Does Brosnan's James Bond Deserve Reappraisal?

[@AFGuidesHD]

Pearce Brosnan's bond is almost perfect dare I say, a good mix of corny comedy and seriousness. Or perhaps a James Bond whiplash mix of making jokes whilst saving the world from disaster I dunno.

[@anen9332]

What I would say is that while Brosnan was given what could be termed 'Moore Lines', his delivery often goes somewhere darker. An example I would give is from TWINE. He's standing next to a henchman with gold teeth, and has a line where he says (paraphrased; I don't remember it perfectly) "put your money where your mouth is". On the page, I'm sure it comes off as a Moore Line. But Brosnan delivers it in such a way that is something very different: the look he gives the henchman and his enunciation is pure murderous intent. What Brosnan could do with Moore-like dialogue was turn it into something both cool and cold, and remind the audience that he was a controlled killer: there's a viciousness playing just beneath the surface that Roger Moore never had. In that sense, I do think that Goldeneye is his best, as the aesthetic and thematic core coalesce so well in representing this idea of someone that is cold killing machine, and delves -- in a postmodern context -- to deconstruct that through personalization (Alec) and a post-national order. And Brosnan's embodiment of those qualities -- tones and implications that Dalton never really possessed (though I thought that he gave fine performances) -- is what allows GoldenEye to work so well as a complete piece. I just wish they would have left Serra's 'A Pleasant Drive In St. Petersburg' track intact... Sorry for the rant.

[@pr-tj5by]

@@polygoncoco I'll take him over the ultra serious portrayals all day long, the only cool suave fun and escapism Bonds were Brosnan Moore and Connery

[@pr-tj5by]

@@anen9332 I thought he was the best... Brosnan Moore Connery Dalton Craig Lazenby

[@pr-tj5by]

@@polygoncoco Yeah I'm older than you so I grew up with Bond being ultra smooth suave and charismatic with fun and escapism The last thing I want is Bond to be realistic and human, different times

[@master-of-mind5881]

To this day Goldeneye is one of the greatest James Bond films ever made. It is also one of the best action movies of the 90s. I also grew up watching Brosnan’s take on the role in the 90s. He had it all at the time. I did enjoy his run as Bond, he brought his own distinguished merits to the role and each movie offered something a little different. Die Another day was the peak of his run though. It just got really silly by that point. That god awful Madonna song still haunts my ears. 😂😂😂😂😂

[@jonathanfeldheim6554]

I think Tomorrow Never Dies is a highly underrated Bond Movie....nonstop action and entertainment from start to finish with a kick-ass cast

[@SwordHMX]

The supporting cast is the reason Gene Siskel gave it thumbs up. It was only his second or third since Connery left the series.

[@DIEGhostfish]

Overly optimistic on the ccp.

[@equisde8026]

I’d say The world is not enough is a lot better

[@jonathanfeldheim6554]

@@equisde8026 I just felt like combining the "bond girl" and the "Bond villain" into one person just didn't work for me

[@equisde8026]

@@jonathanfeldheim6554 but the story was superb, locations were great, the music spectacular and Pierce Brosnan at his best...great chemistry with Judi Dench too and of course the stunning Denise Richards

[@FullArcher05]

I’ve seen a lot of people say Brosnan was screwed over by the scripts after GoldenEye but personally, I feel like Tomorrow Never Dies and especially The World is not Enough still held onto that magic he brought to the screen in GoldenEye.

[@ryanthelionish]

I always thought TWINE was underrated.

[@TheBanwait8]

All the Brosnan ones were good aside from DAD.

[@GreatShinob1W0lf]

The world is not enough is a really good movie Imo

[@TheBanwait8]

The only thing i like about DAD is thr opening pre credit sequence. Having bond kidnappped and held by NK was interesting. Then the rest of the movie started and it was all down hill

[@oddball87]

@@TheBanwait8 the film has an interesting premise... until the gene clinic scene. The face changing machine plot point derails DAD for me, it was the tipping point from the franchise having somewhat plausible in-universe tech I can accept is a thing to straight up sci-fi gizmos that felt out of place in Bond's reality.

[@bronzeblues7795]

One of the things I love most is how you can just feel Brosnan LOVED being Bond. You can tell he's not just going through the motions to get the paycheck unlike...some people.

[@sashaking1115]

I think The World Is Not Enough and Tomorrow Never Dies are so so underrated!!!!! They’re absolutely brilliant.

[@DafyddBrooks]

Well said sir, Bravo !!!!!!!

[@sashaking1115]

@@DafyddBrooks thank you!

[@spacemann1425]

More like over-hated. Even Die Another Day's first half is pretty solid.

[@alexgreenwood404]

Tomorrow never Dies is my 'comfort' Bond. If I'm ill, or feeling down I put it on to cheer myself up. Its such a great action movie

[@Lang7]

@@spacemann1425 The initial setup of Bond being captured and tortured is an incredibly interesting premise. It’s a shame it gets completely lost after the plot goes off the rails.

[@terryf6696]

If I decide to watch a Bond for Christmas it's always a Brosnan. They are the most consistently entertaining of the whole franchise for me. Endlessly rewatchable. Yes, even Die Another Day 😜

[@jambler15]

Such a shame people dismiss his last 3 films. When examining all the elements, the negativity isn't justified.

[@ooops372]

In that aspect I would prefer "From Russia with love" or even "Dr. No" - good old agent stories, with not to many sudden replacements .

[@chrishewson4283]

I agree completely about Brosnan. I've always found him to be the quintessential Bond, because he was able to look at past portrayals and take everything that worked from all of them. The charm, the levity, the seriousness, the emotion, etc. That's how I've always felt about it, and you put it perfectly into words! Wow, after reading that Edgar Wright quote, suddenly I want him to be the next Bond director! He wasn't really on my list before, but if it means the first fun Bond film since 2002, please jump on board, Edgar, haha

[@calvindyson]

I must say, I hadn't really thought of Wright as a potential Bond director but since reading about his interest in the series, I think he'd be excellent! I saw him in the audience for the BFI screenings of OHMSS and Moonraker a few years ago and apparently he's a huge fan of the series!

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Yeah, we need Edgar Wright for Bond.

[@DafyddBrooks]

I think that is Brosnans advantage, he saw what worked and what didnt and he went with that instinct. Plus the guys really enjoyed being Bond outside of work too as he already has a charismatic side to him and enjoys the rich life of cars and food. To be fair also, he's an actor fist and you can see in TWINE and DAD that he also wanted to push the character and not just play it safe. regardless of what you think of DAD, he deserved a 5th Movie and $20 million :). its sad how everyone took a 180 turn from him from Craigs era and judged his movies on the bases that DAD was crap :(

[@johnrigs6540]

Edgar Wright would be a PERFECT choice to do the next Bond. The next director has a huge task - They will basically have to resurrect James Bond and set him up for an entire new generation. And the sheer adrenaline and energy of Wright would be exactly what the doctor ordered!

[@Posiman]

I think the problem with Wright as a Bond director is that his style is too distinctive. We're not talking about one film, but about defining the franchise for the next 10-20 years. Wright would either have to direct all of these films, eventually burning out creatively, or other directors would have to imitate his style, leading to a weird off-taste...

[@Jord9622]

Pierce Brosnan deserves so much more credit. Not just for Bond, but as an actor period. The November Man was a brilliant example of the dark chocolate analogy. He was able to do exactly that. I would say the underrated After The Sunset would be his “outside of Bond” milk chocolate. Pierce brings a lot of nuance to his performances. As he said in the GoldenEye interview, he finds emotional hooks and knows how to give a human feel to a superhuman role.

[@pontiusporcius8430]

I wish the sequel that Brosnan wanted to happen for November Man happened. His Deveraux movie was a solid spy thriller.

[@Jord9622]

@@pontiusporcius8430 Agreed 100%!

[@DafyddBrooks]

@@pontiusporcius8430 thats an amzing idea :)

[@martyemmons3100]

I was impressed with his portrayal of "Taffin". After watching that movie, I knew he could pull off playing James Bond.

[@Jord9622]

@@martyemmons3100 Another great one is The Fourth Protocol.

[@subarnosinha8042]

I'm a bit like you, Brosnan is the definite Bond for me as a 90s kid. He's smooth, suave, good looking, excellent in action scenes, his movies had everything. I particularly believe that TND is massively slept on and was ahead of its time, story wise. Now more than ever, media manipulation is a real thing and those days when the media would provide cool, objective coverage is long gone. Nowadays their coverage is politically motivated, similar to what Jonathan Pryce's Elliott Carver did with his news & media empire. (Maybe not to the extent of potential WW3, but not too far either). Brosnan's acting is fantastic too, the man delivered on what was asked of him by the directors.

[@DafyddBrooks]

He's smooth, suave, good looking, excellent in action scenes, his movies had everything. yep you said it man :)

[@denisonunglaub]

I completely agree with you 100% i'll even go farther, as a 90s kid, who became an instant Bond fan after watching goldeneye (I remember renting all the VHS for all the previous Bond films,) the Craig era is appalling to me, he has almost no humor, he is not suave, not that good looking (he's also blond still makes no sense to me) and he has zero charm, the only thing craig's got going for him is phisicality also, tommorrow never dies and the world is not enough are great movies (die another day indeed sucks) while quantum, skyfall and spectre are very nonsensical weak ass movies to watch, imo

[@HEATSEEKER00]

I think in time Craig will be looked back at as the worst Bond. His films have zero rewatchability…. Zzzzz

[@denisonunglaub]

@@HEATSEEKER00 yes definetely, hes the worst bond ever

[@pr-tj5by]

@@HEATSEEKER00 Yeh pretty much

[@moomin7461]

Brosnan's Bond felt fresh at the time, since there'd been a relatively long hiatus since Licence to Kill. He's the perfect blend of Connery and Moore, it's just a pity he never got a fifth film.

[@spacemann1425]

Connery, Moore and Dalton as well

[@DafyddBrooks]

a 5th movie , $20 million and another Aston Martin :)

[@internetual7350]

He got Everything or Nothing!

[@declangill5138]

Everything or Nothing should have been a film as well as a video game

[@master-of-mind5881]

To this day Goldeneye is one of the greatest James Bond films ever made. It is also one of the best action movies of the 90s. I also grew up watching Brosnan’s take on the role in the 90s. He had it all at the time. I did enjoy his run as Bond, he brought his own distinguished merits to the role and each movie offered something a little different. Die Another day was the peak of his run though. It just got really silly by that point. That god awful Madonna song still haunts my ears. 😂😂😂😂😂

[@jp3813]

Tomorrow Never Dies has the most kickass Bond girl in Michelle Yeoh, David Arnold's best music for the series, one of the most memorable cars of the franchise, among the best motorcycle chases ever, a very creative & imaginative plan for the main villain, etc... Still my personal favorite to this day.

[@johanneskepler7503]

and the best intro

[@jp3813]

@@johanneskepler7503 I would've preferred k.d. lang's "Surrender" as the main title song though.

[@lmw27if]

Totally agree. It is consistent unlike TWINE which has a great pre-title sequence, great Bond female villain who Bond kills in cold blood, but weak Renard and Denise Richards with cringe worthy Christmas line and weak climax. Also not very picturesque. Istanbul is given little screen time. It's like two movies. First half excellent, second half weak. TND has better female stars and wall to wall action. TND looks like a travelogue.

[@jp3813]

@@lmw27if Xenia Onatopp & Elektra King would've been a way better villainous S&M couple.

[@Croz89]

Supposedly they did pitch a spinoff of her character into a separate film franchise, but it never went anywhere. Might have been quite fun.

[@Chris-vk2zw]

I loved Brosnan's movies because he seemed like a boy having fun. I also loved the supporting cast at MI-6. I loved the banter between Q, Money Penny or M. I loved the coldness of Brosnan, but also the deadpan delivery of one-liners. It was just sheer fun. I also thought Bond looked like a spy. The shadowy eyes, the cold expression, the calculated movements and the fact that he could blend in as a businessman.

[@adotgif]

Sign me up. Brosnan was my first, and then I strayed far, as so many of us did, in the Daniel-era. But, inexplicably, the very first thing that popped into my head during my 1st screening of NTTD, when the vanity shot of Daniel looking skyward rolled on screen, was Brosnan. I suddenly appreciated that he did his job and never put himself above the legacy. And suddenly had a whole lot of nostalgia for my similarly Brosnan-steeped childhood.

[@scottcarroll9201]

"Never put himself above the legacy." Perfectly said. Daniel Craig was the trustee of a great legacy and he reduced it to ashes on the bonfire of his vanity. He is not solely responsible, Barbara must bear a good deal of blame as well for letting him do it.

[@scottcarroll9201]

@@Mike-wf1nm Yes, it takes a lot of acting chops to stare at the sky with a quizzical smile on your face as CGI missiles rain down. Truly Oscar-worthy stuff.

[@reptomicus]

@@Mike-wf1nm Daniel's acting runs the gamut of human emotion from A to A.

[@ryanthelionish]

I liked the first 3 Craig movies but Spectre and NTTD were kind of a mess.

[@ryanthelionish]

I actually think Quantum is kind of underrated now.

[@wtuncpdd]

I've never heard him discuss that scene from Goldeneye. It is such a grounding scene for his portrayal, cutting through the bravado to uncover a rawness which he is often not credited for. Also, the score's track "What Keeps You Alone" supporting the scene is soo good and underrated.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

That was easily best scene in the entire film and clearly inspired by Bond pondering his future with Vesper in Fleming's Casino Royale.

[@jamescarlile4279]

It's fascinating to hear Brosnan say that, because I always thought it by far the worst moment in the film. Nails on a chalkboard stuff

[@sueperb7374]

Die Another Day has always been a guilty pleasure of mine. Also, when Goldeneye was being made a lot in the media said without the USSR, Bond was no longer relevant in the world. Brosnan brought the franchise back from the abyss. Let's remember, whether it is Brosnan or Craig, these scripts have been generally written by the same folks over these decades and these actors have done the best they can with what is put in front of them.

[@meganhartmann180]

And speaking of Golden Eye, I thought the story was perfect because nuclear weapons stockpiles were a real threat on an international scale after the breakup of the USSR.

[@spencerkindra8822]

Of all the actors who played Bond Pierce Brosnan is the one who had the biggest responsibly in playing the role, even more than Sean Connery. Had Connery not been good in Dr. No and they never made a sequel, it of course would’ve royally sucked and been a huge bummer, but at least he wouldn’t have been ruining an already existing beloved film franchise. But had Brosnan not pulled off the role in GoldenEye he would’ve been blamed for wrecking the franchise, he would’ve become a poisoned actor, and his career would’ve been over. He needed to succeed in revamping James Bond for the post Cold War era and luckily for all of us he very skillfully did just that.

[@davidjames579]

If you view DAD as a Roger Moore film it's perfect. I have to say seeing it in 2002 after the dour-ness of TWINE it was a refreshing tonic.

[@petereggers7603]

@@spencerkindra8822 As underrated Pierce is as James Bond, so is your comment. Excellent analysis of what a heavy load Brosnan had zu carry and how wonderful his performance of Bond was.

[@Helbore]

I never understood the press claiming Bond had no place since the end of the USSR. Just how many Bond films actually involved them, anyway? SPECTRE was the overarching threat during the Connery-era and the franchise survived the loss of them. I think it was only 6 pre-Brosnan films that the Russians heavily featured in and of those, they were only the primary antagonists in 1 of them (For Your Eyes Only) - and even then the actual villains aren't even Russian! The others all had the USSR as either temporary allies or a state that was being played against us by a third party. Beyond that, there were plenty of Bond films in which the USSR wasn't a major player at all.

[@jamesbond_and_friends]

Brosnan's 'Just surviving, Mr Chang, just surviving,' line in Die Another Day is pure perfection. He's just come back from being tortured and the irony and humour in the delivery is just spot on. His line delivery throughout his tenure was as masterful as Sean or Roger at their peak.

[@spacemann1425]

Also it's awesome how isn't the tiniest bit embarrassed that he's walking into a 5 star hotel looking like that. That, to me, IS BOND. Being cool enough to not give a damn about what people think.

[@jamesbond_and_friends]

@@spacemann1425 I agree. Him walking into the hotel like that is probably the best moment in Die Another Day.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

I thought Brosnan absolutely peaked in DAD. I honestly wouldn't have mind seeing one last film with him in a more down to earth Bond.

[@jamesbond_and_friends]

@@ricardocantoral7672 It would have been great for Pierce to have gone out on a high with a movie of the same calibre as Goldeneye.

