A View to a Kill (1985)
A newly-developed microchip designed by Zorin Industries for the British Government that can survive the electromagnetic radiation caused by a nuclear explosion has landed in the hands of the KGB. James Bond must find out how and why. His suspicions soon lead him to big industry leader Max Zorin who forms a plan to destroy his only competition in Silicon Valley by triggering a massive earthquake in the San Francisco Bay.
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Apologies, I had to get Duran Duran's classic theme song in the title sentence somehow! Needless to say this entry is one of the weakest, yet it's garnered a small following claiming it to be a guilty pleasure. I'll be the first to say, I belong in that group. There's something about how campy and nonsensical the plot is that just makes for silly entertainment. Bond has been assigned a mission where we must investigate a microchip manufacturer run by Max Zorin, a psychopath wanting to flood Silicon Valley. Don't ask me why, something to do with the KGB and microchips and...yeah...admittedly the story is weaker than a cup of watery tea. It's not the most engaging narrative either, action sequences are infrequent and the noticeable stunt doubles do take you out of the film. But come on, when a spy film contains the line "the bubbles tickle my...Tchaikovsky!!" you just have to roll over and give into the sheer stupidity that is onscreen. Roger Moore was past his sell by date so it was only right that this was his last entry. He couldn't do any of the easier stunts, like hand-to-hand combat, let alone the driving scenes. His womanising talents are still supreme though...not sure if that's a good thing. Christopher Walken laughs like a maniac and Grace Jones is the manliest beast as she portrays May Day, a villainous sidekick that would give Jaws a run for his money. No special gadgety from Q Branch except a robot dog that acts as a gag in the final minute. A blimp that flies around which leads to an underwhelming yet badass showdown atop of the Golden Gate Bridge. Horses injected with steroids, base jumping from the Eiffel Tower, a mine in Sili...wait a blimp!? What use is a blimp!? The most impractical use of transportation ever! You know what? I don't even care, this film is a good time. The soundtrack is great, Glen's direction is perfectly solid and the story is well paced. Weak? Sure. The worst? Probably. Entertaining? You betcha. "What a view..." "...to a kill!", that line cracks me up every time.
This is not one of the best James Bond 007 movies of the series but it is far from the worst. I think it is one of the most "fun" movies of the seriesOver all.Also it is one of the very best Roger Moore performances during .his long run as James Bond. The writing and seriousness of the double oh franchise was not as good during the Moore era but he was a great Bond and these movies though kind of silly and comic bookish are lots of fun.I recommend it but then again I recommend.all of the Bond films... even the one with Lazenby ha!
These are two classic lines when Zorin decides to accept a business man's request to opt-out of his nefarious plans, and we see Mayday taking the unwitting and morally upright business man dropping to his death in the sea (a drink, get it??!!). And he drops to his death (dropping out, get it???!!!). The business man (not sure of his name) joins a gallery of minor characters who meet gruesome deaths at the expense of a funny quip, e.g. the gangster who witnesses The Joker's pencil trick, the guy who is Arnie's body shield in Total Recall.This was Roger Moore's final performance as Bond, and since then I haven't watched a Bond movie. Anyway, there are humorous lines in this Bond movie, and it's impressive.
To avoid any misunderstanding; I'm not intending on any complaining on Roger Moore's achievement in this film. Since For Your Eyes only he had been contracted movie by movie. While the production team couldn't solve the problem of refreshing the casting, in half a decade, they played it safe and fell back on Roger Moore for a total of three times. But it's Moore's own less favorite, and mine also. To me, it's just too mid 80's. Too mid 80's....Why involve such people as amazing Grace miss Jones? A mediocre 80's pop-artist who just wanted to strengthen her media limelight power by appearing in a Bond movie. Such failure from the production team. (Bet her record company pumped in a lot of money to assure her appearance.) And the theme song? Artificial, plastic and stone dead music from one of the most overrated "pop"-bands ever. I rather listen to the hairdryer from one of the fashion boys in Duran Duran than this tune. This song marks the all time bottom of James Bond Soundtracks. (Even WHAM! would have done it better by this time...a sophisticated ballad from George Michael could have saved much.)The villain story itself, about computer meltdown for the U.S by drowning Silicon Valley, is just a modern version of old "Blofeld stuff". (But I think Christopher Walken portraits the mentally disturbed industrialist quite well. A defector from cold Russia and KGB, who's current independence and plans discomforts his former employers.)Tanya Roberts (former angel from the fifth and last season of TV-show "Charlie's Angels", for instance) is easily forgotten every sometime I revisit this movie. Actor skills enough for being a sexy cut-out doll in heavy makeup, hairspray, and tight designer jeans. Not 007 material.Roger Moore was at 57 of age, and well aware of the slight silliness of him trying to appear on the screen as a "lethal weapon". And by his own admission, he did not get along with any of the leading women, neither Roberts nor Jones. (Jones was occasionally really obnoxious, crew members testified in interviews later.) I don't want to criticize Roger at all for his work in this movie, but I bet he was quite relieved once the shooting finished, and the scene door closed behind him. Changes were on the way....at last for some actor(s).