Tomorrow Never Dies is the 18th film in the James Bond franchise and the second to star Pierce Brosnan as 007. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode, it delivers a blend of espionage, action, and Bond-style wit while also critiquing the power of media conglomerates.
Detailed Summary
The Opening: An Arms Bazaar in the Himalayas
The movie begins with Bond infiltrating a terrorist arms bazaar on the Russian border. As MI6 observes remotely, M (Judi Dench) authorizes a missile strike to destroy the bazaar. Bond realizes there are nuclear-tipped torpedoes in a jet that would cause catastrophic fallout if hit. With seconds to spare, he hijacks the jet and escapes, setting the tone for a high-stakes adventure.
The Villain Emerges: Elliot Carver
The central antagonist is media mogul Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce), who plans to manipulate world events to boost ratings for his global news empire. His scheme begins by staging a confrontation between British and Chinese forces using a stealth ship that sinks a British warship and steals missiles, while making it appear as though China is responsible.
Enter Wai Lin and Paris Carver
Bond investigates Carver and reconnects with Paris Carver (Teri Hatcher), Carver’s wife and Bond’s former lover. Their reunion adds an emotional dimension, as Paris still has unresolved feelings for Bond. However, she is soon murdered on Carver’s orders after betraying her husband.
Bond then partners with Chinese agent Wai Lin (Michelle Yeoh), who is investigating Carver’s plot from her government’s side. Their partnership is initially competitive but evolves into mutual respect and alliance.
The Action Escalates
Highlights include Bond escaping Carver’s newspaper headquarters in Hamburg, a motorcycle chase through Saigon with Wai Lin handcuffed to him, and an underwater dive to retrieve evidence from the sunken British ship. The chemistry between Brosnan and Yeoh is one of the film’s strongest elements, showcasing Bond’s suave resilience alongside Wai Lin’s martial arts skills and ingenuity.
⇢ VIRAL RIGHT NOW
Movie Ending
The climax takes place aboard Carver’s stealth ship. Bond and Wai Lin infiltrate the vessel, where Carver plans to launch a missile at Beijing. The strike would trigger war between Britain and China, giving Carver exclusive media coverage rights in China under a puppet regime.
Bond engages in a tense showdown with Carver, eventually killing him by throwing him into his own giant drilling machine—a satisfyingly ironic end for a villain obsessed with control.
Meanwhile, Wai Lin is captured but escapes and helps Bond sabotage the missile. Bond disables the missile targeting system, and in a desperate fight against Carver’s enforcer Stamper (Gotz Otto), he manages to destroy the stealth ship. Stamper dies in the explosion while Bond and Wai Lin escape into the ocean.
The film ends with Bond and Wai Lin sharing a romantic moment on wreckage, their partnership sealed with a classic Bond-style kiss.
Are There Post-Credits Scenes?
No, Tomorrow Never Dies does not have any post-credits scenes. Like most classic Bond films, it ends with the reassurance that “James Bond will return”, followed by the credits.
Type of Movie
Tomorrow Never Dies is a spy thriller / action film in the James Bond tradition, featuring espionage, global politics, gadgetry, and larger-than-life villains.
Cast
- Pierce Brosnan as James Bond
- Jonathan Pryce as Elliot Carver
- Michelle Yeoh as Wai Lin
- Teri Hatcher as Paris Carver
- Gotz Otto as Stamper
- Judi Dench as M
- Desmond Llewelyn as Q
- Samantha Bond as Moneypenny
Film Music and Composer
The score was composed by David Arnold, marking his first Bond film and revitalizing the franchise’s music with a modern yet classic Bond feel.
The title song “Tomorrow Never Dies” was performed by Sheryl Crow, while k.d. lang’s track “Surrender” played during the end credits (originally intended as the theme).
Filming Locations
The film was shot in multiple international locations:
- Hamburg, Germany – key scenes at Carver’s headquarters and the car chase sequence.
- Thailand – doubling as Vietnam for the motorcycle chase and waterfront scenes.
- Pinewood Studios, UK – interior sets, including the stealth ship.
These locations highlight the movie’s global stakes and emphasize Bond’s role as an international agent.
⇢ KEEP UP WITH THE TREND
Awards and Nominations
- Nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song (Tomorrow Never Dies by Sheryl Crow).
- Received a Grammy nomination for David Arnold’s score.
- While not as critically acclaimed as GoldenEye, it was a commercial success, further cementing Brosnan’s popularity as Bond.
Behind the Scenes Insights
- Michelle Yeoh performed many of her own stunts, impressing the crew with her martial arts ability.
- Pierce Brosnan insisted on doing more physical action work himself to make Bond feel more authentic.
- Teri Hatcher was pregnant during filming, which limited her action involvement.
- The script was rushed to meet a fixed release date, meaning rewrites often happened during shooting.
Inspirations and References
The character of Elliot Carver was inspired by real-life media tycoons, most notably Rupert Murdoch, with commentary on the dangerous influence of global news corporations.
Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes
Early drafts included a more complex backstory for Carver and additional scenes with Paris, giving more depth to her relationship with Bond. However, these were trimmed to keep the pace fast and action-focused.
Book Adaptations and Differences
Like many Bond films after the early Connery era, Tomorrow Never Dies is not based directly on an Ian Fleming novel. Instead, it borrows Fleming’s themes of global power struggles and media manipulation but tells an original story.
⇢ MOST SHARED RIGHT NOW
Memorable Scenes and Quotes
Key Scenes
- Bond’s escape in Hamburg using a remote-controlled BMW.
- The Saigon motorcycle chase, with Bond and Wai Lin handcuffed together.
- Carver’s death by his own drilling machine.
Iconic Quotes
- Bond (to Carver): “You forgot the first rule of mass media, Elliot. Give the people what they want!”
- M: “With all due respect, sometimes I don’t think you have the balls for this job.”
- Bond: “Perhaps. But the advantage is I don’t have to think with them all the time.”
Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
- Q’s gadgets include a BMW 750iL loaded with hidden weapons, reflecting the franchise’s tradition of turning ordinary cars into lethal machines.
- The stealth ship resembles naval prototypes being tested in the 1990s, grounding the movie in real-world military technology.
- The movie’s working title was Tomorrow Never Lies, but it was changed due to a typo in early promotional materials.
Trivia
- Pierce Brosnan named Tomorrow Never Dies as one of the hardest Bond films for him physically, due to its demanding action.
- Michelle Yeoh’s character was so well received that there was talk of a spin-off, though it never materialized.
- This was Desmond Llewelyn’s penultimate appearance as Q before his passing in 1999.
Why Watch?
If you love Bond films with explosive action, a sharp villain, and international intrigue, this is a must-watch. It may not reach the heights of GoldenEye, but its high-energy stunts, Michelle Yeoh’s standout performance, and Brosnan’s confident Bond make it one of the more entertaining entries of the 1990s.
Director’s Other Movies
- Under Fire (1983)
- Air America (1990)
- The Sixth Day (2000)
- Shake Hands with the Devil (2007)