Moonraker

Rating:
Summary: Can't Beat the First 10 Minutes. After that DOWNHILL ...
Review: Unbelievable beginning but ruined shortly into the movie. The Jaws character was destroyed by giving him stupid comedy and a love interest. This was to be the first of the really bad Moore Bond pictures culminating in the God awful "A View to a Kill."

Rating:
Summary: A little disapointing after the fantastic Spy Who Loved Me
Review: Roger Moore really emerged from Sean Connery's shadow with The Spy Who Loved Me, but took a step in the wrong direction with Moonraker.Not that I didn't like it,but it's just not that memorable a Bond film.The villain Drax is okay,but nowhere near the class of Goldfinger,Blofeld,etc.The same can be said of the Bond girl Holly Goodhead,she's beautiful,but not that memorable.It did,however have some fun scenes with Jaws,the seven foot,steel toothed giant.(he actually speaks a line or two!)The scenes in space are pretty cool,too.I wasn't all that crazy about the theme song,sung by Shirley Bassey.Overall it's not a bad Bond film,just not the best.

Rating:
Summary: 100,000,000 moviegoers CAN be wrong!
Review: Moonraker is easily the least of the series. Period. Dumb, child friendly slapstick does not belong in a Bond film. I don't believe a Bond film needs to be realistic or even plausible, but it should take itself at least a LITTLE seriously. Now, I have no problem with Roger Moore, I grew up with him in the role, nor do I have a problem with humor or comedy, but I do have a problem with stupidity. That said, the real reason I write this is to give you the lowdown on the special features. The 45 minute documentary on the making of the film is quite good, with interesting footage and anecdotes, the trailer seems to be the original British version and has some Star Wars inspired logos, and the commentary is also quite engaging, filled with fascinating tidbits supplied by director Gilbert and producer Wilson. As always, the special features are worth the price alone. So, in the end, a dumb movie with great extras, if you're a Bond completist as I am you'll want this, but otherwise, look elsewhere in the series. My advice is to watch with the commentary on, to spare yourself the full brunt of the idiocy on screen.

Rating:
Summary: Great start, shame about the rest of it
Review: Personally, I liked this film. I think it has the most impressive opening stunt scene of all the Bond films. Getting thrown out of a plane without a parachute and then skydiving after the pilot to wrestle with him in free-fall and steal his parachute! That was amazing, and was obviously filmed with real skydivers. Unfortunately the rest of the film rapidly degenerates into farce. It just gets more and more daft as the film continues to the point where you cant take it seriously any longer. James Bond films are supposed to be fantastic, but not ridiculous! Actually quite a few of the later Roger Moore Bond films became silly like this. The daftest ending has got to be the film(I dont know which) where the Queen gets on the phone to congratulate 007 and ends up talking to the ships parrot instead.

Rating:
Summary: Goofy--But Fun!
Review: Roger Moore's fourth outing as superagent James Bond ranks among the goofiest in the 007 film series. In fact, "Moonraker" is like a 007 parody--and the story is so similar to the film which precedes it that it should have been called "The Spy Who Loved Me 2". Every single little thing in this flick is over the top: the high-speed amphibious gondola, the gratuitous use of sexy bimbos, the mid-air hijacking of a space shuttle in the movie's opening scene--and let's not forget the return of the unstoppable, metallic-mouthed Jaws (the legendary bad guy role that made Richard Kiel famous).

Obviously, "Moonraker" is too silly for it's own good, but it's great fun to watch. Lonsdale's evil Drax delivers some of the funniest lines in the whole movie without even a hint of a smile. The scene where Moore is pushed out of a plane without a parachute ranks among the best action sequences in the whole series. The sets and models are fantastic, too. It's pure escapism; watched on those terms alone, Moonraker is a hoot.

