Just as James Bond fans are becoming satisfied with Pierce Brosnan as the charismatic 007, the series hits its 20th film in the last 40 years with \Die Another Day."" The film walks a thin line; there are many attempts to hold the essential roots of Bond together, but the series has taken a decided turn toward modern action. The result is neither spectacular nor upsetting. If not for Brosnan's impeccable act as Bond, ""Die Another Day"" would be an only slightly above average action film.
The film starts off placing James in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, working with his team to bust an arms deal. However, the entire plan goes awry and Bond is captured and tortured for 14 months until a release is brokered in exchange for North Korean agent Zao (Rick Yune). Unfortunately, M (Judi Dench) believes that Bond may have compromised British security. She yanks his 007 status and he proceeds to travel worldwide in an effort to clear his name. During his travels, he hooks up with American agent Jinx (Halle Berry). Both agents are chasing the same men, although perhaps for different reasons.
The biggest failure in this Bond outing is the tendency to stray from the line; action scenes reminiscent of ""XXX"" push too far away from the Bond series, while the villains never reach the Bond standard. Berry is adequate as a Bond girl and her character brings a new twist, almost turning the film into a partner spy film. Brosnan truly has taken his place in the Bond role, fitting in perfectly. ""Die Another Day"" provides an adequate action film and proves that Bond can still compete with his extreme counterparts.
