James Bond Retrospective: The World Is Not Enough (1999)
Pre-Credits & Theme Song 
The opening sequence of The World Is Not Enough is not only the longest pre-credits scene in the series history it is also one of the best of the entire franchise. Opening with Bond visiting a Swiss banker in Bilbao, Spain, the opening sequence was originally planned to end with him jumping out of the office window. However test audiences deemed the stunt to be rather anticlimactic so the scene that had been intended to follow the titles was added to the pre-credits sequence. Beginning in the real MI6 headquarters at Vauxhall Cross in London with the assassination of oil tycoon Sir Robert King, the action takes to the River Thames as Bond pursues the assassin known as Cigar Girl, played by Italian actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta. Using Qs jet boat to give chase along the river passing many of the citys most famous landmarks the sequence is brilliantly shot with wildly inventive moments from the 360 degree barrel roll performed by the boat as it flips through the air to the moment when the boat dips its bow into the river becoming a submersible as it negotiates a low bridge with a shot of Brosnan adjusting his tie underwater adding a touch of humour. The scene even takes to the land as the boat slides through a fish market and restaurant before landing in the water as the chase reaches its climax at the newly built Millennium Dome. Taking to the air in a hot air balloon, Cigar Girl continues her getaway with Bond jumping from his boat to grab a rope beneath the balloon. Rather than give herself up, Cigar Girl shoots the balloons gas canister killing herself, destroying the balloon and sending Bond tumbling down the outside of the Dome, saving his life but injuring him in the process. 
The whole sequence raises the bar setting the standard so high that the remainder of the film struggles to provide anything as memorable and spectacular as the opening fifteen minutes. The second unit team of Vic Armstrong, Simon Crane and Chris Corbould, spent a total of seven weeks filming the sequence which required a huge amount of negotiation and permission from a vast number of authorities allowing them unprecedented access to the waterways of the capital city. The boat itself was custom built with 350 horsepower engines capable of achieving speeds of up to 70mph. 
David Arnold returned to compose the score for the film after the success of his musical accompaniment to Tomorrow Never Dies. Once again, his score captures the traditions of the Bond sound while perfectly updating it to include modern elements. His knowledge and admiration of the series feeds through into his music and he shows a natural understanding of the structure and pace of the films. For the first time, Arnold was actively involved in the writing of the films theme song. Co-written with Don Black, the man behind the themes for four previous Bond films, the song was performed by the rock group Garbage fronted by singer Shirley Manson. Playing over Daniel Kleinmanns brilliant, oil inspired opening titles, the theme song is probably the best of the Brosnan era films and with Arnolds direct involvement it feels more ingrained in the overall score that accompanies the film. The Movie When British oil tycoon Sir Robert King is assassinated, MI6 agent James Bond is assigned to protect Kings daughter, Elektra who M believes is next on the assassins hit-list. Joining Elektra in Azerbaijan where she is overseeing the construction of a new pipeline, Bond discovers the man responsible for Kings death is former KGB agent turned terrorist, Renard. When M is abducted, Bond discovers that Renard and Elektra are in fact working together to deliberately cause a nuclear catastrophe in Istanbul in a plot to sabotage a Russian oil pipeline increasing the value of Elektras supply. With the help of American nuclear physicist, Dr. Christmas Jones, Bond must race against time to not only save M but prevent Elektra and Renard from killing millions of innocent people. 
The film marks the first time that the role of M has been greatly increased giving her a major role in the main plot. Ever since Judi Dench took on the role in 1995, the character of M had taken on a new life. Where in previous films M had mostly only appeared in one or two scenes, Dench had become a much more integral part of the Brosnan films. Beginning with her initial frosty subjugation of Bond in GoldenEye, this developed over the course of the following films to become an almost maternal relationship with a mutual respect and affection. With a key element of the film being Ms friendship and eventual kidnapping by Elektra, she plays a hugely important role in the journey of the film. 
