Pros and Cons: Moonraker
Absolutely_Cart
NJ/NYC, United StatesPosts: 1,740MI6 Agent
Moonraker was the 11th film in the series, released in 1979, and the 4th film to feature Roger Moore as James Bond. Originally, "For Your Eyes Only" was going to be the next film after the well acclaimed "The Spy Who Loved Me", but it was delayed to 1981 for Moonraker instead.
Pros:
[list=*]
[*]Richard Kiel returns as Jaws[/*]
[*]Hugo Drax as a sophisticated despotic villain[/*]
[*]Bird hunting scene, amphibious float and such[/*]
[*]Roger Moore dials up the humor and smiles[/*]
[*]Wealth of from the forests to the space station[/*]
[*]Q, Gadgets, one liners and all the signature stuff[/*]
[*]The final 3rd of the movie in outerspace is interesting[/*]
[/list]
Cons:
[list=*]
[*]Follows the Bond formula in copying TSWLM.[/*]
[*]Doesn't have much of a plot or story.[/*]
[*]Messy, meandering and full of random scenes[/*]
[*]Doesn't congeal into a believable fantasy story.[/*]
[*]Completely abandons the Moonraker novel.[/*]
[/list]
It got lots of praise in the escapist era of 70's theaters but lacks the storytelling and coherence we want today. It was a blockbuster giant, made an impact for its time. It didn't age very well, but there are still aspects of it I like. I've grown a little more fond of it recently. It may never be a great movie, but I respect the degree of ambition it had from a film-making perspective.
Pros:
[list=*]
[*]Richard Kiel returns as Jaws[/*]
[*]Hugo Drax as a sophisticated despotic villain[/*]
[*]Bird hunting scene, amphibious float and such[/*]
[*]Roger Moore dials up the humor and smiles[/*]
[*]Wealth of from the forests to the space station[/*]
[*]Q, Gadgets, one liners and all the signature stuff[/*]
[*]The final 3rd of the movie in outerspace is interesting[/*]
[/list]
Cons:
[list=*]
[*]Follows the Bond formula in copying TSWLM.[/*]
[*]Doesn't have much of a plot or story.[/*]
[*]Messy, meandering and full of random scenes[/*]
[*]Doesn't congeal into a believable fantasy story.[/*]
[*]Completely abandons the Moonraker novel.[/*]
[/list]
It got lots of praise in the escapist era of 70's theaters but lacks the storytelling and coherence we want today. It was a blockbuster giant, made an impact for its time. It didn't age very well, but there are still aspects of it I like. I've grown a little more fond of it recently. It may never be a great movie, but I respect the degree of ambition it had from a film-making perspective.
Comments
Pros -
Amazing Soundtrack
Amazing Locations
Some brilliant Set Pieces
Cons-
Its really a Re-hash of TSWLM
AJB007 Favorite Film Rankings
Pros and Cons Compendium (50 Years)
Stealing the shuttle in the PTS is pure Bond
Shirley Bassey back on board and singing what for me is an underrated title song
Having Jaws back (he was too good only to appear once)
Roger still looks good
G-Force Simulator
Cable car fight
Nice shots around Venice
Lois Chiles
Corinne Clery
Michael Lonsdale
John Barry's score is excellent
The zero gravity and space scenes were pretty good all things considered
Cons;
Silly circus music with Jaws trying to fly
The continuity/editing is poor in places - notably when Bond falls out of the ambulance, the next 'Western' scene is just completely out of place and doesn't fit or work at all.
Shameful, in your face, product placement
That Gondola and pigeon!
Granted, Chiles' acting is very wooden the Bondola on Markus Place is silly but MR is popcorn cinema at it's best {[]
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
gotta pay for that zero gravity somehow lol
AJB007 Favorite Film Rankings
Pros and Cons Compendium (50 Years)
Stop, drop, and roll. Duck and cover. Tune in and drop out.
