"Die Another Day," Or, How the Mighty Have Fallen
Thursday, June 11, 2020 at 12:00PM We're celebrating 2002 this week. Here's Deborah Lipp...
When Die Another Day was released in November of 2002, it was greeted with tempered enthusiasm. Spending time, as I do, among movie fans, and within the narrower Bond fan community, there were certain very clear reactions: Invisible car: Dumb; Madonna song: Bad; Movie overall: Pretty damn great.
How the mighty have fallen. I should explain...
I am the author of The Ultimate James Bond Fan Book (currently out of print; an updated edition will be released in advance of No Time to Die). My book was first published in 2006 just as the world was awaiting Casino Royale; Die Another Day was, thus, the most recent film included.
One of the features of the book then (and in the upcoming edition) is extensive survey data. Looking at how fans rank James Bond films in 2020 compared to 2006 is interesting. Most movies are more or less where they were then, with a modicum of shuffling to make room for the four Daniel Craig movies. The only movies that have changed significantly are The World is Not Enough (1999), which dropped 10 positions, and Die Another Day (2002), which dropped 13. As a matter of fact, Die Another Day went from center of the pack to dead last.
I can’t explain it.
Rosamund Pike vs. Halle Berry
The World is Not Enough is actually easy to explain: A dark, moody romance ending in a tragic death, was supplanted by a much better dark, moody romance ending in a tragic death. We don’t need you, World..., we have Casino Royale now!
It’s not that there’s nothing to criticize about Die Another Day. It was criticized in 2002 for being overblown. It perhaps seems worse now, because the Daniel Craig movies are so dialed back, so earthy. But there’s also much to love in the last Brosnan film, and fans have forgotten that.
Pierce Brosnan, imprisoned
The first hour of Die Another Day is hard-as-nails, gritty espionage, with a fantasy edge. It’s surely Pierce Brosnan’s best work in the series (his performance was richly praised by no less than Roger Ebert). It takes Bond to a darker and uglier place than he’d ever been, imprisoned and tortured for fourteen months. There are, in this hour, scenes that stand among the best that 007 has to offer—an extraordinary swordfight with the villain, a breathtaking surfing sequence, an audacious stroll into the Hong Kong Yacht Club as if barefoot and dripping wet is how everyone arrives.
The middle section is where it gets fantastical—invisible car and ice palace included. I like the fantasy elements of James Bond movies, provided they’re not too campy. An ice palace is a worthy throwback to the days of hollowed-out volcanoes.
But, yes, the last act admittedly falls apart. Overblown plot, self-importance, over-amped action, and horrifically bad CGI make everything in the last forty minutes or so either unpleasant or unnecessary.
For that reason, a mid-pack ranking of the film makes sense. Love the meeting in Cuba, hate the fake para-surfing, love the escape from MI6, hate the exploding jet. Love the villain and his diamond-studded compatriot, hate the stupid henchmen. This balancing act makes sense for a mid-level movie. But how did it become the Worst Bond of All for fans?
Reader Comments (31)
I'm blinded by my Madonna stan-dom, but "Die Another Day" is a very good song from one of the most interesting and *the* most underappreciated moment of her career (American Life).
Adele and Sam Smith have both won Oscars for the safe, dreary, symphonic Bond song parody, which I suppose any half-decent songwriter could do. Bond fans might've liked that better, but I'm glad M gave us something different. Also, if Die Another Day had been a good movie maybe people would feel differently about the song, I don't know. Maybe not!
Credit to the HFPA for recognizing it.
I'm pretty sure it's the only one I haven't seen, although I couldn't in all honestly tell you the plots of any of the Moore one's so I could have missed some of those.
I seem to remember the buzz at the time was that it didn't need to be seen in cinemas. Maybe by the time it was likely to turn up on terrestrial viewing Casino was already being buzzed and therefore nobody can remember it positively.
My favourite remains From Russia With Love, but likely because I watched it over and over as a kid.
Madonna's "Die Another Die" has always been underrated. And yet Sam Smith has an Oscar for writing one of the most boring Bond songs ever.
