“I Know All About You 007”

After being captured in North Korea because of a high-profile traitor and inadvertently killing Colonel Tan-Sun Moon (Will Yun Lee) James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) is released but has his 007 status revoked. Undeterred Bond decides to find out who betrayed him. To do this he begins chasing Colonel Moon’s henchman, Zao (Rick Yune) with help from NSA agent “Jinx” (Halle Berry). Eventually, they discover Zao is linked to British millionaire Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens). Who has been developing a satellite to harness the Sun’s power. What secrets is Graves hiding and how will he use that satellite?

“Such Hospitality”

Some gems are scattered throughout Bond’s 20^th outing. Pierce Brosnan is still effortlessly cool as Bond. His unflappable exterior gives the impression of someone hardened by betrayals and near-death experiences. And while he doesn’t get any standout dramatic moments Brosnan’s charisma still makes him fun to watch.

There are also some great performances among the supporting cast. Halle Berry’s Jinx often receives unfair derision, but her cheery attitude and chemistry with Brosnan make her a welcome addition in my book. John Cleese is a hilarious curmudgeonly Q. Judi Dench is always fantastic. But the MVPs are Will Yun Lee and Kenneth Tsang (General Moon). Lee has a commanding presence thanks to his confidence and how he acquits himself with the opening scene’s fight choreography. Meanwhile, Tsang’s world-weary demeanour gives General Moon real depth. His reunion with his son is the film’s emotional highlight with Tsang’s performance naturally capturing a range of reserved emotions.

And the film has some great action sequences. The opening hovercraft fight is over the top but well-staged and thrilling to watch. Bond and Graves’ sword fight has great choreography and the car chase on the ice is a fantastic vehicular stunt segment.

“You’ve Always Found It Difficult To Accept Me”

Unfortunately, these positives pale next to the pictures’ pervasive problems. Undoubtedly, the biggest issue is the narrative. The story is simple, but the plotting is dull and confusing. A lot of key information gets glossed over in boring dialogue exchanges. And because the audience barely knows the main villains in the early scenes we cannot invest in the danger of the situation. Not helping are the whiplash-inducing tonal shifts. With torture and conflict diamonds sitting alongside cringe-worthy sexual innuendos and cheesy sci-fi gadgets.

Of course, there are some production aspects that make the film hard to watch. These include the awful techno soundtrack which is grating to listen to. We also have gimmicky and overdone editing tricks that feel entirely out of place. Additionally, the awful CGI and green screen work will instantly break any modern viewer’s immersion.

Finally, Die Another Day’s villains are complete duds. Zao is an ok heavy, but he doesn’t leave much of an impression personality-wise. Rosamund Pike is wasted as Miranda Frost who is too blandly written for her betrayal to mean anything. And Toby Stephens is awful as Gustav Graves. He has no gravitas, menace, or entertainment value, he is just annoying. The worst offence though is that Graves is later revealed to be Colonel Moon having gone through gene therapy. Meaning we were robbed of Will Yun Lee’s good performance in the part. Along with the despicable issue of Hollywood whitewashing, it all adds up to leave a bad taste in the viewers’ mouths.

Was It Really That Bad? Yes

Despite Brosnan’s good Bond performance, a few standouts amongst the supporting cast and some admittedly exciting action Die Another Day is a trainwreck. The story is confusing and jarringly inconsistent tonally. The lead villain team is entirely underwhelming. With Toby Stephens’ Gustav Graves, possibly being the worst Bond villain ever. Various production elements have also aged horribly. Particularly the CGI and the gimmicky editing techniques. And the infuriatingly racist whitewashing of the main villain means Die Another Day deserves its status as the series’ nadir.

Also Read: Who Will Be The Next James Bond?

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The Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport recently conducted a study on how British Media is received and how it impacts the perception of Britain in other countries. The key findings of the report are interesting, and good news for British Film and TV.

Influencing Tourisim

One of the findings from the report is that around two-thirds of tourists to the UK are influenced by British media. With a little under 40 million people visiting the UK each year, that’s an impressive amount that come to visit places featured in films and TV. Places like Highclere Castle, the setting for Downtown Abbey and Alnwick Castle, featured in the first two Harry Potter films as part of Hogwarts grounds were popular heritage sites, but have seen increased visitors since their respective film appearances. Harry Potter especially has lots of iconic locations featured throughout the UK across the films. Not to mention the appeal of the studio tour.