Rating:
Summary: A Bond for All Seasons
Review: When I first saw this film I remember that it really broke my heart. I grew up in the 60s on James Bond and Sean Connery amongst others. The first 45 minutes of "Moonraker" was the closest that the Roger Moore Bonds had ever come to the look and feel of the James Bond films of the 60s. It was really incredible. Equally incredible was how the film did a flip-flop into slapstick when Bond is floating down that canal in Venice. As the film progressed the level of slapstick escalated. It was just plain out ridicules. The film was very annoying.

I thought Roger Moore had finally combined his best qualities as a personality and an actor to represent James Bond in this film. His scene in the centrifuge showed his ability to bring depth to the character in a very credible way. This one scene is a standout because it equals any performance given by any of the actors that have portrayed James Bond in this series. Christopher Wood, given sole screenplay credit this time, delivered a script full of witty dialogue. The free-fall pre-credit sequence with John Barry's background score, incredible stunt work and cinematography was excellent. With so many fine elements at their peak of perfection it was a shame that the film unraveled in so many different directions.

When I saw this film on opening day I remembered how the whole lobby was crammed with people. As I sat during the film I remember a little boy who was sitting in front of me turn around and look at his father. "Daddy I really like this movie." I never forgot that. It took me about 10 years to understand what this film was really all about. The Bond films have been around for almost 40 years now. I suppose with each decade another generation of Bond fans is born. Each generation takes with them the fond memories of their introduction to James Bond. Each generation savors the moment and no matter what I or anyone else says is going to erase those memories. The magic of "Moonraker" is that it contains the best to the worst, or the worst to the best, of all the elements found in the series. There is something in "Moonraker" for everyone.

Rating:
Summary: "Moonraker": Least Among the 007s?
Review: This is my first 007 adventure, and I hope it won't be my last. Aside from a few plot flaws and the stupid view of women the film employs, this movie was relatively good. I've heard many Bond fans say that this is among the worst in the series, so I won't be too critical until I've seen more. The plot itself is extremely far fetched, and, the film being made in a time when NASA hadn't even sent up a shuttle, the depiction of the "space station" and all the Moonraker spacecraft's is rather amusing.

The basic idea of this movie is that an evil villain, Sir Hugo Drax, is planning to destroy the human race and set up a physically "perfect" race in its place. He plans to carry out his sinister plan from a space station in orbit of earth. Naturally, agent 007 is assigned to the case after one of the Moonraker shuttle crafts mysterious disappears while being transported on the back of a 747. Armed with a cool new gadget that saves his life more than once, provided by the charming character of Q, Bond flies to American, then to Europe, then Central America, and finally to space itself. For those of you who liked the film preceding this one, "The Spy who Loved Me" you'll be glad to know that Jaws returns in this film. He's a good character and villain, aside from the love story they put in (very ridiculous.) The film's plot and action were fairly sound, though, especially the latter.

One of the aspects that really bothered me was the portrayal women. Bond sees them merely as objects, which is, no questions asked, very wrong. Throughout the course of the movie he sleeps, or makes advances, on four different women. Thankfully, the innuendo wasn't too bad in this one, nor was the language. The thing that really kills this movie, and Bond movies in general, is the portrayal of women. I'm not saying I don't believe there shouldn't be pretty women in these films, merely that their sexuality shouldn't be played up as much. Aside from that, most everything else is splendid. The action is great, although it didn't come as often as I would have preferred. Two boat chases, a hilarious fight scene in which Bond and a Japanese guy who's trying to kill him destroy millions of dollars of precious art pieces in a museum. Other scenes include Bond sky diving from an air plane without a parachute, a sequence with a nasty looking snack, a lazer gun battle (very cheesy, but none the less good), and several other excellent scenes.

The DVD itself is wonderful, but that's pretty much to be expected with a special edition copy such as this. The interactive menu is pretty cool, as are the documentaries, trailer, and photo album. The transition to DVD is marvelous, and you can hardly tell the film was made in the late 70s. However, although it might be worth it to some Bond fanatics, I believe $35.00 is a little steep for this edition, even with all of the extras.