[@benhaslam1312]

I say this line in my day to day life far more often than I should 🙂

[@BenCol]

Speaking of Brosnan getting the order mixed up, I was once at an event where one of his stunt doubles was a guest of honour. He did a speech about being in “GoldenEye, then Tomorrow Never Dies, Die Another Day, and finally The World is Not Enough.” It took a lot of willpower to not stand up and do an Alan Partridge “Stop Getting Bond Wrong!” to his face - not wanting to make a scene, I instead went with the snarky “heh, he got the order wrong” to my friends afterwards option.

[@DafyddBrooks]

hahaha aww lovley. i hope its ok to ask what and where the event was by the way?

[@lucasoheyze4597]

Yeah, imaginary friends

[@BenCol]

@@DafyddBrooks It was a birthday party seven years ago or so. I guess the stuntman (can’t remember his name, sorry) now works as an after-dinner speaker or something like that.

[@spencerkindra8822]

Alan's line "There's a man there, he's Russian, he's got eyebrows you know" is so damn funny even in that already hilarious rant haha.

[@UKGamingNetwork]

The World Is Not Enough is actually my favourite of the Brosnan era, he gets the performance absolutely spot-on and the coldness with which he executes Elektra always stuck with me. Die Another Day is also not that bad but should have had it's climax at the ice palace instead of the stupid bit with the cargo plane that I always thought was one action sequence too many.

[@mightymochi6320]

The cargo plane scene tanked the movie for me. Before then it was still solid entertainment.

[@pr-tj5by]

@@mightymochi6320 Great Bond movie imo but I prefer a cinematic Bond to Bond of the novels

[@livingcartoon]

Agreed on The World Is Not Enough. Brosnan isn't my favorite Bond, but it's my favorite of his performances as Bond. And Elektra is my all-time favorite villain not only for her subversion of the Bond Girl trope but her overconfidence in how effectively she got into his head ... "you'd miss me."

[@DafyddBrooks]

@@mightymochi6320 well i cant go with the giant lazer or the tsunami surfing, but the final at the cargo plane was an odd idea to have the climax :(

[@DafyddBrooks]

@@livingcartoon well said man

[@englishgiraffe2124]

To me, Brosnan is my 2nd favourite Bond (just behind Dalton). He represents everything I love about the best aspects of each actor playing Bond: Connery's coolness, Lazenby's lovelorn, Moore's romanticism and Dalton's rage. His first 3 films are some of the most enjoyable films in the Series. Tomorrow Never Dies is a bit plotless and too action-heavy, but is still an enjoyable watch. World is Not Enough is genuinely fantastic and has Brosnan's best performance. And Goldeneye is still my favourite Bond film. Really hope fans give the Brosnan films some reappraisal.

[@DafyddBrooks]

interesting that you put him behind Dalton there. i think your dead right about the 3 brosnan movies, for me thats a good trilogy of movies

[@spacemann1425]

Although he never mentions it I think Brosnan took inspiration from Dalton as well. Because he had that cold, hard edge and realness to him too, specially in Goldeneye. He even said in the audio that he wanted to make the character real, human and grounded. Taking elements from how Fleming wrote the character. And he did that, pretty well.

[@davidjames579]

Brosnan did it without thinking too hard, but it's like he was forever calculating his past Bond throughout. What a talent!

[@DafyddBrooks]

@@davidjames579 i think your right. he obvisously knew the action genre very well and had natural charisma in his own life that greatly contributed to what he brought on screen :). looking at over 30 years of what worked and what didnt also helped, as well as being an r rising action star too. Death train and Live wire certanly :) nice to see you here man

[@ricotubbs5229]

I think Brosnan’s Bond is a great balance of fun and heavier moments. Going back and watching those 90s films is a breath of fresh air, especially after fifteen years of Craig impersonating a plank of wood.

[@jambler15]

For me, Tomorrow Never Dies best exemplifies what you're saying. No idea why it doesn't have more fans.

[@frostyfoster6056]

I similarly picture Brosnan when I think of Bond. He just… has that look of a super spy like James Bond.

[@ooops372]

I can understand it. My first Bond in the cinema was "The Spy who loved me", and so I was preset to Roger (not forgetting Barbara Bach which immediately hit my personal woman type very much). But then the Sean-Bonds were shown again in a row, and I got used to Sean.

[@zerominuseleven]

TWINE is enormously underrated. It is quite literally the last Bond film in the classic mold.

[@nekusakura6748]

That and it's the Only one to have a Female Bond Villain as the Main Antagonist.

[@spencerkindra8822]

"It is quite literally the last Bond film in the classic mold." Very fitting since it was the last Bond movie to come out in the 20th century. And I agree, Die Another Day has a much different feel than TWINE. Then after that you have Casino Royale which is the gritty reboot heavily influenced by the Bourne movies.

[@spencerkindra8822]

@@nekusakura6748 What about Rose Klebb in From Russia With Love?

[@nekusakura6748]

@@spencerkindra8822 I've always counted Red Grant as the Main Antagonist of FRWL personally...

[@spencerkindra8822]

@@nekusakura6748 But he's the henchman and Klebb is his boss. That's always been FRWL's biggest issue, who's the villain in that movie? Because you have Blofeld, Klebb, Red Grant, and to a lesser extent Kronsteen that could all be the main villain. I say it's Klebb because even though Blofeld is her boss, he's so removed from the action that he doesn't count.

[@spacemann1425]

Pierce Brosnan is my favorite Bond. He encapsulated the best elements of all the Bond actor's, making him absolutely perfect. And just like him, his films were a perfect combination of high octane action with a hard edge and an element of darkness, daring to bring in uniqueness but also retaining the original elements that made Bond films so much fun.

[@DafyddBrooks]

thats really nice man :)

[@mikeRedMDK2032]

Agreed. He was all of it rolled into one. Not easy to do

[@cane6074]

You read my mind! My thoughts exactly. His was a very well-rounded Bond, not the best but still very good. Plus it works that his bond was a product of 90s style action, the tone on the surface is serious but there's tongue and cheek humor beneath it all. Serious but not too serious. Something for everybody without feeling tapped on, cheap pandering, or lazy writing. Unlike today's movies unfortunately.

[@pontiusporcius8430]

Yes he does. Brosnan's bond was the turning point from classic bond to modern bond. A 50/50 mixture of the golden age of cinema styled characterization and pulp adventure, and character motivated dramatics of the last 20 years. It introduced bond as a sizeable presence in a new medium, gaming, of which it serves a keystone classic for console gaming, and it saw Cubby's departure with Barbara's ascension as lead producer. Standard directors to work on multiple movies became less common, all sorts of important things happened in his era.

[@Sw4de]

Being born in 87 Brosnan was all I ever knew really, like Calvin said growing up with Goldeneye on the N64 made me want to be Brosnans bond

[@C-J-LS14]

Goldeneye N64 got me into the 007 franchise and Brosnan & Connery are my favourite Bonds of all time

[@willielogan4811]

90s kid here. To me Brosnan was/is Bond. Goldeneye was my first Bond movie and of course the game. I was so pumped for TND I rented the game before I saw the film. I'm already on the reappraisal having rewatched them all after getting the big box set for Christmas. Brosnan was a really fun Bond. We need more milk chocolate.

[@spaceodds1985]

IMO Brosnan does not deserve reappraisal since he is still popular with many, but TND deserves reappraisal. Now with the Craig era completed, I have to say that TND was the last time Bond was escapist fun, and it should be a reminder of what Bond should strive to be, especially after fifteen years of Craig. Like Calvin, I am a 90s kid, and Goldeneye was the first Bond I saw at the cinema (an experience I do not hold in good memory since after watching Dalton’s two Bond efforts a week before, my perspective of Bond was cemented in stone) Yes, I played the games, his face was the image of Bond, but Brosnan for me was simply too much of a reminiscent of both Connery and Moore. However Edgar Wright is absolutely correct that there needs to be a change and there needs to be a return to the escapist fair because, in the end, isn’t that what hooked us to Bond in the first place?

[@matthewmedley8532]

Agree. Looking forward to a return to that theme.

[@nicktalksbond]

TND was so much fun in the cinema during the recent screenings! Pure action blast and grinning from ear to ear.

[@RighteousBrother]

Agree with the above 100 percent

[@JamesTobiasStewart]

Yeah me and my friends were all discussing this and none of us get the dislike of TND, we all regard it a fun action flick, with fun set pieces, memorable villains and the most badass Bond girl in the franchise (Wai Lin deserved a spinoff, I will not be moved on this point).

