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[[File:rsz_422px-tomorrow-never-dies_6019.jpg|frame]]
[[File:rsz_422px-tomorrow-never-dies_6019.jpg|frame]]
The 18th [[James Bond]] film, starring Pierce Brosnan. After a British ship is sunk off the shore of China, [[James Bond]] is sent to investigate media mogul Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce) who is believed to be tied to it. Bond uncovers Carver's scheme to turn Britain and China against each other in World War III for his broadcasting and newspaper benefit, and gets a new partner in the person of Chinese agent Wai Lin ([[Michelle Yeoh]]).


{{quote|''There is no news like bad news.''|'''Elliot Carver'''}}
After the more serious tone of ''[[Goldeneye]]'', TND eases back into the Connery-esque "classic Bond" formula beat-for-beat, with [[Bond One-Liner|one-liners galore]], a [[Large Ham]] villain, and plenty of action setpieces that make full use of the [[Theme Music Power-Up]] trope. It was moderately well-received by the fanbase and critics, and further cemented Brosnan into the role, who began to carve his niche as the suave Bond.


The 18th [[James Bond]] film, starring Pierce Brosnan. After a British ship is sunk off the shore of China, [[James Bond]] is sent to investigate media mogul Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce) who is believed to be tied to it. Bond uncovers Carver's scheme to turn Britain and China against each other in World War III for his broadcasting and newspaper benefit, and gets a new partner in the person of Chinese agent Wai Lin ([[Michelle Yeoh]]).
----
=== This movie contains examples of: ===


After the more serious tone of ''[[GoldenEye (film)|GoldenEye]]'', '''''Tomorrow Never Dies''''' eases back into the Connery-esque "classic Bond" formula beat-for-beat, with [[Bond One-Liner|one-liners galore]], a [[Large Ham]] villain, and plenty of action setpieces that make full use of the [[Theme Music Power-Up]] trope. It was moderately well-received by the fanbase and critics, and further cemented Brosnan into the role, who began to carve his niche as the suave Bond.

