SciFi and More from Duane Simolke

Movie Review: Die Another Day

The 20th James Bond film not only marks the 40th anniversary series but also shows a sometimes desperate effort to make the franchise as contemporary as possible. The gadgets go way too far at times, making this seem like a comic book movie. Don’t get me wrong; I love comic book heroes and comic book movies. Still, it somehow bothered me to see Bond going so far in that direction. It’s a fun movie, and I enjoyed it, but the invisible car and such distracted me even more than the overly obvious product placement.

I recently read that a current internet campaign involves pushing Adrian Paul (the TV incarnation of The Highlander) as the next Bond. That sounds good, but I’m glad Pierce Brosnan agreed to at least one more Bond film beyond this one. Brosnan plays the role with the required wit and style, along with a little vulnerability. I also hope Halle Berry will reprise her role as Jinx.