[@bigredjanie]

What struck me about TND is just how relevant its ideas still are - the premise of a media mogul using his power to manipulate governments and the public for his own agenda was laughed at by audiences at the time. But in a post-Fox News and Cambridge Analytica age, where "manufacturing consent" has become common parlance even if you aren't an avid Chomsky-loving leftist, Elliot Carver is now a truly terrifying figure regardless of your politics. "Words are the news weapons", indeed.

[@si7817]

As a fellow 90s kid Brosnan was absolutely the gateway drug for me and to this day remains the benchmark against which I measure the rest of them. Bottom line is when I finish any Brosnan film I am buzzing with excitement whereas Craig's films more often than not leave me wanting to lie in a fetal position inside a priest hole...

[@jblazin4]

He may not be everyone’s favorite, but he’ll always be the actor that I associate with Bond.

[@pr-tj5by]

He was my favorite

[@Cheung23s]

He was awful, he even admitted he didn’t do a good job

[@pr-tj5by]

@@Cheung23s That's his opinion, Connery said the same thing about his Bond in later movies Pierce Brosnan is the best Bond of them all in my opinion Ultra Confident Cool and Panache Opportunistic Womanizer Suave Sophisticated Charismatic Charming Playboy Spy Outstanding 1 liner delivery Ticked every box..... Can turn on a dime into the most ruthless killing machine of them all with more individual kills per move than any other Bond including Daniel Craig, just like Timothy Dalton I never felt like Craig's movies were Bond movies though they were good action movies Brosnan managed to do all that despite questionable directors He was The Total Package.....

[@BespokeBandit]

I've wrestled for a long time as to who my favourite Bond is, I didnt have one. But it is now Brosnan. Best dressed, best looking and was born for the role. He could do it all. Such a shame he didn't get better scripts and got replaced by Craig.

[@KB-sv7fm]

During the time that Brosnan made Bond films , it was in his contract that he couldn’t wear a tuxedo in any other movie. They thought he looked pretty damn good in a tuxedo.

[@hosni4064]

I feel GoldenEye is perfect as is in terms of reception and all that, but I feel the later Brosnan films, Tomorrow Never Dies and The World Is Not Enough especially, definitely deserve some reappraisal from a good portion of fans.

[@KaosNova2]

Brosnan was the way it started for me. Goldeneye and Tommorrow Never Dies. Certainly came across as described, “Charming Sophisticated Secret Agent” (RIP Robbie Coltrane, I enjoyed him as a supporting role in two bond films as well as Hagrid)

[@cooper5594]

I couldn't agree more Calvin. For me, the Brosnan era is exactly where I want my Bond films to be in terms of tone. They strike the perfect balance of humour, fun, emotion and heart. All of them are so fun to watch and I have such a love and appreciation for that era. For me, Brosnan will always be the perfect, and my favourite James Bond ❤️

[@pr-tj5by]

Cooper, Best Bond Ever!

[@cooper5594]

@@pr-tj5by no doubt 🙌

[@denisonunglaub]

exactly, but I would add that the bronan era had great memorable action scenes as well

[@pr-tj5by]

@@denisonunglaub Agreed

[@IsaacWhittakerDakin]

I'd say Tomorrow Never Dies and The World is Not Enough definitely deserve another look.

[@DafyddBrooks]

yes yes YEEEEEES. thank you for saying that

[@spencerkindra8822]

They both do but more so Tomorrow Never Dies. It sucks to say but I think the one thing keeping TWINE from ever being considered Brosnan's best movie is the awful performance by Denise Richards. Whereas in TND both Teri Hatcher and Michelle Yeoh are terrific.

[@bonghunezhou5051]

@@spencerkindra8822 Concur. Not just the mere presence of Denise' character being _in charge of the project_ in the area but also her character hooking up with Bond at the end - diluting if not negating the emotional impact of his earlier involvement with Electra King.

[@christianwise637]

@@bonghunezhou5051 That scene highlights probably the biggest problem with Brosnan's films as a whole, which is the overreliance on the Bond formula. It was a big surprise for the love interest to be revealed as the main villain and having Bond end the film alone and heartbroken over having to kill her would've been a really interesting idea. But of course, the 007 formula states that you can't end on a downer so he has to get with the nearest available female character, regardless if it makes sense or not

[@spencerkindra8822]

@@bonghunezhou5051 Great points. Electra King is one of the few Bond girls Bond seems to be genuinely falling in love with and he appears to get over her within a few minutes of killing her. Then again you could argue that it's a "the bitch is dead" moment from Casino Royale (the novel) wherein he now hates her for manipulating and betraying him and he's already moved on because he has to. Obviously casting Denise Richards as a nuclear physicist has been joked about to no end but it's also her very wooden and flat performance. I once listened to the commentary for that movie and in it Michael Apted said "we have to convince the audience that Denise is playing a nuclear physicist" to which I replied to my TV "well you didn't" haha.

[@dalebaker9109]

An epic video Calvin. Yes Mr Brosnan was quite an incredible Bond. I always found his portrayal of Bond interesting and fresh. I was 33 when Goldeneye came out, and despite the fact, that Roger Moore will always be my favourite, Mr Brosnan is well deserving of Praise.

[@pr-tj5by]

Dale Baker, My 2 favorite Bonds

[@Rtotalmagic]

I remember Brosnan's appearance on Muppets Tonight, which our family had on VHS. The episode depicts him as being a total klutz - until the studio is invaded by militant Lobsters and he has to disguise himself as a giant prawn to save the day...

[@BenCol]

In the spirit of friendly discussion, I don’t think Brosnan’s renaissance is due to be anything like Lazenby or Daltons, because I don’t think he really had much of a slump. I think the Lazenby and Dalton renaissances were very much fuelled by a rally against the general consensus, against the perceived wisdom: the perception was Lazenby and Dalton’s portrayal of Bond and their films weren’t very good. Fans of L&D were like “no, they were good, give them a chance.” Whereas Brosnan? He’s always been liked. Your video shows, his portrayal of Bond and his films were popular. While opinion on his later films is mixed, I don’t think anyone ever wrote his Bond off the way they did with L&D. I’ve never seen anyone say “give Brosnan a chance” because, well, they’ve never had to say that. Lazenby came straight after the highly popular Connery and Dalton came straight after the highly popular Moore and both fell victim to “not as good as the last guy” syndrome. Whereas Brosnan had the six-year hiatus to wipe the slate (and memories) clean so he got instant popularity in the way Lazenby & Dalton never did. And I think a large part of L&D’s renaissance was the rediscovering of them, that their tenures were so brief they were forgotten - Lazenby was forgotten as soon as Connery returned and then Moore came along, Dalton forgotten once Brosnan relaunched the series. And since they both had such brief tenures it meant they didn’t leave a lasting impression in the way the other four have. And a lot of Brosnan’s goodwill comes from 90s kids who grew up with his era and knew no Bond before him. But 60s kids are gonna remember Connery, not Lazenby, and 80s kids are gonna remember Moore (not helped by the fact they would‘ve been too young for LTK). One year and three years are two short a length of time to grow up in (and yes, I know the Dalton era is technically seven years long since he stood down in 94, but considering the only thing that happened post-LTK was James Bond The Duel, I won’t be surprised if kids at the time were more familiar with James Bond Jr than Dalton Bond). And I don’t think that goodwill ever went away. Even during the height of Craig’s tenure people still liked him. Heck, I think I saw more hate for Craig during the Craig era than Brosnan hate. When GoldenEye on the Wii came out in 2010 I saw a lot of people saying “Boo, bring Brosnan back” - I never saw anyone saying “replacing Brozza with Craig is an improvement.” And sure, some of that was probably the decision to take Brosnan out of a Brosnan story, but still, those 90s kids weren’t just throwing him away just because Craig came along. I don’t think Craig was so popular that it caused a Brosnan slump. Maybe immediately after Casino Royale but when I got into Bond in 2010 there seemed to be plenty of Brosnan love. Sure the recent rescreenings weren’t good for Brosnan, but that was only in the UK and even then not every cinema in the UK so I don’t think it’s fully indicative of the feelings of the fan base or even the population in general. I dunno, maybe I just saw the Dalton renaissance differently 10 years ago because I was a Dalton fan, and it seemed like before his bounce it was a controversial thing to say that he was your favourite Bond, in the way it never did for Brosnan (a lot of the people saying “Brosnan saved the franchise” were also saying “after Dalton f*cked it up” - yes Brosnan saved the franchise but the hiatus wasn’t Dalton’s fault). It’s never seemed to me that saying “Brosnan is my favourite Bond” is a controversial thing to say. What I do agree with is that the individual films themselves will have a bounce. I have seen quite a bit comments like “Brosnan was a great Bond, but aside from GoldenEye his films were sh*t.” TND was seen as having a villain with a improbable plan, TWINE “huh-huh Denise Richards can’t act” and DAD had awful CGI and a hammy villain. But now TND has only become more probable in this age of fake news, people have stopped treating Christmas Jones as the worst thing ever and that her presence spoils the film, and DAD… Well it still has awful CGI and a hammy villain but people are old enough to be nostalgic about it now.

