Change Your Image
DanTheMan2150AD
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Lists
An error has ocurred. Please try againReviews
Hired to Kill (1990)
Quality shlock
Hired to Kill is like if Andy Sidaris made The Expendables but with none of his usual energy. It boasts performances bad enough to make even Arnie wince, forgettable action and comedy that is completely unintentional. Yet, it's a pitch-perfect encapsulation of 90s direct-to-video shlock with a fairly meaty budget given all the explosions and globe-trotting location work, with fan favourite Brian Thompson getting to play the hero for once and bolstered by relatively memorable supporting roles by frigging Oliver Reed and George Kennedy. There's no real style to the direction but it's all done with competency and earnestness which shine through the film's otherwise weaker aspects while Jerry Grant's score feels like it was constructed from the outtakes he had left over from his work on Magnum P. I. and The A-Team. While it's a little dull at points, Hired to Kill is still an entertaining and pacey little B-movie, if a bit bloodless.
The Wedding March (1928)
Uncompromising vanity
My first film from the self-titled Man You Love to Hate, The Wedding March is a gloriously lavish, painfully incomplete vanity project, which sees Erich von Stroheim showcase an astonishing portrait of decadent Imperial Austria with extravagance and wickedly ironic melodrama. Given von Stroheim's uncompromising attitude to filmmaking means that none of his films ever released exactly how he wanted and it's no different here, vastly over budget, vastly behind schedule and vastly self-indulgent, including the use of thousands of litres of real champagne and locking his cast on a sealed set to shoot an orgy... Silent film directors are insane. It's tragic to remember that even with everything going for The Wedding March, it's barely one-third of von Stroheim's original vision, as the majority of his original edit was massively truncated and the second half of the film he shot, The Honeymoon, is now lost to time. That alone is painfully frustrating. The Wedding March is not the masterpiece it could have been but stands as a testament to Erich von Stroheim's incredible filmmaking talent to this day.
Spectre (2015)
Wasted opportunity
Where Skyfall managed to blend the old with the new, Spectre backslides on nearly every aspect, coming off as increasingly exhausted, uninspired and overly reliant on the franchise's formula. For all its workmanlike devotion to out-of-control helicopters, driving expensive fast cars heedlessly and detonating the occasional wisecrack, the film works best when everyone's on the ground, doing their job. I do feel there's a great film buried underneath the exhaustingly long-running time and the overloaded, extremely messy screenplay; like loads of small ideas barely sewn together, although given what can be found on the surface it is easy to appreciate. Mendes' direction is decent and Hoyte van Hoytema's photography is sublime, the film is gorgeous in that regard, even if the pre-title sequence has a touch of the Hollywood "Mexico" about it. Thomas Newman's score is pleasing to the ear but Sam Smith's song is just falsetto caterwauling, a shame considering the superior Radiohead submission. Craig is still killing it as 007 but his story feels a little too sugary sweet, still moping over a dead woman in Venice and his chemistry with Léa Seydoux is completely non-existent much like her acting. Christoph Waltz makes for a fantastic Blofeld but is left out of the film for way too long and barely given enough to do, he plays the role like that of the classic megalomaniacs of the past but at odds with the Craig era's constant reliance on gritty realism rather. Dave Bautista makes for an imposing henchman but again, he's not given enough to do and gets taken out of the picture rather unceremoniously. A grand collection of could-have-been's and wasted moments, what's missing is the unexpected emotional urgency of its predecessor, as Spectre sustains the nostalgia kick with a less sentimental bent. It has up and down moments, never quite sure about standing alone as an independent Bond story or being dismissed as a pit stop for 007-related flashbacks. It's a paint-by-numbers, Spectre is still a James Bond movie, one that's very engaging and occasionally entertaining.
