Agent 007 is captured in typical all-action style, left, as Bond (Pierce Brosnan), having leapt on to one of villain Moon's hovercraft, overpowers the driver and unleashes a volley of bullets.

As he battles the odds in this latest epic, Bond had a little help from an unexpected source... Imperial College.

The action is packed, the spy suave and the girl stunning.
Die Another Day, produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli and directed by Lee Tanahori, promises to deliver everything its fans would want in this latest epic which deals with betrayal, hi-tech weaponry and military domination on a huge scale.

Imperial College's involvement came about in January when Professor Ara Darzi, professor of surgery at the faculty of medicine's academic surgical unit at the St Mary's campus, collaborated with Eon Productions over featuring the Da Vinci machine, the first minimal access system to eliminate tremor in a surgeon's hand, in a early scene.

The robot's three arms can be seen early in the film scanning Bond's body and taking a blood sample. Production designer Peter Lamont and art director Mark Harris spent time at St Mary's learning about the machine's ingenuity as they practised sewing stitches, picking up balls and putting them in boxes - standard practice for those learning how to operate with the machine.

"I'd seen the Da Vinci on Tomorrow's World and in Time magazine. It's an amazing machine for non-invasive surgery and I thought we'd have to make a mock-up. I was delighted when we found it at St Mary's," said Peter, who originally wanted to be a surgeon before he won a scholarship to art school and went on to work on 17 Bonds. In 1997, he won an Oscar for Titanic.

Commenting about the film in general, he added: "All spy stories have a similar theme, there is a set formula. .But this time we are doing things that have never been done before... the hovercraft chase, the car chase on ice. And it will never be repeated, because that look was unique, absolutely unique. I'm very happy with the way the whole look of it turned out. It was a huge team effort... there are a lot of people to be congratulated."

Sarah Robinson, product placement coordinator, said of Da Vinci's role in medicine: "Both the producers and director thought this machine was fantastic; it's a very important part of the film.

"It's very difficult to keep up with technology - we have to be one step ahead and try and come up with great new products which is where the Da Vinci came in. It was also incredible to see St Mary's hospital - we had a great day. We were definitely in awe of the work carried out there - our world is fantasy whereas St Mary's is real - we don't save lives."

Professor Darzi has been fascinated with Bond films since very young. "Surgeons and spies are alike as both aspire to serve their subjects with minimal fuss while using the best technologies around. Bond films have always been an inspiration to those with a technology interest, " he said.

"I never thought that one day, the department I headed would be making a contribution. It's great that Imperial College's knowhow has made it to the movie screen."

Die Another Day is released on 20 November.

Stay to the end and see the Imperial College credit.

Die Another Day - the verdict
A bedraggled, bearded James Bond comes face to face with the Da Vinci machine after being held captive.

The spy's half naked body is thoroughly checked and tested by the robot against a backdrop of bleeping medical equipment, before a voice finally announces: "The liver's not too good. It's definitely him though."

The latest blockbuster delivers all it promises. You know ice is going to feature strongly when the maidens start melting in the opening credits, but nothing prepares you for the coolness of M, played by Judi Dench, or the car chases, featuring Bond's invisible Aston Martin, through freezing backdrops and inside an ice palace made at Pinewood studios.

From hovercrafts that ride over landmines, to the hero left clinging to the side of a crumbling glacier, it's all in there, suspense and gadgets galore, under the bemused eye of John Cleese as Q who discovers Moneypenny, played by Samantha Bond, in a somewhat compromising position after a virtual reality machine gives her the chance to experience Pierce Brosnan at very close quarters indeed.

Bond himself gets very close to Halle Berry, who plays Jinx, one of the few women to genuinely resemble his equal. Her rescue from the ice palace is so tender it makes you want to cry. Didn't know 007 had it in him.