had just won the Oscar and was being suggested as the star of a spin-off series.
Goldeneye was the last Bondfilm to get that much hype on its release. The two in between seem to have just been noticed by people who already went to every Bondfilm. Whereas as a much hyped anniversary film, DAD brought people to the theatre who had not seen a Bondfilm for years, much like the later SkyFall also did.
not that I can do the ranking thing, but I'd say it is better than Tomorrow Never Dies. The first half is mostly good stuff, some of it very clever and subversive of the genre expectations. TND had the brief scene with Dr Kaufman, and the long handcuff chase sequence, and those are the only two parts that I'd say are keepers. They don't add up to as much good content as there was in the 1st half of DAD, nor are they so interesting.
It’s not...it’s bloody awful X-(
"The spectre of defeat..."
TND is certainly Brosnan’s only decent effort at playing Bond!
I think the PTS in DAD is one of the best ever and Brosnan’s “saved by the bell’ quip is his best during his tenure.
I remember with DAD when the opening scene came on with the agents surfing into a dark grey N.Korea, I was buzzing and literally had a tear in my eye that Bond was back and this looked brilliant! Agree with others, the first half is good with some genuinely great Bond moments and explored some new angles where the series hadn't been before. But some aspects are poor and I'm really not a fan of Jinx.
The song is the second worst after AWTD.
Especially in the action department -{
I recall really enjoying it at the cinema. Brosnan gives his usual energetic performance, he looks great in it, and the scenes with M and Q in the abandoned underground station are spot on, as are the scenes when the traitor is revealed. Sure, the cgi and the car's invisibility are cheesy, and I agree the theme is on a par with AWTD. But it's great fun and doesn't take itself too seriously, much like DAF.
And it has Halle Berry. And Rosamund Pike. ;%
These things go in waves- perhaps DAD is in line for a rise in its popularity and we are seeing the first signs of that here? :007)
It seemed like I was a lone voice in championing the merits of the OHMSS way back in the mists of time, only my father agreed that it was something special. My circle of acquaintances at that time were unimpressed.
I feel the same way about SP, except I won’t be around when it gets the plaudits it deserves. It’s not as good as those first 6 Bond’s but I have a feeling it will generate a special feeling in a few decades time.
Our DAD rewatch was definitely an example of that. I recall a few members, myself included, posting afterwards that the film was quite enjoyable and certainly not as horrible/apocalypse causing as remembered.
To quote Algernon “lucky bloody you”
It’s just...horrible...you can see each of them waiting for the next strike of the sword - it’s like they are ready for it WAY too far in advance, it’s just doesn’t flow at all - far too stilted...and some of the ‘moves’ around the actual swordfight X-( the forward leap and roll towards the end is just cringeworthy, for example
Now, I agree with you here {[]
It’s probably Brozza’s best turn as Bond -{
I'm also probably alone in this opinion, but I like Madonna's Die Another Day theme song, and while she's not an actress, I didn't think her cameo was that bad. Keep in mind that the song went top 10 around the world, reaching #8 in the US and #1 in several countries.
Overall I think DAD is kinda fun, kinda bad, with some laughs and cringing along the way, but okay for an occasional watch.
But it sounds nothing like a Bond theme, and I always want my Bond films to have a song that has that sound.
Nothing wrong with her cameo. She delivers maybe three lines of exposition, basically introducing the two villains and explaining Blades, and sets up the swordfight. Also she had Bond lace her up, which is a bit kinky and nice. Otherwise she gets no more screentime than the expert who explained what gold was at the beginning of Goldfinger, or similar such expository characters, and is not required to do any actual acting.
Thats what makes it so disappointing, the first half is very good but the rest just feels lazy and uninspired.
That's Moonraker for me.
Same here.
I also thought that Toby Stephens was a particularly poor villain and we could have done without Madonna ( though I actually like the theme song).
It was made at the time of Bond's 40th Anniversary and I think they threw the kitchen sink at it. I know 'less is more' has never been a Bond mantra but DAD was OTT even for a Bond film. I've also never liked the title.
Still, I've watched it more times than QoS. :v
Let's not forget - Timothy Dalton's Aston Martin in TLD shot frickin' lasers. That gets a pass for some reason.
I even thought of this car while watching another movie earlier this year. I don't want to outright name it or I'm afraid i'll spoil it somewhat, but it's one of the few that have been out in early 2020 and was very successful. It used technology based on this car and no one raised any ruckus about it.