Skyfall (2012)
Craig's best
I don't think anything will ever beat seeing Skyfall on the big screen on opening night. Celebrating 50 years of one of cinema's most enduring franchises, respecting its past and securing its future, Skyfall blends new impulses with the series' old flourishes to deliver something so immeasurably satisfying that stands tall as a near-perfect action thriller even today. A tad leaner on the action, but it's certainly incredibly meaty on plot thanks to a terrific script that remains masterfully paced all glued together with perfectly pitched tone and mood. Unafraid to crack the occasional joke or delve deep into the psyche of its main character. With Sam Mendes in the director's chair, he spreads around his share of rubble and destruction just as much as exploring the backstory and meaning of its main character; all sumptuously photographed by Roger Deakins in what is by far Craig's best-looking entry and one of the prettiest of the entire franchise with every inch of the screen dripping in cinematic beauty, with eyegasmic wide shots and mind-blowing lighting. Speaking of Craig, he takes full possession of the role here, the defining performance in his portrayal of 007 having fully relaxed into Bond, dry and intelligent without losing any steeliness that comes with the role. Judi Dench gets to flex her chops in a beefy role for poor old M, essentially the co-star and Bond girl of the film. Javier Bardem's Silva makes for a fantastic villain, one that feels classically authentic to the series played with worrisome élan. While Ralph Fiennes as Mallory and Ben Whishaw as Q are equally likeable in their respective roles, phenomenal acting all around. Thomas Newman steps up to compose the score for this entry, it's a phenomenal score although one I don't tend to listen to all that often. The classic themes are all here and the way Newman sprinkles them in throughout works wonders, although the Adele song has grated on me the more time has gone on, as it set a precedent for the next two themes in the series trying to match it. Thematically, Skyfall reminds us that, despite a healthy serving of both ups and downs over the years, this 50-year-old franchise remains something that can still surprise us. Everything is perfectly orchestrated, a testament to the classic character in the sense that no matter how much the world changes around him, Bond's still got what it takes to get the job done.
Quantum of Solace (2008)
Bland, James Bland
The first true bonafide sequel of the franchise, Quantum of Solace had all the promise of being a depressed suicidal follow-up to On Her Majesty's Secret Service we never got but unfortunately suffered from a rushed production due to the looming writers' strike of 2008 which ultimately transformed a once-promising idea into one of unnecessary complexity and nauseating editing. Following Casino Royale was never going to be easy, but director Marc Foster certainly put his stamp on the series, for better or worse. It's not the prettiest Bond film and the action is completely incomprehensible, clearly having graduated from the Paul Greengrass School of Directing. A school no one should aspire to be a graduate from. It starts alright but slowly becomes less and less interesting until it suddenly ends, it all comes across as an overly generic second-rate Bourne clone which the 007 series should never aspire to be. Craig is doing the heavy lifting here remaining as dutiful as ever with his calm rage and raw charisma, however, his constant moping about a mid af woman he watched drown in the previous film is what ultimately goes on to plague both this and his last two outings in the tux. The chemistry he shares with the gorgeous Olga Kurylenko is painfully mundane while Mathieu Amalric plays one of the worst Bond villains to date in the form of Dominic Greene and the film ultimately ends up wasting both David Harbour and Jesper Christensen. David Arnold delivers his final score for the series and while decent it's far from his best, the song is also far from great given there were many better options submitted. I don't outright hate Quantum of Solace for what it is worth, but it's exceptionally workmanlike and one I wouldn't actively go out of my way to watch given the choice, it could have been so much better had it not been rushed out the door to meet a deadline.
Casino Royale (2006)
Back with a bang
Ditching the gadget-laden spectacles for bare-knuckle battles and adrenaline-pumping stunts with a wincing physicality, Casino Royale sees the 007 series return to the basics again, showcasing how our favourite secret agent earned his moniker. Taking what was learned with Dalton and Brosnan's runs and refining those elements, it is more than capable of standing up to its contemporary competition. It's well paced, well shot, well acted with lots of clever nods to past Bond-isms, disposing of all the fun for pure grit. With Director Martin Campbell again charged with bringing the series back he pulled out all the stops and doesn't miss a beat, giving us a much leaner production and opting to let his action speak for itself while remaining true to Fleming's material. Daniel Craig's first outing in the tuxedo gives us a caustic, haunted and intense reinvention of 007, this is Bond in his early days before he became the cold and calculated professional, it is one hell of a debut performance for a role he once wasn't considered the best fit for. He's a fine actor with some of the working-class bile of a young Michael Caine. Backed by the indomitable Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre and Jesper Christensen's mysterious Mr White, it's hard to fault many of the performances in this. David Arnold's score is pretty good, delivering a much less extravagant and bombastic effort than what we've had from him before, while Chris Cornell's rocking title song is simply incredible, I wish we had more like those in Craig's tenure as opposed to all the dreary sounding wailing we got from Skyfall onwards. Casino Royale is 007 for the mainstream crowd, an anti-Bond film that strips most of the glamour and escapism from Bond and slowly builds up the legend one element at a time giving us an excellent streamlined back-to-basics approach for Bond that hits all the right marks in rejuvenating the franchise for a new generation.
