Forty years of Bond movies. One year left to go till the series reaches middle age. "Die Another Day" was clearly supposed to be the franchise's unchallengeable proof that Bond is not going gray or balding – and it succeeds in doing so. Both script-wise and cinematographically, the movie is a gem.

It premiered here in Moscow last Wednesday, and the movie's director himself – New Zealander Lee Tamahori – stopped by, something that would never have happened with Bond flicks just a few years ago, with their Cold War ethics. Now, however, Russia is not mentioned once in the entire movie, and even the one Russian actor who plays the main villain's henchman, Mikhail Gorevoi, doesn't have to show his national identity. But still the creators have, perhaps as a sign of nostalgia, tried to squeeze the last bits of stories out of the totalitarian, Iron Curtain themes: Here Bond visits the two countries, Cuba and North Korea, that still have something to do with the superagent's old archenemies.

The son of a North Korean totalitarian leader has plastic surgery and now, if he smiles coolly, he could pass himself off as a character from "Beverly Hills, 90210." He pretends to be a businessman, while his soul is even more devilishly corrupt than his father's. Bond has a long way to go until he finds out who the villain really is. He has to suffer through torture, rejection from his own side, the use of invisible cars, numerous encounters with high-tech lasers and the most deadly of distractions – women.

In short, the usual ridiculous mix of illogical events, absurd intrigues and stunning feats is all on hand. As always, this is watchable only due to the series' main virtue – and, no, it's not the breathtaking special effects or even the breathtaking Bond girls. It's the inimitable Bond style that has been honed over the years and has been dusted off this time with splendor. Separate shots are even styled after different Bond eras, giving the movie new and old vitality and obviously proving that Bond is not about to die anytime soon.