Never Say Never Again

Rating:
Summary: Very Sexy Bond/one of the bsst love scenes in any film
Review: I think this is one of the most erotic movies ever made. Not just the stars but the film in general has a vibrant, erotic quality and lots of sexy women flirting to the camera in the background.

Very obvious chemistry the overpoweringly sexual Barbara Carrera - as sexy a woman imaginable - and Connery during their initial heavy flirting and the resultant love scene is one of the most erotic I've seen in any film.

How did this get a PG? Is there any hot footage still available that was left on the cutting-roonm floor?

Rating:
Summary: Connery's Fond Farewell to 007
Review: Though not without its flaws, "Never Say Never Again" (1983) is among the best James Bond adventures. Along with Sean Connery's belated return to his classic role, the film has a stylishness that has been absent from the series since "Diamonds Are Forever" (1971). A loose remake of "Thunderball," Connery's Bond farewell is superior to the Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton efforts, though it cannot hold a candle to George Lazenby's "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969) -- my candidate for the best 007 film. "Never Say Never Again" goes on too long and could have benefitted from a stronger climax, yet Klaus Maria Brandauer and Barbara Carrera are terrific villains while Irvin Kershner's direction is largely on-target. Connery delivers his finest 007 portrayal since "Goldfinger" with an admirably detailed performance as the older and wiser Bond. Overall, a refreshing change of pace from the usual 007 formula.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining Performances/Slow Pace and Uneven Production
Review: Sean Connery returns to the role that made him a movie star in "Never Say Never Again," a re-imagining of 1965's "Thunderball" that was possible because of a bitter lawsuit against Ian Fleming. The results are mixed. The strengths of "Never Say Never Again" include wonderfully effective performances by confident Connery, sexy Barbara Carrera, and wily Klaus Maria Brandauer--in fact, had the three been dropped into a stronger production, the film would probably be heralded as one of the best of the series--as well as wit and style that were increasingly missing from the Moore films. The weaknesses include a miscast Kim Basinger, an uninspired score by Michel LeGrand, and a lethargic pace that is off-putting, at best. As in "Thunderball," Bond is called forth to stop the attempts of a megalomaniacal billionaire and SPECTRE agent to blackmail the world with weapons of mass destruction. Along the way, he rescues the misguided sister of a NATO bomber pilot who was seduced into the caper by a pyschotic femme fatale. At 52, Connery plays an aging but virile Bond with the right mixture of humor and world-weariness; his Bond clearly is meant for the grown-ups in the audience. Yet, director Irvin Kirschner's choice to keep the film's pace geriatric makes it far more plodding than the original, which was also at times rather slow. Without Bond standards like the famous guitar-theme--or something to approximate them--too many scenes feel further robbed of their essence, nice looking as they are. Even the brief appearance by Max Von Sydow as Ernst Stavro Blofeld, here closer to the character described in the books than ever before, and some well-crafted action sequences can't quite pull "Never Say Never Again" out of its narrative slumber.

Rating:
Summary: An Unimpressive Remake
Review: Irvin Kershner directs this 1983 remake of 'Thunderball' with the same Bond actor but without punch. It's important to note that this is not an Albert Broccolli production and is therefore devoid of the trademark opening scene with the tracking gun barrel and the signature Bond music. Instead, this production leaves much to be desired with a rather contrived script and bad acting even by Connery.

Just as in 'Thunderball', Bond goes to the Bahamas to investigate the dispearance of a NATO bomber carrying a nuclear payload. Bond soon comes face to face with SPECTER's second in command, Emilio Largo (now played by Klaus Maria Brandauer as opposed to Adolfo Celi) who has a hand in the disappearance of the plane. Bond uses his charm to seduce Largo's mistress, Domino, to stop Largo's and SPECTER's sinister plans.

A very contrived remake that seemed quite self-aware and tongue- in-cheek. I can't recommend this film since Connery is in both versions and does a much better job in the original one. This is one Bond worth skipping.