High Quality

According to the study, 70% of international audiences regard British film and TV as “high-quality”. While the definition of “quality television” is difficult to pin down, many British shows appear on IMDb’s list of the highest-rated TV shows of all time. The shows listed include dramas like Sherlock, It’s A Sin and Peaky Blinders, documentaries like Planet Earth and sitcoms like Only Fools and Horses and Fleabag. Likewise for films, including the likes of Trainspotting, Snatch 1917, as well as the Harry Potter and James Bond films. No Time To Die, the latest Bond film, became the fourth highest-grossing film of 2021, as well as being nominated for several Oscars.

Investing In Co-Productions

As a result of the findings, £1.32 Million from the UK Global Screen fund will be shared between nine co-productions, in an effort to help increase their range abroad. The nine productions benefitting from the UK Global Screen Fund awards include The Miracle Club, a UK/Ireland official co-production, The Tutor, a UK/Germany official co-production, and Ghastly Ghoul, a UK/Ireland TV animation. The Father a UK/French production was a contender at the 2021 Oscars, with six nominations in total. It won in two categories, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor for Anthony Hopkins.

New Branding

Screen UK, a new brand to showcase and celebrate UK talent which will launch as a digital campaign, rolling out internationally over the coming months. Aiming to highlight high-quality UK film, television and video games under a single brand banner, it will help distinguish and promote British content to international audiences. As the campaign has not started yet, there is very little information on what it will entail.

Also Read: What Does Making “Distinctly British” TV Mean?

Your contribution to Big Picture Film Club will allow us to continue to produce content. No matter the amount your contributions are greatly appreciated.

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1. Horror: Friday the 13^th Part 2

Friday the 13^th Part 2 is a fantastic introduction to the iconic Jason Vorhees. Through sparse screen appearances, a genuinely creepy look, Harry Manfredini’s amazing music, and characters talking about him like a figure of legend, Jason becomes a truly terrifying figure. The film also has some great kills (the two-person spear) and tense set-pieces (the Sheriff’s chase through the woods and the final act showdown). And it gives us one of the genre’s finest female characters in Ginny (Amy Steel). The original is a classic, but Part 2 made the franchise what it is today.

2. Comedy: Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey

If you’ve seen Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure watching this should be mandatory. Bogus Journey is incredibly imaginative and funny. The story includes concepts like Bill and Ted’s ghosts possessing people, having to play Twister with Death to return to Earth, Aliens living in the afterlife, and more. The sheer number of ideas and gags means that the movie never drags. The actors all have perfect comedic timing. The design work is incredible. And Bill and Ted are given more depth through the exploration of their fears. Bogus Journey is a riot and deserves to break free from its sibling’s shadow.

3. Superhero: Kick-Ass 2

While Kick-Ass 2 did lose something by having Hit Girl (played impeccably by Chloe Grace Moretz) no longer being a foul-mouthed youngster and Nic Cage not being involved it is still an entertaining comic book film. Each character has a satisfying and appropriate arc. The effective pitch-black humour returns, the murderous Hit Girl adapting to high school being the highlight. And some of the bloody action (particularly anything involving Olga Kurkulina’s Mother Russia) is really well done. Kick-Ass 2 is a good 15 rated antidote to an oversaturated market of 12a superhero sequels.

4. Sci-Fi: Alien 3

Alien and Aliens are very tough acts to follow. And while flawed it’s hard not to admire Alien 3. Rarely do we get a mainstream sequel as bleak as this. The prior film’s beloved characters are all killed. And Ripley (Sigourney Weaver in another masterful turn) is left to save a planet of prisoners who don’t value anything she has to say. While the plotting is sometimes confusing (not helped by some weird editing) Ripley’s story, the colourful supporting cast and the iconic imagery make Alien 3 deserving of appreciation on its own terms.

5. Children: Return to Oz

Despite being a sequel to one of the best movies of all time, made decades later and changing from a colourful musical with dark edges to a dark fantasy, Return to Oz somehow manages to be a great film. With a riveting story about trying to restore order to Oz, engaging new characters (Tik-Tok, Jack Pumpkinhead, and Gump), a terrifying ensemble of villains (The Nome King, Mombi, and The Wheelers), unbelievable effects, and Fairuza Balk doing good work as Dorothy this is a sequel with teeth. And it’s a perfect thematic follow-up to the original.