[@calvindyson]

You know, I think you're bang on with the comparison to Lazenby and Dalton. As you say, Brosnan was quite popular DURING his tenure where Lazenby and Dalton both had a bit of a harder time of it. Easier to reappraise something that might not have been as popular at the time! Loved reading this as always, BenCol! Great food for thought

[@DafyddBrooks]

Your bang on there man, and i like what you said " Fans of L&D were like “no, they were good, give them a chance.” Whereas Brosnan? He’s always been liked" I'd like to add also that alot of Dalton fans seemed to feel that TLD and LTK are great where as I hear them say alot that "Brosnans movies got worse after GE". its like they really do prefer TLD and LTK so much more than TND and TWINE which to me is odd, but interesting. there does seem to be more and more less love for TWINE in recent years which is shocking to me, especially since Brosnan was very much comfortable in the role by the 3rd movie and do on.

[@pr-tj5by]

BenCol, I think you're absolutely bang on and that was an excellent overview, I can just about remember Moore replacing Connery and I loved them both, I was seriously underwhelmed by Timothy Dalton because I saw Bond as just a dark generic action character (like I have over the past 15 years with Daniel Craig) but when Pierce Brosnan turned up he blew me away to the point that he's always been my No1 Bond.

[@pr-tj5by]

@@DafyddBrooks It's all about opinions, I take TND way before TLD and certainly LTK by a long way

[@mrmeerkat1096]

Brilliant insight! Like you said its difficult for a actor to take over from a popular Bond, and it's a advantage also for a new 007 to take over from a unpopular one at the time which was Dalton. Being cast as Bond must be one of the toughest gigs around as your always going to be compared to the other actors that have been in the role. I don't have a definitive favourite Bond actor as it changes all the time. I still think its probably Connery at number one most of the time though as he had that X factor about him which is hard to put into words.

[@Roboshi2007]

For me, one of the biggest problems with the Craig era was that it never felt like Being bond was ever enjoyable. Like He would sit in the most sun drenched part of the world with the most expensive drink and being waited on by serving staff and he'd have the most dower expression on his face because he was only about the job. Craigs bond never felt like a person, he was almost like a piece of military equipment, to the point his living spaces were mostly empty cold affairs. So I guess when we had to engage with his love stories it felt hollow to me, as this guy who never seemed to want any kind of normal life was now so invested in being a family man. Then you have Brosnan, who would relax after and before a mission, and enjoy himself. He wouldn't ever turn off his readiness but he would at least enjoy a drink and order a meal. When he's Skiing with Electra you get the impression he might take time off in the Swiss alps to enjoy his life when he has down time. Ian Flemings Bond did have his darker moments, but he also knew a very good scrambled eggs recipe and knew which wine to order.

[@pr-tj5by]

Roboshi, Yeah Brosnan was my No1 but Craig just never felt like Bond imo

[@DafyddBrooks]

hahaha your comment made me laugh as I get your point clearly hahaha. I think its very true what you say man. Brosnan was an action hero, THE Britsh action adventure hero and theres nothing wrong with that :)

[@FromWilloWithLove]

Sean Connery will always be my favourite but I grew up with Pierce Brosnan so I will always have a soft spot for his portrayal. GoldenEye has always been in the top 5 for me - but Tomorrow Never Dies & in particular The World is Not Enough have been climbing the ranks for me… and Die Another Day like Diamonds are Forever is like gooey candy, it’s not good for me but I bloody enjoy it from time to time 😅

[@DafyddBrooks]

your thoughts are my thoughts man. well said :)

[@jackdominiak445]

Just curious, if you weren't even born when Connery was around, how can he be your bond

[@FromWilloWithLove]

@@jackdominiak445 Just cause I wasn’t born in the 60s doesn’t mean Sean Connery can’t be my favourite Bond. It’s really not rocket science 🤷‍♂️

[@BOABModels]

I really like Tomorrow Never Dies and also Brosnan as Bond. He was 'my Bond' too when growing up so that's who I picture as the character. Also, I watched TND last week and there a load of 'before they were famous' actors as British sailors including Hugh Bonneville and Gerard Butler!

[@alexgreenwood404]

'20th anniversary of Nightfire' I feel like I should be drawing my pension and picking out a coffin now. That made me feel so old

[@ricardocantoral7672]

I am looking at comments from young Bond fans that are saying that Goldeneye is among the old Bond films! Holy Hell, 35 year old me finds that weird!

[@GiselleGauthier]

I'm with you, Calvin, Brosnan was who I grew up with. Even knowing I have some bias there and going back to watch his films critically... I still don't get why so many fans dislike his performance! He was both amusing and convincingly seemed like he'd kill you the moment you were a threat.

[@HOTD108_]

When it comes to the official Bond series, I can honestly and confidently say that there's yet to be anything even remotely close to a bad James Bond actor.

[@DafyddBrooks]

i think thats a well said thing there man, your right

[@randomhuman97]

Lazenby, if he hadn't got the best story, the best score, theme song, some memorable action scenes, and the best bond girl in Tracy, would have been in the list you been mention.

[@bigtstyle123]

To some aspect you’re right. But as interpretations of the character to Brosnan is the worst to play the character.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Do you mean a bad actor playing James Bond or an actor that didn't fit the role?

[@bigtstyle123]

@@ricardocantoral7672 actor that didn’t fit the role I’d say. None of the actors are bad but they all bring a different interpretation of the same character and I find that his just happens to be the worst.

[@bensneb360]

Pierce Brosnan was my first James Bond, he’s what got me into the franchise, and my second favorite Bond overall. He is a gold standard of how to play the character. Also the world is not enough is so underrated, that’s one of my top five favorite Bond films.

[@damienfenton3880]

I think the Brosnan era got the perfect balance between emotional drama and fun entertainment. The end of the Dr. Kaufman scene in TND is a good example. He is obviously deeply hurt by Paris' death but after kissing her body after killing Kaufman, the character and the movie draws a line under the event and moves on. He has to in order to do his job correctly. What follows is an incredibly fun action scene. Perhaps when he returns home after the mission he grieves privately, but we don't really need to see that. Getting the balance between drama and fun in a Bond movie can be very delicate but Brosnan's era managed it perfectly whereas the Craig era overdosed on the drama at times. Over the last few months, I watched NTTD and TND with the same group of friends. They sighed at the end of NTTD and said it didn't feel like a Bond movie, whereas they had a great time with TND.

[@purefoldnz3070]

Yes as camp as everyone think this era was Brosnan's bond did have a dark side.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

@@purefoldnz3070 I don't think his era was camp but I would define his era as Roger Moore with a machine gun.

[@purefoldnz3070]

@@ricardocantoral7672 half like Connery half like Moore. 50% camp haha but enjoyable as hell unlike Daniel Craig who sucked the joy out of it.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

@@purefoldnz3070 Brosnan tries to take after Connery but he feels 100 percent Roger Moore redux. He just doesn't have the rugged quality to be like Connery.

[@purefoldnz3070]

@@ricardocantoral7672 exactly he's much smoother than Connery. The first Bond was more of a brute

[@MichaelAcevedo]

I have a soft spot for Tomorrow Never Dies. It was the first 007 movie I vividly remember particularly the BMW scene where it runs over the spikes Bond had dropped earlier blowing the tires and then seeing Bond pressing a button on his phone and re-inflating them. That was such an epic moment for me and became a 007 fan since then.

[@IcePakOG]

You bring up some good points, Calvin. I grew up with Brosnan as Bond and think he strikes the right balance of suaveness, comedy, and depth of character. His first two films are great, I like what they tried to do in TWINE, and I enjoy the first half of DAD more than most. His portrayal of Bond was always authentic and that's what I love about his films.

[@DafyddBrooks]

i like that man :). there are moments of DAD where i feel i'm watching a genuially good movie.

