GoldenEye (1995) Reviews

• GoldenEye is my number 1 favorite James Bond 007 action film of all time - the best one

  ivo-cobra82017-10-30

  GoldenEye (1995) is my number 1 personal favorite movie of all time! James Bond 007 action film the best one that was ever made. In my opinion it is the best one I love this movie to death! I grew up watching it as a child and Pierce Brosnan is my number 1 favorite James Bond. GoldenEye is the first film to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 officer James Bond. The film was directed by Martin Campbell and is the first in the series not to take story elements from the works of novelist Ian Fleming. I'm a hard-core James Bond fan. I make no apologies for believing that Pierce Brosnan is the closest thing we've seen to IAN FLEMING's James Bond. The reason because it is my favorite it is because I feel it is just action, action , action and more action. I never feel bored with it, or it is too over long like some Bond movies are it is fast paced, entertaining and hard core action. The plot is simply and the story never get's bored. It is a beautiful movie, with beautiful direction from Martin Campbell. The stunts are completely insane in scale in this movie and really dangerous. Music score is by Éric Serra, the title song is GoldenEye performed by Tina Turner. GoldenEye was released in 1995 after a six-year hiatus in the series caused by legal disputes, during which Timothy Dalton resigned from the role of James Bond and was replaced by Pierce Brosnan. M was also recast, with actress Judi Dench becoming the first woman to portray the character, replacing Robert Brown. The role of Miss Moneypenny was also recast, with Caroline Bliss being replaced by Samantha Bond: Desmond Llewelyn was the only actor to reprise his role, as Q. GoldenEye was the first Bond film made after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, which provided a background for the plot. Style and sophistication are in abundance - - "The name's Bond. James Bond." Goldeneye's female characters are honestly beautiful with particular techniques. The bad one is Xenia Onatopp (Famke Janssen), an ex-Soviet fighter pilot who tranquilly smokes big cigars and knocks off her victims with her 'killer thighs.' In one scene, she challenges Bond's legendary Aston Martin DB5 to a wild road race outside Monte Carlo with her red Ferrari: in another she was so smart that she snatches a top-secret helicopter from under the noses of the French navy. Izabella Scorupco is a great and the finest Bond girl, the irresistible Natalya Simonova (Izabella Scorupco) who 'tastes like strawberries.' Natalya possesses all the technical ability to neutralize Janus' scheme or to destroy all computer records with the GoldenEye As one who survived a mass murder, this lovely beauty is suddenly a marked woman. James Bond investigates the theft of the control disk for the GoldenEye satellite. His investigation leads to an organization of arms dealers Janus and the reappearance of someone from Bond's past. James Bond must deal with betrayal of his old friend Alec Trevelyan (006) gone rogue, from using a satellite GoldenEye against London to cause a global financial meltdown Why I also love this movie to death beside the action is because of the great villains who created evil characters. Such as: Sean Bean as Alec Trevelyan (006), Famke Janssen as Xenia Onatopp: A Georgian lust murderer, Gottfried John as General Arkady Grigorovich Ourumov and Alan Cumming as Boris Grishenko: A computer programmer. It was filmed in beautiful locations in Puerto Rico, Russia, England, UK and in the France. The movie has a lot of insane hard-core action (I counted TEN all-star ones during my last viewing), The stunts are completely insane in scale (bungee jumping in - Arkangel Chemical Weapons Facility a stunt man performed that stunt in the opening scene.) Bond with a motorcycle jumps on a plane and catches it. Bond drives a tank in Russia for the first time and he demolishes even police cars that was excellent scene. Bond a stuntman jumps out of the window in Russia. Alec Trevelyan's train depot - exploding train. The epic climatic fight on the end of the movie between Bond and Trevelyan in his secret Goldeneye satellite control dish in Cuba in which Bond drops Trevelyan out of dish beautiful and really crazy stunt performance. I love the soundtracks in this movie: Goldeneye by Tina Turner and The Experience of Love by Éric Serra. I just love everything about this movie from the actions, to the heroes, to the villains from acting everything abut this movie I just love so much. GoldenEye (1995) is the seventeenth spy film in the James Bond series to be produced by Eon Productions, and the first to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 officer James Bond. The film was directed by Martin Campbell and is the first in the series not to take story elements from the works of novelist Ian Fleming. 10/10 my favorite James Bond number 1 movie. This film is amazing Totally mind-blowing I love it.

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• This one deserves much more credit then it has received.

