DURING the GoldenEye mission, Pierce Brosnan's first assignment as James Bond, M (Dame Judi Dench) famously told the suave and debonair secret agent: "I think you are a sexist misogynist dinosaur, a relic from the Cold War."

On the evidence of this new 007 adventure, the man from MI5 is a dinosaur on the verge of extinction. Die Another Day is one of the least satisfying Bond movies in recent memory, failing to deliver the incendiary cocktail of thrilling action and luscious locations we have come to expect from the franchise.

After 14 months behind bars, during which time Bond steadfastly refuses to crack, the agent is released in exchange for wily terrorist Zao (Rick Yune), the colonel's right-hand man. Back in the UK, 007 is stripped of his rank and licence to kill, and is put out to feed while he recovers from his gruelling ordeal.

Bond lusts for revenge and, against the orders of M, he heads back to Korea, via Cuba and Iceland, to track Zao's movements. En route,

007 hooks up with sexy assassin-for-hire Jinx (Halle Berry) and British agent Miranda Frost (Rosamund Pike), and he uncovers a plot for world domination involving diamond billionaire Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens).

Graves is involved with the top secret Icarus project, a remote-controlled reflector satellite orbiting the globe which can harness the sun's rays and bring warmth and light to any area of the world on demand.

As Bond learns, Graves' intentions are far from philanthropic, and when Zao turns up by the megalomaniac

magnate's side, the secret agent finally understands the terrifying power of Icarus.

Brosnan is looking a tad old and flabby, but he wears the 007 tuxedo with elan and flirts shamelessly with his lovely co-stars.

There are strong supporting performances from John Cleese as eccentric gadget man Q, and Dench as the imperious M, who admits to Bond that she vetoed the prisoner exchange.

Peripheral characters like Miss Moneypenny (Samantha Bond) barely register while Madonna, who provides the film's thumping title song, is as wooden as ever in her cameo as a feisty fencing instructor.

In a welcome break from Bond girl tradition, though, Jinx is much more than mere window dressing, possessing sassiness and cunning in abundance.

Jinx's presence is so pronounced, that she often overshadows

007, and could - on this evidence - almost save the world without his interference.

Perhaps next time she should. DS