This may be the most underrated Bond movie of the series. It's easily the most realistic and one of the most thrilling. I can't yet say if it's Roger Moore's best, but it's a huge step up from his first outing in the miserable LIVE AND LET DIE. But we'll get back to Moore later.
The film starts off by acknowledging ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, which was the first non-Connery Bond film and the one where Bond gets married and his wife is murdered. In the beginning of this film, James Bond visits his wife's grave, which adds an emotional pull to the film that sometimes Bond films lack. The first sequence where Blofeld controls Bond's helicopter is humorous and a wonderful wink from the filmmakers that this entry in the series is killing off the silliness and excess that had been building up.
A British sub has been accidentally sunk and Bond is assigned the duty of recovering a secret decoder from the bottom of the ocean before the Russians get it. Bond is thrust into this mission because the original couple assigned to the duty where murdered, spurring their daughter Melina (Carole Bouqet, THAT OBSCURE OBJECT OF DESIRE) to vow revenge on the ones responsible. Melina is one of the most beautiful Bond girls as well as one of the best developed and most capable.
The film has some great action sequences, especially an early car chase where Bond has to use his brains because his vehicle is out-powered by the enemy. The skiing sequence is also wonderful, if not a bit too long. The hockey sequence could have been removed and the underwater fight is hard to follow. However, overall the action is quite engaging and builds real tension.
The film doesn't build any iconic bad guys, but it doesn't hurt the film that much. I love the scene where Bond does away with the chief assassin from the beginning of the film. FOR YOUR EYES ONLY has some interesting twists and by the end there are three characters that have equal reason to want to kill or stop the top villain.
This film came 10 years after Moore first donned the tuxedo and he has definitely improved. He delivers the classic Bond quips with more sarcasm and less silliness. However, he still plays Bond too reserved. Connery created Bond as dignified cool, not as a traditional English gentlemen. Moore's way of playing the character takes away a bit of the fun. This little quibble only prevents the film from clearly being the most superior entry in the series, leaving it on par with DR. NO and FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE.
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Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
