$2 is what I would pay to watch this movie

    The opening sequence is stunning. I mean stunning. Although much criticism has already been thrown of Madonna’s theme song for “Die Another Day,” it works well for the opening sequence; not distracting too much from the fantastic visuals going on. Also, the beginning of this movie is great. We see a Kristofferson-esque Pierce Brosnan, looking the part of the tortured soul. I won’t give any spoilers, because the opening to this film is shockingly good, but suffice it to say that it raised my hopes far beyond the scope of any Bond film. Then, of course, those hopes had to be dashed.
    Don’t get me wrong, “Die Another Day” is a visually exciting film full of the action, sex, fun and gadgetry that one expects from this franchise, but it can only be a letdown after the beginning of the movie. And, just to get it out of me before I explode, if I never see the “Matrix-Cam” again, it will be too soon. You know, that thing they do when they slow the film down and pan around the whole scene … that should never be used as excessively as it is used in Bond number 20.
    As for the nitty gritty, the acting is pretty good. Pierce Brosnan pulls together a great performance in parts, and, at his worst, is thoroughly entertaining. As for Judi Dench, John Cleese and Michael Madsen, well, they are who they are … they shine. The cinematography is what cinematography should be, visually stunning. It isn’t all that creative, but what can you expect from a franchise that likes to play it safe? Oh, the sets and locations are gorgeous, of course.
    Now that we’ve covered the good aspects, let’s cut this thing apart! I’ve heard buzz that there may be a spinoff based on “Jinx,” Halle Berry’s character … oh, please save me. Not only is her character inane and trivial, but Berry can’t even upstage her own figure. It’s really sad when the omega Bond girl is not the sexiest Bond girl in the movie (Rosamund Pike pulls together a really frosty sensuality in this film.)
    The “surprise cameo” in this movie elicited fewer gasps of shock than it did groans of disappointment … the audience seemed to wish that there had been some wine to go with the cheese that was handed them. Not to mention the “actor” who appeared is widely considered a waste of screen space that could be better filled with a fancy toy poodle.
    There were far too many heroes and villains in “Die Another Day.” All three of our primary villains could have been threatening, but none could really take the whole cake, and seemed more reminiscent of testy parliamentary committee than a diabolical villain squad, which is really too bad, because each actor could have been excellent if they hadn’t been competing for screen time.
    My biggest problem with “Die Another Day,” however, was the sheer silliness of most of the gadgets. Almost every Bond gadget I’ve seen in movies has seemed to me to be, at least, within the realm of possibility. Not so in “Die Another Day.” If this weren’t enough, the bad guys had Bond-like gadgets! I mean, it’s one thing for a Bond villain to have endless goons, clever plans for world dominion, and some arbitrarily massive weapon of mass destruction, but they should never have weapons of the same nature as our hero! I was quite disappointed with that. Remember, however, that I am deconstructing a movie which is meant only to entertain, not to be “art.” “Die Another Day” is certainly entertaining, but it just failed to really draw me in.
    I’d definitely suggest this film to almost every moviegoer, as it is sure to appeal. And it is almost worth full ticket price just for the first 15 minutes of the movie. If Roger Moore-era Bond is your favorite, you’ll probably love this movie, but don’t expect much substance. True to its techno theme song, this movie is the formulaic style-over-substance dance party Bond film.