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Moonraker

Moonraker

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Moonraker a good movie for the times
Review: It is fashionable amongst Bond fans to slag Moonraker, however I would have to digress for these two reasons:

1) TIMING - The Fleming novel was hopeless outdated (Ooh-ahh, let's fire a big ol' missle at London!). The movie series was starting to run out of Fleming titles to use, and with the popularity of Star Wars in 1977, the timing could not have been better to get the "Moonraker" name on to film somehow. The title of "Moonraker" was the last unfilmed Fleming full novel, as the names of those films that followed (For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, A View To A Kill, and The Living Daylights) are taken from collections of short stories. Sooner or later, the film would have had to have been made; Brocolli could not have chosen a better time to do so! Most of the popularity and success of the film was because it was able to successfully latch on to the spacey sci-fi trends of the late 1970s. If Moonraker had be left until the mid-1980s to do something with, the output could have been much worse or had less impact. Space shuttles - which had futuristic mystic in 1978 - would become common place by the mid-1980s.

2) VISUAL QUALITY - Even after over 20-odd years, Moonraker still looks good in the special effects department. Other big production late-1970s movies, such as Logan's Run, Superman, or Battlestar Galactica can't say half as much.

That being said, the movie would have been ever better if the humour elements (usually at the expense of Jaws) was editted out - although bringing Jaws back was a good move. The Bonds have always been best when there were re-occuring villains to give some continuity (prime example is Blofeld appearing in five of the films, or a passing reference to Dr.No in From Russia With Love) such as during the Sean Connery run.

Yes, it could have been a better - but it also could have been much, much worse.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: "Kickback and enjoy!"
Review: The term "Bond Epic" has never seemed more appropriate than it does here. The end credits of THE SPY WHO LOVED ME announced that Bond would return in FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, but with the increasing popularity in the science-fiction genre since the release of George Lucas' 1979 epic STAR WARS, the producers in turn decide to make MOONRAKER. It is decided that the story from the Ian Fleming novel, involving a missile pointed at London, is to tame. So, for the movie, the writers adopt the villain's name, Hugo Drax, and nothing else. Instead they use a fictional story of an intergalactic madman out to conquer space, wipe out the whole of Earth's population, and begin a new race of "perfect" human beings.

MOONRAKER was the first to latch onto the STAR WARS popularity and people flocked to see it, making it the most successful Bond film yet. The producers marketed the film as an outer space adventure, and it certainly caught the public's attention. But, despite the last half-hour aboard Drax's space station being the centerpiece of the film, it is actually the least exciting aspect of the film. It is more of a special effects exercise than anything else. Very impressive with the maker's innovative use of technology (which gained them an Oscar nomination), but the best moments of the film take place on the ground (and that's definitely saying something).

MOONRAKER is usually regarded as one of the lesser films. And while that might be true, it's certainly a better film than the rather light and silly THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN, or the hopelessly dated LIVE AND LET DIE. So, for me, while light-years away from Ian Fleming's vision, MOONRAKER is one of the better outings during Roger Moore's tenure. The movie strictly utilizes the timeless "Bond formula", and features well-executed action sequences and solid special effects.

Yet there's no denying that parts of MOONRAKER are rather silly, as it was a trend in most of the Roger Moore films. Moore often approached Bond with a wry sense of humor and throwaway sensibility. But for the most part, the actors here are playing it straight, with Moore himself a bit more restrained that usual, despite the goings-on around him. Lois Chiles is wonderful as Dr. Holly Goodhead, the first Bond feminist and very much his equal. Michael Lonsdale turns in an effectively menacing and charismatic performance as the megalomaniac Hugo Drax, with Richard Kiel returning as the steel-toothed Jaws to do his bidding. The film also marks the final appearance by Bernard Lee as M, who died while preparing for the next film, FOR YOUR EYES ONLY. He'd portrayed M since the first film, DR. NO, in 1962, and no actor since has matched his interpretation.

