Sunday, September 13, 2015

Die Another Day (2002) | Women



Miranda Frost's name is awfully on-the-nose, isn't it? Not a lot of subtlety there. She's unemotional, we get it. She even hangs out in an ice palace. But beyond her coldness, the movie hasn't given any thought to her as a person. Even her role as juxtaposition to Bond's methods is weakened when we learn that her methods aren't really her methods at all, but a cover for a meaningless plot twist. I want to like her, but I don't.



Before Die Another Day was even out, there was talk about spinning Jinx into her own series. As if this was such a strong character that of course audiences would demand more of her. So already she's got something to prove and then she's introduced by deliberately evoking the very first and most iconic Bond Girl. There were other reasons for both of these things, but together they give the impression that the movie is trying way too hard with Jinx.

And she's just not that great a character. She's snotty, immoral, vicious, and generally unpleasant. And she winds up the damsel in distress not just once, but twice, having to be rescued by Bond. I suppose Halle Berry was supposed to be enough to make us want the spin-off, because it certainly wasn't anything else about her. Give me a Wai Lin series any day, though.

My Favorite Bond Women

1. Tracy Bond (On Her Majesty's Secret Service)
2. Melina Havelock (For Your Eyes Only)
3. Kara Milovy (The Living Daylights)
4. Wai Lin (Tomorrow Never Dies)
5. Paula Caplan (Thunderball)
6. Tatiana Romanova (From Russia With Love)
7. Natalya Simonova (GoldenEye)
8. Fiona Volpe (Thunderball)
9. Domino Derval (Thunderball)
10. Christmas Jones (The World Is Not Enough)

2 comments:

larry said...

I've always wished they would bring Pike back as a Bond girl. Since Die Another Day, I've become a big fan of her work. I'd love to see her as the tough heroine in a Craig Bond.

Michael May said...

I totally agree. After seeing her in Gone Girl, I realize how much better a character she deserves. Do over!

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