films seen
5
average score
1.90*
nationality
status
Alive and kicking

Movies


A View to a Kill

1985 / 131m - UK
Action, Adventure
2.5*/5.0*
A View to a Kill poster

Roger Moore's final Bond film. Long overdue if you ask me, Moore's really too old here, which doesn't do A View to a Kill any favors. It's definitely not the film's only problem, but if you want to do a suave secret agent adventure then you need a charismatic lead, not someone who looks like he'd need a stunt double for scenes that involve running around.

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Bond is after a microchip manufacturer. The latest chips are shielded from electromagnetic influence, which gives them a key advantage, but somehow the Russians have gotten their hands on the exact same technology. Bond assumes the manufacturer is behind the leak and starts his investigation by tracking him.

Walken is a mediocre bad guy and Grace Jones is a little awkward, but the pacing is solid, the set pieces are fun and there are some neat/funny action scenes (the horse race is pretty hilarious). It's a bit long at 130 minutes, but overall, it's a decent though somewhat inconspicuous Bond film.

Octopussy

1983 / 131m - UK
Action, Adventure
2.5*/5.0*
Octopussy poster

John Glen's second Bond is quite a step up from his first attempt. Some new locations and original stunts bring back some much-needed appeal to a franchise that is a little too dependent on routine. Though when all is said and done, Octopussy is still a pretty predictable and standard entry in the Bond franchise.

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Bond is chasing a forged Fabergé egg and ends up in India. There he discovers a Russian general is behind the forgery. The general is disgruntled with his government, as they prefer a peaceful rather than a forceful spread of the Russian ideals. The Fabergé eggs are just a small piece of his plan to dominate the world.

Moore is getting a little old to play Bond, but since these films are borderline comedies it's not a showstopper. It does mean that the action scenes are becoming quite stale, especially when Moore is required to do physical action. Some goof jokes (Bond disguised as a crocodile stands out) and very light-hearted vibe keep things entertaining.


Licence to Kill

1989 / 133m - UK
Action, Adventure
1.5*/5.0*
Licence to Kill poster

Both Dalton and Glen's final James Bond. This was also the last one in a long series of bi-yearly releases, so clearly they must've released the formula could do with a little rework, as it really feels quite stale at this point. It's really just the same old stunts over and over again.

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Dalton really is a poor Bond, but it's the lack of creativity that really brings License to Kill down. Another shark bit, more air stunts, some diving bits. It's another attempted update of the greatest stunts of earlier films, but it doesn't feel spectacular at all. I'm looking forward to 90s Bond, hopefully he can turn things around.

The Living Daylights

1987 / 130m - UK
Action, Adventure
1.5*/5.0*
The Living Daylights poster

One of the poorer Bond films I've seen so far. The series has always struggled with its lead changes, and it doesn't seem like this 2-part Dalton episode is going to be any different. With Dalton, it feels like the series got a bit more serious again, which isn't the direction I wanted Bond to go in.

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Dalton is a rather grim Bond, d'Abo is a dire Bond girl, the action is plain (apart from one scene on the ice) and the bad guys are incredibly dull. There's just not much joy here, which for me is the main draw of the better entries in the franchise. Let's hope the next one is better.

For Your Eyes Only

1981 / 127m - UK
Action, Adventure
1.5*/5.0*
For Your Eyes Only poster

James Bond arrives in the 80s, a decade that would be reserved for director John Glen. These actor/director switches have always been a bit tough on the franchise, but this particular film felt like a real struggle. This was by far the weakest Bond film I've seen so far, hopefully not a sign for what is to come.

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A British ship with a highly classified load is sunk near the coast of Greece. James Bond is sent on a mission to make sure nobody else gets to the load before the Brits, but there are quite a few others who would like to make sure Bond never makes it. Luckily Bond gets help from the mysterious Melina.

Maybe it's because Moonraker was a tough act to follow up, but I was a bit bummed we're back to the skiing and underwater tricks for this one. The action isn't very spectacular, the soundtrack was way too cheesy and Glen makes poor use of the settings. Fingers crossed this was just Glen having some trouble settling in, as it was by far the least entertaining Bond.