A lot of people won't share my opinion to list this one among my favourites (actually, it is my all-time favourite!) cos Roger Moore shouldn't have taken this last part or cos there's too much slap-stick kind of humor. And as true as it may be, there are many things in this movie that makes it so great!
Like the charismatic actors Christopher Walken (as the most evil and psychopathic of all Bond villains, Max Zorin), Grace Jones as bad-girl-turns-goodie, May Day, and the final appearance of Walter Gotell as the Russian General Gogol. Then there is Patrick McNee who's best right hand Bond ever had (Sir Goddfrey Tibbett) and Tanya Roberts in a, for a change, really sweet and cute role (Stacey Sutton).
The story is original too (not some World War III or the
This movie probably doesn't feature the biggest names, but still there's lots of strong acting. I like Jeroen Krabbé a lot and he plays the defectent Russian General Koskov with lots of understatement - although there are many who say he made the character too superficial. Also Maryan d'Abo puts down a very realistic Bond girl...
This is the last Bond movie too which took advantage of the Cold War situation, as this movie is totally centered on East Germany and Russia.
It's a shame Timothy Dalton is often been ridiculized for making a 'too' emotional character out of Bond, but (as with every other actor who played Bond) I'm glad he made part of the group once - Brad Pitt couldn't have done it better! :) Somehow people often seem to look over the fact that Dalton has a good sense of humor and there definitely is lots energy-packed action within him - so he surely isn't the stiff-assed Brit people claim he is. He's the only Bond of whom I can say all his movies were great (except from George L. of course).
My favourite Bond movies are those where there's more to it than just saving the world (again) and fooling around with some meaningless girls. This is one of them...
The part of Christmas Jones (by Denise Richards) is the only thing which isn't right here - the producers seemed to have made too much effort to 'prove' Bond isn't a macho movie series by putting a Baywatch-babe look-alike, who happens to be really intelligent though, in this film. It's a bit too anti-stereotypical, I think.
But Bond shows some real emotion again (he has to see how a woman he loves slips away from him...). Like the cruel Timothy Dalton did in "Licence To Kill", this time Pierce Brosnan is into revenge-mode when hunting down Renard (by Robert Carlyle).
There's a welcome return from Zukovsky (Robbie Coltrane) - a former Russian enemy who (initially against his will) turned to Bond's side. It's too bad they killed him cos he was great character that could have been used many times more (like the scenarists did with General Gogol).