6. Action: Tomorrow Never Dies

Apart from the infamous Die Another Day Pierce Brosnan’s Bond sequels seem largely ignored. But Tomorrow Never Dies is a solid Bond film. The plot is somewhat plodding and after Goldeneye, TND can feel rather lacking. However, there are some great performances from Brosnan, Michelle Yeoh as Wei Lin, and Jonathan Pryce as news mogul Elliott Carver. Couple this with some fantastic action set pieces like the handcuffed motorbike chase scene, the rye humour, and a painfully relevant plot about news manipulation and you have a fun action film that more than makes up for its flaws.

Hopefully, this list encourages some of you to watch these movies. As they are worthy of more love than they initially received. And please tell us about your favourite underrated continuations so we can give more love to movies that need it.

Also Read: The New Frontier of the Western

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Spoiler Warning – some spoilers for Star Wars, Quentin Tarantino films and James Bond

Tarantino’s Universe

Perhaps my favourite fan theory comes from the films of Quentin Tarantino. This theory comes from Pulp Fiction, Mia Wallace talks about a tv show she was in which sounds very similar to the group of assassins The Bride is part of in Kill Bill. This has led to a theory that all of Tarantino’s films take place in one universe but that some of Tarantino’s films are films within this universe. So Kill Bill Vol 1 and 2 are films that were made in this universe. I’ve also heard it suggested that it is Inglourious Basterds that splits our universe from the Tarantinoverse with the change in history that Hitler was assassinated. The brutal manner of his death and the Basterds methods caused a cultural shift in seeing violence as more acceptable – hence why the Tarantinoverse and the films made in it – are exceptionally violent.

There is some evidence of a shared universe in these films. First of all – brands, several brands make multiple appearances in Tarantino films. Red Apple Cigarettes are in Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Vol 1, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and are referenced in The Hateful Eight. Big Kahuna Burgers also appears in several of his films. There are a number of characters across different films that share surnames – for example Vincent and Vic Vega, Pete and Archie Hicox, that has lead people to suppose these are related.

Now Quentin Tarantino is absolutely the sort of director who would make an overly complicated hidden connection within his films and he has pretty much confirmed this theory. I’d actually say there is a terrible mistake – the fun is in the theory, if it’s no longer a theory it’s no longer fun.

Star Wars – Revenge of The Plot Hole

There are many fan theories around Star Wars and in many ways, these are accidental injuries Star Wars gave itself as a high proportion of them are only concerned with solving the plot holes and inconsistencies caused by the prequels and sequels. These theories try to explain why characters who met in the prequels don’t know each other in the original trilogy. Or reconcile differences in Jedi principles put forth in the different trilogies. Why didn’t any of the Jedi realise Palpatine was a sith? Why can’t Jedi fall in love with people when Force-sensitivity seems to be an inherited trait? Then there are the theories about family – I’ve seen Obi-Wan suggested as the possible father of a dozen different characters. In fairness to the creators of this theory, Star Wars has done a lot to reinforce the idea that if you’re not in the Skywalker family your ability to change the galaxy is rather limited.

The ones I enjoy more are based on why are storm troopers so useless. The soldiers of a mighty empire who can’t shoot straight, whose armour is useless, who are as dumb as rocks. There’s a theory that the millions of soldiers that would be needed for an empire that size means the training basically consists of you getting handed a blaster. My personal theory on stormtroopers is that they’re not an army of conquest, or even defence, but of occupation. They’re not fighting other armies, they’re fighting rebels, they’re there to keep control (hence the lack of camouflage, they’re meant to be extremely visible). The talent and training goes to the navy as you really need to know what you’re doing travelling in hyperspace (because it ain’t like dusting crops) and if you can bombard a planet from space the army can be a bit irrelevant.

What’s The Deal With James Bond?

A theory I especially do not like runs that James Bond is not actually the name of the spy but rather a code name or title bestowed on different MI6 agents. This would explain why Bond’s appearance changes, differences in backstory, the fact that the first film is in the 60s and the last in 2010s. To me, this is simply trying to apply reason to the chaotic nature of a long-running series of films and I don’t care for it. I actually really enjoy the oddness of this aspect of Bond, in Goldeneye he is called a Cold War dinosaur, the world has changed and Bond has not. In a number of Daniel Craig’s Bond films, it is flat out stated he is too old and behind the times. I always loved that when Casino Royale was released it was the newest Bond film, set presumably at the time of release, but was actually a kind of prequel and as such happened before Dr No. A more recent theory that much more appeals to my sensibilities is that James Bond is a timelord who every so often does die and is regenerated.

Why Do We Make Theories?