It's bad. Is it worse than The Man with the Golden Gun or Licence to Kill? Not sure I'd say that. But it's bad.
It's definitely in the bottom 5 for me!
Die Another Day is a good song but very odd,a bit like Ace of Base and Pet Shop Boys rejected Bond theme songs,it's just not a typical bond theme,Madonna doesn't have the range for that,I have a soft spot for Bonds with female villains so this gets a yes from me and Madge's cameo is wooden perfection.
Like others, I don't think "Die Another Day" is a bad song at all. I actually like it. But, not sure it's a great Bond song.
I liked this movie, ridiculous ice palace and all. It also introduced me (and the world) to Rosamund who is quite fun, and Rick Yune is a beautiful man. This is also a much better action outing for Halle Berry than catwoman or any of the X-Men films (other than maybe her great line with the toad).
I’ve always disliked Pierce Brosnan. Seemed like a complete snob and not my idea of James Bond. When he became Bond, I refused to watch any of those films. Glad to realize that his is the worst.
@Joe G- I agree with everything you said. There was buzz the Berry might get a spin off movie for her character. Is this the best action movie she has ever been in?
Also yes Yune is quite good looking (where is his romantic leading role?) and Pike is good too (it's clear Hollywood has no idea what to do with her post Gone Girl)
The World is not Enough is the worst? Really? That movie has a good title song and a great (and only) primary female villain.
I actually LOVE Die Another Day from Madonna. I think it's one of her best songs and one of the best James Bond themes. Everytime I hear it on my iPod, I always hit repeat several times after. It's severely underrated.
Do not come for the song Die Another Day like this. Not today.
My sister also thinks this is the worst Bond film, but I'm not convinced. Moonraker and Octopussy are both pretty bad.
My husband thinks this has the worst Bond song, but I think I disagree with that, too. All Time High, Thunderball, and whatever bland unmelodic song Sam Smith won an Oscar for all seem worse to me. (Seriously, that must have been a truly weak year for best song.)
Cash: Smith's competitors were Earned It, Til It Happens To You, Manta Ray and Simple Song #3. When EARNED IT is probably, no irony "The Best Song Nominated", no crap it's a weak year. Why did Smith win? Honestly, I can only conclude that NO ONE in the broader academy wanted to be caught DEAD voting for Fifty Shades for ANYTHING.
Octopussy is the worst Bond movie. Brosnan may not be the best, but he’s not the worst, especially considering how many times Moore sleepwalked through the role.
This movie is unpopular largely for being an over the top campy Bond movie at a time when that was going out of fashion. The gritty Bourne and Batman’s were starting a new trend at the time. The following Bond films followed this trend to varying degrees of success. I personally have a soft spot for the silly Bond movies.
Also, Die Another Day the song is pretty great! Was a crossover hit at the time and still holds up. Sort of like the 2000’s version of Duran Duran’s View to a Kill
The hardcore Bond fans hate Madonna's song. I used to like it a lot more than I do now. I just loved how it took a different take on things. Over the years, though, the weaknesses become more apparent to me.
But Sam Smith? Ugh I hate that song. It's not as bad as Lulu's "The Man with the Golden Gun," but it's pretty damn bad.
As a longtime James Bond fan... for me, this was the worst film of the Bond series. Why? Well... let's see.
A lame villain, the invisible car, lame theme song that is worsened by a stupid cameo from an aging dinosaur, the invisible car, awful visual effects, uninspired usage of locations, the invisible car, the fucking ice hotel, the invisible car, attempt to create a new character for a spin-off movie that wasn't going to be any good, the invisible car, stupid twist involving antagonist where he is revealed to be North Korean who became a bland-as-potato-salad white guy, the invisible car, Bond surfing on lame CGI water, and the invisible car.
Oh, did I also mention the invisible car?
I actually love The Man with the Golden Gun (Film). The Madonna song is a great song to jog to. Really had me sprinting back in the day. Avoided this movie because of the Halle Berry overhype (and mainly Pierce Brosnan).