[@ManuelGomez-ef7mb]

The first half of DAD is great, I loved it, the rest of the film is silly but fun anyway

[@davidhughmiller]

Pierce Brosnan is still my favourite James Bond and Die Another Day will always be my favourite film 😊 You said "Brosnan made you want to be Bond" and to that I say that's so true as even I think like that. But these days people want to see themselves in the character which is kinda stupid as I don't want to see myself in Bond.

[@Crowpinkish]

I think you're spot on Calvin! I too grew up with Brosnan, and I've always found his portrayal to be the perfect balance of light & dark. I enjoyed Craig's performances, but I think by-and-large his films never captured the sense of fun that Brosnan's did. Very much looking forward to your Nightfire retrospective too, an amazing game!

[@pr-tj5by]

Agreed!

[@mikeRedMDK2032]

Exactly. FUN. Optimism. The bond formula's been missing that

[@shanekeenaNYC]

@@mikeRedMDK2032 I would also say healing. Daniel Craig was able to capture the wounded side well, but now we just want a bond who's healed up and ready to go.

[@Nutmegcitygamer]

The World Is Not Enough was a great film and I rank it pretty close to Goldeneye. I think what also helped Goldeneye be as popular and memorable for us who grew up in the 90s was the n64 game.

[@jambler15]

I feel similarly. In terms of overall quality, they're very close. The World Is Not Enough has lots of depth and good stuff going on that tends to get overlooked.

[@mikeysorrentino8480]

Pierce Brosnan was the first Bond I saw so I think he does a great job as the character, I just think he wasn’t given the best film material at the end.

[@DafyddBrooks]

sure, at the perhaps, i can agree. your thoughts on TWINE?? you like it??

[@randomhuman97]

Well, that applies to Craig too . Lol 😆 When Brosnan was done, ppl said he had bad material. Now, when Craig's done, ppl are saying he's just borne all over.

[@mikeysorrentino8480]

@@DafyddBrooks TWINE is middling for me. It’s number 16 on my ranking which for me is above average. I LOVE Sophie Marceau’s Elektra King, I love the boat chase in the pre title sequence, and I like the hard hitting action the film tries to bring for the close of the millennium but yes TWINE is the entry to Brosnan Camp Land but for me it’s nowhere near as campy as Die Another Day

[@pr-tj5by]

@@randomhuman97 I've always thought Craig was Bourne in a tux tbh

[@pr-tj5by]

@@mikeysorrentino8480 I always wondered why people made such a big deal about Brosnan's invisible car 40 years after Connery's DB5 with an oil slick, grapplers on the wheels and machine guns, nearly 30 years after Moore's submarine Lotus shot missiles under water and Dalton's truck doing a wheelie that would never happen in 50,000 years

[@Fixxer315]

What I liked about the Brosnan era was that even though the movies were escapist entertainment (more than the Dalton era), there were moments of quiet reflection. You highlighted the beach scene in Goldeneye, but I also liked the scene where Bond coldly takes out the assassin in his hotel room in TND. Plus, there is the fantastic cold-blooded killing of Electra King in TWINE, followed by a gentle kiss, made even more powerful by the fact that M witnessed the entire thing. There isn't quite a moment like those in Die Another Day, but the entire first half hour or so of the film is pretty serious before escalating to the outrageous, especially in the second hour.

[@SirHilaryManfat]

Both Goldeneye and Tomorrow Never Dies are movies that I always enjoy when I go back to them, and I'm even warming to The World is Not Enough far more these days, as they never go too far into camp humour or over seriousness. The great thing about Brosnan's take is that while he never mastered any particular aspect of the character, he really deserves credit for hitting a perfect middle ground. To use Edgar Wright's analogy, I'd say Brosnan was a high cocoa content milk chocolate.

[@DafyddBrooks]

yaaaaaay well said

[@pr-tj5by]

The best for me

[@LukeHarpercouk]

The beautiful recreation of the Thunderball poster in Last Night in Soho definitely shows Edgar Wrights love for the Bond films. The reaction to the Cuba section of No Time To Die shows a massive desire for a camp fun return to Bond.

[@tritonk1759]

Brosnan was the most well rounded Bond performance wise and his tenure is the most consistent quality wise.

[@Jack-Hands]

Wait, Nightfire is about to turn 20? Now I really need to think about my impending retirement and death.

[@tomgallagher655]

The fact that Die Another Day was dead last on that box office list makes me happy. Sorry, Calvin. :-)

[@pr-tj5by]

He was my No1

[@Videogamewalkthrough]

Couldn’t agree more with this-When I tell older film nerds that I’m obsessed with James Bond, but follow up on the next question by saying my favorite Bond is the Brosnan era, I immediately see them scoff and decide I have no taste😂 I do attribute it a lot to nostalgia, but I really hope the next Bond takes inspiration from this era. I want to leave a Bond movie saying “Wow! How cool would it be to get to be him!” With the Craig era I’ve been leaving thinking “Wow he’s kind of a sad alcoholic.” Or more recently “Why the hell was he driving that kid around?”

[@EntropicDecayGaming]

TL;DR warning Brosnan definitely doesn't deserve the hate he gets. While I think "Tomorrow Never Dies" is somewhat middle-of-the-road, "Goldeneye" and "The World Is Not Enough" are both in my Top 10...Hell, after the sh*tshows of "Quantum of Solace" and "No Time To Die" and I don't even hate "Die Another Day" as much as I used to. Don't me wrong it's still deep in the lower half of my rankings...but at least there's SOME fun to be had so it's kinda moved up without really doing anything. CALVIN! You'll be happy to know I'm not even as hard on Roger Moore as I used to be. I've said time and again how I prefer more grounded, realistic Bond films...and then Daniel Craig became "be careful what you wish for". "Casino Royale" and "Skyfall" not withstanding, where was the fun and adventure??? Yeah, Brosnan had some pretty outlandish moments but I think his films for the most part perfectly walked the line of serious and fun. I don't mind the occasional emotional moment; I mean Vesper Lynd's death scene still chokes me up 16 years later BUT Bond is NOT supposed to be a relatable character; he's supposed be a male fantasy: guns, gadgets, martinis, casinos, fast cars, beautiful women, exotic locations, villains in lairs... Hopefully he does get the same reevaluation that Dalton got. Because...What might be a controversial opinion...The 2 Dalton films and first 3 Brosnan films are the best stretch of Bond films since Connery's tenure.

[@calvindyson]

Great to hear you're softening on Moore! That makes the fan in me very happy :D but yes I agree with your point about too much of the Craig-era and honestly I think it was a similar thing that had me really enjoying DAD this time around after previously ranking it in the bottom 3 or 4. I'm just ready for something that doesn't take itself quite so seriously again.

[@purefoldnz3070]

I miss the fun era of the Brosnan films before Bond films became Jason Bourne films for some reason. They're supposed to be fun and not dour and depressing yes I'm looking at you Daniel I'd Rather Be Anywhere Else Than Making This Film Craig.

[@pr-tj5by]

@@purefoldnz3070 !00%

[@vishalmomentvlogs4093]

Just close your eyes and imagine bond only Pearce Brosnan would appear

[@RNKFanArt]

Edgar Wright's dark chocolate milk chocolate analogy is spot on. I've adored the dark chocolate Craig era but its time to go in a lighter direction. Following the Brosnan template is the way to go.

[@Lifescythe]

At the risk of speaking heresy, Bond is basically a superhero-and that's awesome. He's Batman in a suit. He has all of the gadgets on his person as well as on his car. His villains have crazy deformities/gimmicks (Oddjob's hat, Jaws' teeth, Renard's immunity to pain, etc). He has multiple girlfriends and he never gets tied down. If Batman worked for the British government, was filled with swagger, and still dropped puns like in the 60s he'd be James Bond. Brosnan encapsulated ALL these traits. He's got the gadgets, the swagger, and in several films we see his pity over Elektra's kidnapping, his pain over the loss of Paris, his anger at Renard, saying he hates killing unarmed men, but for his crimes he makes an exception, and his vengeance in killing Trevelian, "For England James?...No. For Me!" Long live Brosnan's Bond!

[@MortenLM]

I hope so! I have always liked the first 3. I used to dislike DAD a lot, but now i think its good and fun untill Bond goes to the ice palace. Its been a while since your old reviews where up, so I look forward to your reviews of the Brosnan Bond films. Goldeye is still number 1 for me.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

Pierce made a very interesting comment in a May 2017 interview with Total Film. He said that he actually wanted his Bond to go into a more 'gritty, real, down and dirty' direction as he could 'see where the world was going; but kept getting the 'same outlandish scenarios'. While he clearly wasn't happy about this [describing the invisible car as 'so ridiculous' and 11:45-11:56] to his credit he decided to 'go with the flow' and have fun. But it perhaps explains why he was very enthusiastic about the Tarantino 'Casino Royale' pitch and why his return to espionage with 'The November Man' was more low key than his Bond stint.

