THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH script review

The difference in our opinions is that I don't think Elektra was meant to be another great love of Bond's, whereas you subscribe to that. So we won't ever see eye to eye here.

Bond came up against someone who can use sex as a means of getting someone on their side, just like he does and because she is a 'bird with a wing down' Bond does struggle a little bit more than usual with working out whether she is innocent or not.

'The bird with a wing down' can be applied to other Bond girls, not just Tracy. Tiffany Case springs to mind and yet she wasn't a great love of Bond. She moved in with him after the events of DAF. Point being, yes, Bond has a weakness for that type of girl, but after the casino he knew she may not be as innocent as he thought. I bring up Tiffany because there is a more developed relationship than some of the other Bond girls, but that's it.

Yes, there are allusions to OHMSS, but it's not a case to say Bond fell in love with Elektra.

MP wrote:

Bond initially being lead to believe that the villain happens to be bald is not incidental.

I would have thought Elektra wasn't bald based on other photos, still, I fail to see the relevance.

MP wrote:

Bond looking emotional and tapping that video of Elektra as if to wipe her tear is not incidental (a callback to Fleming Bond usually falling for "a bird with a wing down").

As I said, look at Tiffany from the books.

MP wrote:

Elektra asking Bond if he had ever lost a loved one, and him brushing that aside was not incidental.

No it wasn't. It's absolutely intentional to tie TWINE to OHMSS. Still doesn't equate to Bond falling for Elektra.

MP wrote:

Bond and Elektra skiing together with lush music by Arnold, then followed by an action sequence that concludes with an avalanche was not incidental.

That's right, the film makers wanted to change the car chase to something that again ties the film to OHMSS. Still doesn't mean that Bond fell for Elektra.

MP wrote:

Arnold scoring their tenderly portrayed bedtime together with a very lush and romantic rendition of "Only Myself to Blame" was not incidental.

Eh now you're grasping at straws. The lyrics don't really feel like they're from Bond's POV, and besides, Bond's not to blame for what's happened in the film. If it was a Craig Bond film, sure...

MP wrote:

His behavior regarding his conflicting feelings over Elektra is not incidental.

At times, it could be that he regrets that he couldn't 'win them all' and that she was a tragic character. If we're gunna bring up a something that wasn't even used in the film (Only Myself to Blame by Scott Walker), then Bond's like "that daddy's little girl's insane' should cement that Bond began joining the dots well before he got to that conclusion.

Quote :

His mourning over her dead body after killing was not incidental.

See above.

The whole girl character isn't wasn't she seems goes back to Gardner's For Special Services.

TWINE with Elektra surviving in any way would absolutely ruin it forever far worse than the mishandled plot and script directions. It is absolutely ESSENTIAL that it play out the way the film handles it. It parallels Bond's great moment of guilt of Paris' corpse in TND and is a great character moment right out of Fleming. The entire film builds up to this singular moment and is one of the only times it lives up to its promise. It also is the culmination of the incredible torture scene and the film absolutely cried out for a proper downbeat Fleming final scene going into Only Myself to Blame.

BTW the song has really grown on me. I get it stuck in my head often nowadays. True a traditional Bond entry couldn't end that way but this was not meant to be a traditional Bond film and if fully realized as intended it would be far more respected and adult film than CR '06 ever could possibly be considered.

I'd be more pissed off at Eon for not using OMTB at the end credits if Arnold's Bond theme rendition wasn't as excellent as it is.

The downbeat ending would have been great, and aligns more with what Brosnan wanted to do with Bond during his time. But I do like that we get a classic 'caught in the act' MI6 scene at the end.

Oh and good to see a little more appreciation for the torture sequence.

Yeah.
Tonally OMTB would not work at all with the finale as is. I too enjoy it for being a classical ending. Arnold's scoring here is some of his all time best, and the piano riff trailing off into the Bond theme is easily his best ending piece. So much so that DAD's ending virtually echoes it.

The more I think about it, the torture sequence is so much more adult and alive than anything critics and audience have praised DC's era for. Imagine him in that chair and you'd just have a silent thug being strangled.
The darkness of the scene is heightened by Elektra's sensuality and her obvious pleasure at having Bond in her grasp right on the cusp of death. I have always loved the way Elektra literally straddles the dying Bond with something akin to pleasure in her control. For once the talking killer syndrome is played out in a completely believable emotional context and the scene while emulating GF's laser beam table does not at all homage it. Brosnan manages to get such a great degree of emotional pain, sadness, regret and cold horror not only at the full reveal of this warped creature about to kill him but for the destruction of an entire city...out of nothing but absolute madness.

It's good to see Marceau relish the character having been given the opportunity to do so after playing the character's inner turmoil/innocence for much of the film.