{{tropelist}}
* [[Action Girl]]: Wai Lin, maybe one of the best examples in the whole franchise. And for double cool points, played by Michelle Yeoh. Sadly, [[Token Romance|romance isn't one of her strong points]].
* [[Action Girl]]: Wai Lin, maybe one of the best examples in the whole franchise. And for double cool points, played by Michelle Yeoh. Sadly, [[Token Romance|romance isn't one of her strong points]].
* [[Anonymous Ringer]] / [[No Celebrities Were Harmed]]: Elliot Carver is a thinly disguised Rupert Murdoch.
* [[Anonymous Ringer]] / [[No Celebrities Were Harmed]]: Elliot Carver is a thinly disguised Rupert Murdoch.
** Alternately, Carver is also widely considered a veiled Ted Turner, being the movie came out after the producers and the media mogul had a bit of a falling out.
** Alternately, Carver is also widely considered a veiled Ted Turner, being the movie came out after the producers and the media mogul had a bit of a falling out.
** [[Word of God|The writer said he actually based him on Robert Maxwell.]] This is made very obvious at the end, {{spoiler|when M devises a cover story for his death involving him falling off his yacht and drowning, while the public speculates he committed suicide, echoing Maxwell's death.}}
** [[Word of God|The writer said he actually based him on Robert Maxwell.]] This is made very obvious at the end, {{spoiler|when M devises a cover story for his death involving him falling off his yacht and drowning, while the public speculates he committed suicide, echoing Maxwell's death.}}
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** Of course, Carver later indulges in it himself.
** Of course, Carver later indulges in it himself.
* [[Arms Fair]]/[[Auction of Evil]]: The film opens with one.
* [[Arms Fair]]/[[Auction of Evil]]: The film opens with one.
* [[Artistic Title]]: This trippy montage consists of there's digital CPU figures (of the female variety), shadow figures, the audience gets to see in X-ray vision (Where people appear as skeletons and can see the inside of pistols), and diamonds; complete with [[Sheryl Crow]] singing the opening.
* [[Awesome but Impractical]]: The [[This Is a Drill|drilling]] [[Military Mashup Machine|torpedo]] [[Buffy-Speak|thing]]. A ''regular torpedo'' would have actually worked even more spectacularly, but would be less [[Rule of Cool|cool]].
* [[Awesome but Impractical]]: The [[This Is a Drill|drilling]] [[Military Mashup Machine|torpedo]] [[Buffy-Speak|thing]]. A ''regular torpedo'' would have actually worked even more spectacularly, but would be less [[Rule of Cool|cool]].
** A real torpedo could have caused more damage than needed (and Carver needed the ship and its missiles intact). Puncturing holes through the hull to sink it, however, does the job nicely.
** A real torpedo could have caused more damage than needed (and Carver needed the ship and its missiles intact). Puncturing holes through the hull to sink it, however, does the job nicely.
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** *ejects attacker from the back set of a jet into enemy jet above them* "Backseat driver..."
** *ejects attacker from the back set of a jet into enemy jet above them* "Backseat driver..."
** Even [[Big Bad|Carver]] gets off a clever one when he thinks Bond is dead.
** Even [[Big Bad|Carver]] gets off a clever one when he thinks Bond is dead.
{{quote| "Even if they were looking for me, ''we're on a stealth boat!'' They can't see me. Or you. Or even your friend, the late Commander Bond, who is, I believe, at this moment, on his way to the bottom of the South China Sea. ([[Beat]]) He's my new ''anchorman.''}}
{{quote|"Even if they were looking for me, ''we're on a stealth boat!'' They can't see me. Or you. Or even your friend, the late Commander Bond, who is, I believe, at this moment, on his way to the bottom of the South China Sea. ([[Beat]]) He's my new ''anchorman.''}}