[@DafyddBrooks]

you totaly said it man, well put sir

[@renzozuken93]

I grew up watching Brosnan's Bond and I just love his way and portrayal of Bond. Pierce once said that he was just copying a little from Roger Moore and Connery but he definitely brought something unique to the table and I'm always looking forward to Goldeneye TND and TWINE whenever I do a marathon

[@miguellowe2407]

That outrageous outburst of laughter by Brosnan is really refreshing. It highlights that even he thought that tsunami scene was utterly ridiculous. I guess he just politely played along ultimately to the detriment of his Bond tenure... or how it has come to be perceived. But he's the best bond for me

[@shaunblake7411]

I'm glad that Pierce Brosnan is getting a lot of praise for his performance as Doctor Fate in Black Adam. From what I can tell anyway. I haven't seen it yet but I'd be interested to know your thoughts.......

[@NirvanaPhoenix]

I'm so ready for the Nightfire video. I used to love playing the Skyrail and covering every entrance with trip wires and seeing if my cousin could get in without setting any off.

[@chumpey]

Couldn’t agree with you more. The Brozza was my coming-of-age Bond too, and to see him so discarded so quickly is depressing. He was SO beloved during his tenure. Craig is great too of course, but in a totally different way. Having been there with him, on set as Bond; he did have a very cool way about him.

[@pr-tj5by]

Loved Brosnan but could never warm to Craig

[@zambonsfilmemporium1526]

agree with you !00% Duncan apart from Die Another Day.😀😀

[@pr-tj5by]

@@zambonsfilmemporium1526 I even enjoyed that cos at least he played Bond unlike Craig

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@pr-tj5by Your free to like what you want but to say Craig 'wasn't playing Bond' is just silly, especially given a lot of his era is based on Fleming's books [such as wanting a family and disliking many aspects of his job such as killing in cold blood]. Brosnan by his own admission was a variation of the cinematic Bond while Dalton + Craig based themselves more on the novels-the great thing about Bond is there is room for both and at the end of the day each Bond is someone's fav [I know someone who has Diamonds are Forever in there top 5 for example].

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@zambonsfilmemporium1526 Agreed. At least Pierce sees the funny side of DAD 11:45-11:56!

[@freddylowe4900]

I'm absolutely ready for the Brosnaissance! It made me smile to hear that you had mildly reappraised Die Another Day because that one has always been a guilty pleasure of mine.

[@gameragodzilla]

Brosnan’s Bond is still my favorite. I felt he had the best balance between the campy and serious side of James Bond. Plus his era of games were the best. I even associate the Walther P99 as “Bond’s gun” as much as the PPK because of both him and the games.

[@pr-tj5by]

100%

[@ricardocantoral7672]

I really hope Bond gets the P99 in the next film. Enough with the PPK.

[@DafyddBrooks]

I wouldnt say camp but man was Brosnan cool :)

[@DarkDaysOfficial]

I've thought that EXACT thing about Brosnan in Die Another Day for the past 9 years. Thank you for backing me up. I was starting to think I was going crazy.

[@RVDfanNumber1]

Brosnan was a fantastic Bond. I don’t get why his movies get a lot of hate now a days. I know Die Another Day wasn’t the best film, but Brosnan always delivered in his performances as Bond! I remember when Daniel Craig was the new Bond, I was about 8 years old at the time and I told myself what happened to Brosnan! Point is, him and his movies were not bad, and he deserves all the recognition in the world!

[@pr-tj5by]

Loved Brosnan but could not connect with Craig

[@gpcovenant]

I rewatched some of Bronson bond films after seeing No Time To Die, and god was it refreshing. They remembered to be fun. The level of pretentious self-loathing in Craigs bond is exhausting. This is what is so odd. After Bronson, Craigs Casino Royale brought back gravitas., and that was refreshing. It’s why it’s one of the best ever. It had stakes without being full of itself. Yet it was an immediate descent into greater and greater mind numbing emotional wounding, that thankfully ended with the dog being put down from its suffering.

[@Carrieplaysgames]

I definitely re-evaluated the bond movies recently and found that I love more bond movies than I realized however even ones that aren't my favourites, still have moments I love. my favourite films though are still the Brosnan films as when I was younger he was the Bond I started watching the films with and I honestly had the biggest crush on him. that crush has not went away lol.

[@BOSSDONMAN]

One thing for sure, the OST from the Brosnan era (both videogames and movies) were impeccable. Wish they didn't completely stray away from the base theme with Craig, kind of felt like Craig lost the identity of Bond.

[@ethanbentley1837]

Oh most definitely! Brosnan is my personal favorite Bond. Whenever I'm introducing my friends to Bond, a lot of times I'll either show them Goldeneye or The World Is Not Enough.

[@pr-tj5by]

100%

[@SoniaDouglas]

Really great video! Brosnan was my first Bond too and to me, he'll always be Bond. Also, I was really happy to see some shots from "007 Nightfire" and can't wait for your video on it, as it's one of my all-time favorite games!!

[@joewestney6566]

Fantastic video! You nailed something I have never considered about my own Bond fandom. I'm roughly the same age as you but my introduction was from my Nana who loved the Connery films, so I have very traditional Bond views from that as I lived Pierce's first Bond experience 30 years later. Having said that, Brosnan was "my" Bond same as you and I have a huge soft spot for GoldenEye, TnD and TWiNE (sorry but I can't follow you down the DAD rabbit hole😅). Great work, thank you.

[@DafyddBrooks]

the first 3 Brosnan movies are a nice trilogy :)

[@KlausSgroi]

I grew up in the late 90's/early 00's, so in my mind Pierce Brosnan *was* Bond. I didn't even know at the time that Bond had been played by other men. I guess I'll never be able to disassociate the actor and the role, mainly because, as every boy in my generation, I wasted hours of my life playing GoldenEye and TWINE on the N64. Brosnan's films were not the best in the series, that I'll readily admit, but his Bond is the one I'd choose any day.

[@chrisretro81]

Timothy Dalton is the best Bond for me, from a Fleming standpoint and indeed, as you wisely said - ahead of his time

[@pr-tj5by]

I could never warm to him or Craig, just never felt like Bond to me

[@chrisretro81]

@@pr-tj5by That's fair enough. I grew up on Roger Moore so he's my spiritual favourite so to speak!

[@HarryBondInc]

Just found your channel recently and I have been loving your videos. Grew up loving the Bond films watching them with my dad (rip) and my last name is Bond! Keep up the great work brother!

[@LoveSickWorld]

My favorite thing about Pierce’s run as bond was that it kept a good amount of the campy stuff whole also being just serious enough to still take seriously. I think the more absurd things in bond are important for the series, but also finding a good balance of the seriousness helps to keep it something general modern audiences can get into. My biggest problem with Daniel’s run was just that a lot of the movies kinda just felt like a British John Wick as it lost its identity a bit

[@gatekeeperboxing5898]

Interesting you compare Craig's Bond to John Wick. I see Craig's Bond as having far more emotional depth to him than John Wick. John Wick to me has little to no real emotional depth, and the films are just an excuse for one violent gunplay sequence after another. I really don't like the John Wick films that much at all.

[@sellingsecretspodcast]

I hold true that Die Another Day is an underrated classic in James Bond canon. Am I crazy? Probably. But like Calvin, it was the first new Bond film I saw in cinemas as a young kid and it absolutely blew me away. I still have such a fond spot for it in my heart, regardless of it’s more ridiculous parts.

[@CJ17883]

Pierce Brosnan was and always will be the perfect 007, the looks the charm and everything he brought to the table was just impeccable

[@OuterGalaxyLounge]

My basic position is this: Every Bond is good. Every Bond actor is good. Arguing over which is best is pointless to me, but people love to scrap over things that matter little. Ultimately, it comes down to whether the movie itself is good or not, and there are a few 007 flicks that I think are kind of stinkers. But I don't blame that on any of the actors.

[@justanotherbondfanatic4128]

I grew up in the Daniel Craig era so Daniel Craig is my favorite Bond, but Die Another Day was the first Bond film I’d seen on DVD and I remember being absolutely blown away by it as a kid it’s what started my love for Bond. Say what you want about Pierce Brosnans films as a Bond he was absolutely incredible and up there with Connery and Moore. He also absolutely gave it his all and really enjoyed and appreciated the role which makes me appreciate his tenure even more. So yes you are absolutely right he deserves more credit.