Sudden Death (1995)
Massively underrated Van Damme effort
Sudden Death may wear the skin of a Die Hard clone but this Van Damme venture is hardly a cheap knock-off, offering up a thrilling rollercoaster ride of hard-edge action that's expertly paced and filled with nail-biting tension. Directed by Peter Hyams with slick polish and high production values, Hyams twists the classic Die Hard formula on its head while keeping within the limits of its setting, restrained to a point but when the terror goes into overtime, the gloves come off. Although initially intended as a parody of the genre, with the mascot fight a bizarre remnant of this, Hyams and the crew play it straight and the whole film comes off better for it. It's helped enormously by its cast, with Van Damme on top form, delivering one of his best performances while Powers Boothe plays a vicious b*stard who is just a sheer joy to watch, that's how you sell a villain. John Debney does a fantastic job with the score; pounding away in the background and building the suspense. Methodically paced and exciting as hell, Sudden Death is no second-rate cash grab, it's a genuinely marvellous film in its own right. It's an entertaining mix of excellent action, unintended comedy and insane thrills that's all capped off by jaw-dropping stunts and just the right ratio of explosions to dialogue.
The Fall Guy (2024)
Undenyable fun
David Leitch's simultaneous love letter to the unsung heroes of the film industry and the entire community that creates that magic, The Fall Guy is a gloriously fun breeze, armed with an appealingly low-stakes conflict, uproariously witty script, inventive set pieces and an incredible soundtrack, that makes the 125-minute runtime fly by. Couching serious labour concerns about the lack of recognition for some of Hollywood's hardest-working creatives into a film that's hilarious, entertaining and gloriously meta with the perfect dose of romantic moments thanks to the boundless charm of Gosling and Blunt.
The moment they dropped the Miami Vice Theme, all the dads in the audience cheered, mine included. 😊
Die Another Day (2002)
Not nearly as bad as everyone says it is
Arriving at a time when The Bourne Identity had ushered in a new era of gritty action-espionage movies, Die Another Day can be seen as the last time the Bond movies had any sense of fun about them. It's gloriously over the top, lavishly crafted and fully embracing the campy nature of the genre. In many ways, this 007 entry reminds me of John Woo's MI2, ironic considering both he and Tony Scott, two directors I love were the initial choices for this instalment. No one's going to accuse this film of being a sophisticated spy movie, it often comes across as a clumsy homage to the franchise's illustrious history more than a film in its own right. Tamahori's direction is filled with many early 2000s staples, the choppy slow-mo, over-reliance on cheap CGI and poor lighting. However, I can't fault the action done by Vic Armstrong who's doing the heavy lifting here, the ice chase and opening hovercraft pursuit are great fun leaning into the film's fantastical nature. Brosnan is clearly at ease with the role here and just rolling with it, Halle Berry's Jinx makes for a great counterpart to Bond and Toby Stephens is just hamming it up in the villain role. David Arnold delivers another great score, one that incorporates many more electronic elements than his previous works, it's the score I've found myself listening to more often than his others. Madonna's title song though... no, just no. Die Another Day is certainly not vintage Bond, it is ridiculous in the way that wouldn't be out of place in a video game but nearly mindless in how it handles the granddaddy of action thrillers with its plot and tone at a complete mismatch. It's not as bad as its reputation suggests but far from the ending Brosnan deserved.
The World Is Not Enough (1999)
Family motto
Brosnan's run as the famous secret agent is an unfortunate case of increasingly diminishing returns, unfortunately, The World is Not Enough peaks too early with the rest of the film playing catch up to its incredible opening hook. There's plenty of action and typical Bond elements to be found throughout, but the execution comes off as exceedingly generic in its attempts to return to the older days of espionage thrillers, despite sprinkling in a fair amount of character-centred plot, it just doesn't go that far beyond the call of duty. The film is plagued by mediocre writing and a fairly by-the-numbers plot which is made all the more annoying thanks to Michael Apted's rather ugly direction, it's all shot in these weird lingering medium shots against the backdrop of some truly awful locations. If I can give this film anything it's a showcase for what is arguably Brosnan's best performance as 007, showcasing his acting range exceptionally well as well as giving us a sizable role for Judi Dench's M, Robbie Coltrane making a welcome return and a bittersweet goodbye for Desmond Llewelyn's Q. The film does boast a pair of remarkable villains but doesn't juggle them very well, completely wasting Robert Carlyle and failing to give depth to either and then you have the woefully miscast Denise Richards... she's up there as one of the worst Bond girls around. However, I can give some semblance of credit to David Arnold's score which makes the film a lot more extravagant than it actually is. I even like the theme song by Garbage, it's grown on me in recent years. Despite my criticisms, I still somewhat enjoy The World Is Not Enough, there are enough fun moments scattered throughout to make it a decent Bond entry but it ultimately presents a conflicted persona torn between the corny antics of the Roger Moore era and the grim seriousness of where things would eventually go under Daniel Craig.
