Die Another Day

James Bond is sent to follow a trail that links a North Korean militant to an enigmatic diamond billionaire who seems to be bankrolling a dangerous new weapon. As Bond pursues clues across continents, he moves from frozen borders to high-society parties and covert labs, slowly piecing together how private wealth and cutting-edge technology could be turned into global force. Along the way he teams up with a resourceful American agent, faces skilled adversaries, and navigates betrayals and double meanings, all while racing to stop an attack that could change warfare itself. The film keeps its surprises, focusing on tension and set pieces rather than revealing outcomes too soon.

Released in 2002, the film was directed by Lee Tamahori, with screenplay work by Robert Wade and Neal Purvis, and it uses Ian Fleming's James Bond character. Pierce Brosnan returns as Bond, joined by Halle Berry, Toby Stephens, Rosamund Pike, and Rick Yune, and it serves as the 20th official Eon Bond entry.

Die Another Day was a major commercial hit, earning about $431 million worldwide, making it one of the franchise's stronger box office performers at the time. Its ticket sales helped sustain the series through a shift in action filmmaking and changing audience tastes.

Several sequences became instantly recognizable in pop culture, especially the invisible Aston Martin gadget and the striking beach emergence by Halle Berry. The film's excesses, including CGI-heavy moments, generated memes and debate, while certain visuals and stunts influenced later action set pieces and parodies across media.

Critics were divided, with many praising the production scale, action choreography, and lead charisma, while others criticized the implausible plotting and visual effects. Audiences were mixed too, the user vote averaging around 6 out of 10. Themes include identity, surveillance, and the militarization of private technology, all wrapped in a high-gloss spy spectacle that marks the end of an era for Brosnan's Bond.