Review of Moonraker (1979) by Richard B — 28 Mar 2011

MOONRAKER is certainly not the worst Bond movie (that dubious distinction must go to either LIVE AND LET DIE or THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN...pick your poison). But for viewers seeking even a modicum of fidelity to the actual Fleming novel or a touch of "realism" as might be found in the best of the Connery series (see FROM RUSSIA WTH LOVE) this was yet another disappointing Bond movie starring Roger Moore.

By this time in the series producer Cubby Broccoli had transformed the films into a nearly non-stop, live action cartoon kalaidiscope (with the possible exception of FOR YOUR EYES ONLY which followed this film); true to form MOONRAKER is, starting with the pre-credit skydiving stunt, an absurd perpetual motion machine in which Moore is tossed about like a human pinball in the elaborate cinematic machinery. Even worse, Broccoli had no qualms about cannibalizing parts from the earlier films of the Connery series: the space backdrop is lifted entirely from YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (and expanded greatly); the battle in space between Drax's forces and the "good guys" is taken whole from the watery clash near the conclusion of THUNDERBALL with lasers replacing harpoon guns; and the two chases on water, one with power boats and a hang glider on a narrow river (ending in the surprising waterfall sequence) and the other through the canals of Venice, are obvious replicas of the boat chase near the end of FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. Talk about repeating yourself!

Somewhat incredibly, despite the descent into pure fantasy and the paucity of original ideas, MOONRAKER works as a better than passable entertainment. You feel almost like a kid on a carnival ride, twisting, turning, spinning around nearly in delight as the film tries to outdo itself with an endless parade of thrills (and with the buffoonish but ultimately touching villainy of "Jaws" lurking in the background). MOONRAKER doesn't sit very high in the Bond film canon, but it is silly, absurd fun nonetheless.