Another character given a larger role in this film is Valentin Zukovsky, the Russian mafia boss who first appeared in a few short scenes during GoldenEye. In The World Is Not Enough, he is given further opportunities to develop and finds himself at the heart of the story due to his association with Elektra. Played by Robbie Coltrane, Zukovsky is a typically larger than life, extremely likeable character who in the absence of Felix Leiter or another similar secondary comrade plays a vital role in connecting the various plot threads. As is commonly the case of those who assist Bond, Zukovskys fate is sealed but not before saving Bond from a seemingly inescapable situation. Despite the relatively short screen-time for Zukovsky over the course of two films, Coltrane makes him a memorable character and unlike Jack Wade, the CIA agent from the previous two films, Zukovskys appearance here is a welcome one. 
The film marks the return to another of Bonds best loved locations, Istanbul in Turkey. Previously a key location used in From Russia With Love and soon to be seen again in Skyfalls opening sequence, Istanbul was planned to be used for the films climactic scenes however after sets had already been built on location a pair of bombings rocked the city in March 1999 killing 13 people. As a result, the decision was made to film the required scenes at Pinewood using green screen backdrops and pre-filmed establishing shots of the city meaning no members of the films cast would have to travel to Turkey. 
The final scenes, set on board a submarine as Bond and Dr. Jones attempt to stop Renard causing a nuclear disaster, are sadly a little anticlimactic and most surprisingly for a Bond film, perhaps too claustrophobic. Where in the past, Bond films have been known for their huge sets and large scale final battles this is a much smaller affair simply pitting Bond against Renard in a one-on-one fist fight to the death. It is a not wholly successful break from formula for the series and after a two hour running time there is the distinct impression that the film has run out of steam. While not too dissimilar from the climactic fight at the end of GoldenEye, at least on that occasion there were other events taking place simultaneously to build the tension and offer some genuine thrills. The World Is Not Enough suffers from having such a brilliant pre-credits sequence that the rest of the film feels underwhelming as a result. Despite a few tweaks to the tried and tested formula there is little to make this a truly memorable entry in the series.
The opening sequence of The World Is Not Enough is not only the longest pre-credits scene in the series history it is also one of the best of the entire franchise. Opening with Bond visiting a Swiss banker in Bilbao, Spain, the opening sequence was originally planned to end with him jumping out of the office window. However test audiences deemed the stunt to be rather anticlimactic so the scene that had been intended to follow the titles was added to the pre-credits sequence. Beginning in the real MI6 headquarters at Vauxhall Cross in London with the assassination of oil tycoon Sir Robert King, the action takes to the River Thames as Bond pursues the assassin known as Cigar Girl, played by Italian actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta. Using Qs jet boat to give chase along the river passing many of the citys most famous landmarks the sequence is brilliantly shot with wildly inventive moments from the 360 degree barrel roll performed by the boat as it flips through the air to the moment when the boat dips its bow into the river becoming a submersible as it negotiates a low bridge with a shot of Brosnan adjusting his tie underwater adding a touch of humour. The scene even takes to the land as the boat slides through a fish market and restaurant before landing in the water as the chase reaches its climax at the newly built Millennium Dome. Taking to the air in a hot air balloon, Cigar Girl continues her getaway with Bond jumping from his boat to grab a rope beneath the balloon. Rather than give herself up, Cigar Girl shoots the balloons gas canister killing herself, destroying the balloon and sending Bond tumbling down the outside of the Dome, saving his life but injuring him in the process. The whole sequence raises the bar setting the standard so high that the remainder of the film struggles to provide anything as memorable and spectacular as the opening fifteen minutes. The second unit team of Vic Armstrong, Simon Crane and Chris Corbould, spent a total of seven weeks filming the sequence which required a huge amount of negotiation and permission from a vast number of authorities allowing them unprecedented access to the waterways of the capital city. The boat itself was custom built with 350 horsepower engines capable of achieving speeds of up to 70mph. David Arnold returned to compose the score for the film after the success of his musical accompaniment to Tomorrow Never Dies. Once again, his score captures the traditions of the Bond sound while perfectly updating it to include modern elements. His knowledge and admiration of the series feeds through into his music and he shows a natural understanding of the structure and pace of the films. For the first time, Arnold was actively involved in the writing of the films theme song. Co-written with Don Black, the man behind the