Review of Thunderball (1965) by Julian J — 03 Apr 2009

"Thunderball" is the fourth entry in the 007 series. Taking Bond back to a tropical locale (this time the Bahamas) makes it reminiscent of "Dr. No." Bond proves to be more clever than ever as he goes against SPECTRE operative Emilio Largo.

A NATO jet carrying two nuclear warheads mysteriously disappears, and 007 is sent to the Bahamas to investigate the disappearance. He finds Domino, the sister of one of the NATO pilots, is working for Emilio Largo, a millionaire and socialite in the Bahamas with his own personal hydrofoil yacht, the Disco Volante. Largo, however, is a member of SPECTRE, and plans to use the bombs to blow up Miami unless SPECTRE's demands are met.

"Thunderball" is tons of fun, with the tenseness of "Dr. No", the romance of "From Russia With Love", and the campiness of "Goldfinger." It has tons of gadgets, action sequences, chases, and clever one-liners. Domino proves to be one of the most beautiful Bond girls in history. A notable part of the film is also a very epic underwater fight sequence between Largo's soldiers and British Marines. The Bahamas prove to be just as characteristic as Jamaica in "Dr. No" with its festivities and colorful culture.

My favorite part of the movie is when 007 is dancing with Fiona Volpe, a beautiful SPECTRE agent. While he has his back turned, he notices a pistol through the curtain of the stage. He turns quickly so that Volpe takes the assassin's bullet and not himself. He lies Volpe's corpse in an empty chair and cleverly quips "Would you mind if my friend sits this one out? She's just dead.".

"Thunderball" is a strong entry into the Bond series. Gadgets, guns, and girls. The three G's that make a Bond film are here and plentiful. With a strong story, colorful characters, and witty dialogue, "Thunderball" takes elements from the previous three films and rolls it into one epic masterpiece.