The World Is Not Enough
1999 · Directed by Michael Apted
Original language: English
- adventure
- action
- thriller
The story
Greed, revenge, world dominance and high-tech terrorism – it's all in a day's work for Bond, who's on a mission to protect a beautiful oil heiress from a notorious terrorist. In a race against time that culminates in a dramatic submarine showdown, Bond works to defuse the international power struggle that has the world's oil supply hanging in the balance.
What it’s like
Glossy late-nineties Bond polish: sweeping helicopter shots over the Basque coast, snowy Alpine white and cold blue glacier light, then the warm amber of a Bilbao guggenheim-style skyline and the grey steel of a submarine interior lit by blinking control panels. The camera moves with confident, expensive momentum, with a snowmobile chase and a boat pursuit cut to a thudding, orchestral-action score, while the quieter scenes lean on static two-shots in dim offices and candlelit dinners. The vibe is brisk, sleek and faintly tongue-in-cheek, the kind of escapist sheen you slip into on a long-haul flight or a lazy weekend evening when you want big set pieces without strain. Pacing is brisk and set-piece driven, with the emotional register kept light: a suave spy warily opening up to a guarded heiress, their wary chemistry edged with banter. Violence is frequent and stylised: gunfights, explosions and a bloody but bloodless-feeling fight-to-the-death with a henchman, plus a sharp, brief interrogation, with no sustained gore and only modest sexual innuendo. It suits fans of classic action-thrillers who enjoy polished gadgets, glamorous locations and a recognisable hero rather than anyone seeking something gentle.
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