So why do we have fan theories? Well, sometimes it’s because of the complexity of the work (see The Shining and the many, many fan theories) and there is indeed a great deal to analyse and understand, and there are multiple interpretations. While writing this article I found a few “fan theories” that in my opinion aren’t fan theories – the most glaring being that some fans think in Blade Runner Deckard is a replicant. That’s hardly a fan theory. DVDs, youtube clips, streaming films, IMDb make it easy to go over the films again and again, making connections and picking up on small details. When you have auteurs it’s very easy to start making connections that they’re all in the same universe or this character because they will often share artistic sensibilities. I think part of the reason people like fan theories is similar to the appeal of conspiracy theories – there is something pleasing about when things fit together nicely, there is a decades-old plan where it’s all been thought out. Of course, a director of the standing of JJ Abrams recently stated that he wished he had thought up a plan for the last Star Wars trilogy, so maybe, like reality, things are more chaotic than we like to admit.

Also Read: What Makes A Tarantino Film?

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The Contenders…

Idris Elba

Why Him? As always many names are being thrown around but Idris Elba has been a contender for some time. Elba not only brings a lot of experience for action films he is also a very talented actor lauded for his performances in The Wire and Beast of No Nation. Two other things would work for Elba – he is an exceptionally handsome man and he is very cool.

What Type Of Bond Would He Be? In his mid-forties already Elba could carry on the Daniel Craig persona of an old-hand, someone who hasn’t changed with the world. Skyfall played with the idea that Bond was “past his best”, in Goldeneye, Pierce Brosnan’s first Bond film, he was described as a Cold War dinosaur, so for some this idea has been a big part of Bond.

Cillian Murphy

Why Him? I think it’s with recent hit Peaky Blinders that Cillian showed he could play this kind of character. In that show, he plays crime boss Thomas Shelby, who while very tough, is most effective when using his mind.

What Type of Bond Would He Be? – Murphy doesn’t exactly look tough, nor does he look his age, seemingly barely ageing since his star-turn in 28 Days Later all those years ago. To me Bond often doesn’t seem very good at espionage. Don’t get me wrong – he’s very good at killing and fighting, but being subtle and discreet? Never. So maybe this could be what Murphy brings – a more intellectual hero who is actually good at being a spy.

Charlize Theron

Why Her? She might just be the best actress working today. Not only that she starred in the best action film of recent times, Mad Max: Fury Road and showed in Atomic Blonde that she is absolutely capable of all the fighting and action a Bond film would throw at her.

What Type Of Bond Would She Be? Theron was very cold and extremely ruthless in Atomic Blonde so maybe we could get an anti-hero Bond. After all, the world of espionage is not made up of heroes, it’s made up of liars and con artists who are perhaps not terribly likeable.

Daniel Kaluuya

Why Him? This British actor has been on fire the past few years and already has been successful in America, from horror gem Get Out to a supporting role in superhero success Black Panther. He can play law enforcer with a conscience, as he did in Sicario or simply be intimidating as he was in Widows.

What Kind Of Bond Would He Be? Kaluuya is a good deal younger than many contenders which could take the franchise in a new direction. – a young man brought into MI6 with lots of potential. This could perhaps a more idealistic Bond, a man not worn down by years of fighting.

Henry Cavill

Why Him? Cavill is perhaps the most obvious choice to go with. In terms of his previous acting experience, it’s almost like he has been destined for this part- he’s already played spies in The Man From U.N.C.L.E and apprenticed with Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible: Fallout as well as headlining a major franchise by playing Superman in the recent DC films. He certainly has the right look for a Bond and undoubtedly has the physical presence, who can forget the amazing bathroom fight scene in Mission Impossible: Fallout and the even more amazing moment where Cavill “reloads” his arms?

What Kind Of Bond Would He Be? I expect this Bond would be a more typical hero. Honourable.Decent. Noble. Perhaps a bit boring?

An interesting bit of Bond news was reported not long ago in that they had hired an additional writer for the next Daniel Craig film – Phoebe Waller-Bridge. The woman behind two recent television hits – Fleabag and Killing – is certainly a hugely talented writer but perhaps not the sort of person who would usually be found writing for James Bond. This could be suggesting a change in tone in Bond, and well, if Phoebe Waller-Bridge is writing it we might as well cast….

Jodie Comer

As Villanelle in Killing Eve Comer gave us a compelling and mesmerising performance as well as being something of a cultural sensation and I would love to see her take on such a well-established character as Bond.