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
There's no news like good news
Kinetic, knowing, crammed with high-tech gadgetry and sophisticated in the most superficial sense of the term, I've always liked Tomorrow Never Dies even if it suffered from the carnage of a troubled shoot, it strikes the right balance of menace, thrills and humour, using a chase-movie template to ensure attention never wavers. I honestly believe if this were given a re-edit or expanded cut it would rival or even topple GoldenEye, there's so much potential in this film but it often falls just short of greatness with multiple little niggles that hold it back. The news is mostly good. And when it comes to the Bond movies, there's no news like good news. Director Roger Spottiswoode gets the job done here, sometimes excitingly and with constant style, it's hard to fault any of the film's action, it's all brillantly exciting. Pierce Brosnan's second outing as 007 is even more assured and charismatic than his impressive debut in GoldenEye, he's clearly more comfortable in the tux and genuinely loving his role. The film even made the incredible choice of gifting us Michelle Yeoh as Bond girl, Wai Lin, who is just divine throughout bringing all her acting chops and arse kicking glory to the role. Jonathan Pryce as Elliot Carver makes for a fantastic throwback to the old Moore villains as a megomaniacal media conglomerate who may or may not just be a not so subtle jab at Rupert Murdoch. The film's only real sorespot in its cast is the wildly miscast and utterly disinterested Teri Hatcher who is just shooting blanks. David Arnold delivers a genuinely exciting score, layering industrialised sounds over traditional orchestration, easy on the ears and marking him out as a fantastic successor to the legendary John Barry. Although I'm questioning the decision of using Sheryl Crow's awful title song over k.d. Lang's Surrender which is miles better. Despite the film's faults, I can't help but enjoy Tomorrow Never Dies, delivering a zippy 007 romp that draws as heavily from the Asian action genre as from the formula that has served the series so well for 35 years.
GoldenEye (1995)
We're in the 90s
After 6 years of silence and a multitude of legal battles that sadly caused Timothy Dalton to unceremoniously bow out of the role, GoldenEye gives 007 a new lease of life, bringing the iconic agent out of the Cold War and into the new age. Walking a fine line between 60s cultural kitsch and 90s entertainment hype, the film delivers some slick, generation-spanning thrills and proves that while Bond may be something of a political and social dinosaur, there's still life in the old boy yet. Although ironically, in trying so hard to distance itself from the older Bonds, GoldenEye itself is now a relic of the post-Cold War era. With most of the old guard now gone, Martin Campbell steps into the Director's chair delivering overtly theatrical action scenes that are quick, coherent and easy on the eyes all done with effortless proficiency and wit revamping that indomitable British spirit in our beloved agent. Pierce Brosnan makes his belated debut as our favourite secret agent, one that he does so effortlessly, offering a mix of every actor that came before him and topped by a winning smile and professional stone-cold stare. Backed by a memorable set of villains and supporting roles including the always-dying Sean Bean as 006 and sex maniac Xenia Onatopp played by Famke Janssen, it's a great cast for a great movie. I love Éric Serra's industrial synth score, even if the super cheesier aspects really test that love for a lot of the runtime, although I've never been a fan of Tina Turner's iconic title song (although shoot me for liking the version by Nicole Scherzinger for the 2010 Wii game). Updating the Bond formula for the 90s with comforting, old-fashioned fun, GoldenEye does not disappoint, never losing sight of what the spy game is all about while traditional enough to leave 007's character alone, but intelligent enough to deal with the fact that he is in new surroundings.
