ALrighty folks, Harry here, and I'm jazzed to hear good things about BOND 19, I just got the DVD TOMORROW NEVER DIES with all the extra goodies and... well it got me in the mood for a new Bond flick. Come on, make this one the one to rip the walls of my local theater down. It needs to leave everyone with concussions and bleeding in their seats. And smiling too....
Good evening Mr. and Mrs. American and all the ships at sea. Or something like that. Bond 19 might be a damn sight better than was previously reported on your site. I've been sent a script by a "Major Bootheroyd" (yes, sic) who claims that this is the Dana Stevens rewrite of the film tentatively titled The World is not Enough.
I don't want to give anything away (I don't *do* spoilers), but the film has a rather ingenious plot, both using and straying from the formula where necessary. They come CLOSE to using the title The World is not Enough, but they never do, so I think that tells us that the title STILL isn't finalized.
Good points: 1) Bond is smart again: things don't just happen TO him; he's active and intelligent. Guess what? He's a spy again. 2) Well written action sequences - not because they're wilder and bigger than anything coming out of Hollywood, but because they're motivated - every character has high stakes at that moment. Life or death - and no way out. No casual action, like has so often plagued the Bond movies. 3) Elektra - very compelling character and very complex, at least for a Bond movie. 4) Renard - I can SO see Jean Reno handling this with his cold steely nature. Of course, he hasn't been cast (at least not yet).
Bad point: Science. People are routinely shown in proximity of plutonium. Guess what? People die from close exposure from plutonium. Their white blood cells are erased and their marrow ceases to function. Death comes in hours or days. I assume they'll handle this by showing the appropriate shielding, at least I hope so. Because Plutonium aslo burns like hell. And the script is lazy in its descriptions of how a nuke sub should work.
But that's a very minor point, and something that can be fixed by hiring some former Navy engineer on set.
It's a taut script, and I think this is going to be a good one. If they don't cock it up by inserting too many puns and make it more casual. Which is what I fear if they're hiring Fierstein to rewrite it. This is a solid film in the making. The Sophie Merceau (sic?) casting is a good step, as is this script. I look forward to it.
Best to all of you...
I am Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker
