Goldeneye [Special Edition] [DVD] [1995]

Pierce Brosnan assumed the role of James Bond for the first time in Goldeneye, the 17th entry in the series. Brosnan looks a little light on the big screen under any circumstances, and he does take some getting used to as 007. But this busy film keeps him hopping as freelance terrorists from the former Soviet Union get their hands on super-high-tech weapons. The film's challenge is to bring free-spirited Bond up to date in the age of AIDS and in the aftermath of the cold war: director Martin Campbell (The Mask of Zorro) succeeds on both counts with a cheeky hint of irony. The best moment in the film is a chase scene that finds Bond tearing up the streets of Moscow in a tank. But Brosnan's most interesting contributions are reminiscent of the dark streak that occasionally showed up in Sean Connery's Bond. --Tom Keogh

The film that marked the successful rebirth of the 007 franchise, which had laid dormant for over half a decade, GoldenEye remains Pierce Brosnan’s finest moment as Britain’s most famous secret agent.

The plot? This one involves the Russian mafia, a rogue agent and a powerful satellite, although realistically it’s the standard 007 formula at work. Thus, there’s gadgets, girls and plenty of action, with the plot trying to squeeze in where there’s room.

There are several reasons though why GoldenEye works so well. Firstly, it successfully ushered in a new cast, with Judi Dench’s M, Samantha Bond’s Moneypenny and Robbie Coltrane’s Valentin Zukovsky all marking their 007 movie debut. Then, the baddies are strong, although Sean Bean’s ruthless 006 is overshadowed by Famke Janssen’s career-making performance as Xenia Onatopp. And then there’s that vital 007 ingredient--the action. From a stunning pre-credits sequence, which is arguably the film’s highlight, through to several high-tempo action moments throughout the rest of the film, it’s highly enjoyable stuff, and impossible to resist.

Finally, there’s Brosnan. Arguably the most successful Bond since Sean Connery defined the role, his laid back, hard-edged charm serves him well, and he never looked more comfortable as 007 as he does in his maiden outing.

In short, GoldenEye is not only a terrific Bond movie, it’s a strong action movie full stop. --Jon Foster

2.35 Wide Screen
16:9 Wide Screen
DVD 9
English
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Dolby Digital 5.1
Audio Commentary Featuring Director Martin Cambell And Producer Michael G Wilson
Making Of Featurette The Goldeneye Video Journal
The World Of 007 Documentary
Goldeneye Music Video By Tina Turner
Behind The Scenes Featurette
2 Theatrical Trailers
12 Television Ads
English