Okay, this is the 20th time James Bond has graced our screens. So you won't be going into the cinemas looking for any major surprises. But as Bond flicks go, director Lee Tamahori (Once Were Warriors) has made a pretty fair fist of things. And Pierce Brosnan (right) has stamped his class all over the role in his fourth appearance as the world's most famous spy.

The plot, if indeed it really ever matters in this genre, sees 007 tackling some nasty North Koreans (world events must have the producers patting themselves on the back for this timely choice). They are led by the impressive Zao (Rick Yune), who has linked up with a dodgy rich guy named Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens), as they plot to bring the world to its knees.

Our man Bond, after making his escape from their clutches, must rise to the occasion - in a professional sense and with the usual bevy of beauties who throw themselves at his feet. This time around it's Halle Berry who gets to lock horns with our hero. There's more to her performance than her already famous nod to Ursula Andress, but I'm sure there'll be plenty in the audience who would think that scene alone is enough. The stunts, which after all are what these films are really all about, make full use of the exotic locations Bond finds himself in - particularly Iceland, which provides a stunning backdrop to his exploits. And Yune comes across as a fittingly evil bad boy. You also get Dame Judi Dench sleep-walking her way through things as M and John Cleese - who seems to be on just about everyone's payroll these days - presenting 007 with a few nifty gadgets in his role as Q.

There are several doffs of the cap to previous Bond films as well, for anyone who has followed the series, so you feel in some ways as though you are catching up with an old friend. Naturally, Die Another Day doesn't take things any further than it has to - this is target-audience film-making at its most shameless.

But between the plethora of product placement - which will have your head spinning - Brosnan throws in just the right amount of smirks and sideways glances to ensure Bond's charms have at least some life in them yet.

Die Another Day opens on January 30.