AJB007 Favorite Film Rankings
Pros and Cons Compendium (50 Years)
James Bond, A Brilliant Henchman, A Beautiful Bond Girl, Space Shuttles, Comedy, Action. For a child it ticked so many boxes! I guess now I'm older I probably over analyse it more than I should but as others have said it should just be enjoyed to the full for everything it does right in a Bond film. It is a classic Bank Holiday Bond film!
AJB007 Favorite Film Rankings
Pros and Cons Compendium (50 Years)
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
AJB007 Favorite Film Rankings
Pros and Cons Compendium (50 Years)
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
I should dislike it, after all most of my favourite Bond films are the Ian Fleming inspired serious secret agent films that I adore. Moonraker is the antithesis of this. So why should I like it - well I have a theory - As a child growing up watching Bond there are four films that stand out - LALD plus the three Lewis Gilbert films YOLT, TSWLM and of course MR, each film brilliantly entertaining. Because of the fond memories watching these films I still love them to this day. Once a Bond fan always a Bond fan. -{
AJB007 Favorite Film Rankings
Pros and Cons Compendium (50 Years)
Film critics actually like it more than they hate it: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1014217-moonraker/
I love Moonraker...can't stand Marmite though...
Agree -{ .
Everything about it is just so entertaining! (I am talking about Moonraker here not Marmite - can't stand the stuff).
I love both
- Effects are good
- Scenes in space are good
- Pre titles sequence
- Cable car scene
- Drax is a great villain
- Jaws is back
- Set designs
Cons:
- Jaws is one big joke
- Gondala scene
- Cartoonish
Good Bon film, fun to watch. 9/10.
Drax is a great villain and he gets some great dialogue (apart from the "unloved season" line.).
Great locations
It's a good looking Bond film.
Goodhead is a strong independant Bond girl and not a damsel in distress.
Bond goes to space. It's a first for the series
Jaws is back and i liked that he turned good.
Amazing score from John Barry
Cons
Jaws is a buffoon, compared to the cold demeanour he had in the previous film.
I'm not a fan of jump scares. I count three of them in the film
Lois Chiles sounds as if she's reading off a script.
The plot isn't original. It's taken from the previous film
" I don't listen to hip hop!"
Jaws is most certainly a buffoon in TSWLM as well. Not to the extent that he is in MR, but he does some stupid things in TSWLM like destroy the scaffolding at the temple and cause a mess to fall on him.
Great cinematography, score, production design.
Moore's effortless charm.
Very amusing dialogue including best double-entendre of the series.
Michael Lonsdale's hilariously dry villainy.
Cons:
Difficult for many Bond fans to enjoy as it's as far from Fleming as possible.
Corrine death scene is brilliant but completely out of sync with tone of the film.
Poor rear projection in cable-car sequence.
Pros:
PTS up to the point where Jaws tries to fly.
Boat chase
Cons:
Hunting scene
Gondola sequence
Chang fight
Cable car
Space laser battle
Jaws - Dolly
Observations: Jaws is back from TSWLM and is even more stupid than ever. The plot is similar to TSWLM swapping locations to space from under the sea.
Conclusion:
Whereas TSWLM was a great Bond entry in the canon MR is more like Abbot & Costello Meet James Bond. Apart from the misjudged comedy elements almost everything else is just so bland - Barry's score is insipid even if it is a great improvement on TMWTGG - the gondola sequence is embarrassing - the Chang fight is just crass - the laser battle is just the TB finale in space and less exciting. Drax is dull, when compared to the villain in the book he should have been as good as Goldfinger. What I don't understand is that after the great characterisation of Bond by Roger in TSWLM all that is rejected for a silly comedy performance hardly worthy of Carry On Spying. I can recall seeing this in the cinema and thinking this could well be the end of Bond but unbelievably it made shedloads of dosh and the mould was cast until Roger hung up his shoulder holster
CHB will return with my review of FYEO soon