Review of Octopussy (1983) by Ben L — 18 Jun 2013

Out of all the Bond movies this has to be one of them I've seen the most times. I'm not sure why, but it somehow became a favorite for me when growing up. It has been awhile since I've seen it, but once that first scene started it all came back to me. As a result my general opinion of this film might be a little more positive than it might otherwise deserve, simply because I have nostalgic memories of Octopussy. However I was surprised when I watched it how solid the story did seem, even to my adult eyes. It holds up pretty well. I like the story (although I'm still a little confused how the gems and Faberge eggs connect to the rest of the story,) and I find myself having fun through most of the movie. The opening sequence starts things out right. It has a little drama, a little humor, and some great visual stunts in the mini-plane. After the credits roll they start setting up the story and while I totally get the bomb thing, I still have confusion on the whole fake jewelry storyline, but at least it gets Bond into the story.

There are few Bond movies where I like the villains this much. Louis Jourdan is so amazingly overloaded with charm that he seems like the type of guy Bond could befriend if situations were different. On the flipside, Steven Berkoff, is deliciously psychotic as General Orlov. I love his rants and how convincingly he sells that passion. These are great villains, and the kind that won't bother doing the dirty work themselves. The henchmen aren't quite as spectacular as the chief villains, but they're just present so Bond has a body count to leave behind. Then there's the women, and there are a lot in Octopussy. Maud Adams returns in a bigger role this time. She is tough as nails, but manages to show some genuine emotion when her character thinks Bond is dead. You can definitely see how this army of dames would follow her lead. Sadly Kristina Wayborn's character, Magda, doesn't have a real part of her own. Her character isn't really fleshed out at all, and just becomes a plot device that connects Bond to the different villains.

The race for the bomb is by far the greatest part of this film. It includes an exciting car chase, Bond putting on a disguise, and Bond fighting off dozens of American soldiers trying to save their lives. You could feel the ticking clock, and the excitement rising as the moment of truth approached. In fact that was so satisfying that I wish it was the conclusion, and we didn't have this race to catch Kamal Khan at the end. The final scenes are easily my least favorite aspect of Octopussy. The battle with the female circus army looks a little too goofy, Bond arriving in a hot air balloon is silly, and a man hanging onto the outside of an airplane in flight is downright insane. Those are the moments when this film annoys, when things get too ridiculous. Another notable moment is Bond swinging through the trees with a Tarzan yell. At that point I find myself blushing to admit I even like the film. Yet I do because, despite a few flaws, I enjoy the story and it has just enough exciting moments to keep me watching.