The Matador

After almost a decade as James Bond, Pierce Bronson returns as an assassin (Julian) in the Matador. While on a job in Mexico, he bumps into businessman Danny Wright (Greg Kinnear) in a hotel bar.

They get to talking and eventually form a friendship of sorts. Six months later, Julian appears on Danny’s doorstep in the middle of the night needing help. The only question is will Danny help or not.

This is by far one of the best roles Brosnan has ever done and he is both charming and despicable at the same time as Julian Noble. He has some of the best one-liners in a long time, such as “I’d only be interested in your mother if she lost 20 pounds and 30 years” and “I look like a Bangkok hooker on a Sunday morning, after the navy's left town” to name a couple.

Brosnan proves there is life after Bond and creates a wonderful character in Julian Noble, much like Johhny Depp did with Jack Sparrow. Gone are the Armani suits and sauve style, in are cowboy boots and a cheesy 70s pornstar mustache. Despite Julian’s job “facilitator of fatality”, the character is likable and funny. Kinnear does a good job as the quintessential ‘nice guy who’s down on his luck’ and befriends Julian, despite his character flaws.

This was the best independent film I’ve seen in a long time.

10 out of 10