Fancy a fun James Bond flick to tune into this week? ITV has you covered with Die Another Day, starring Pierce Brosnan in his fourth and final outing as MI6 agent 007.
First released in 2002, the movie was directed by Lee Tamahori (Once Were Warriors) and saw Brosnan step into the action-packed shoes of Bond for the last time, following his previous outings in GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies and The World Is Not Enough throughout the 1990s.
© Alamy Stock PhotoInspired by Ian Fleming's espionage novels, Die Another Day sees Bond hunting down a double agent within British intelligence. After being captured by North Korean forces, he tracks down the operative by teaming up with NSA agent Jinx, played by Halle Berry.
While the film divided critics, earning a 55 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes, it was a box office success, taking home $432 million worldwide. If you're a fan of Pierce Brosnan's Bond and are in the mood for something high-tech and extravagant, this one is worth tuning into when it airs on ITV4 on Monday evening.
What have viewers said about Die Another Day?
While the movie holds a 41 per cent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it remains a beloved watch for longtime fans.
"This classic James Bond romp is criminally underrated," penned one viewer. "It is tremendously entertaining and enjoyable to watch. Pierce Brosnan nails James Bond to perfection. He fits the role like a glove. Toby Stephens chews the scenery delightfully as the main villain, and Rosamund Pike is a smoking hot femme fatale."
© Alamy Stock PhotoMeanwhile, another said: "Die Another Day incorporates virtually every Bond trope and dials it up to 11. It's almost a parody, and probably the reason why they went in a new direction after this. But it's better than Tomorrow Never Dies and at least as good as The World Is Not Enough. Forget the critics. This wasn't made for them."
A third added: "Die Another Day is one of the best Bond movies with lots of over-the-top action and story. It ends Brosnan’s outing with a bang."
What is Die Another Day about?
The film sees Brosnan step into the role of James Bond for a final time before Daniel Craig took over. The synopsis reads: "007 is assigned to North Korea on a mission to assassinate a colonel when he is betrayed by a double agent at MI6 and captured – after enduring 14 months of torture, James is traded at the Korean border for Zao, a North Korean agent and associate of the colonel, in a prisoner exchange.
© Alamy Stock Photo"Bond then escapes his subsequent MI6 detention and tracks Zao to Havana where he meets NSA agent Jinx and learns that she is working on the same case – James soon discovers that Zao is in league with the British diamond and technology tycoon Sir Gustav Graves… and that the two are planning to use a new satellite called Icarus to change the power balance of the world permanently."
Who stars in Die Another Day?
Pierce Brosnan (MobLand, Mamma Mia) stars as James Bond, while Halle Berry (Monster’s Ball, Catwoman) plays Giacinta "Jinx" Johnson.
They are joined by Toby Stephens (Jane Eyre) as Gustav Graves, Rosamund Pike (Saltburn) as Miranda Frost, Rick Yune (Fast & Furious) as Zao and Judi Dench (Shakespeare in Love) as M.
© Alamy Stock PhotoRounding out the cast are John Cleese (Fawlty Towers) as Q, Samantha Bond (The Marlow Murder Club) as Miss Moneypenny and Colin Salmon (Prey for the Devil) as Charles Robinson.
Die Another Day airs on ITV4 at 10pm on Monday and is available to stream on ITVX now.
