GoldenEye

Utilizing a catchy score, a vibrant look, and a charming new actor, GoldenEye (1995)was a massive success. Pierce Brosnan’s first film throws audiences into the danger and excitement that he would bring, a breath of fresh air into the iconic franchise.

“Beg your pardon, I forgot to knock.” The smooth talking, charming persona that Brosnan brings reminisces that of Connery, except with much more flare and excitement. GoldenEye perfectly blends action and excitement, while retaining and refreshing the humor the franchise is so well known for.

Accompanying the film, American singer Tina Turner helmed the title song for the film. “GoldenEye” was seen as a very over-the-top James Bond theme, being described as a feline performance by Turner. One reviewer said that Turner manages to sound powerful, like Shirley Bassey, Bond singer of the films Goldfinger (1964), Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and Moonraker (1979).

November 17, 1995, saw the return of Bond in GoldenEye after a six-year hiatus – a record tied with No Time to Die (2021) for the longest stretch between Bond films to date. Brosnan was actually to become the titular spy eight years earlier, after the departure of Roger Moore. Brosnan was under contract for the NBC series Remington Steele, when Bond producer, Albert Broccoli, first noticed and became impressed with Brosnan. In the year 1994, Brosnan was officially introduced as the new Bond, in the new film titled after the estate where Fleming wrote the 007 novels.

GoldenEye shows Bond seeking to stop a powerful satellite weapon from falling into the wrong hands–former MI6 agent Alec Trevelyan, who is seeking revenge on the British Government. Bond teams up with Natalya Simonova, the main Bond girl of the film, as they navigate a dangerous world of betrayal and espionage. GoldenEye has the feel of the classics while reinventing itself, some claiming it to movie that saved the franchise from becoming something of the past.

Looking at the song of the film, “GoldenEye” is the true definition of a Bond song. It has intrigue, it has suspense, its lyrics parallel and resonate with the film, it simply is perfect. Turner’s vocals are the star of the song, as she belts the hallowing lyrics that are as fitting for the filmas they are for Bond. The song is about: betrayal, deception, love, pain, vengeance, all themes and motifs present throughout the film.

GoldenEye is a unique and special entry, as Brosnan’s phenomenal performance along with the uniqueness of the film allowed it to become a hit. Even so, that a video game adaptation of the film was made two years later. The film was a monumental turn for the series, as it was the first Bond film to not be adapted from any source material. Producer Albert Broccoli passed the reigns of the franchise to his two children, allowing them to take charge and continue the legacy left by their father.