What Type Of Bond Would She Be? This would really feel like a real change, not because Comer is a woman, but she’s most famous for playing a sociopath assassin and is absolutely the bad-guy. But if you really want a change she could be it. When you look at what Bond does and how he behaves, he’s already the villain, just he’s on “our side” so we see him as the good guy. This wouldn’t even be an anti-hero or someone a bit morally grey but an outright villain. Let’s unleash a truly wicked Bond and see what happens.

Also Read: The Movie Villains Who Nailed It (And Those That Didn’t) – Part 2: James Bond.

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Famous words so often uttered not long before a villainous henchman-dispatching, cat-stroking maniac on a mission is thwarted once again by Her Majesty’s greatest double-O agent…after a few vodka martinis have been downed, of course.

James Bond has become one of the enduring symbols of heroism in cinema since his first big screen incarnation in Dr. No in 1962. As England’s most potent agent of espionage with a “licence to kill”, Bond has consistently overcome a variety of foes (ranging from the unnervingly-plausible to the downright ridiculous) while being played by a variety of actors (ranging across the same sort of spectrum). Some of his opponents have been largely forgettable (remember the antagonist in Quantum of Solace?), while others have undeniably left their mark on the Bond franchise.

Continuing with our theme from last time, let’s take a look at two villains in the Daniel Craig era, one of whom was disappointing, and another who was surprisingly effective.

Part two: James Bond villains

Ernst Stavro Blofeld – late and not worth the wait

When I first heard that Christoph Waltz was playing the primary antagonist in Spectre, the 2015 follow-up to Skyfall, I was thrilled. I love Christoph Waltz. He’s spectacularly villainous without really having to try. And I was even more intrigued about how he would portray a classic Bond baddie – Ernst Stavro Blofeld (the inspiration for Mike Myers’ Dr Evil, no less) – in the sequel to 2012’s Skyfall, which is by all accounts one of the best movies in the series. Sam Mendes was set to return to the helm, with another outing for Daniel Craig as 007 on the cards. It all sounded too good to be true.

And, alas, it was.

Spectre is a good Bond film, but it fails to hit the heights of its predecessor. And I believe the main reason for that unsatisfactory outcome was because of a misfire in the villain department.

Waltz is an Oscar-winning actor with incredible talent. His portrayal of Blofeld should have been scintillating, mesmerising, captivating…totally unforgettable and worthy of Bond himself. But it just wasn’t. Waltz’s considerable powers were horribly underused. His first real appearance in the film was hiked up and up and up, and while some of his lines were certainly chilling (“It was me James, it’s always been me – the author of all your pain”), he was easily beaten in the first instance, and easily captured by Bond in the second.

Having an actor like Christoph Waltz in your movie and simply not using him to anywhere near his full potential is the equivalent of getting behind the wheel of a Formula One car and driving it at 20mph to the shop for milk and teabags.

Yes, he’ll be back of course, but for a villain who essentially orchestrated every negative experience for Craig’s Bond since Casino Royale, Waltz’s Blofield was woefully underwhelming when he finally stepped out of the shadows.

Raoul Silva – a fitting nemesis

Skyfall was a far superior Bond movie to Spectre, and a significant aspect of what made it great was its antagonist – Raoul Silva.

Played by the always-brilliant Javier Bardem, Silva was a disillusioned former MI6 agent with a penchant for cyberterrorism and an unwavering desire to get revenge on Judi Dench’s ‘M’, with whom Bond had a love-hate, quasi mother-son relationship since well before the Daniel Craig era. Silva blames M for disavowing him to the Chinese government and will stop at nothing to kill her.

Like Christoph Waltz, Javier Bardem is fantastic at embodying pure evil in his portrayal of a villain (think Anton Chigurh in No Country For Old Men) and really makes the character he takes on his own. Silva is wonderfully weird, irreverent and, at times, actually quite funny, all the while poised on the cusp of maniacal wickedness. He’s an actor from whom you can’t look away when he’s on screen, and as a Bond villain, he achieves something very few manage to do – he matches 007.

The bottom line

In pretty much every respect, Bardem succeeds where Waltz fails. Or rather, Sam Mendes unlocks the potential of the former and leaves the latter largely dormant. I’m a huge fan of both actors and was so disappointed to see how bland and two-dimensional Waltz was in Spectre, especially after Mendes had so successfully tapped into Bardem’s ability in Skyfall.

In the final instalment of this little series on villains, we’ll take a look at Marvel and discuss which Big Bad was exactly what we hoped for, and which one should have been left on the shelf at the comic-book store.

Also Read: The Movie Villains Who Nailed It (And Those Who Didn’t) – Part One

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