Well here's what the British Tabloid THE SUN had to say about the latest Bond flick.... I don't know why... but for some reason I'm just not very excited about Bond anymore. I don't know why, honestly. I think it's because the formula has just grown staid. The villians are so one dimensional. The ladies aren't as cool as they used to be. And the character of Bond... while being cool... has grown away from the mysogynist badass I knew and loved. It's scary for me, but for some reason I'm actually more excited by the Mission Impossible II film... and infinately more excited by both JOAN OF ARC and GLADIATOR. Both of which are types of films that Bond helped to put an end to back around the time of GOLDFINGER.... Strange... Don't get me wrong. I'm hoping for this movie to break the mold and kick my ass.... But I'm just not getting any vibe from the movie or the buzz.... it feels like going through the steps... Sorry for the diatribe... here's the news...

The British tabloid "The Sun" reported that the Bond 19's opening sequence will cost £1 million per minute - a total expense of £5 million for that sequence. The opening will feature 17 £5,000 speedboats travelling at over 60 mph, landmarks such as the Houses Of Parliament, Canary Wharf, and Tower Bridge.

The opening will probably start with the MI6 building being completely destroyed, include a speedboat chase with Bond, and end with Bond dropping from a hot air balloon onto the roof of the Millennium Dome, where he will grapple with enemies as helicopters land around the area. The opening sequence is taking 34 days to shoot.

Robbie Coltrane's Valentin Zukovsky will own a caviar factory in Baku.

The Bond crew have also constructed a replica of a Russian nucleur arms factory at Pinewood Studios and a string of factories on piers in the Caspian sea.

Rap star Goldie also features in Bond 19. Pierce Brosnan commented: "He's the new Jaws - put it this way I wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley - he'd probably bite me."

Bond will drive a BMW Z8, but "there will be fewer brands this time", according to Bond producer Michael Wilson.

Pierce thinks this is the best Bond yet -- "It's like putting on an old pair of shoes. Robert Carlyle is an excellent villain and the Bond girls are very sexy too." The Bond girls have been confirmed as Denise Richards, Serena Scott Thomas and Sophie Marceu.

Bond producers have rubbished the claims that Bond 19 will be Q's swansong, but it not seems very likely John Cleese will play his "replacement" - R.

Total cost for "The World Is Not Enough" is estimated to be £70 million.

DAN OWEN