Tomorrow Never Dies

Cast overview, first billed only:
Pierce Brosnan .............. James Bond Jonathan Pryce .............. Elliot Carver
Michelle Yeoh ...................... Wai Lin Teri Hatcher .................. Paris Carver
Ricky Jay ...................... Henry Gupta Götz Otto ............................ Stamper
Joe Don Baker ................ Jack Wade Vincent Schiavelli .......... Dr. Kaufman
Judi Dench .................................... M Desmond Llewelyn ......................... Q
Samantha Bond .... Miss Moneypenny Colin Salmon .......... Charles Robinson
Geoffrey Palmer ........ Adm. Roebuck Julian Fellowes .... Minister of Defence
Terence Rigby ............ Gen. Bukharin ...........................................................

Summary: Back on Solid Ground

It is with a sense of satisfaction that I report that our man in London has returned to the foal. The franchise that has, through so many incarnations , wandered aimlessly (bending uncomfortably in the 80's to cultural whims and plots dependent on novelty cinematic effects, and in the early 90's spinning in circles in search of it's own identity) seems to have landed on both legs, solidly.

"TND" is tight, moving along nicely in the spirit of the best cinematic realizations of our agent and his exploits. It offers an almost perfect balance of story, character, action and effects to, at the very least, leave any Bond junkie with a sense of optimism regarding the future of 007 's exploits in the Cloak- and-Dagger field.

Brosnan is no Connery, but he IS Bond. Which is NOT to say Connery was not Bond, but it is to say that Brosnan's Bond is not Connery's, although it SURELY is Bond nevertheless.

On another subject, Sheryl Crow is NOT Bond. k.d. lang, now THAT is Bond, all over, man, and does she have a set of pipes on her, or what?! Am I wrong?