Review of A View to a Kill (1985) by Travis H — 22 Jan 2010

Roger Moore's swan song as 007 is one of the most maligned films in the Bond franchise, but I've never understood why; it's a perfectly entertaining adventure that contains all the elements that Bond fans love and serves as a solid sendoff for Moore, who, while admittedly too old for the role by this point, still carries himself quite nicely.

The film does a good job at incorporating the campy, over-the-top elements that characterized Moore's earlier films in the series without becoming too silly, and still functions well as a straightforward action-thriller; technical credits and production values are outstanding as usual, and the movie delivers several memorable setpieces, including a ski chase, an elaborate chase through Paris, and a fight to the death on top of the Golden Gate Bridge.

What really makes the film stand out, however, is the delightful performance of Christopher Walken as the villain; people tend to forget that Walken had mostly just played good guys at this point in his career, and this was the first real chance for him to deliver one of his unique, one-of-a-kind portrayals of a quirky psychopath which have made him such a favourite among film fans ever since.