Part 4, the Pierce Brosnan era, 1995 - 2002.
17. Goldeneye. If Bond were to survive in a post Cold War environment, and hold his own against action stars like Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the franchise was going to need a serious overhaul. Thankfully Goldeneye did just that; with a new Bond, an 'M' that directly challenged his sensitivities and a villain that struck a very personal chord. The elements of the classics were all here but this was Bond for a new age, and from the breathtaking opening jump to the brutal fight on the satellite we're with it all the way. Brosnan carries the charm and the wit beautifully whilst Sean Bean proves a perfect counterbalance, and to this day the only lowpoint is Eric Serra's questionable score. 9/10.
18. Tomorrow Never Dies. Due, in large part, to Jonathan Pryce's somewhat smug portrayal of Elliot Carver, Tomorrow Never Dies repeatedly comes across as trying to be smarter than it is. Never the less there's a lot to like here as well. Brosnan is on fine form, the action scenes are suitably exhilarating (with the BMW 750 reaching new heights in terms of Bond gadgetry) and Terri Hatcher's Paris Carver invoking feelings of Goldfinger's Jill Masterson. Not as strong as it's predecessor, but a worthy edition to the franchise all the same. 7/10.
19. The World Is Not Enough. Considerably better than it's poor reputation suggests, The World Is Not Enough is, at it's core, a very relevant spy thriller, which goes to great lengths to push the franchise forward and, in terms of it's villain, offer a new twist on a tried and tested routine. Denise Richards' nuclear scientist notwithstanding, there's a strong cast behind this one as well, and save for a few painful christmas puns Brosnan brings a level of darkness to Bond that hasn't been seen since Timothy Dalton. 8/10.
20. Die Another Day. There's a very promising start to Die Another Day, where even the title sequence manages to move the story forward and set up what could be a very promising edition to the franchise. Within an hour, however, the film looses it's way with invisible cars, a laughably implausible villain and a cringeworthy CG surfing sequence the mere tip of the films problems. The cast here aren't up to measure either, and while Brosnan gives the role his all his co-stars add little flavour, with questionable performances from Toby Stephens and Halle Berry and with John Cleese proving far from a worthy successor to the late Desmond Llewelyn. 4/10.
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