AGW Entertainment reporter Lynn B. saw a new action/adventure film. Here are her thoughts on....

DIE ANOTHER DAY

MGM Pictures

It's the 40th anniversary for the Bond films and Die Another Day celebrates with a vengeance. There are loads of glam locales and little tributes to former Bond flicks in gadgets (Sean Connery's jetpack) and a duplicated shot of Halle Berry rising out of the sea matches that of Ursula Andress in the first bond film ever Dr. No. It's the most expensive Bond ever!

When James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) wraps an assignment in Korea, he ends up running for his life over land mines in a giant hovercraft. Betrayed and suspended from the secret service, Bond circles the globe in search of revenge and crazed bad guy Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens) and his right-hand man Zao (Rick Yune). Bond is led from Hong Kong to Cuba where he meets American agent Jinx (Halle Berry) who is after the same prey. It's back to London and on to Iceland where Jinx and Bond must deal with a mole agent and stop the baddies from using an ultra high tech weapon to wage war.

This film is kickin'! The opening sequence is creative and exciting and it just gets better from there. It's the best Bond in years. We have Brosnan playing an outcast spy who must operate under the radar after spending time in prison! Yes, he teams up with a Bond "girl" but she is a savvy, action mama who does just fine on her own, thank you. Halle Berry gives Jinx just the right mix of hotness, mystery and take charge intelligence that has been lacking in Bond Femmes for the last several films. There is an "ice queen" for Bond to thaw in the beautiful, fragile-looking Rosamund Pike who has the more traditional Bond babe chores but in a well-choreographed knife fight with Halle, she shows that she is no pushover.

As a villain, suave Bond-style socialite Gustav Graves is played with a great sneer by Maggie Smith's son Toby Stephens. The fencing match between Graves and Bond is genius as it escalates from a sport of gentlemen to a no holds barred street fight. There is a great car chase on a glacier and the cars in the film are to "die for". Director Lee Tamahori really can shoot action! And he knows how to mix in some character development for a change.

Madonna's little cameo as a cat-woman style fencing instructor is a camp riot and it's fun to see John Cleese take over as the new "Q" who has a warehouse full of Bond gadgets old and new. Hottie Rick Yune is a menacing baddie as he emerges from a botched DNA alteration with blue eyes and scars that are tipped with diamonds. The great Dame Judi Dench gets more to do and wrestle with this time as "M", Bond's boss.

There are a few glitches like I wondered why, with all of "Q's" high tech gadgetry, Bond still has to use a pair of old fashioned wire cutters to get through a fence and why Icarus, Graves' huge, orbiting platform of destruction, was never destroyed. But, who cares. For fans of the Bond films from day one, this installment will revitalize your taste, for newbies to the Bond franchise, it's just a great, glam thrill ride whether shaken, stirred or dished up with a slammin' soundtrack at your local theater.

Official website: http://www.jamesbond.com/

Rated: PG-13