You don't go into a James Bond film expecting coherent plotting. Instead, you go for the action, which is a major reason "The World is Not Enough" is one of the most disappointing movies in the Bond series' history.
Except for a couple of spectacular (and dangerous-looking) sequences, this uninvolving action-thriller is lacking the necessary punch to overcome its rather weak script, which isn't up to the usual Bond standard. To top things off, it's not a particularly well-acted piece.
Of course, all this could have to do with some rather odd choices for the cast and crew. Director Michael Apted is a filmmaker better known for his skill with character pieces ("Nell," "Coal Miner's Daughter") than for action movies ("Extreme Measures").
And this film's two "Bond girls" — marble-mouthed French actress Sophie Marceau and stiff-as-a-board American Denise Richards — aren't exactly known for their acting talents.
One thing they do accomplish, however, is to make the most glacial of Bonds, Pierce Brosnan, seem like a somewhat warmer presence. Here, he reprises his role as the suave superspy in what, on the surface at least, appears to be a re-do of "Her Majesty's Secret Service."
This time, 007 is assigned to protect Elektra King (Marceau), the daughter of a murdered industrialist, who's building an oil pipeline that could supply most of the world's energy needs for the next century.
Bond quickly manages to foil one attempt on her life — by paragliding snowmobilers on a ski slope, no less. And as he continues to shadow the woman, he also begins to fall for her, though he suspects she may be hiding a secret.
In fact, while investigating suspicious activities at one of her plants, Bond uncovers evidence that seems to confirm his worst fears: that Elektra may be in cahoots with an international terrorist (Robert Carlyle), and that she's actually trying to corner the world's energy market.
With help from beautiful nuclear scientist Christmas Jones (Richards), he has to foil their scheme, as well as rescue his boss, M (Judi Dench), who has been reluctantly dragged into the plot.
To be frank, she's not the only one with hesitations about the plotting. Three screenwriters were credited with the messy script, but there were obviously more writers involved — as evidenced by its sloppy and convoluted nature.
Also, the director doesn't really show much of a flair for the action sequences, which might have been more exciting in the hands of a more dynamic filmmaker.
What's more surprising is how little zip the dramatic scenes have. But it's not as if Apted has a stellar cast to work with.
Of the bunch, only Brosnan seems to be having any fun. Carlyle sounds like he's doing his best-Russian-by-way-of-New-York accent, and Marceau's mumbled delivery makes English sound like a foreign language.
But they're all far better than Richards, who again displays the acting ability of a mannequin.
"The World is Not Enough" is rated PG-13 for violent gunplay, hand-to-hand combat and vehicular mayhem, a scene of torture, sexual humor (mostly double-entendres), simulated sex and brief female nudity (including the patented stylish opening credits).