* [[Casting Gag]] / [[I Want You to Meet An Old Friend of Mine]]: M and Admiral Roebuck [[As Time Goes By|have known each other for quite some time]].
* [[Casting Gag]] / [[I Want You to Meet An Old Friend of Mine]]: M and Admiral Roebuck [[As Time Goes By|have known each other for quite some time]].
* [[Chained Heat]]: Bond and Wai Lin.
* [[Chained Heat]]: Bond and Wai Lin.
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* [[Helicopter Blender]]: Quite a silly example, as it takes forever for it to carve through the narrow streets of Saigon to get to the cycle Bond and Wai Lin are riding.
* [[Helicopter Blender]]: Quite a silly example, as it takes forever for it to carve through the narrow streets of Saigon to get to the cycle Bond and Wai Lin are riding.
* [[Hero Insurance]]: A scene between Bond and Q show him ''actually getting'' hero insurance for his car.
* [[Hero Insurance]]: A scene between Bond and Q show him ''actually getting'' hero insurance for his car.
{{quote| '''Q:''' It's the insurance damage waiver for your beautiful new car. Now, will you need collision coverage?<br />
{{quote|'''Q:''' It's the insurance damage waiver for your beautiful new car. Now, will you need collision coverage?
'''James Bond:''' Yes.<br />
'''James Bond:''' Yes.
'''Q:''' Fire?<br />
'''Q:''' Fire?
'''James Bond:''' Probably.<br />
'''James Bond:''' Probably.
'''Q:''' Property destruction?<br />
'''Q:''' Property destruction?
'''James Bond:''' Definitely.<br />
'''James Bond:''' Definitely.
'''Q:''' Personal Injury?<br />
'''Q:''' Personal Injury?
'''James Bond:''' I hope not, but accidents do happen. <br />
'''James Bond:''' I hope not, but accidents do happen.
'''Q''': They frequently do with you. }}
'''Q''': They frequently do with you. }}
* [[Hero of Another Story]]: Wai Lin seems to be China's equivalent of 007.
* [["Hey You!" Haymaker]]: Bond pulls this on a thug about to shoot Wai Lin.
* [["Hey You!" Haymaker]]: Bond pulls this on a thug about to shoot Wai Lin.
* [[Hey, It's That Guy!]]: Elliot Carver seems to pull double duty as [[Pirates of the Caribbean|Governor of Jamaica]].
* [[Hey, It's That Guy!]]: Elliot Carver seems to pull double duty as [[Pirates of the Caribbean|Governor of Jamaica]].
** I'm sure Vincent Schiavelli (Dr. Kaufman) and Ricky Jay (Henry Gupta) qualify for this distinction
** I'm sure Vincent Schiavelli (Dr. Kaufman) and Ricky Jay (Henry Gupta) qualify for this distinction
* [[Hollywood Silencer]]: Averted on the stealth ship, where Bond's suppressed Walther P99 sounds probably just a little less loud that it would without the suppressor.
* [[Hollywood Silencer]]: Averted on the stealth ship, where Bond's suppressed Walther P99 sounds probably just a little less loud that it would without the suppressor.
* [[Hoist by His Own Petard]]: You wanted a headline, Carver? You got it, courtesy of [[MI 6]]! {{spoiler|Something about a boating accident...}}
* [[Hoist by His Own Petard]]: You wanted a headline, Carver? You got it, courtesy of [[MI 6]]! {{spoiler|Something about a boating accident...}}
{{quote| '''Bond''': [[Pre-Mortem One-Liner|You forgot the first rule of mass media, Elliot! Give the people what they want!]]}}
{{quote|'''Bond''': [[Pre-Mortem One-Liner|You forgot the first rule of mass media, Elliot! Give the people what they want!]]}}
* [[Incredibly Long Note]]: k.d. lang's [[Crowning Music of Awesome|epic finish]] during the closing credits.
* [[Incredibly Long Note]]: [[k.d. lang]]'s [[Crowning Music of Awesome|epic finish]] during the closing credits.
* [[Irrevocable Order]]:The Royal Navy launches a Tomahawk missile to destroy a terrorist arms depot. They quickly find out that there are {{spoiler|nukes}} at the camp. But the missile is already out of radio range, requiring [[James Bond]] to go in and remove the bombs.
* [[Irrevocable Order]]:The Royal Navy launches a Tomahawk missile to destroy a terrorist arms depot. They quickly find out that there are {{spoiler|nukes}} at the camp. But the missile is already out of radio range, requiring [[James Bond]] to go in and remove the bombs.
