ANALYSIS OF GOLDENEYE AND THE FUTURE OF BOND PAGE 2 of 3
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Previous page II. THE PLOT Believe it or not, I actually like the basis of the plot! The idea that the main protagonist is someone the same age and with the same background as Bond is very appealing to me. Ever since Roger Moore left, I have wondered about what possible villans the producers of the films could give us that were satisfying to the audience: we look for someone who is has the same panache as Bond, the same style and finesse. And for the first time since Moonraker we have finally got one! Only one problem: it wasn't executed very well. As I have mentioned above, this is primarily an action Bond film, not much else. I've read that Michael France's orginal story called for "wall-to-wall" action. Thank god that they did not follow through with it! I do have some questions about the plot, however. If Severnaya is in the Artic Circle, how does Natayla reach St. Petersburg, hundreds of miles away, in one day, with no money or anything else to speak of? And why St. Petersburg, of all places? This seems very implausible to me. I was also unhappy with the scene between Bond and M, when M tells him that he must not turn this mission into a personal vendetta. Bond responds with "Never." I think that this was too casual a closure to the end results of the last film, Licence to Kill, and there should have been more of an explanation of how Bond was reinstated into MI6. A don't believe that MI6 would casually allow him to re-enter the organization after he deliberately broke the rules. Except for a few minor areas, this is a valid "reintroduction" of Bond. Added 12/11/95: This is also the first completely original Bond film, with absolutely no connection to any Fleming or Gardner book. Licence to Kill borrowed from the book Live and Let Die, with Leiter's disfiguration and Bond's subsequent revenge. This film joins The Spy Who Loved Me and A View to a Kill in it's orginiality (the two films borrowed only the titles from Fleming; the rest was made up). III. CHARACTERS AND CHARACTERIZATION I've listed my favorite characters of the film from best to worst, as well as my intrepretation of their characterizations. Grishenko My favorite of the bunch! Boris is funny, intriguing and down-right nasty! He is definitely a character from the nineties and is fun to watch. And you have to love the line: I am invincible! Onatopp BINGO! Right on target! The sexiest villaness since Fionna Volpe in Thunderball. Famke was much better then Izabella, and I am definitely going to follow her (most-likely very successful) career! Bond Good to see him finally get the role he so very much deserved! There is a strong feeling of a cross of Connery and Moore in him, but I don't think this was intentional. He looked comfortable in his role. Added 12/13/95. A few Brosnan mannerisms I liked: Brosnan's expression in the pretitle sequence, after 006 is "shot" (the emotion he shows is more than either of the last two Bonds have ever shown! the way he straightened is tie in the tank scene in St. Petersburg. And lastly, the way he braced his body on the yacht Manticore, just before he opened a sliding door to go in. Afer he jumped on board, he walked to the door, spread his legs a bit to hold himself steady as he swung the door open quickly. Ourumov I liked this Russian as much as I like Pushkin in The Living Daylights. I believe that this actor has portrayed Ourumov very well. The roots of the character can be found in General Orlov from Octopussy. Trevelyan An interesting intrepretation, but not enough to hold my interest. Sean is just "there", and his villan is not very memorable. I think a different actor would have done a better job, but no one else comes to mind immediately. Q Ahhh, finally, a familiar face (and the only one!). Desmond is Q, and I hope he continues this role as long as physically possible. M A refreshing twist! I like the new M very much, but we didn't get to see much of her. Maybe next time. Simonova So so. Nothing inspiring. Izabella looks nice to the eye, but that's it. Wade This was a big mistake! Added 12/13/95. The character is fine, but it was too early to bring back Joe Don Baker to the series. And he got fifth billing, higher than Alan Cummings (Ourumov)! Continued