Is James Bond dead? A recent Entertainment Weekly article maintained that the 19th big screen adventure of the British superspy, The World Is Not Enough, is not near movie enough to maintain the film legacy — nearly 40 years and counting — of the novelist Ian Fleming’s 007. In the EW essay, the writer vents about the current state of the venerable franchise and laments at what he perceives as a hardening of the creative arteries. Well, considering World recently opened at No 1 at the box office, garnering more bucks during its first week than any other flick in the series, let’s hold the distress calls. Money matters aside, even, I would still argue that Bond has some spring in his steps, and if Entertainment Weekly wants to rescue a franchise beginning to show signs of rust, might I suggest Star Trek? (But that’s a topic for another column…)

Pierce Brosnan returns for his third outing as Bond, James Bond, and after appearing increasingly more at ease in each installment, is now nicely assured in the legendary role. This time around, he plays a slightly more vulnerable secret agent man, as Bond struggles throughout the movie with a shoulder injury sustained early in a big action sequence. But, as we expect from the best man on Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Bond valiantly remains on current assignment: protect oil baroness Elektra King (Sophie Marceau), whose father was recently killed. The primary murder suspect is a malicious terrorist, Reynard (Robert Carlyle), who has been rendered impervious to pain. King may be next on the assassin’s list, so it is 007’s job to keep her safe and thwart whatever plan Reynard is hatching.

A pattern that seems to be merging in the Brosnan-Bond entries is an attempt by the writers to make the character more personally involved in his assignments. Goldeneye, Brosnan’s first foray into 007’s world, revolved around a personal conflict between Bond and a former agent buddy; Tomorrow Never Dies introduced a former lover back into Bond’s life; and World throws the curve that M (Judi Dench, with a nicely expanded role), Bond’s boss, was a former classmate and friend of King’s father. The producers seem to be striving to introduce more character motivation into the series to try to keep each entry somewhat more fresh and interesting.

Also to their credit is an increased focus on the acting talent surrounding our hero. The Bond series has always been populated with eccentric sidekicks and villains, not to mention the lovable gadget-meister Q (the ever-welcome Desmond Llewelyn), and as mentioned above, Oscar-winner Dench has now been given an increased and substantive role. Also, a potential new recurring character is introduced in a hilarious cameo by a familiar face, and Robbie Coltrane returns (in a role first seen in Goldeneye) and brightens the screen whenever he appears. Carlyle is understated as the villain (and arguably underused), and Marceau makes for a solid female lead. On the other hand, Denise Richards plays a nuclear physicist, and her dazzling physical assets cloud any realism of her as a brainy scientist. It is admittedly stereotypical to say she looks nothing like a rocket scientist, but…

Anyway, World, rated PG-13 for violence, some sexuality and the usual 007-style sophomoric innuendo, is entertaining for its complex plot, intricate (albeit none too ground-breaking) action sequences, array of gadgets (including cool X-ray specs) and the charismatic lead. Ultimately, it’s the best of the Brosnan-era Bond films. Yet, if there is one area in which I agree with Entertainment Weekly, it’s that the series needs to become a director’s showcase. Michael Apted does a fine job here, but imagine what Spielberg, Scorsese, Woo or Tarantino might concoct? Let’s hope the next installment recruits a top-flight director who can take 007 to even greater heights.