Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
MOONRAKER Remains a Bond for All Season, January 5, 2007
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 things. James Bond was high there on my list. 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 45 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. For me I somehow think there is something in MOONRAKER for everyone.
The extras are very good. Some neat stuff.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Don't Listen to the Critics; This is One of the BEST of the Moore Era, July 12, 2008
I steered clear of MOONRAKER (1979) For years because critics unanimously said it was awful. Well, in 2003 I was on a Bond kick and systematically saw most of the films (the ones I didn't see I was already well familiar with, like GOLDFINGER). Anyway, I was going through the Moore era and finally came to MOONRAKER fully expecting to see a real dog. WOW, was I wrong! MOONRAKER is thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end and one of the BEST films of Roger Moore's 7-film stint in the series.
THE PLOT: Bond investigates Hugo Drax (Michael Lonsdale) after a space shuttle on loan to the British is stolen. Drax has a mad scheme to destroy the entire human race via nerve gas loosed from his hidden space station, starting over with what he considers perfect human specimens. The giant villainess sidekick Jaws (Richard Kiel) returns from THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (1977) to stop Bond as 007 teams up with the beautiful Dr. Holly Goodhead (Lois Chiles). The story climaxes with a spectacular space battle at the space station.
WHAT WORKS: Everything in MOONRAKER is over the top! The locations, the action, the villain's mad scheme, the humor, the seriousness, Jaws and the space-battle finale. This works fabulously because Bond films were never meant to be deep, thought-provoking pieces of art, but rather grandiose fun pieces of pure entertainment.
One thing that I demand in any Bond adventure is great globe-trotting and spectacular locations. MOONRAKER delivers in this area in spades! The film starts out with breathtaking scenes high above Napa Valley, California, as Bond engages in a thrilling sky-diving duel. From there we get France, Venice, Italy, Rio De Janeiro, the jungles of Brazil & Guatemala and the spectacular Iguazu Waterfalls, Argentina.
Lois Chiles is one of the more beautiful and competent Bond "girls." Of course her name -- "Dr. Goodhead" (yeah, right) -- is ludicrous in the tradition of Pussy Galore and Chew Mee (LOL).
Drax is a formidable, serious villain contrasted by the cartooney villainy of Jaws.
WHAT DOESN'T WORK: As far as I'm concerned the film works on every level in entertaining the viewer, but -- depending on one's tastes -- some people may have one or two cavils. For instance, many criticize the goofy humor associated with Jaws. The good thing is that this humor is really funny -- you'll likely bust out laughing a number of times throughout the flick. Regardless, the picture remains an essentially serious story, albeit fantastical.
Others object to the notion of Bond in space. What's the problem? He's been all over the earth and in every ocean, why not have an adventure in space for something new? I don't get the beef. Some have criticized that MOONRAKER was trying to go "Star Wars", but this makes no sense; MOONRAKER has nothing in common with "Star Wars." It's like absurdly arguing that THUNDERBALL ripped-off "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" because it has underwater scenes (as another reviewer more eloquently pointed out). Listen, compared to MOONRAKER "Star Wars" is a kiddie space flick (and, no, I don't care how much money it's made).
Something else I'd like to point out: One of the reasons I steered clear from MOONRAKER for so many years was because I thought most of the film took place in space (sssnnnnooooorrrreee). This isn't the case at all. Bond dosn't go up in space until over an hour and a half into the story! Overall, only 23% of the film takes place in space.
FINAL ANALYSIS: Roger Moore has done more Bond films than any other actor (not including Connery's unofficial NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN). He started the role in 1973 when he was 45 and ended in 1985 at the age of 57 (!!). Regardless of his age he always looked great and perfectly convincing as 007. His films contained more humor and action than the sightly-more-serious 60's Connery films, which were fantastical and absurd in their own way (Oddball's killer hat, etc.). Many prefer the Connery era, and I certainly appreciate those films, but I find the Moore era to be the most consistently entertaining. Every one of his films was hugely successful at the box office. There's not a dud in the bunch; I don't care what anyone says. They're colorful, vibrant and full of pizzazz, unlike Pierce Brosnan's ultra-dour stint.
This 2-disc Ultimate Edition is a must for Bond fans who want all the appropriate documentaries/extras, which the single disc edition DOESN'T have.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
"Looks like he's attempting re-entry.", October 16, 2008
The first twenty minutes are among the best in any 007 film but once the movie gets to Venice it becomes the most expensive comedy since IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD. Costing $35 million in 1979 it would go on to gross some $200 million world wide. Jaws is brought back, this time with a love interest. Roger Moore takes Bond where no spy should go (outer space) , Lois Chiles (whom Moore personally did not like) as femme fatale Holly Goodhead (don't blame Ian Fleming for that one), Michael Lonsdale (the original DAY OF THE JACKAEL) as Sir Hugo Drax. John Barry returns to do the score. Terrific sfx by the late Derrick Meddings.
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