* [[Lampshade Hanging]]: Bond lets Carver know that starting World War III for ratings' sake is really quite insane.
* [[Lampshade Hanging]]: Bond lets Carver know that starting World War III for ratings' sake is really quite insane.
* [[Large Ham]]: Jonathan Pryce's magnificently over-the-top villain is one of the most memorable things about this movie.
* [[Large Ham]]: Jonathan Pryce's magnificently over-the-top villain is one of the most memorable things about this movie.
* [[Malevolent Mugshot]]: Carver loves his banners. Bond gets in a good dig at his expense for it.
* [[Malevolent Mugshot]]: Carver loves his banners. Bond gets in a good dig at his expense for it.
* [[Milkman Conspiracy]]: The Carver Media Group blackmails the President, is implied to orchestrate global floods, riots and plane crashes, sells buggy software (to force people to upgrade it for years), sinks a British Destroyer, massacres the survivors, steals one of its cruise missiles, plans to use said missile on Beijing to set up a new Chinese government friendly to its interests (ie. broadcasting rights) after bringing Britain and China to the brink of nuclear war, and employs terrorists, torturers and professional assassins, plus the average Carver Media Group employees, based on the evidence, are [[Always Chaotic Evil]]. All for the [[Insane Troll Logic|sake of its ratings.]] Carver also faked the Mad Cow disease scare of 1997 because a British beef baron owed him money (from a poker game, a mere £10,000) and refused to pay....then the French paid him to run the stories for another year.
* [[Milkman Conspiracy]]: The Carver Media Group blackmails the President, is implied to orchestrate global floods, riots and plane crashes, sells buggy software (to force people to upgrade it for years), sinks a British Destroyer, massacres the survivors, steals one of its cruise missiles, plans to use said missile on Beijing to set up a new Chinese government friendly to its interests (ie. broadcasting rights) after bringing Britain and China to the brink of nuclear war, and employs terrorists, torturers and professional assassins, plus the average Carver Media Group employees, based on the evidence, are [[Exclusively Evil]]. All for the [[Insane Troll Logic|sake of its ratings.]] Carver also faked the Mad Cow disease scare of 1997 because a British beef baron owed him money (from a poker game, a mere £10,000) and refused to pay....then the French paid him to run the stories for another year.
* [[Mook Lieutenant]]: The captain of Carver's Stealth Boat.
* [[Mook Lieutenant]]: The captain of Carver's Stealth Boat.
* [[New Era Speech]]: Elliot Carver gives one to Bond.
* [[New Era Speech]]: Elliot Carver gives one to Bond.
* [[New Media Are Evil]]: 24-hour news channels are basically portrayed as just this side of Satan.
* [[New Old Flame]]
* [[New Old Flame]]
* [[NGO Superpower]]: Carver Media Group Network, which already influences most of the world. But since its led by a megalomaniac, the organization takes the extra step forward of forming a small army, build a stealth ship, and stir up a war between Britain and China.
* [[NGO Superpower]]: Carver Media Group Network, which already influences most of the world. But since its led by a megalomaniac, the organization takes the extra step forward of forming a small army, build a stealth ship, and stir up a war between Britain and China.
* [[One-Scene Wonder]]: Vincent Schiavelli gets only one scene as Dr. Kaufman but his wonderfully [[Large Ham|hammy]] performance and comically exaggerated German accent makes it one of the highlights of the movie.
* [[One-Scene Wonder]]: Vincent Schiavelli gets only one scene as Dr. Kaufman but his wonderfully [[Large Ham|hammy]] performance and comically exaggerated German accent makes it one of the highlights of the movie.
