GoldenEye

When ITV decided to show all the Bond films last year, for some reason they missed out the best one.

GoldenEye marked the first time Pierce Brosnan would appear in the long running series and was something of Bond's greatest challenge.

Could a 'sexist, misogynistic dinosaur' (as M describes him) survive in the politically correct Nineties?

The answer was yes and the movie proved to be one of the most lucrative in the series, grossing over $350million worldwide. Combine that with the earnings from Brosnan's other two Bond outings, Tomorrow Never Dies and The World is Not Enough, and those three films have made over $1billion.

Not bad for an ageing British agent who has been tackling nefarious villains on the big screen since 1962.

Unlike the last two 007 movies which ranged from the patchy to the yawnsome, GoldenEye is a tense, rollercoaster ride from the word go.

Directed by Martin Campbell, who gave the world Edge of Darkness - one of the greatest dramas ever to grace the small screen - it pitches Bond against old colleague 006 (Sean Bean).

Boasting some fantastic sets by series veteran Peter Lamont, great special effects by Derek Meddings - in the final movie before his untimely death, and an atmospheric, offbeat score by Leon's Eric Serra, this is priceless entertainment.

However, a word of advice: Turn the sound off at the end credits as Serra's closing love theme almost wrecks a perfect movie. The French composer is a genius when it comes to writing soundtracks for blockbusters like The Fifth Element, but does insist on lending his vocal talents to the project. Not a wise move.

Now back to the story.

James Bond is called into action when the eponymous device goes missing; a weapon capable of projecting an electro magnetic pulse at any target. Once computers are disabled by the blast, 006 and his cohorts wipe out all credit cards and reduce Blighty to the stone age.

Or something.

He's soon involved with a kingpin of the Russian Mafia (Robbie Coltrane), a gorgeous computer programmer (Isabella Scorupco) and an egotistical hacker (Alan Cumming).

Old favourite Q (the late Desmond Llewellyn) is on hand along with a new M (Judi Dench) and Moneypenny (Samntha Bond).

The plot may be nothing new, but it scarcely matters.

The dialogue is witty, the action scenes nail-biting and as the suave spy, nobody does it better than Pierce Brosnan in a role he was born to play.

Now pay attention, because here are some trivia points to wow your family and friends.

The Ferrari featured in the opening chase was actually rented and after it collided with Bond's Aston Martin had to be repaired over night at a cost of $80,000.

Worth remembering the next time you get a dent in the old motor.

When 007 arrives at the Casino in Monte Carlo, the first few scenes are shot on location and then it cuts to a perfect replica reproduced in London. Take a bow Peter Lamont and his crew of technicians as the join is impossible to spot.

Taking the crown as queen of all Bond villains is X-Men's Famke Janssen as the deliciously evil Xenia Onatopp. She loves nothing more than crushing men to death with her thighs and wiping out control rooms with her trusty machine gun.

The fight between her and Bond in a sauna ranks among the best ever scene on film.

From the stunning pre-credits scene in which Bond bungee jumps off a dam to the explosive finale on a satellite dish, GoldenEye is more than your average 007 adventure.

This is the Rolls Royce of action movies which has lost little of its lustre in the five years since its release. The tank chase through St Petersburgh is a masterpiece - despite the obvious product placement for a brand of mineral water - while cast and crew pull out all the stops to make this a premium Bond.

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