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Die Another Day - Special Edition

By now everyone knows at least something about the allure of James Bond films, that fascination with the famed British Secret Service agent whose swarthy way with women and penchant for destruction, mayhem, and solid adventure and action has provided audiences with thrills, spills, and kills for four decades, with no signs of slowing down. The introductory phrase "Bond, James Bond," has become a subject of parody, his English brogue a source of constant banter amongst imitators, his multiple beddings of female spies and cohorts making him the envy of every male who happens upon his motion pictures. I think it's safe to say that Ian Fleming's 007 is the ultimate action icon, right alongside Schwarzenegger's Terminator, and Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones. ***

His latest big-screen adventure, "Die Another Day," marks two firsts for me as a filmgoer. It is the first Bond film I've seen in which actor Pierce Brosnan portrays the character; this also happens to be the first review I've written on a Bond film, although I've seen many (a college career and part-time job doesn't exactly provide much spare time for playing catch-up). My first experience with these films, "The Spy Who Loved Me," introduced me to the world of high-tech gadgets, dazzling special effects, breathtaking action sequences, and all the charm and wit of Bond's token phrase, "Shaken, not stirred." Then it was on to "For Your Eyes Only," followed by a handful of the Sean Connery entries like "You Only Live Twice," and one of Roger Moore's better efforts in "Moonraker." ***

So in comparison with the older films, how does this new one measure up? Actually, I liked it more than I expected I would. The theatrical previews were unable to bring me out of my Thanksgiving shell last November, but now having seen the film on DVD, I'm sorry I missed out on that chance. Much like the many franchises that have become landmarks over the years (Star Trek, The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars), the Bond films succeed because they provide a comfort zone in which we know the story, we are aware of the action's outcome, and we are still satisfied every step of the way. For Bond to go through all that he does and not get the girl in the end would be a grave injustice; the filmmakers know this, and their- as well as our- awareness of that familiarity makes the proceedings all the more enjoyable. ***

The plot for "Die Another Day" starts off with a rousing action sequence pitting Bond against the Korean Army; after an attempted escape during which the son of a colonel is killed, he is taken prisoner for more than a year, after which he is traded off in exchange for Korean terrorist Zao (Rick Yune), who later disappears. Once back in the protective custody of the British Secret Service, he finds that he has been stripped of his 00 license, and must remain under their guard; like that's gonna stop him. ***

Once escaping (again!), he makes his way to Cuba, where he crosses paths with the delicious Jinx Gordon (Halle Berry), an American spy who unwittingly leads him to the discovery of a DNA alteration facility that specializes in creating new genetic identities for certain low-lives, Zao being one of them. Of course, someone has to be funding his transformation; it is none other than famed diamond-made billionaire Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens), whose corporation has built an enormous energy-producing satellite named Icarus, capable of producing enough light to fill in for the sun on its nights off. ***

One needn't be a Bond aficionado to see that "Die Another Day" adheres quite nicely to the formulas and routines set forth by these previous ventures, while simultaneously adding something new and inventive to the old and the familiar. We know where the plot will eventually end up (in a bed, again), but as someone once said, it's not the destination, but the journey to it, that really matters. And what a fun ride it is! Director Lee Tamahori and screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade pump up the action to twice the normal speed of most films of the like, with a gargantuan stronghold of spectacular setpieces that are big, bombastic, and ridiculously illogical and implausibe, everything a Bond film needs to succeed. And like all good Bond flicks, this one takes us to exotic locales, places us into heated situations without warning (a swordfight in the middle of a fancy hotel is one of the film's best scenes), and keeps the proceedings moving with loads of intelligently-written dialogue that the actors chew on like a cowboy chews tobacco. It plays like a travel brochure promoting a new James Bond amusement park facility, and that's paying it a compliment. ***

The film would be nothing, however, were it not for the impressive talent behind the characters. Brosnan fits the role like a glove, matching the verbosity of Roger Moore and the brutish charm of Sean Connery word-for-word, move-for-move. And then there's Halle Berry, who needs no "Dr. No"/Ursula Andress homage to prove that she's got what it takes to be a Bond girl, plain and simple; it's her sassiest, most playful, and most invigorating role in years. As the villains, Rick Yune and Toby Stephens provide just enough tension to keep up the pretense of an actual menace, while familiar faces like Judi Dench and John Cleese are excellent as stand-ins for familiar Bond film roles.

