Review of A View to a Kill (1985) by Cody L — 18 Feb 2013

This entry is often panned as one of the worst of the series, but I actually think its a solid entry, if not a great one. Roger Moore's age is clearly starting to show, the movie may have been better had he left the role earlier, the worst part of this is the age difference between him and the Bond girl Stacy.

Moore's quips are getting worse and the opening California Girls snowboard scene is annoying. Stacy is a clueless bond girl, one of the more forgettable. Much of the films first half involves Bond investigating villain Max Zorin's Thoroughbred sale and rumors of cheating, while it serves a way to investigate Zorin, it in itself has little to do with the villain's plan, it could definitely have been trimmed or edited to be more relevant.

The scene at the Eiffel Tower is disappointing, May Day's jump is cool but the buildup is typical. May Day is disappointing, she's certainly unique among the women of Bond, but the character lacks charisma and is not well developed.

Had she been more developed her sacrifice may have struck a stronger cord with the audience. The film also has flow issues, the climax doesn't feel as tense as it should. Despite these disappointments the film still delivers to me, it has an entertaining and memorable scheme by Zorin.

Speaking of Zorin, he was a very memorable villain, Christopher Walken's Max Zorin is easily the most psychotic bond villain i've seen in the films, and this portrayal is the film's most memorable aspects.

Had it been done with a younger bond, a more developed May Day, and better editing, A View to a Kill could have been remembered as one of the better bonds, but to me its still a solid entry, even if it doesn't reach its full potential.