* [[Precision F-Strike]]: Delivered by the normally cool and in-control Carver.
* [[Precision F-Strike]]: Delivered by the normally cool and in-control Carver.
{{quote| '''Carver''': Mr. Stamper, would you ''please'' kill those bastards!}}
{{quote|'''Carver''': Mr. Stamper, would you ''please'' kill those bastards!}}
* [[Pre-Mortem One-Liner]]: What Carver does before offing {{spoiler|Gupta.}}
* [[Pre-Mortem One-Liner]]: What Carver does before offing {{spoiler|Gupta.}}
{{quote| '''Carver''': [[You Have Outlived Your Usefulness|Then it seems you've outlived your contract.]]}}
{{quote|'''Carver''': [[You Have Outlived Your Usefulness|Then it seems you've outlived your contract.]]}}
** Bond also has one, seen in [[Hoist by His Own Petard]].
** Bond also has one, seen in [[Hoist by His Own Petard]].
* [[Psycho for Hire]]: Mr. Stamper.
* [[Psycho for Hire]]: Mr. Stamper.
* {{spoiler|[[Playing Both Sides]]: Carver, playing Great Britain and China against each other.}}
* {{spoiler|[[Playing Both Sides]]: Carver, playing Great Britain and China against each other.}}
* [[Serendipity Writes the Plot]]: The original title was ''Tomorrow Never Lies'', the proposed [[Tagline]] of Carver's newspaper ''Tomorrow''. A misspelled fax lead to the one the filmmakers eventually used.
* [[Serendipity Writes the Plot]]: The original title was ''Tomorrow Never Lies'', the proposed [[Tagline]] of Carver's newspaper ''Tomorrow''. A misspelled fax lead to the one the filmmakers eventually used.
* [[Shirtless Scene]] / [[Wet Sari Scene]]: Yes, ''at the same time''.
* [[Shirtless Scene]] / [[Wet Sari Scene]]: Yes, ''at the same time''.
* [[Shoot the Hostage]]: {{spoiler|Henry Gupta.}} Oddly, it's not Bond who does this, even though Bond had taken him as hostage, but Carver, since [[You Have Outlived Your Usefulness|he had outlived his contract]].
* [[Shoot the Hostage]]: {{spoiler|Henry Gupta.}} Oddly, it's not Bond who does this, even though Bond had taken him as hostage, but Carver, since [[You Have Outlived Your Usefulness|he had outlived his contract]].
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* [[Super Multi-Purpose Room]]
* [[Super Multi-Purpose Room]]
* [[Take the Wheel]]: Bond and Wai Lin, further complicated by the fact that they are on a motorcycle and handcuffed together.
* [[Take the Wheel]]: Bond and Wai Lin, further complicated by the fact that they are on a motorcycle and handcuffed together.
* "[[You Have Outlived Your Usefulness|Then It Seems You Have Outlived Your Contract]]": {{spoiler|Gupta.}}
* "[[You Have Outlived Your Usefulness|Then It Seems You Have Outlived Your Contract]]": {{spoiler|Gupta.}}
* [[This Is a Drill]]: The drill torpedo.
* [[This Is a Drill]]: The drill torpedo.
* [[To the Pain]]: When Carver tells Bond about how Mr. Stamper is going to torture him, although the movie gets more mileage out of the [[Cow Tools]] presented as Mr. Stamper's torture implements than it does out of Carver's little speech.
* [[To the Pain]]: When Carver tells Bond about how Mr. Stamper is going to torture him, although the movie gets more mileage out of the [[Cow Tools]] presented as Mr. Stamper's torture implements than it does out of Carver's little speech.
* [[Torture Technician]]: Dr. Kaufmann and his protege, Mr. Stamper.
* [[Torture Technician]]: Dr. Kaufmann and his protege, Mr. Stamper.
* [[Trophy Wife]]: Paris Carver.
* [[Trophy Wife]]: Paris Carver.
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* [[Weaponized Car]]: Bond's BMW 750iL.
* [[Weaponized Car]]: Bond's BMW 750iL.
* [[What the Fu Are You Doing?]]: [[Big Bad|Carver]] does this in front of Wai Lin, making lots of karate moves and yelling "Ha!" all the while.
* [[What the Fu Are You Doing?]]: [[Big Bad|Carver]] does this in front of Wai Lin, making lots of karate moves and yelling "Ha!" all the while.
{{quote| '''Carver''': *scoffs* Pathetic.}}
{{quote|'''Carver''': *scoffs* Pathetic.}}