themes for four previous Bond films, the song was performed by the rock group Garbage fronted by singer Shirley Manson. Playing over Daniel Kleinmanns brilliant, oil inspired opening titles, the theme song is probably the best of the Brosnan era films and with Arnolds direct involvement it feels more ingrained in the overall score that accompanies the film. The Movie When British oil tycoon Sir Robert King is assassinated, MI6 agent James Bond is assigned to protect Kings daughter, Elektra who M believes is next on the assassins hit-list. Joining Elektra in Azerbaijan where she is overseeing the construction of a new pipeline, Bond discovers the man responsible for Kings death is former KGB agent turned terrorist, Renard. When M is abducted, Bond discovers that Renard and Elektra are in fact working together to deliberately cause a nuclear catastrophe in Istanbul in a plot to sabotage a Russian oil pipeline increasing the value of Elektras supply. With the help of American nuclear physicist, Dr. Christmas Jones, Bond must race against time to not only save M but prevent Elektra and Renard from killing millions of innocent people. The film marks the first time that the role of M has been greatly increased giving her a major role in the main plot. Ever since Judi Dench took on the role in 1995, the character of M had taken on a new life. Where in previous films M had mostly only appeared in one or two scenes, Dench had become a much more integral part of the Brosnan films. Beginning with her initial frosty subjugation of Bond in GoldenEye, this developed over the course of the following films to become an almost maternal relationship with a mutual respect and affection. With a key element of the film being Ms friendship and eventual kidnapping by Elektra, she plays a hugely important role in the journey of the film. Another character given a larger role in this film is Valentin Zukovsky, the Russian mafia boss who first appeared in a few short scenes during GoldenEye. In The World Is Not Enough, he is given further opportunities to develop and finds himself at the heart of the story due to his association with Elektra. Played by Robbie Coltrane, Zukovsky is a typically larger than life, extremely likeable character who in the absence of Felix Leiter or another similar secondary comrade plays a vital role in connecting the various plot threads. As is commonly the case of those who assist Bond, Zukovskys fate is sealed but not before saving Bond from a seemingly inescapable situation. Despite the relatively short screen-time for Zukovsky over the course of two films, Coltrane makes him a memorable character and unlike Jack Wade, the CIA agent from the previous two films, Zukovskys appearance here is a welcome one. After the high octane opening sequence, the films action scenes fail to match anything close to the same level of excitement and innovation. A ski sequence that sees Bond and Elektra pursued by villains in parahawks would normally have proven to be a highpoint but it lacks the brilliance and spectacle of Bond ski chases of old. Despite some big explosions and a few neat stunts there is a nagging sense that the scene is simply going through the motions to provide a generic exciting moment. Another similarly lacklustre action sequence sees a race against time to prevent a bomb from detonating inside Elektras oil pipeline. Bond and Dr. Jones travel inside the pipeline on a motorised sled to catch up with the bomb in what should be a tense, thrilling scene. Unfortunately the sequence is marred by poorly rendered CGI, in its first significant use in a Bond film, draining the whole scene of any tension or any real sense of danger.Classic Line
Zukovsky: Cant you just say hello like a normal person.
The film marks the return to another of Bonds best loved locations, Istanbul in Turkey. Previously a key location used in From Russia With Love and soon to be seen again in Skyfalls opening sequence, Istanbul was planned to be used for the films climactic scenes however after sets had already been built on location a pair of bombings rocked the city in March 1999 killing 13 people. As a result, the decision was made to film the required scenes at Pinewood using green screen backdrops and pre-filmed establishing shots of the city meaning no members of the films cast would have to travel to Turkey. The final scenes, set on board a submarine as Bond and Dr. Jones attempt to stop Renard causing a nuclear disaster, are sadly a little anticlimactic and most surprisingly for a Bond film, perhaps too claustrophobic. Where in the past, Bond films have been known for their huge sets and large scale final battles this is a much smaller affair simply pitting Bond against Renard in a one-on-one fist fight to the death. It is a not wholly successful break from formula for the series and after a two hour running time there is the distinct impression that the film has run out of steam. While not too dissimilar from the climactic fight at the end of GoldenEye, at least on that occasion there were other events taking place simultaneously to build the tension and offer some genuine thrills. The World Is Not Enough suffers from having such a brilliant pre-credits sequence that the rest of the film feels underwhelming as a result. Despite a few tweaks to the tried and tested formula there is little to make this a truly memorable entry in the series.