An explosive DVD transfer from MGM. This 2.40:1 anamorphic image for "Die Another Day" looks very, very good, capturing all the action in detail and keepings things clean, neat, and untouched by blemishes. The only flaw in the picture is the presence of enhancement halos, which can be mighty annoying in places, especially in scenes taking place in Iceland; aside from that, there are no visible compression artifacts, and the source print is in pristine shape throughout. Clarity gets a big fat A+, with small object detail that brings out every piece of debris from every explosion, and so much more. Color saturation is excellent, with vivid, striking hoes and smooth textures, accurate fleshtones that work with the context of the given scene, and solid blacks throughout. Contrast is superbly mounted, with terrific shadow detail throughout. Kick-ass! ***

And oh, what a soundtrack! And get this: we have the option of both Dolby Digital and DTS this time around, and the results are simply extraordinary. Reaching a reference quality status that few tracks can achieve, "Die Another Day's" audio is punctuated by lots of action-oriented sound design involving explosions, fly-overs, gunfire from multiple angles, and so much more. For this, we have a very nifty presentation that makes use of the full soundfield, with terrific imaging and excellent front-to-back directionalization. Surrounds sound clean and aggressive, while deep bass from the .1 LFE gives the low end an edgy kick that is extremely gratifying. Dialogue sounds natural and is well-balanced with the rest of the elements, while the balance between the high and low ends is top-notch. In terms of choosing between Dolby and DTS, it's clear from the start that the latter is the way to go here, with a better transparency and depth, although the Dolby is just as good. Crank it up, folks, and watch the pets roll!

Divided onto two discs, the first one houses the film and a handful of extras that play along during the movie. With menu titles like "Initiate Mission" and "Mission Timeline," it may be a bit confusing to navigate at first, but it sorts itself out pretty quickly. In addition to the commentaries, one can also choose the "MI6 DataStream" feature, which plays the film with subtitle cards featuring a wealth of information pertaining to this film as well as other Bond facts and films. You may initially be tempted to skip through the chapters while this feature is activated, but those factoids can become addicting, and there are some video inserts including interviews and behind-the-scenes footage that come up during the film, so be sure to watch out for those. Disc One closes out with some DVD-ROM material. ***

Then we move on to Disc Two, which houses the girth of the supplements, beginning with the documentary "Inside Die Another Day." At a running time of one hour, this piece gives away many of the secrets of the film's big-budget effects and action sequences, while also paying special attention to some of the more character-driven moments of the film. With footage taken during the principle photography and throughout the production process, combined with cast and crew interviews, we learn all about the creations of scenes like the opening surfing sequence, which was actually filmed in Maui, Hawaii; the destruction of the Ice Palace by the satellite Icarus; the post-production process of editing, F/X creation and scoring; and even the scene devoted to Q, whose gadgets have grazed the Bond franchise for decades. Presented with chapter stops to provide for easier access to key spots, this is nicely presented and a must-see for those who want a closer look at the making of the movie. ***

But this extensive breakdown of the filmmaking elements doesn't stop there; head on down to "Mission Deconstruction," and you'll find even more material relating to the more multi-faceted scenes in the film. We have storyboard presentations/comparisons for the hovercraft and car chases; four multi-angle sequences with the welcome option of viewing four different camera views of one sequence all at the same time; a title design featurette that shows us singly the different plates and effects that were composited to make one final sequence; and a digital grading featurette that breaks down the process of scanning the filmed portions of the movie digitally in order to enhance the picture and remove unwanted elements like nasty weather or overcast skies. ***

Then we continue to "Equipment Briefing," which is home to five small vignettes showcasing the various gadgets and weaponry used by Bond in "Die Another Day." We learn the secrets of the surfboard with "special modifications," the standard-issue watch, the Switchblade personal jet glider, the sonic agitator unit, and the V-12 Vanquish, the car to end all cars. Nothing special here, really, but an admirable effort all the same. We're then taken to the "Image Database," which is home to five different photo galleries containing extensive collections of images for the cast, sets and locations, stunts and special effects, vehicles and gadgets, and a "special shoot" section, devoted to promotional photos takes before the film's theatrical release. Finally, in "Ministry of Propoganda," the promotional material can be accessed, including three different trailers, TV spots, Madonna's "Die Another Day" music video and a making-of, a promo for the game "007: Nightfire" and its making-of, and more DVD-ROM features.