All in all, and with Amazon.com's discount, I would highly recommend this film. Despite some of its setbacks, I can plainly see, if indeed this is the worst, how the 007 films have become so popular over the past half-century. I just ordered "Goldfinger", which is supposedly one of the best, so I hope I can give a better review of that one soon. Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Bond Meets Star Wars in "Moonraker"
Review: "Moonraker", released in 1979, is the eleventh entry of the James Bond series and the fourth time actor Roger Moore plays the suave secret agent. Coming off the incredible success of "The Spy Who Loved Me" but also mindful of the success of big budget blockbuster such as "Star Wars", "Moonraker" was given the largest budget yet for a Bond film, over twice that of "The Spy Who Loved Me". Most of that budget should go to special effects because like Luke Skywalker, James Bond would also enter the realm of outer space. Although "Moonraker" gross more money than any Bond film before, the film is proof that more money or better special effects does not guarantee a better movie.

Bond's latest adventure begins with a trip to California to investigate the apparent hijacking of a NASA space shuttle that was on loan to the British. Bond is traveling to meet Hugo Drax the man whose corporations build the space shuttles and trains many of NASA's astronauts. Drax appears to be hiding something so when Bond does some midnight snooping around Drax's country estate, Drax decides to he must arrange "an amusing death" for Mr. Bond. During Bond's tour of Drax's astronaut training complex, he meets Dr Holly Goodhead, an astronaut on loan from NASA. After barely surviving a suspicious training accident, Bond finally discovers some blueprints that point him to a glass works in Venice, Italy. Bond is surprised to bump into Dr. Goodhead in Venice, only later to discover she is actually a CIA agent who is also investigating Drax. Another nighttime survey, he Bond discovers a secret lab producing a deadly nerve toxin. The trail now leads to Rio de Janeiro, where now Bond's old nemesis Jaws attempts stop him, and finally into Amazon jungle where Bond discovers a secret shuttle base. Bond has blundered into the one of most sinister plots ever conceived, the destruction of all mankind through a deadly assault from space. Can Bond with the help of Dr. Goodhead stop Drax before he achieves his dream?

When one watches "Moonraker", one might feel that somehow the storyline seems vaguely familiar and one would be right. "Moonraker", in a very subtle way, recycles the basic plot elements from "The Spy Who Loved Me". Once one notices what is going on, it is quite easy spot the similarities. The British lose a space shuttle ("The Spy Who Loved Me", a nuclear submarine), the man responsible is a rich industrialist (shipping magnate) who nurses a dream to reshape the world after destroying all humanity from space (triggering WW III). Drax finds that one of his female staff has betrayed him and he has his dogs (his shark) kill her. Drax has built a city in space (a city under the water); Bond gets involved with a beautiful CIA agent (a beautiful KGB agent), and so on. Although this in no way should be a real black mark against "Moonraker", however, it is obvious that the production team was trying to play it safe by basing the screenplay with a proven formula.

The problem is that in trying to duplicate the previous film, the makers failed to reproduce the chemistry that made "The Spy Who Loved Me" so entertaining. Although Roger Moore continued to play Bond well, Lois Chiles, who played Holly Goodhead and was originally considered for the role of Anya, turns in a lackluster performance and romantic element between the two never really sizzled. Michael Lonsdale's portrayal of Drax is good, but the character is bit colorless. Even Richard Kiel's Jaws is damaged a bit by trying to insert a love interest into the script. Fortunately, one of the bright spots was Drax's first henchman Chang, played by Toshiro Sugo, who fought Bond in one of the best fight scenes in the entire series. Bernard Lee, Lois Maxwell, and Desmond Llewelyn continued their good performances in their roles of "M", Miss Moneypenny, and "Q". On a sad note, this would be the last time Bernard Lee would star in a Bond film, having died just before the next Bond production.

