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.