John Glen directs Roger Moore, Christopher Walken and Grace Jones in this swan song OO7 adventure for the lovely Roger Moore incarnation of the evergreen superspy.

So much wrong with this one. Rog is too old for the action so he is constantly replaced with poorly obscured stunt doubles. Tanya Roberts is possibly the most insipid of the Bond girls. It feels like there is more filler than thriller. Pretty cheesy… playing both past its sell by date and 1985 desperately fashionable at the same time. BUT… it is James Bond and there are saving graces. Zorin and Mayday are iconic villains played by screen chomping performers. A plot that kept Bond and them in more close proximity throughout would have been very strong. And if Rog is a bit too arthritic for the rough and tumble then why not lean into that? In all honesty they kinda do. People be leaping off airships, and the Eiffel Tower, while snowboarding down the slopes and then fighting on the highest point of Golden Gate Bridge. No other EON adventure mixes excitement with heavy hitter landmarks quite like this. Patrick Macnee is wandering about the first act in his wedding day best and it feels like he is naturally part of the old recurring gang. Rog gets his fuck on four times, the old charming dog. That Duran Duran theme song is an elite entry into the canon. The credits have UV sexy camp appeal. One of the worst Bonds… it is so casually baggy… but would instantly rewatch in a heartbeat.

5

Perfect Double Bill: Octopussy (1983)