Goldeneye (1995)

Thirty years ago this November, a brand new James Bond took the world by storm and he was played by Pierce Brosnan.  Only eight years after the former television star of "Remington Steele" was initially set to take on the role but then couldn't because of unexpected issues with his former network, a man who seemed born to play 007 was finally able to take on the role.  And this time around, Bond had a new actress playing his boss M, none other than Oscar-winner Dame Judi Dench.  Not only that, but also some promising new villains played by Sean Bean (Fellowship of the Ring, The Martian, Game of Thrones) and Famke Janssen (X-Men, Rounders).  AND a brand new director from New Zealand who cut his teeth on British television, Martin Campbell (The Mask of Zorro, Green Lantern, Casino Royale) helming his first big budget feature film for the first time.  And everybody loved it?  Let's head back to the mid '90's for the first post-Cold War reboot of one of the most enduring franchises in cinema history.....     

Host: Geoff Gershon
Edited By Ella Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon 

Transcript

GOLDENEYE - 1995

Directed by Martin Campbell        

Starring Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Izabella Scorupco, Famke Janssen, Judi Dench, Robbie Coltrane, Joe Don Baker, Tcheky Karyo, Gottfried John, Desmond Llewlyn, Samantha Bond, Michael Kitchen, Serena Gordon, and Alan Cumming

Genre: Spy Action Thriller (Audio clip)

Rewatching Brosnan's vaunted introduction as Bond in this film, I'm still at a loss as to why more of his films in this franchise weren't better - he REALLY fits this role well. He looks great, has loads of charm, and he's genuinely good in the action sequences. I just wonder if EON at the time really didn't know what to do with him besides trotting out the hits and slightly updating the character for the '90's. That said, this movie holds up as a very strong reintroduction to 007 thanks in no small part to canny direction from Martin Campbell.

This film certainly LOOKS great thanks to DP Phil Meheux with very cleanly executed action sequences, some of which might be among the best in the history of the franchise....including the opening shoot-out at the Soviet weapons depot, I just LOVE that image of dozens of metal barrels raining down on Soviet goons thanks to some clever moves from Bond. 

Besides that, Brosnan is surrounded by a very strong supporting cast: Famke Janssen makes a fun henchwoman as Xenia Onattop (get it?? :)), Izabella Scorupco does a nifty job with PURE mid '90's Oregon Trail-style hacking (no accident this came out right after The Net and Hackers) along with providing a solid love interest for Bond as Natalya Simonova.  Both Alan Cummings & Robbie Coltrane provide colorful characters with surprisingly good Russian accents, and kudos to the EON folks for nabbing a relatively baby-faced Sean Bean before everyone else would as the villain....Alec Trevallian. Bean had given pretty good villain just a couple of years prior in Patriot Games...kind of fitting as Jack Ryan was threatening to become the new Bond around then....

And as on-the-nose as some of her dialogue is, I still really dig the introduction of Judi Dench as M...she brought a weight and level of no-bullshit to this character that I feel like wasn't really there before. The only casting which still doesn't work for me is Joe Don Baker as Bond's CIA contact....he played the cartoonish villain Brad Whitaker just two movies prior in The Living Daylights, such a strange, distracting choice. 🤔 Fortunately he doesn't have much screentime.

The story....well there's a satellite thingy that zaps another thingy in Russia which Alec wants to use with a dish thingy in Cuba to zap the EMP around London so he can make money somehow....and one of these thingies is called "Goldeneye." Does it matter really? 🤔 What's coolest is that Bond has a very worthy adversary as Alec is one of his former fellow 00's who's out for revenge against the UK - Brosnan and Bean's scenes together are crackling as you really get the sense that these two have a history.

Overall, Goldeneye remains the strongest Brosnan entry and definitely in the upper tier for the franchise overall. And apparently they adapted it into a pretty solid video game too...(Audio clip)

Best Needledrop (best song cue or score used throughout runtime of film) &  

Wasted Talent (most under-utilized talent involved with film):

Yup this has to be THE first time I have ever combined these two categories and sorry but that’s for a legitimate reason.  As I’ve said before reviewing this franchise – which is my personal favorite – MUSIC is ESSENTIAL to BOND.  The actual original Monty Norman theme remains one of THE most iconic hero themes ever, the scores – many of which were composed by the late great John Barry – have often been groundbreaking, and several of the actual title songs (USUALLY incorporating the title of the movie but not always) have been among THE best pop songs featured in movies.  A kick-ass Bond theme can actually elevate an otherwise mediocre Bond film…..as a prime example, I give you Duran Duran’s “A View To a Kill.” (Audio clip) 

As for the music...well, the less said about French composer Eric Serra's often dreary score the better.  And he’s NOT a bad composer – this was actually bookended between two Luc Besson films which he conducted the scores for, The Professional and The Fifth Element….both pretty solid scores.  The best I can say about this one it that has a few playful horn moments but unfortunately remains one of the weakest in franchise history – it’s just SO inconsistent veering from full-on maudlin during the CASINO sequence which is such a strange choice…..to just random bleeps and bloops during that early cliffside car chase.  Thank god David Arnold came aboard for the next entry! (Audio clip) 