Timecop (1994)
Can see this getting a remake
While for the most part, Van Damme's accent is easier to understand than the plot, Timecop is a lot of fun in what is a slickly made, fast-paced and mildly diverting B-movie actioneer. Filled with holes, gaps, and the ilk, it's not a great exploration of time travel or science-fiction themes, but it was never going to be. Peter Hyams once again delivers some suitably stunning direction taking equal inspiration from both Blade Runner and Terminator, maintaining an air of professionalism throughout even if the action does get rather repetitive. He's no stranger to large-scale sci-fi, so his management of the massive sets and slightly mechanical FX is more than satisfactory. It's hard not to enjoy Van Damme's energy here, even if this isn't one of his stronger performances, appealingly effective as the cop who dutifully slams a pack of baddies into the walls every third or fourth scene. The rest of the cast isn't bad although I wish Hyams had hired a few more notable B-movie mainstays to fill out its cast. Mark Isham's score is rather cheesy but matches Hyams' visual style quite well. Despite the glitches, Timecop is lots of fun, a blast from the past, even if you can't help but feel you've seen it all before.
Never Say Never Again (1983)
Abysmal
Never Say Never Again isn't a bad film because it's not an official Bond production, it's just a horrendous film in its own right. In case you were blissfully unaware, this is a remake of Thunderball only made possible due to a long-standing legal issue between Kevin McClory and Ian Flemming over a lack of story credit for an undeveloped screenplay turned novel. McClory had a myriad of talents at his disposal to create his Bond film, instead, he chose to waste them all in a film that only serves to try and one up its contemporaries rather than daring to do anything inventive with the material. The production chaos is visible on screen, with frequently mediocre editing, direction that looks like Irvin Kershner nodded off in the director's chair, lacklustre action and bland photography all emerging from the restricted budget. At the time, Never Say Never Again got away with it, thanks to public and critical pleasure at seeing Connery again. Nowadays, it's dated, slow and worst of all, looks cheap, faring badly even compared to the poorest of the Eon films. Connery gives off a half-decent performance here, probably because it was a good payday although Barbara Carrera as Fatima Blush is the real highlight, the rest of the film wastes its rather well-cast roles. The brilliant Max von Sydow gets nothing to do as Blofeld, confined to a meeting room for the entire runtime, Klaus Maria Brandauer as Largo is just a perv seemingly bored of his scheme and one who'd rather be playing video games while Kim Basinger is completely miscast as Domino. The only other noteworthy roles are poor Rowan Atkinson and Alec McCowen who make an impression but are barely even in the film. Propped up by a hokey, nonsensical script and an absolutely atrocious musical score by Michel Legrand, it's hard to recommend Never Say Never Again to anyone other than the most desperate among us. It's worth a look for the novelty but don't be surprised when you end up finding an ugly, lazy and cynical cash grab instead.
Octopussy (1983)
Octo what in title?
Octopussy is as close as the Roger Moore Bond films ever got to the Connery era, while For Your Eyes Only merely dabbled with going back to the Cold War espionage thrillers, this one goes the full ham hock with villainous Russians, political climates, nuclear disarmament and exotic locales. It's an entry I always feel is best remembered for specific moments rather than the sum of its parts, an easy film to hate and even encouraging you to do so as it often paints a big target on its back, but thankfully the good outweighs the bad. Despite what its title would lead you to believe, it's far less camp than you'd expect, delivering a relatively serious affair and a much more engaging film about smuggling than Diamonds Are Forever. John Glen's direction is still great but more often than not let down by the hockey script and onslaught of middling gags, even with these drawbacks, he delivers some truly stunning action; the entire pre-titles sequence, 009's tragic escape, Bond running around atop a moving train and subsequent rush to the US Air Base, it's all executed to a flawless degree. Roger delivers another distinguished performance as our beloved agent and a returning Maud Adams does a great job as Octopussy even if her role in the story is largely detrimental. Where this film suffers is its villains, Steven Berkoff's General Orlov is easily the best of the lot but doesn't get nearly enough screentime and is taken out of the film too soon, while Louis Jourdan's Kamal Khan is comparatively feeble and uninteresting despite a solid performance and Kabir Bedi's Gobinda is a complete nothing henchman. John Barry's score is a bit of a cut-and-paste affair far from bad, it's just a bit repetitive and All Time High is one of my least favourite songs of the franchise but far from terrible. Ultimately, Octopussy is the 007 series operating on full autopilot and as formulaic as it comes, yet, as with all of Moore's Bond adventures, it's a fun watch from start to finish.