I rank this film quite low down but I like it more than GoldenEye and The World Is Not Enough. I like Madonna's song very much. The opening sequences in North Korea are solid. On the downside, the story is over the top, and I can't buy that no one would be able to find about Toby Stephens' character's past. And the CGI surfing doesn't belong in a Bond film. But it's a beautifully shot film. And Rosamund Pike is striking. Overall, not bad.
Die Another Day and A View to a Kill are both better songs than their movies. I saw AVTAKill at the show and fell asleep in my seat. I’m suspecting that Madonna’s song will be miles more listenable than whatever Billie Eilish will surprise us with for No Time To Die (if audiences can ever return to the theaters to see this Bond 25). Still place Nobody Does it Better/Carly Simon was the greatest theme song :)
Die Another Day is a great song and I prefer the opening credits of the movie as the “official music video” than the real one. Speaking of bad Bond songs, that one from Quantum of Solace is a tragic mess, definitely the worst for me - despite the talent of Alicia Keys and Jack White.
Edward L., the surfing that opens the movie is real. it was filmed at Jaws Beach in Hawaii. I'm a fan.
The "para-surfing" is CGI. It is definitely the low point of the movie.
Deborah Lipp: Thanks - yes, I meant the para-surfing later in the movie. The surfing that opens it is a very good sequence.
This write up is such a welcome surprise, as I haven't thought about this movie in so long.
DAD (lol) introduced me to Rosamund Pike, so I'm super grateful for that. Halle isn't a bad Bond Girl at all, I really thought she fit in perfectly with the tone of these films. And Rick Yune! What a great villain with some cool make up effects. I really think the casting is great in this one, its just so damn cartoony. I just wish the film was shot better - with those set pieces, how could you NOT captivate it interestingly on screen?
Well now I really, really want to see this again. I can remember very little about it other than Halle Berry's bikini and Rick Yune's cheekbones. I do recall the invisible car but is that more ridiculous than anything going on in Moonraker 20 years before?
Surely this can't be as bad as Moonraker or Octopussy or those Timothy Dalton movies I can't even recall?
"A View to Kill" is still the worst movie in the series
Hey all, what's wrong with Octopussy? A couple of iffy jokes aside, it's a ravishing spy adventure with many superb sequences. And the chemistry between Roger Moore and Maud Adams is off the scale.
Sean connery
Best: diamonds are forever
Worst: never say never again
Roger Moore
Best: the spy who loved me and for your eyes only
Worst: a view to a kill
Pierce Brosnan
Best: goldeneye
Worst: die another day
Daniel craig
Best: skyfall
Worst: quantum of solace
Add me to the group that Sam Smith is the WORST Bond ever!!!
First of all I love the good will for Madonnas "Die another Day"! What a great intro in the Movie and what a great Video! I like the Song very much. Not the Best Song, but far away from the Worst for me. But the Movie is a stinker! One of the Worst of the Series, but I think Moonrker is the Worst. Ist so lovebly bad, it is fun. But ist not a parody!
I think Sam Smith Song got to much hate. Who should had won? Gaga Maybe. Simple '3 Maybe, too. Manta Ray would be great, but can such a Song win the Oscar? For me Sam Smith is a typically but good bond song. I love the emotionas and range in it. But it is Sam Smith Voice that makes it a lot better than it is for sure. In another crowded Year he would prabably lost. But he also won the Golden Globe for it, so it was not so suprising and Worse as "Man or Muppet"! Geln Close could have won for SOngwriing that year and would be deserved or Madonna for "Masterpiece" (who won the Golden Globe for) or Mary J. Blidge for The Help. Many oppurtunitys, but they fuck i up so hard that year. After That "Skyfall" remains as one of the best Winners and I think Many Bond Songs are Winning now the Oscar for "Best Song"!
I was in the movie theatre watching this movie; a few minutes after Halle Berry's infamous bathing suit strut, the film burned and disintegrated before our eyes, to everyone's astonishment.
The movie clerk came on, they apologized, and gave us free movie tickets which we never used thereafter. This is my memory of the movie, and a sign I had put in just enough effort to watch it.