And that title song from the late, great Tina Turner....Tina f$%king Turner who delivered to what I believe is THE best soundtrack song of the '80's with "We Don't Need Another Hero" one of the best belters of any decade for that matter! This song should have been a home run but sadly it's just meh, relatively sedate for a Bond theme with lame-ass lyrics no less - I'm at a loss as to why but I can't blame Tina herself as she STILL had the pipes with a good belter for her film autobiography just a couple of years prior. No for me, the blame lies with Bono and The Edge who produced her song for this movie....just because. :p I know the song has its fans but I’m just not one of them… (Audio clip) 

That said….there are couple of brief pieces of music sprinkled throughout which I do enjoy though it’s funny that I actually had to go to the EXPANDED score to find my personal favorite.  Fortunately, it feels as if Serra was almost saving the best for last as this music plays over a VERY kick-ass climactic fight between Bond and Trevallian on that satellite dish.  Just great stuntwork here, adept camera work and it’s gratifying to see Bond engage in a truly EQUAL mano-to-mano drag-out fight with the main adversary….not always the case in this franchise.  He and Sean Bean are just very well-matched….two Irishmen carrying a Bond film who knew?  The intense orchestral selection we hear over the this with the over-riding strings just fits it so well – this track is called, “Trevelyan Gives Chase.” (Audio clip) 

Trailer Moment (scene or moment that best describes this movie):

As exciting as that final climax is and as much as I LOVE the opening action set-piece….my favorite set-piece in the movie and my favorite Bond moment occurs just over an hour into the film.  I’m referring to the tank chase throughout St. Petersburg which is just crazy-fun…..of course from what I understand, tanks do not move THIS quicky but it also remains a standout if nothing else for the nice gag of watching Bond briefly fix his tie in between his smashing through buildings to comic effect. :)

MVP (person or people most responsible for the success of this film):

I place the director of this film – Martin Campbell – in the same category as some other journeyman directors whom I have really enjoyed like Peter Hyams, F. Gary Gray, or Roger Donaldson.  Filmmakers who specialize in genre, know how to frame and film an exciting set-piece, work well with good actors, competent direction overall, and their BEST films are highly rewatchable.  And contrary to what I had thought all this time….Campbell is actually not British, he was born and raised in the New Zealand before heading to the UK in the ‘70’s where he would cut his teeth for many years directing acclaimed British TV.  His first true theatrical film, the schlocky yet entertaining post-apocalyptic action thriller No Escape staring Ray Liotta.  Fun stuff! The following year after that, he directed this and needless to say he was handed a pretty daunting task: to not only properly reboot the franchise after a six year absence but to also earn back the trust of the fanbase for this character after the middling reviews and weak box office of the PREVIOUS Bond film…..previous episode Licence to Kill starring Timothy Dalton, which happens to be one of MY personal favorites.  Seriously I think it’s one of the best….but I know I’m in the minority.  And even beyond THAT, he also had to reintroduce this character into the post-Cold War ‘90’s….hence the Russian Cossack subplot for Alec along with some VERY pithy dialogue. (Audio clip)

Now don’t get me wrong….Pierce Brosnan was as instrumental to the success of this reboot as anything but by THIS point in ’95, he was a pretty known quantity.  Campbell was the true unknown, the wild card to this scenario….and he succeeded with flying colors.  Not only was this film beloved by the fanbase, well-liked by critics, and a genuine box office smash….but a decade later would come the ULTIMATE validation for Campbell as a steward for this franchise: he was asked to return to direct the next reboot for the character with the sterling Casino Royale…..so yes lightning struck twice!  (Audio clip) 

What did he bring to the table?  Good casting instincts – I mean this was before Sean Bean became SEAN BEAN, he was pitch-perfect to play a mirror image of Bond.  Great use of locations as we see in that clever St. Petersburg sequence.  And finally, he knew how to better utilize Brosnan than any of the Bond directors which would follow….besides being IMHO THE best-looking actor to ever play Bond, he lets that face do SO much of the work even when the actor’s not talking.  He allows the audience to allow THIS Bond do something which we hadn’t really seen since the Connery hey-day….we get to watch James Bond THINK.  For basically SAVING the Bond franchise, Martin Campbell is the MVP. (Audio clip) 

Final Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Streaming on Prime Video

Considering just how many Bond films have been reviewed on this podcast, where does this one rank overall among the whole series?  For me….probably Top Seven or Eight, DEFINTELY the best starring Brosnan.  Happy 30th Anniversary to one of THE prototypical franchise reboots….before reboots even became a thing!

And that ends another SEXIST MISOGYNISTIC DINOSAUR review!