Review of You Only Live Twice (2007) by Benjamin G — 21 Jun 2009

The fifth of Sean Connery's James Bond films, You Only Live Twice is another entertaining winner that rides the coattails of the Scot's charming screen presence. On this outing, Connery plays the super-spy with more poise and humor than menace, perhaps a symptom of Connery's growing dissatisfaction with the role.

The film itself is different in tone from the earlier entries: as directed by Lewis Gilbert, it's grander and more elaborate than any Bond film before it, as evidenced by the climactic fight scene in a dormant volcano, of all places.

In this respect, You Only Live Twice marks a shift away from the earnest espionage thrills of the earlier Bond films toward the over-the-top camp phenomenon quality of the later efforts. As with any high-quality Bond movie, You Only Live Twice features a memorably sinister villain: in this case, Donald Pleasance's Blofeld, inaugurating the trademark white cat-petting bad guy.