Pierce Brosnan wasn't my favourite James Bond by any means, but somehow I think that might be as much to do with the fact that he was given some really weak storylines to deliver. This one centres around megalomaniac media mogul "Carver" (Jonathan Pryce) who manages to engineer a deadly conflict between the Royal Navy and the Chinese military over a mis-directed destroyer. Next thing we know, "007" is drafted in to find out just what happened before the world finds itself facing an international conflagration that seems designed to ensure that "Carver" gets media rights in the hitherto unwilling China. They, too, are suspicious at the turn of events, so despatch their top agent "Wai Lin" (Michelle Yeoh) and together they must combine their resources to combat the menacing henchman "Stamper" (Götz Otto) and the quirkily engaging "Dr. Kaufman" (Vincent Schiavelli) whose film-stealing scene as the dapper, yet lethal, assassin does raise a smile. Teri Hatcher provides the short-lived love interest. An unremarkable actress at the best of times, she brings a little glamour but very little else to this frequently rather (contrived) dialogue-heavy enterprise. Dame Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer renew their long established partnership for a few scenes, and Desmond Llewellyn gets a few extra ones which is nice to watch. Otherwise, this is just another fairly charm-free, factory produced instalment of a franchise that is struggling to make impact amongst an increasingly more competitive genre that is out-writing and out-impressing this tried looking series.
