An astute review, Lady Lavinia. My biggest gripes with DAD is the uneven tone - there's the gritty, relatively dark beginning that somehow devolves into a reincarnation of Moonraker in an icy setting.
My other gripe is with Jinx's characterization - she's supposed to be Bond's professional equal, a politically correct feminist-friendly Bond girl of the 21st century, but she finds herself in the damsel in distress category after being captured twice. After her one success at the Cuban clinic, I lost respect for her abilities as an agent; Jinx doesn't seem to handle being under pressure nearly as well as some of the earlier Bond girls such as Pussy Galore, Tracy or Melina. Purvis and Wade saddle everyone with awful dialogue (I am eternally grateful to Paul Haggis for saving CR from such a fate), but Halle Berry was stuck with some of the worst. She redeems herself somewhat in her battle with Frost, which was the one highlight of the film's sprawling second half.
I was much more interested in Miranda Frost as a character and wished she had more screen time. I did enjoy the mole revelation scene, but I think it would've had a more believable impact on Bond if they actually had a deeper relationship.
Like with LTK, I think DAD could've cut down on the supporting characters' roster, especially to tighten the storyline. Brosnan and the others try to make the most of the mess they were given, but they just can't salvage the film as a whole from generic action movie status.
My other gripe is with Jinx's characterization - she's supposed to be Bond's professional equal, a politically correct feminist-friendly Bond girl of the 21st century, but she finds herself in the damsel in distress category after being captured twice.
I have no complaints about this, Rose. One, Jinx got captured due to Bond roaming about Graves' complex the first time. And she got captured the second time, because Bond told her to trust Miranda.
Also, even while captive under that laser thing, she still managed to save Bond's ass.
And considering that Bond has been captured a good number of times over the years, I have nothing againt someone like Jinx being captured. In fact, Bond has had his ass saved by Vesper - three times - in CASINO ROYALE. Connery's Bond was saved in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, GOLDFINGER, and THUNDERBALL by the leading ladies. If it's okay for Bond to become captured or endangered, then as far as I'm concerned, it's okay for the same thing to happen to a competent agent like Jinx.
As for dialogue, I think that Brosnan got the worst of it.
My other gripe is with Jinx's characterization - she's supposed to be Bond's professional equal, a politically correct feminist-friendly Bond girl of the 21st century, but she finds herself in the damsel in distress category after being captured twice. After her one success at the Cuban clinic, I lost respect for her abilities as an agent; Jinx doesn't seem to handle being under pressure nearly as well as some of the earlier Bond girls such as Pussy Galore, Tracy or Melina. Purvis and Wade saddle everyone with awful dialogue (I am eternally grateful to Paul Haggis for saving CR from such a fate), but Halle Berry was stuck with some of the worst. She redeems herself somewhat in her battle with Frost, which was the one highlight of the film's sprawling second half.
I was much more interested in Miranda Frost as a character and wished she had more screen time. I did enjoy the mole revelation scene, but I think it would've had a more believable impact on Bond if they actually had a deeper relationship.
Like with LTK, I think DAD could've cut down on the supporting characters' roster, especially to tighten the storyline. Brosnan and the others try to make the most of the mess they were given, but they just can't salvage the film as a whole from generic action movie status.
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I have no complaints about this, Rose. One, Jinx got captured due to Bond roaming about Graves' complex the first time. And she got captured the second time, because Bond told her to trust Miranda.
Also, even while captive under that laser thing, she still managed to save Bond's ass.
And considering that Bond has been captured a good number of times over the years, I have nothing againt someone like Jinx being captured. In fact, Bond has had his ass saved by Vesper - three times - in CASINO ROYALE. Connery's Bond was saved in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, GOLDFINGER, and THUNDERBALL by the leading ladies. If it's okay for Bond to become captured or endangered, then as far as I'm concerned, it's okay for the same thing to happen to a competent agent like Jinx.
As for dialogue, I think that Brosnan got the worst of it.
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