For Your Eyes Only (1981)
An underrated Bond for the new age
For Your Eyes Only has always been a personal favourite of mine, starting with a giant middle finger to Kevin McClory and only getting better from there. Stripping back the more fantastical elements of the previous two outings in favour of a return to the more grounded tale of revenge, the film marks a significant style change for the 007 series taking the series back to the Cold War espionage thrillers, depriving James Bond of his gadgets and thrusting him into a battle of wits and deception. Even with a seriously slashed budget franchise veteran and first-time director John Glen doesn't compromise with the action, his style has a much harder edge to it cutting back on some of the humour but keeping the stakes high. Roger delivers another outstanding performance, consistent with what we saw in The Spy Who Loved Me, always bringing his signature eyebrow-raising sarcasm and witty charm to the role. Carole Bouquet's portrayal of Melina is also commendable, making her another strong addition to the Bond girl legacy, sharing an undeniable chemistry with Moore that adds to the film's appeal. Julian Glover is a fabulous villain as Kristatos while the late great Topol as Columbo gives us an extremely likeable supporting role to root for. John Barry was once again unavailable to score the film so in steps Bill Conti, delivering a superb disco-oriented 80s score and even managing to keep typical Barry-laden brass, it's such an easy and energetic listen befitting of the 007 moniker. More measured and elegant rather than flashy and excessive, it may be a bit long in the tooth and treading over familiar territory but the script is as sharp as ever, marking out For Your Eyes Only as one of the more underrated entries in the franchise. Yes, even with its ridiculous ending.
Moonraker (1979)
James Bond in SPACE!
With the recent rise in popularity of sci-fi thanks to a little movie called Star Wars, it's only natural that the filmmakers would abandon their original intentions to give us James Bond in Space! It's easy to see why so many people dislike Moonraker, it features one of the most ludicrous and dangerously thin plots of the entire franchise, remaining a generally slower-paced affair right up until its insane final act, however, it's got a special brand of camp absurdity that remains unmatched by any other entry. Yet. It's exactly that ridiculousness that makes it so enjoyable, hitting just the right stride between silly and spectacular, an exercise in bombastic overblown excess. Despite the often predictable nature, outlandish comedic moments and bizarre editing choices, Lewis Gilbert keeps his usual flair and thrills amidst the joyous chaos. Ken Adam's last contribution to the series offers even more stunning set work as we've come to expect from him, while John Barry delivers yet another fantastic score, even though a string selection has replaced his usual brass, it's one of his more underrated Bond scores; Derek Meddings, a member of the Gerry Anderson crew, delivers some truly magnificent model effects sequences. The film isn't without a plethora of likeable performances, Roger is still on top form as our favourite suave super spy, Michael Lonsdale makes for one of the series' best megalomaniacal villains in the form of Hugo Drax and Richard Kiel once again is brilliantly charming as Jaws even if his more terrifying aspects have been toned down. Despite so many moments that threaten to annihilate its thinly held together presentation, Moonraker is a freefall of fun-filled entertainment, the excitement has gone all the way up to giddy and never comes down, not even attempting re-entry.
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Nobody does it better
Despite a myriad of production woes that threatened to torpedo its production, including the financial difficulties and ultimate ousting of poor Harry Saltzman, The Spy Who Loved Me represents a newfound energy for the 007 franchise proving to audiences once and for all that nobody does it better than Sir James Bond. I know I previously singled out On Her Majesty's Secret Service as the best-looking film of the entire franchise, but I'll be damned if this doesn't come in a close second. The scale of the production is enormous, with a returning Lewis Gilbert in the director's chair and he doesn't waste a frame, populating the runtime with exhilarating, high-octane action and gorgeously photographed visuals courtesy of Claude Renoir. Ken Adam's set work is positively superb and genuinely immense, while Marvin Hamlisch delivers a fantastically funky disco-oriented score with elements of classical music. It's a great score and one that's crying out for a proper expanded release given how much of it is unreleased. Roger Moore is on top form throughout and the chemistry he shares with Barbara Bach's Triple X is wonderful; Curt Jürgens certainly makes an impression as Stromberg but is more often than not overshadowed by the colossal Richard Kiel as the ever-iconic and virtually indestructible Jaws, despite his villainous status he's impossible to hate, offering plenty of laughs mixed with a genuine sense of terror, a real gem of the screen. Delivering sleek style, incredible wit and a heartfelt romance, ultimately, The Spy Who Loved Me is the kind of film that can get away with everything and one that truly deserves to.