  Pietka-21999-11-01

  This is by far one of the best Bond films simply because it does not try to be a Bond film. GoldenEye demonstrates an impressive independence that separates it from the tried-and-true-but-getting-boring Bond formula. The one liners are not that great, but the action sequences are mindblowing. The chase scene is the best I have ever seen in any movie. Period. Purists will complain that there is a lack of gadgetry, but let them pout and go back to MacGyver reruns. Possibility is not permissibility. Just because Bond has a snazzy car does not mean that he has to utilize every perk that Q has included. It is a relief that the writers did not force a new scene just to show off the car. The movie does not need one, which helps it to maintain its quality as not just a Bond movie, but a high quality action movie that can stand on its own. You will even find (gasp!) . . . character building! There is actually dialogue between Q and Bond, instead of just a briefing and some commands. Brosnan more than holds his own against past Bonds, and offers some of that GQ gentlemen element found missing in some of the past ones. Bond fan, action fan, any fan, check this one out. I even made my girlfriend watch it, and even she enjoyed it. Chances are you will too.

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• Campbell's "GoldenEye" embraces many of the best-loved motifs and situations from the classic Bond movies…

  Nazi_Fighter_David2007-11-04

  Brosnan has the look, the style, the intelligence and the bravura that James Bond should have… As charming, sophisticated, and always in control of the situation, Bond called upon all his ability for improvising escapes from truly impossible situations… The new Bond drives a BMW, remains preferring his vodka martinis 'shaken but not stirred,' and uses a Walther PPK, 7.65mm… The famous announcement "Bond, James Bond" is changed… The plot line of "Goldeneye" revolves around an international terrorist organization calling itself Janus that steels a top-secret Russian weapon system named GoldenEye and threatens to use it to destroy a major European city unless paid off… Bond's mission was to find and stop the GoldenEye, struggling with a sadistic assassin, a treacherous general, an 'invincible' computer hacker, and most dangerous of all, a colleague and friend… The opening scene is spectacular with a great bungee jump from a top of a dam to an exciting racing over a cliff in a motorcycle and skydiving into a crushing private plane… Martin Campbell's film comes with a phenomenal tank chase through the streets of St. Petersburg; a brutal showdown in the jungle; and a battle to the death on a high gantry… Goldeneye's female characters are honestly beautiful with particular techniques… The bad one is Xenia Onatopp (Famke Janssen), an ex-Soviet fighter pilot who tranquilly smokes big cigars and knocks off her victims with her 'killer thighs.' In one scene, she challenges Bond's legendary Aston Martin DB5 to a wild road race outside Monte Carlo with her red Ferrari; in another she was so smart that she snatches a top-secret helicopter from under the noses of the French navy… The good Bond girl is the irresistible Natalya Simonova (Izabella Scorupco) who 'tastes like strawberries.' Natalya possesses all the technical ability to neutralize Janus' scheme or to destroy all computer records with the GoldenEye… As one who survived a mass murder, this lovely beauty is suddenly a marked woman… The other supporting actors are all fine: Sean Bean plays a potentially fascinating bad character, the embittered and cynical traitor who was believed to have been killed on a mission… Alec Trevelyan has sworn revenge on the country that was responsible for his parents' suicide… Alan Cumming plays the 'invincible' Boris Grishenko who sees crime as a chance to show off his skills; and Gottfried John, the renegade ambitious general who provides inside access to Russian military secrets… Award-winning Judi Dench is terrific as Bond's unshaken spy chief… Samantha Bond as MoneyPenny puts forward for consideration that Bond's behavior might be interpreted as sexual harassment… Serena Gordon as the neurotic MI6 assessor Caroline evaluates 007 for just 'trying to show off the size of his… ego.' One familiar face among the MI6 staff was that of the redoubtable Q, played once again by Desmond Llewelyn who introduces 007 to his latest chariot, the BMW Z3… Although convertible, this agile vehicle doesn't play a significant action role in the film… Q doesn't forget to deliver Bond a typical leather belt, a watch that expels a laser beam, and a silver pen used to clever effect… The 17th Bond film takes us from Russia, Puerto Rico, Monaco and back to England… It features one of the best title tunes performed by the "Queen of Rock & Roll," Tina Turner… For trivia buffs: Kate Gayson appears as an extra at the Chemin De Fer table at Monte Carlo's gambling casino; she's the daughter of Eunice Gayson, who played Bond's fetching girlfriend, Sylvia Trench in the first two Bond films, "Dr. No" and "From Russia With Love." It was to Sylvia Trench that Sean Connery uttered his first line of dialog, "I admire your luck, Mr. ...?"

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• An Excellent Bond Film

  kinky_chris_2001uk2005-03-11

  After a 6 year hiatus the producers needed to make this film good enough to bring Bond back to the forefront, and in comparison to the films that followed, I believe this to be the best. Without a cold war to fuel plot lines, the story is able to step into new territories, with many great plot elements. Pierce Brosnan portrays Bond amazingly well in my opinion, and ties all the classic 007 elements together flawlessly. Although adhering to the Bond foundations, this film has a great, fresh feel to it, I think partly due to the industrial style score by Eric Serra. I think you need to see this film more than once to fully appreciate it, but it is definitely a classic!

