Moonraker on Prime Video — Round The World One More Time
Long running franchises don't have a choice but absorb story lines from other movies and stories and so on. Look at MCU movies. They are constantly borrowing story lines from all other story sources.
Before MCU was borrowing story lines from everybody else, James Bond movies have been inspiring themselves from everybody else as well. I remember watching Casino Royale in 2006, and thinking, wow, this is Bond, Jason Bond from the Bourne movies.
In 1977, Star Wars was released. It was inevitable that James Bond would also go to space. At one point, there is a battle with frickin’ laser bullets in Space! Even for James Bond, that is ridiculous.
However, I am not complaining.
This is another awesome adventure of James Bond, made all the better by having Roger Moore in it.
Another Round of Megalomania
After the underwater cities of Spy Who Love Me, I thought the bond producers would take a break from the destroy the world with super secret base of operations and massive scale formula. They did not though. They wanted some back to back extravaganza.
I mean, Star Wars has baked the movie goers to the idea of space. The timing was simply impossible not to take advantage of.
Similar to the ocean guy from the previous movie, Mr. Drax, the space guy (who constantly reminded me of Elon Musk, for some reason, but not in an evil way. Like in, a being smug way), is building super secret space shuttles. For some bizarre reason, Mr. Drax decides to kidnap one of his own shuttles from one of his customers.
His plan is to wipe out human beings from Earth and fill it up with a race of super ultra humans. Some kind of a combination of Noah’s Ark plus Superior Race theory. But, come on man. You don’t steal a product from your own customer, after they have paid for it.
That, my friend, is pure evil. That goes against every basic business principle.
Drax could have postponed his plan by a few months, built another space shuttle. After all that planning of years, rushing to replace a faulty shuttle. If Drax had only waited a few more months, no one would know about his secret plan and he would accomplished his goal.
Now, James Bond is on his tail, sleeping with his favorite assistant and also boning his head scientist of space operations. And, yes, destroying his space city. You brought this upon yourself Drax. Like most bond villains, for all their genius, these guys simply lack common sense. Or perhaps, they are operating at such high levels that they forget these simplistic details.
Like, Bond is just one puny human. These guys compare themselves to the gods, I suppose.
Jaws and His Romance
Once again, we have a collection of fascinating villains. I found Drax simplicity with his calm talking voice and tea drinking thing very scary.
He’s constantly putting down Bond at every chance he can get. Yes, in every movie, M and Money Penny and the occasional smart as hell bond girl will do that. However, they do it in a more son or friend or spousal way. Here, Drax is on full on fury over Bond’s actions. Not only that. Drax is self aware that he should probably just shoot Bond in the forehead and be done with it.
However, he is always going for the amusing kill, on purpose. Like sending Jaws after bond to crush. Or, lure Bond into a pond with a python. Or, put Bond under the fire exhaust of the space shuttle.
Essentially, Drax joins the other cool villains from the franchise. As always, it’s nice to see Jaws again. This time, Jaws gets more screen time. Not only that, an accidental romance with a girl with a really, really nice rack. I mean, her bosom is awesome. Jaws in fact, changes side due to survival instincts kicking in.
One might even say, Jaws saved the world this time, with Bond only doing the usual finishing up stuff with his bond girl, Goodhead.
Goodhead. Yes! We are back with the sexual innuendo again.
Space Is Cool
As usual, this is another globe trotting adventure. I am always impressed with how innovative the writers can come up with different ways to put Bond in Peril.
Two things stand out for me.
The gravity machine that spins too fast and almost kills Bond. Then, the sequence with the Ski Rope thing. I don’t know what it is called but there is something really cool about watching Jaws decide to bite the metal rope to plummet Bond to his death.
Also, the cool boat that turns into a car.
After all this ridonkulous action set pieces, comes the final set piece. The massive space city. The space sequences are really well done. You have to understand that the 70s is where the space theme really took off. Star Wars, obviously. But also movies like Alien. Space Odyssey, about 10 years prior.
So, the set designers at bond did not fail. Some bond movies are bad, but the set design and music is always top notch.
Yes, the whole thing falls apart when you see soldiers fighting in actual space with laser guns. But, it’s okay. It’s James Bond. Only three movies ago, we dealt with undead voodoo and mystic arts and virgin fortune tellers. It’s alright. It fits with the theme.
No Bikini In Sight
I think, this is the first time in the bond franchise that none of the bond girls go down into a bikini. It is a big deal. None of the girls even undress or anything. Seriously. I was surprised.
Yes, sure, when Bond lands in Rio, it appears as if the entire island of Rio is filled old age men and bikini clad young women on the streets. But otherwise, there is none of that usual ‘make bond girl run around in a bikini or change dress randomly’ thing here. I am really impressed.
We have had confident agents before. Perhaps to make up for the foolishness from the Golden Gun movie, this time we have a highly competent Agent Goodhead. Yes, yes, that’s a fellatio joke. It’s all very interesting. But other than the innuendo she is another skilled opposite number to bond. She puts down Bond a lot too.
I like her.
Score
I am marathon watching the James Bond movies and I wish to rank them at the end. So, I came up with a numbering system. The scores for this one are here.
- Action and Stunts 9/9
- Coolness Cool 9/9
- Double Entendre and One Liners 9/9
- Hot Women 9/9
- Ludicrous Villainy, Cool Deaths and Traps 9/9
- Gadgets Man! 9/9
- General Awesomeness 9/9
- Boredom Factor 0/-9 (the end climatic battle, really drags down the pace of the movie)
Total : 63
Note: I confess, that, I cannot help buy enjoy the Moore movies. They are, despite their flaws, better than majority of bond movies. Sorry, about this, bias.
Final Note
By far, of all the Moore movies, Moonraker will be my most favorite movie. I like space based movies. I would like to think that this is peak Moore for me. He is not too old, yet. Although, it is becoming more obvious now.
Wish Moore started a little early. He is getting too old man. Not a complaint. Just an observation.
You have all the usual ingredients. Villain lair, in Space! Cool henchmen and henchwomen. World ending plot.
We have a few more movies to go with Moore, but I doubt if they will reach this peak. I need to start taking this into consideration. After Moore we have Timothy Dalton who is, just, not likeable.
Still, Bond will always be James Bond.
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