The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
We love to root for a villain, especially one played by Christopher Lee.
Rushed out to capitalise on their new leading man, The Man with the Golden Gun often comes across as an awkward and haphazardly put-together potboiler of a film; yet, I still very much enjoy this oriental 007 adventure. Mixing the Bond formula with the rapidly emerging love for martial arts, the film is too often let down by an increasingly lazy script populated by increasingly irritable double-entendre-laden dialogue, simultaneously capturing the best and worst aspects of Moore's run into one sadly middling film. Despite my criticisms, the film is superbly photographed and Guy Hamilton's direction isn't half bad, far from his worst effort even if the quick turnaround has done him many favours. Roger balances the overplayed humour with a steely performance, and then... there's Christopher Lee oozing with charm and enthusiasm, playing Scaramanga as a cool, deadly and thoroughly enchanting adversary, I'm amazed it took this long to get him into the series. While Hervé Villechaize plays it pretty well as the tiny henchman Nick Nick but in direct contrast the leading ladies are completely uninspired, bordering on braindead at times. At the same time, John Barry offers up another stunning score, although I seriously need to question whoever added that goddamn slide whistle over that bloody bridge jump. Regardless, you can do a lot worse than The Man with the Golden Gun, trust me I know, lacking and laboured but with the occasional memorable moment, it's a fun Bond adventure but one that ultimately fails to live up to its potential.
Live and Let Die (1973)
Moore comes out swinging
Guy Hamilton's profuse apology for the previous film, Live and Let Die comes out swinging and starts Roger Moore's tenure as 007 off with a bang. It's as upbeat and jazzy as it is dry and sarcastic, the film is often punctuated by a quizzically raised eyebrow while cleverly balancing the usual spy shenanigans with blaxploitation clichés. There's a great deal of energy injected into the filmmaking, with some fast-paced, brilliantly photographed and genuinely exhilarating action, Guy Hamilton redeems himself after his rather lazy effort only one film prior; while Tom Mankiewicz's script is brilliantly funny and endlessly entertaining, it's a great example of Bond's adaptability to pop culture, allowing him to flourish even in the most unlikely circumstances. Roger slips perfectly into the role of Bond with ease, marking himself out as a different entity from Connery's portrayal entirely, oozing endless amounts of wit, charm and charisma making it all seem so effortless. The rest of the cast is all genuinely well performed, it even has the best Felix Leiter in the entire series, with plenty of other small but memorable roles populating the film. With John Barry unavailable and the hiring of Paul McCartney to sing the legendary title song, George Martin steps up to the table and delivers one of my favourite scores of the entire series; far less brassy than Barry's efforts, instead incorporating elements of rock and funk that while of its time offer a unique sound while incorporating the usual elements you've come to expect from a Bond soundtrack. With a much lighter tone that works very much in its favour and filled to the brim with action, deduction and plenty of seduction, Live and Let Die is a terrific transitional Bond film, reinventing 007 for a new decade ahead.
Titanic (1953)
the iceberg is such a diva
Happy Anniversary to the big silly boat with a million films based on her. Chances are when you hear Titanic, it's most likely your mind will think of the James Cameron film, one that combines tragedy with authenticity, this 1953 film instead opts for melodrama and wildly laughable inaccuracies. It doesn't help that most of the characters are archetypes or cardboard cutouts, going through all the motions you can expect, it's all too safe reflecting the cautiousness of Hollywood productions from the time. However despite the lousy screenplay, I do have to credit the film's passable direction, Joseph MacDonald's occasionally beautiful photography and ultimately the film's model sequences that depict the titular ship. Ultimately, Titanic isn't a gruelling experience, clocking in at a respectable 97 minutes. Still, there isn't enough meat to dig into with this tale, clearly wishing to be the happy-go-lucky depiction of the sinking but not to the point where it does what the animated films did... and yet it still feels really cheap, ending by just stating what happened after the sinking, almost as if it was only made to be a backdrop and bank on the public's familiarity with the name. There was little reason for this to be called Titanic unless they were going to devote more time to it outside of the transition shots... the iceberg even hits the wrong side!