Worst of all, the special effects that consumed a lion's share of the budget, served to hurt "Moonraker" as much as help. The space battle is a top-notch affair, worthy of comparison with similar battles in "Thunderball" and "You Only Live Twice" and the shuttle chasing Drax's spheres of death is quite excellent. However, the emphasis on showing off the special effects in scenes such as the numerous shuttle launches and the rendezvous with the space station served only to slow down the action without turning up the suspense. The production team too often uses special effects for its own sake (although not anywhere as often as "Star Trek, The Motion Picture", released later that year). As is the case with many movies made after "Star Wars", a little less effort on special effects and a little more on live action story would have done "Moonraker" good.

Of the different releases on video, the 1998 MGM DVD has the best print of "Moonraker" this reviewer has seen although MGM will probably release a special edition sometime in the future. "Moonraker" is a film that can be endlessly debated over. This reviewer tends to like a good story and chemistry to along with his action and "Moonraker" tends to falls short in the former categories. However, for those who grew up loving action over content, this film may well be your cup of tea. In any case, this reviewer rates "Moonraker" right in the middle of Roger Moore's efforts behind those of "The Spy Who Loved Me", "For Your Eyes Only", and "Octopussy".

Rating:
Summary: MOONRAKER - UNDERRATED AND FINALLY IN WIDESCREEN
Review: I first saw Moonraker when I was in Junior High on television. At the time, I knew almost next to nothing about James Bond. The only thing about James Bond I saw up to that time was a scene in Thunderball where Sean Connery was being stalked by the tenacious Luciana Paluzzi and her hoodlums.

I knew nothing about the history of Bond, and which film came first or second, or third.... I knew nothing about the golden girl in Goldfinger, nothing about the sexual names of Bond's various mates...I didn't even know about the term "Bond girl". I know nothing about the gadgets, or M, Q, or Moneypenny.

Moonraker, which everybody seems to trashed, turned me on to the world of James Bond. I became a fan, and went on to see every movie that came before it (For You Eyes Only just came out in the theaters at the time)whenever it came on television.

If Moonraker is so BAD....as all the naysayers claimed, I would have not been a fan...and would never surrender myself to the world of 007. BUt instead, I loved this movie, and I became a 007 fan that day. And judging by the box office, Moonraker probably attracted thousands of new fans as well.

Moonraker has all the element of a classic Bond film: from the stunning midair pre-title sequence, to the ever reliable Shirley Bassey's Moonraker theme song, to the lunar titles by Maurice Binder, to the fantastic (okay, so it is a bit far fetch) plot to destroy mankind hatched by a megalomaniac villain, to the humour (Jaws flapping his arms to fly, and Goodhead saying: "Take me around the world one more time", the special effects, the beautiful women in the form of Lois Chiles, Corinne Clery, Emily Bolton and Leila Shenna (as well as Drax's bevy of evil lovelies), to John Barry's score, and to Richard Kiel's Jaws, and of course, the action.

Of course, if you have seen all the Bond films in chronologic order, Moonraker may seem silly, contrived, lacking in originality. But hey, not all of us were around in 1962!

One of the biggest gripe, it seems, is that Bond went into outer space. Hey, Bond had survived thousands of bullets shot at him, bedded dozens of women and have not sire one illegitimate child, now all of a sudden we are talking about reality?

Overall, Moonraker is an entertaining movie...and that is why I was so glad that the DVD came out. Now I can watch Moonraker the way it was supposed to be seen...on widescreen. And watching it on widescreen is like watching an entirely different movie. You never realize how much you lose with that hated pan and scan format.

Like all the Bond DvDs, it included the trailers for Moonraker...however, the trailer of Moonraker which is based on the scene where Corinne Dufour was being chased by Drax's dobermen was ommitted.

The background piece on Moonraker is very informative. Too bad they didn't interview Corinne Clery, who was one of the highlights in the film.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best Bond films ever made
Review: I think that this is a very good film. I disagree with the people that think this isn't a good movie. The characters are convincing and well portrayed and the effects in the film are the best since 2001: A Space Odyssey. The film is also worth watching because it's Bernard Lee's last appearance in a Bond film.