[@pr-tj5by]

Brosnan is my No1

[@DafyddBrooks]

very good point man i must say, thanks for sharig :)

[@DafyddBrooks]

thats interesting as kids really enjoy DAD alot, very much how 70's kids loved mooraker in a way of sorts.

[@shanekeenaNYC]

The Daniel Craig era is regarded by many to be the era of deconstruction for Bond. Now, we need a time of healing, of creating a better, stronger, more stable, more sensible Bond than before. Take all the good aspects and lessons learned from the DC era and apply them to create something truly special.

[@High_Key]

Pierce just embodies the look and feel of Bond for me. I’m biased though because I did grow up with his era and Goldeneye is my favorite Bond film, and Tomorrow Never Dies is actually one of my favorite Bond films too (a top 5 for me). I’d argue that The World Is Not Enough is definitely Brosnan-esque and to a greater extent, Bond-esque. Really wish we got see Brosnan do a 5th film.

[@DafyddBrooks]

This man was our action hero growing up, he was THE British action adventure hero!!! :) I also think the Brosnan era was also the beginning of the BB and MG era too with them behind the scenes. They really wanted Goldeneye to not just follow the safe formula of what's come before, but really push for new ideas in writers and directors in the following movies. Goldeneye brought not only the old fans back, but it brought in a new genreation of audiences and fans. the MTV generation love him to bits too :) No one should judge Die another day as the reason Brosnan was a failure, he deserved a 5th movie and it always puzzles me why they let him go. even though he said he's glad he wasn't in The living Daylights, I still kinda wish he was in that movie as it would have been just that little bit better :)

[@TheRageaholic]

I think the lower Brosnan re-release box office likely has more to do with their numerical order in the series. I'm sure a large number of people started out intending to watch the series in order, fell off somewhere in the '80s, and came back when the films became more modern and they recognized them again. Brosnan is right in that death triangle between 1985 and 2004.

[@andrewpragasam]

Much as I love Daniel Craig (and always will), Pierce Brosnan was my Bond. I think young fans have a tendency to rebel against whichever Bond that preceded their entry point into the franchise. I remember being very snarky about Roger Moore when I was a teenager but now absolutely adore the man and his films. What concerns me slightly is that the gritty tone of the Craig era opened the door for viewers that would otherwise turn their noses up at the older entries and might decry it again were the series to revert back to "lighter" fare.

[@pr-tj5by]

Great overview, Brosnan and Moore are my top 2 in that order but I never felt like Craig and Dalton were Bond, always felt like dark generic action movies to me

[@jamesatkinsonja]

Agreed. I know there seems to be a lot of backlash to his films in these comment sections but Craig was very popular [especially with a general audience] and Brosnan's last film is now 20 years old so most modern fans are used to the gritty tone so for Bond to go in a lighter direction probably isn't what a general audience may be after. As Calvin said, the Cuba sequence in NTTD might be more like it-a bit of levity but not full Moore.

[@DafyddBrooks]

very good point i must say man. To be fair not too many teenagers will watch all the old movies if they already hadn in their young days and they'll just stick to the ones that were relased during their times and you kinda cant blame them really. For us its 90's Bond, though i know loadsa 70's kids loved Roger so much that they much prefered him as Bond over Connery. interetsing huh

[@DafyddBrooks]

@@jamesatkinsonja tis interesting how Dalton and Craig fans really really dont like the movies of Brosnan after GE (say what you will about DAD) but i couldnt see TND or TWINE as not up to standered at all

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@DafyddBrooks I think TND and TWINE sometimes get lumped in with DAD which is unfair.

[@jonathanlangston6958]

Love it, Calvin! Thanks as always for giving Brosnan the love he deserves. He's the Bond of my youth too and my personal favorite. I always find myself defending Brosnan (and some of his films) in circles where there's a lot of negativity toward his portrayal/films.

[@pr-tj5by]

My No1 too

[@brixbattler5338]

Pierce Brosnan is literally my favorite bond, so I just hope we get a sort of Tim dalton and roger Moore style reappraisal because that would just be so awesome

[@YoshMaster]

Brosnan is forever my Bond. I loved him so much I made it a point to watch every single movie he ever played and will ever play in. Sometimes I regret that decision as he plays in a LOT of movies and sometimes has more minor roles in them haha but he’s just one of my favourite actor of all time and I’m happy to say I’ve seen all of his work!

[@Kevmaster2000]

I want him to have a proper finale like Craig did.

[@spencerkindra8822]

It sucks that he’s the one Bond who didn’t leave on his own terms. He deserved a fifth movie but Eon wanted to swing back to a more realistic grounded Bond with Casino Royale and Brosnan couldn’t work in that movie because it’s inherently an origin story.

[@JBarg25]

I like to think of Everything or Nothing as that fifth movie. EA certainly intended to emulate that movie-like experience as much as was possible with that generation of gaming.

[@avinjenix8103]

After Sean Pierce Brosnan was the best bond he had the looks attitude and a perfect definition for bond

[@mikeysorrentino8480]

I still don’t get all the dislike for Octopussy, yes it might be silly but I personally enjoy it and think Roger Moore and Maud Adams did a fantastic job in the film

[@calvindyson]

Quite agree, Mikey! It's a go-to film for me

[@mikeysorrentino8480]

@@calvindyson 😊. Did you read my ranking article? I shared it on the patreon page

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Octopussy doesn't work because it takes far too long to get to a point where the story should have started in the first place. The circuitous route from the jewelled egg to stopping an atomic bomb really hurt the story. There are some great moments in Octopussy but it isn't a good film overall.

[@LicencetoWho]

I agree, Its 6th place in my list of Bond films!

[@mikeysorrentino8480]

@@LicencetoWho it’s at 14 in my ranking but that’s not to say I don’t enjoy it, I enjoy a strong majority of Bond films and my 10 films below my God tier 5 absolute favorites are my good tier personal favorites

[@SupportTheLittleGuy]

I wish they made Nightfire into a movie. that game had a fire story

[@spencerkindra8822]

It's a better story than Die Another Day that's for sure haha.

[@schaperart]

When I first saw the trailer for Goldeneye in the theatre people stood up and applauded - myself included

[@magnusprime962]

So I went through and watched all the Bond films to prep for No Time to Die, and I have this to say about the Brosnan era. Brosnan makes a great Bond, but his films are caught between two worlds. One world is the traditional lighthearted Bond films of the past, the other is the more grounded, character-focused stories that they were trying to do. Unfortunately, that struggle rarely resolves. Tomorrow Never Dies at least settles on being an action film first and foremost, but the other three never find the correct balance for the story they’re trying to tell. The result is films that are wishy-washy at best, and absolutely dreadful at worst. And it’s a shame, because they could’ve been great. The World is Not Enough could have been a film to rival On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and Casino Royale. Instead it, and the Brosnan era as a whole, stand as monument to lost potential.

[@DafyddBrooks]

Fair enough, I see where your coming from there, good points i must say. I think maybe youd have to be a kid back then to really REALLY appreciate him. Like Moore back the late 70's, youd have to be a kid back then to super love Moonraker and go with it :)

[@cyborg8009]

Tomorrow Never Dies is also my favourite since it settled on one direction and stuck with it. Die Another Day is a mess, while GoldenEye and The World Is Not Enough bungled interesting ideas to deliver uneven action. Aside from Tomorrow Never Dies, Brosnan's era is in my personal bottom six.

[@pr-tj5by]

@@cyborg8009 I thought he was the best Bond of all

[@pr-tj5by]

Magnus Prime, And yet I'll watch his Bond movies all day alongside Moore and a little Connery, can't watch Dalton or Craig, just doesn't feel like Bond to me

[@jamesatkinsonja]

From what Pierce said he was pushing for more 'grounded' and character based stories [apparently he suggested making Paris Carver an ex of Bond] but there was a clash between 'keeping within the formula' and trying new things. There is quite a lot of dark subjects covered in TWINE [Kidnapping, Stockholm syndrome etc] but also plenty of one liners ['Let's skirt the issue' etc.] so the tone feels very messy. Similar to how Christmas Jones seems to have been added to have a kiss at the end [allegedly the original ending proposed was Bond visiting a surviving Elektra in therapy]. Die Another Day starts off quite gritty with Bond tortured but that feels like it's form a completely different film from the later events so I think your onto something.