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• Brosnan helps resurrect Bond in an "A" effort

  TimBoHannon2004-08-13

  Much had changed for James Bond since Sean Connery first took the role in 1962. The series had taken a turn for the worse in the seventies, when five films were made but zero good ones were. Still, the public was willing to grant Bond limitless amnesty that decade, even as his escapades grew less and less exciting and more and more campy with each new film. The 70s came and went, ushering in the 80s, which kicked off well with 1981's "For Your Eyes Only." However, it went all downhill from there as the public finally stopped tolerating the bad movies and his popularity tanked in favor of superior competition. Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger became mega stars during that time, and the emergence Indiana Jones was making Bond look dull and decrepit by comparison. Tim Burton's summer sweep of the cinemas with "Batman" in 1989 exacerbated Bond's woes, and when legal disputes arose between the production company and the studio shortly thereafter, it appeared that Bond had finally died his horrible but well deserved death. When the legal issues were finally put to rest in 1994, it was announced that another Bond film was going to be made, but not with erstwhile incumbent Timothy Dalton. Pierce Brosnan was given the role after being forced to reject it in the late eighties, and production began. The success of the film was crucial. If it lacked spark or came across as campy, it was likely that Bond would be finished forever. With the stakes in mind, the Broccoli family (the Bond producers) hired an all-new creative team and set to work re-establishing 007 in a new era. I knew none of that when I first saw the film in 1999. It was my introduction to the world of James Bond, and was a truly an exceptional first handshake. Knowing what I know now, and seeing the Bond films I have seen now, I still find it as worthwhile as I did then, and I am forever thankful that it was made well enough to not only resuscitate Bond, but propel him into the nineties with the momentum of a blazing fastball. The film opens in the eighties, ironically, with a scene depicting the Bond and Agent 006, real name Alec Trevelyan, being detected inside a Soviet chemical weapons factory. This section also introduces the character of Ourumov (Gottfried John), who murders Alec seemingly on a whim. Nine years later, Bond meets an appealing young lady (Famke Janssen) while driving...make that playfully racing, near Monte Carlo. Suspicious, he follows her to a nearby casino where he finds out that her name is Xenia Onatopp and she carries ties to the Janus crime syndicate in St. Petersburg. He chases Xenia when he suspects an imminent crime, but is not in time to avert her theft of the Tiger--a helicopter that is hardened to all forms of electronic interference. Back at MI-6 headquarters, the Tiger is spotted via satellite at Russian satellite control facility, and it soon becomes obvious that the copter is merely part of a grander scheme to steal a scary satellite weapon called GoldenEye. What it does can be described with words, but not with as much clarity as seeing it in the movie (there are lapses in the visuals here, but the sight is so impressive that they hardly matter). Bond then departs for St. Petersburg to find the Janus head man (Sean Bean) and stop him from using GoldenEye on a more vulnerable target. Much mystery surrounds the identity of Janus, but it is in the trailer and I suspect most people know it by now. There are several reasons that "GoldenEye" is the best Bond film made in many, many years. The first is the tone, which has ushered out all of the giddy goofiness of Roger Moore's films and assumed one reminiscent of the earliest Bond films. The sets, the camera work and the dialogue all come across as subtle, subconscious reminders of why Bond became so beloved to begin with. I always felt there were two major problems with the Bonds of the seventies and eighties. The first is the inane tone (exception: "For Your Eyes Only,"), a point I am driving into the ground. With the same exception, they also featured uniformly unexciting (read it: bad) action plus horrendous acting. There are light moments in "GoldenEye," as there should be, but the correct tone is never compromised. The only problem is that there is a little too much padding in the middle. The story is well told, although there is a meeting with Bond and Valentin Zukovsky (reprised by Robbie Coltrane in "The World is Not Enough") that has no significance to the advancement of the story. It is unnecessary and causes the film to drag some. After Bond meets Janus, though, prepare for the film to take off, as there will be little rest from there on out. Just like in the early Bonds, the acting transcends the genre. Pierce Brosnan is the clear focal point, and is mostly successful. He seems too reserved at times, as if he is a little timid at acting his best for fear it might look bad. He does not lack charm, though, because there is something about Pierce that makes him the ultimate ladies man on screen and off. More successful is Sean Bean as James's opponent. Bean brings cold, subtle intensity to the role that shows off the acting skills that got him cast in "The Fellowship of the Ring." General Ourumov, who is in bed with Janus, provides a second bad guy. Gottfried John portrays him as a demonstrative brute, and his style provides a fine foil to Bean's controlled anger. Alan Cumming plays an evil computer nerd who provides most the light moments I referred to earlier. Fellow X-Man Famke Janssen's character is downright demented, and will not be forgotten easily. My friends, I have just explained why "GoldenEye" is a most superior Bond film that brought Agent 007 back from the dead and won over a new generation of fans. The best way I can think of to conclude this review is to comment on the film's conclusion. At one point it involves a brawl between Bond and Janus (who is referred to by his real name by that time) that buries just about every other one in the series. While it does quite not take the gold from the fistfight that opens "Thunderball," is does serve as a final reminder that Bond is indeed back, and that he is once again a force best not ignored.

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