GoldenEye-I Was Hoping for Bronson Pinchot
GoldenEye marks the first Bond flick to sport a new, more exciting Bond in Pierre Bronson. I had been hoping for Bronson Pinchot but you take what you can get. Timothy Dalton was never a good fit as Bond, but in all fairness filling the shoes of Roger Moore, pretty tough stuff. Bronson however is a good fit as Bond. Bronson has a confidence and elegance, albeit a feminine word to use to describe a man that says, “this guy can handle the part.” Like all the other Bond films before it, GoldenEye centers on one highly trained British secret agent with a perpetual erection saving the world from baddies. He takes the occasional break of course to mount the nearest supermodel that happens to stumble into his field of fire.
Of course, saving the world is front and center as Bond must keep a Soviet designed superweapon, here played well by GoldenEye, from ripping the world a new one. Yes, you have seen it all before, but with Bronson now replacing Dalton, one is left feeling that some sort of global inequality has been corrected, as if some great disturbance in the Force has been rectified.
All the usual suspects are back and accounted for, ranging from the women to the weapons. The visual and special effects are what really make GoldenEye worth the time however. Visual effects supervisor Chris Cobould deserves a nice nod for a job well done as does art director Gerry Gavigan. GoldenEye has a slick look that helps audiences, mostly overlook, the fact that they have seen it all before.
Director Martin Cambell who previous work includes the very underrated action science-fiction film No Escape takes full advantage of the approximately $50-$60 million dollar budget. After the borderline flops of the Dalton era, the box-office grab of over $300 million dollars for GoldenEye must have been a welcomed relief for many a studio executive at MGM. It is also a testament to why Hollywood is so fixed with formulas, for when done correctly, they often so very lucrative. Bond, is a brand name and when the rest of the formula is in place, a brand name sells tickets. However, this simple fact can also decrease the quality of the overall product as writers, directors and studio executives know they don't have to work as hard to create a quality product.
If you are looking for a film that breaks new ground in some fashion, then keep going, but if you have not yet seen GoldenEye, and like action flicks, this is a good bet. Again, GoldenEye is not ground breaking, but it is more original than many previous Bond installments.
Story C+
Acting C- (Bronson does a borderline great job as Bond.)
Visuals A- (Great visuals make GoldenEye the fun that it is.)
Originality/Innovation C
Enjoyability Grade B
Home Theater/HD Factor A
Overall Grade B- (Once you ignore the “that is impossible” factor of GoldenEye you can have a good time and enjoy its escapist ride.)
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