Review of You Only Live Twice (2007) by Sean L — 05 Oct 2011

With four successful pictures already behind it, the 007 franchise was beginning to branch out in new, surprising directions by the time this one landed. As a sort of middle ground between the action-suspense romanticism of Goldfinger and the cheesy, over-the-top camp of the Roger Moore era, You Only Live Twice often seems conflicted and goofy, uncertain of its own identity like an adolescent whose voice is changing.

Sean Connery remains convincing as the suave ladies' man with a cool head under pressure, but it's hard not to snicker a little when he climbs aboard a tiny yellow toy helicopter and proceeds to mow down a fleet of full-sized enemy choppers with ease.

Our hero is also beginning to show his advanced age during the infrequent fight scenes around the middle of the picture, with nameless henchmen constantly going out of their way to stand in the way of his slow, looping thrown fists.

Bearing an armload of blush-inducing racial stereotypes, a cast so one-dimensional it might envy the depth offered by a sheet of plywood and an endgame that would rival any Saturday morning cartoon, it should come as no surprise that this episode provides more fuel for the Austin Powers parodies than any of its brothers.

That doesn't mean it's a dull ride, but while this is hardly the character's darkest hour it's also a far cry from his finest.