Goldeneye


release year: 1995
genre: James Bond
viewing setting: home Bluray 1/31/19 and 12/28/12 and home DVD 2/29/00

synopsis: A renegade Russian general steals the controlling device of an orbiting EMP beam weapon.

impressions: Lots of action, less intrigue and Bond-ian moments that some of the Bond films of days past. The script seemed to be all about a great deal of change - female "M", new Moneypenny who can resist Bond's charms, new CIA liason, and so on. A great deal of time was also spent analyzing Bond's loyalty to his government. Notable: agent 006 turning bad, early Minnie Driver and Alan Cumming roles, lots of computer hacking, the mighty tank chase, fairly-helpful Joe Don Baker as CIA man Jack Wade.

acting: Pierce Brosnan did a good job in his first time as Bond - he was definitely more serious than Moore, but also did a lot of physical stuff like fighting, falling, jumping, climbing, etc. Sean Bean was suitably menacing as the main villain. Famke Janssen was somewhat different as a murderous henchwoman who derived pleasure from killing (or really any stressful situation.) Izabella Scorupco is a Russian computer operator who gets tied up in all this, and proves fairly competent. Look for early appearances by Alan Cumming (as an obnoxious hacker geek) and Minnie Driver (as a Russian nightclub singer.)

chase scenes: tank chasing/fighting a bunch of cars

mass fight at end: none

neat gadgets: auto CD player that faxes pictures, tricked-out BMW Z3, belt with grappling hook and cord, pen grenade, laser watch

confirmed Bond kills: unknown (too many machine guns involved)

confirmed Bond seductions: 2

obnoxious female names: Xenia Onnatop

defining Bond moments: 

quotable: 
girl: "I enjoy a spirited ride as much as the next girl..."
girl: (a short time later, as lady passes in red Ferrari) "Who is that?"
Bond: "The next girl."

British guy in meeting: "Unlike the Americans, we prefer not to get our bad news from CNN."

Xenia: "Enjoy it...while it lasts."
Bond: "The very words I live by."

Bond: "Governments change...the lies stay the same."

Bond: (after watching demonstration of grenade pen) "They always said the pen was mightier than the sword."
Q: "And thanks to me, they were right!"

Wade: "Jack Wade, CIA."
Bond: "James Bond, stiff-assed Brit."

Natalya: "Do you destroy every vehicle you get into?"
Bond: "Standard operating procedure."

Natalya: "How can you act like this? How can you be so cold?"
Bond: "It's what keeps me alive."
Natalya: "No, it's what keeps you alone."

final word: Good debut for Brosnan and good return to the series after six years off.

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