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
They had all the time in the world
For his only 007 adventure, George Lazenby sure knocked it out of the park, giving us a James Bond capable of vulnerability, a man who can show fear and is not immune to heartbreak. This is 007 at his most emotionally compromised and at his very best. I've gushed about this film many times before and would happily do so again and again. It speaks to Peter Hunt's strength as an editor that when offered the director's chair for his only time in the series, he delivered a much more experimental style of spy film, playing with different techniques, techniques you can find in most action films nowadays, even despite the long-winded runtime. Combine this with the photography of Hammer cinematographer Michael Reed, and you have a film that oozes with beauty, easily the best looking of the entire franchise. John Barry delivers one of the finest scores of his career, one with an unparalleled sense of emotional romanticism with moments of incredible tension and fist-pumping badassery. Even with this being Lazenby's first acting role, we see Bond terrified for the first time in the series and falling in love, the chemistry he shares with the beautiful Diana Rigg is exceptionally touching and one of genuine tragedy and then... there's Telly Savalas who's just awesome. The entire cast is just fantastic. On Her Majesty's Secret Service is pure poetry, transcending the very idea of a Bond film. Gorgeously photographed, thrillingly executed and wonderfully performed, I adore it.
You Only Live Twice (1967)
James Bond by way of Gerry Anderson
As much as I love the look of this film, You Only Live Twice is plagued by tiredness and a sluggish pace despite how gorgeously outlandish this film can sometimes be. It's James Bond by way of Gerry Anderson, with plenty of gadgetry-laden action, pure spectacle and fantastic model work; it's a real shame then that in a film with so many spectacular set pieces, the downtime is so disinteresting, lacking the wit and zip, the pacing and punch of its predecessors. Roald Dahl's screenplay is implausibly mechanical if somewhat inspired, although the less said about the Japanese transformation... the better. Connery is doing the script no favours as he looks like he simply doesn't want to be there and the film's treatment of its Japanese cast is unforgivably shallow, seriously why dub the legendary Tetsuro Tamba when the man already spoke perfectly adequate English? Donald Pleasence is one of the film's saving graces, a clear professional throughout and delivering such an iconic performance. Between Lewis Gilbert's direction, Freddie Young's photography, Ken Adam's amazing sets and Barry's oriental brass score, it's a real shame that You Only Live Twice fumbles in its storytelling department, given how much everything else in this film works leaving the visuals and music do a lot of the heavy lifting.
Casino Royale (1967)
truly ridiculous
Admittedly the best joke in the film is right at the end when Woody Allen gets sent to Hell. Still, aside from that crowd-pleaser, Casino Royale is boringly incoherent, tone-deaf and groan-worthy parody hidden under the guise of legitimacy. On paper, this film had all the ingredients to be a somewhat unique and interesting voice in the fast-approaching oversaturation of the spy genre, yet it consistently makes the worst choices during execution, undermining its talented cast and crew. What can I honestly say about a film with 5 directors and 10 writers? It's reckless, disconnected nonsense, nearly impossible to follow but the cast alone does admittedly sell the picture, need I say more about having Orson Welles as Le Chiffre? Astonishingly unfunny, Casino Royale is a remarkable mess of a film, one that could easily be mistaken for a psychedelic, absurdist masterpiece; one that features a few innovative sets, a wealth of eye-popping colours and oodles of bared midriff, but even those can't redeem this juvenile experiment in adolescent fantasy; a definitive example of what happens when everybody working on a film goes simultaneously berserk.
Thunderball (1965)
Overblown and overindulgent
If there's one thing I can't deny about Thunderball, the money is undoubtedly onscreen with plenty of lavishly rendered if repetitive set pieces. Unfortunately, this is also one of the most dreary and bloated 007 outings with over a quarter of its runtime dedicated to overindulgent and mindless underwater action. Mostly notable nowadays for being the one that caused a myriad of rights issues thanks to producer Kevin McClory, I always felt this one suffered from coming straight after the high point with Goldfinger, it's often overly long, in desperate need of some editing and dragging its feet for the bulk of its runtime. That being said, Connery and the other regulars are still fantastic, however, there's a standout villainous performance from Luciana Paluzzi as Fiona Volpe. Ted Moore's photography is still lovely and colourful, Barry's score has the same brassy punch that his other efforts offer and there's even a healthy dose of witticisms that made Goldfinger so endearing, but it's the way Thunderball comes together that marks it out as one of the more overrated Bond adventures. The ambition is evident throughout, but the execution just doesn't have enough energy or plot to sustain it.