On a whole, MOONRAKER is a satisfying follow-up to THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, with unparalleled scope and groundbreaking special effects. While occasionally hampered by moments of silly humor, it's basically a solid movie with some of the best and most tense action set-pieces of any film. The outstanding visual quality courtesy of Lewis Gilbert, superb special effects, tautly executed action, and John Barry's excellent music score all give the film that enduring Bond appeal. This movie is marvelous overblown entertainment, and a personal favorite, so just kickback and enjoy!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: THIS WAS AN AWESUME MOVIE (DON'T LISTEN TO THE [hecklers])
Review: This was one of the best James Bond's ever!!! Roger Moore Wasn't new or old. Jaws returns. A LOT of action. I mean, they go into space and shoot lasers, not guns, lasers. That's right lasers. Jaws get's a girlfriend and turns good. Very good plot, although the beginning scene is a bit unrealistic, but WHO CARES!!! Roger's second best after The Spy Who Loved Me. See this movie, don't even rent, just buy it.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Bond wars
Review: I think Moonraker was o.k,but Jaws's return wasn't as horrific and it shows that he is strong but not smart.
This was lovable to watch him get into a muddle or two.
I also liked the part when he gets a girlfriend,Dolly.
Apart from that,it was a little bad that he turned good.
Holly Goodhead was quite good in this one.Bond was good too while Q was at his best in the lab with his wrist-dart gun which killed Hugo Drax.Hugo Drax was a great enemy and so was Chang,who was quite a good fencer,but he should have been in more of this film.Bernard Lee's last appearance as M was great out of all the one's he's done of Bond from Dr.No to this.But what makes the film bad is that
there aren't any cars,only gondolas and speedboats plus Moonraker shuttles that had limited gadgets.I enjoyed the skydiving duels with a pilot and Jaws and the fighting scene in the plane,but I reckon that they should show you how Jaws appeared in the first place.He ended up in a circus tent to break his fall!I liked the title song by Shirley Bassey,her 3rd in 19 films in the series,which is my 2nd favorite title beaten by "Nobody Does It Better".
If you like cool vehicles,like the BMW 750il,then steer clear of this one.
But if you like Jaws and space gunfights get it!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A fantastical entry into the franchise
Review: After the success of The Spy Who Loved Me, the producers of the long-running Bond series decided to use one of Ian Flemming's weaker novels to cash in on the Star Wars craze.

Moonraker starts off well, with a classic pre-credits teaser where Bond fights Jaws, the steel-toothed villain from TSWLM in a mid-air fight from an airplane. But both the action and plot get too far-fetched by the ending, and the whole thing feels like it's some big-budget Star Wars rip off, which is entirely reasonable. That said, it doesn't try to take itself too seriously, with the humour creating a more comical feel.

Humour aside, it fails as a Bond film, for becoming too far-fetched, and Roger Moore, while comfortable in the role, adds a layer of unnecessary goofiness throughout the film, making it an enjoyable, if not quite sensible entry into the franchise.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Bond in Space!
Review: An interesting James Bond film. Featuring the best and final performance of the great Bernard Lee as "M" but an interesting Bond film that predated the Space Shuttle by two years! Most people say that they hate this film, but how could you hate it? So they wanted to take a turn on the Sci-Fi side! A good choice for a good film!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Been done before
Review: This is a good Bond movie, but it has been done before about 2 years before in The Spy Who Loved Me. Same story different location. Moonraker is in space Spy was under water. Why make the same movie twice in a row. It even has some of the same people in it (Ex. Jaws). But its not all bad good effects, but thats about it. Clearly brung about because of Star Wars.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: THX over plain Dolby 5.1
Review: Wow what a difference my DVD THX encoded 007 Moonraker is a 'smash' of a innerspace-outerspace action adventure. From The beginning of the moonraker shuttle being highjacked from a in flight RAF 747. To seeing Richard Kiel reprising his character 'Jaws' a must 'own' in a really wide screen with Roger Moore at his finest!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: James Bombs
Review: It's clear that a movie is in trouble when it relies on references to other, hit, motion pictures to fill itself out.

MOONRAKER is in trouble from the outset. It tries desperately to capitalize on the mid-70s wave of "Star Wars"-mania. This is "James Bond Meets 'Star Wars'" with none of the charm of the George Lucas offering, just an overreliance on special effects, a thin storyline, (nothing to do with the book at all), and a rehashing of old material.

Richard Kiel returns as "Jaws," that buffoonish henchman, who in himself harks a reference to the Steven Spielberg hit. They even find him a girlfriend. Dumb. Plus, he's no Oddjob.

James Bond shouldn't try to be Luke Skywalker, either. Roger Moore continues to mistake MI-6 for Monty Python's Flying Circus, and mistake parody for humor, trading off the deadliness of the character for bad stand-up comedy. He obviously considers the the Bond films to be an exercise in camp humor, not action adventure with laughs.

Moore delivers pun after pun after pun, but lacks real wittiness. Moore doesn't even summon the self-awareness to be embarrassed at this turkey, by far the worst of the series. This one's a franchise-killer. Luckily, the gross receipts didn't blind them to the gross quality of this waste of time. Ugh.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: "Look after Mr.Bond, see that some harm comes to him."
Review: I think Moonraker is a FABULOUS Bond flick. Shirley Bassey sings the theme song perfectly!, maybe thats why they used her for the title theme song singer in Goldfinger, Diamonds are Forever and Moonraker. Villian Hugo Drax is very interesting and get this...Jaws gets a girlfriend and finally talks at the very end of the movie. BUY THIS... I would know, I seen it 94 times. Did you ever notice that Drax's launch facility is located in an ancient Aztec ruin? This movie I give a 6 out of a 5!


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