A billionaire oil tycoon is murdered. As he was a friend of "M" (played by Judy Dench) and a pillar of the British establishment, M instructs MI6 agents to track down the terrorist at all costs. I won't say anything more about the plot because it would spoil your interest in the very little of it that remains.
The World is Not Enough has the feel of being merely a cut and paste exercise of previous Bond films. The various scenes of the film do not fit together well and lack freshness.
The makers of The World is Not Enough have misunderstood what it was about Bond films which made them so popular. Bond films were a showcase of the ordinary man's dreams: fast cars, fast women, overseas travel, new gadgets, great clothes, great job and a lifestyle free from the 9 to 5 grind (but in the name of Queen and country!). James Bond was meant to be the epitome of urbane sophistication, charm and wit, yet still good at the art of "biff"; the ordinary man's idol. The above mentioned successful ingredients have but a cameo appearance in The World is Not Enough as the film is overwhelmed by the Hollywood action man genre. In today's cinema experience this makes Bond rather ordinary. Seen one 'beat em up and shoot em down' film and you've seen them all.
The usual Bond levity seems to be lacking and clever exchanges of wit are all too brief. The films humour is mostly base and obvious.
However, Bond and action film fans don't be deterred as you won't be disappointed - you just won't be thrilled either. The first forty minutes of the film are quite good. Leave after that.

James Bond is sent to Jamaica to investigate the murder of a British agent and his secretary. The plot thickens as Bond discovers that the murders are merely a small part of a wealthy mad scientists plan to take over the world!
Dr No is the first James Bond film. At the time of its release in the early 1960's when women's liberation was beginning to grow, Dr No was doing it's bit for men who filled the stymied breadwinner / worker roles. Dr No was at the cutting edge of male fantasy and a guidebook to all that was suave, sophisticated and chic. Now this film is interesting and amusing for being nicely quaint. Sean Connery is charming and enigmatic as Bond but the rest of the film is a bit dated.
If you see Dr No after The World is Not Enough, the most recent Bond film, you can observe how much has changed and how much hasn't. In Dr No the special effects are bad and the gadgets are practically non- existent - but the character is great.