{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
{{James Bond Films}}
[[Category:Films of the 1990s]]
[[Category:Films of the 1990s]]
[[Category:Tomorrow Never Dies]]
[[Category:Film]]
[[Category:Film]]
[[Category:James Bond (film)]]
[[Category:James Bond (film)]]
[[Category:Pages with working Wikipedia tabs]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:British Films]]

Latest revision as of 03:48, 20 November 2022

There is no news like bad news.
Elliot Carver

The 18th James Bond film, starring Pierce Brosnan. After a British ship is sunk off the shore of China, James Bond is sent to investigate media mogul Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce) who is believed to be tied to it. Bond uncovers Carver's scheme to turn Britain and China against each other in World War III for his broadcasting and newspaper benefit, and gets a new partner in the person of Chinese agent Wai Lin (Michelle Yeoh).

After the more serious tone of GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies eases back into the Connery-esque "classic Bond" formula beat-for-beat, with one-liners galore, a Large Ham villain, and plenty of action setpieces that make full use of the Theme Music Power-Up trope. It was moderately well-received by the fanbase and critics, and further cemented Brosnan into the role, who began to carve his niche as the suave Bond.

Tropes used in Tomorrow Never Dies include:
  • Action Girl: Wai Lin, maybe one of the best examples in the whole franchise. And for double cool points, played by Michelle Yeoh. Sadly, romance isn't one of her strong points.
  • Anonymous Ringer / No Celebrities Were Harmed: Elliot Carver is a thinly disguised Rupert Murdoch.
    • Alternately, Carver is also widely considered a veiled Ted Turner, being the movie came out after the producers and the media mogul had a bit of a falling out.
    • The writer said he actually based him on Robert Maxwell. This is made very obvious at the end, when M devises a cover story for his death involving him falling off his yacht and drowning, while the public speculates he committed suicide, echoing Maxwell's death.
    • There's also significant elements of William Randolph Hearst, whose propaganda is sometimes credited for getting the US to launch the Spanish-American war. Carver even quotes him.
  • As You Know: The first stealth-ship scene starts with a literal Captain Obvious reminding his men that the British will believe they're in international waters due to the manipulated GPS signal. Anyone who at this point in the operation didn't know that very definitely had no business knowing it - but then again, a penchant for summarizing and giving exposition at every possible opportunity may have been an entrance requirement for a job in Carver's corporation.
    • Of course, Carver later indulges in it himself.
  • Arms Fair/Auction of Evil: The film opens with one.
  • Artistic Title: This trippy montage consists of there's digital CPU figures (of the female variety), shadow figures, the audience gets to see in X-ray vision (Where people appear as skeletons and can see the inside of pistols), and diamonds; complete with Sheryl Crow singing the opening.
  • Awesome but Impractical: The drilling torpedo thing. A regular torpedo would have actually worked even more spectacularly, but would be less cool.
    • A real torpedo could have caused more damage than needed (and Carver needed the ship and its missiles intact). Puncturing holes through the hull to sink it, however, does the job nicely.
    • The car's miniature wire cutting saw. Yes, it saves Bond during the chase scene but there is no other possible scenario where it would have been of any use. If the wire were just an inch higher or lower it would have been completely useless.
  • Bond One-Liner: "They'll print anything these days," after shoving a Mook into a printing press.
    • *ejects attacker from the back set of a jet into enemy jet above them* "Backseat driver..."
    • Even Carver gets off a clever one when he thinks Bond is dead.

"Even if they were looking for me, we're on a stealth boat! They can't see me. Or you. Or even your friend, the late Commander Bond, who is, I believe, at this moment, on his way to the bottom of the South China Sea. (Beat) He's my new anchorman.

Q: It's the insurance damage waiver for your beautiful new car. Now, will you need collision coverage?
James Bond: Yes.
Q: Fire?
James Bond: Probably.
Q: Property destruction?
James Bond: Definitely.
Q: Personal Injury?
James Bond: I hope not, but accidents do happen.
Q: They frequently do with you.

  • Incredibly Long Note: k.d. lang's epic finish during the closing credits.
  • Irrevocable Order:The Royal Navy launches a Tomahawk missile to destroy a terrorist arms depot. They quickly find out that there are nukes at the camp. But the missile is already out of radio range, requiring James Bond to go in and remove the bombs.
  • Lampshade Hanging: Bond lets Carver know that starting World War III for ratings' sake is really quite insane.
  • Large Ham: Jonathan Pryce's magnificently over-the-top villain is one of the most memorable things about this movie.
  • Malevolent Mugshot: Carver loves his banners. Bond gets in a good dig at his expense for it.
  • Milkman Conspiracy: The Carver Media Group blackmails the President, is implied to orchestrate global floods, riots and plane crashes, sells buggy software (to force people to upgrade it for years), sinks a British Destroyer, massacres the survivors, steals one of its cruise missiles, plans to use said missile on Beijing to set up a new Chinese government friendly to its interests (ie. broadcasting rights) after bringing Britain and China to the brink of nuclear war, and employs terrorists, torturers and professional assassins, plus the average Carver Media Group employees, based on the evidence, are Exclusively Evil. All for the sake of its ratings. Carver also faked the Mad Cow disease scare of 1997 because a British beef baron owed him money (from a poker game, a mere £10,000) and refused to pay....then the French paid him to run the stories for another year.
  • Mook Lieutenant: The captain of Carver's Stealth Boat.
  • New Era Speech: Elliot Carver gives one to Bond.
  • New Media Are Evil: 24-hour news channels are basically portrayed as just this side of Satan.
  • New Old Flame
  • NGO Superpower: Carver Media Group Network, which already influences most of the world. But since its led by a megalomaniac, the organization takes the extra step forward of forming a small army, build a stealth ship, and stir up a war between Britain and China.
  • One-Scene Wonder: Vincent Schiavelli gets only one scene as Dr. Kaufman but his wonderfully hammy performance and comically exaggerated German accent makes it one of the highlights of the movie.
  • Precision F-Strike: Delivered by the normally cool and in-control Carver.

Carver: Mr. Stamper, would you please kill those bastards!

Carver: *scoffs* Pathetic.