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Roger Moore ’s penultimateJames Bondfilm , Octopussy , is one of the most polarizing entries in the series . The three-fold - jinx critical panning ofOctopussyandA View to a Killled to the unceremonious remnant of the Moore earned run average . Moore did n’t have a bittersweet swansong to bid the role parting like Daniel Craig ; he just retain making Bond movies until consultation had had enough .
In retrospect , whileA View to a Killis as weak as many contemporaneous recap say , Octopussyhas a few saving thanksgiving . It ’s sure as shooting not a perfect movie , but it ’s not a complete catastrophe , either . It has thrilling action succession , an unforgettable “ Bond girl ” performance , and Moore is always watchable in the role of 007 .
It’s Not As Bad As People Say
Roger Moore’s Tongue-In-Cheek Portrayal Of Bond Is Uniquely Watchable
In both great movies and terrible ones , Roger Moore devote one of the most iconic portrayals of Bond . The first actorto fill Sean Connery ’s shoe , George Lazenby , merely did a Connery impression . But Moore made the part his own with a truly unequaled take .
That take is pock by wacky one - liners and slapstick gags . This look shape well when Moore go with the zany flow , and he ’s more relaxed in the function than ever inOctopussy .
The Climactic Airplane Sequence Is Stunning
The action sequences inOctopussyare a mixed dish , but the movie fail out on a high annotation in the finale with by far its most thrilling go under - piece ( and one of the most thrilling set - pieces from the whole series ) .
adhesion fights a bad guy on the exterior of a plane luxuriously up in the sky . This chronological succession play like a Christopher Nolan sequence shot long before CGI could be used to erase safety harnesses .
It Has A So-Bad-It’s-Good Quality
The game ofOctopussyis so absurd and the humor is so on - the - nozzle and the tone of the whole endeavor is so shamelessly goofy and ridiculous that it ’s enjoyable from an ironic point of view .
Any movie that apparel 007 as a clown and place him to the circus to be mocked by children belong in the same so - bad - it’s - good class asThe RoomandTroll 2andPlan 9 from Outer Space .
Maud Adams’ Performance Is Controversial But Undeniably Memorable
Maud Adams became one of the rare “ shackle girl ” thespian to riposte for a second role . After playing Scaramanga ’s girlfriend inThe Man with the Golden Gun , she was given a more strong theatrical role asthe titular scoundrel - turned - lover inOctopussy .
Adams ’ portrayal of Octopussy receive extremely sundry reviews , with some critics noting her performance as one of the film ’s highlight and others plain that it get behind the moving picture down . Love it or detest it , it ’s sure enough a memorable turn .
It Captures The Essence Of The Franchise: Fun
What draws consultation to Bond movies – and has made 007 such a dependable loge billet draw over so many decade – is the promise of everlasting , stark , continuous play . LikeStar Warsmovies , Bond adventures offer plain , spectacular escapismfrom offset to finish .
Octopussymay not be a particularly overbold motion picture , and it may not be particularly well - plot or engaging on a dramatic grade . But it has fun and spectacle and escapism in spades .
It Is As Bad As People Say
The Action Takes The Slapstick Humor Too Far
The sappy humor let down a lot of the action in Moore ’s Bond film . InThe Man with the Golden Gun , a breathtaking car stunt is ruined with a ridiculous slide whistle strait effect . InA View to a Kill , a ski chase is ruin with a riff on “ California Girls . ”
InOctopussy , the slapstick goes too far . The humor invaded so much of the film ’s action that very small of it is dedicated to actually exalt the audience . adhesiveness never seems like he ’s in any real danger ( except when he ’s hanging from the side of an airborne plane ) .
It Has One Of The Worst Bond Villains
There are a few common picks for the big ever Bond baddie , from Gustav Graves to Max Zorin , andOctopussy ’s General Orlov is one of them . This rogue Soviet general is one - dimensional and clichéd at his best and offensive and cartoonish at his worst .
noted eccentric player Steven Berkoff brings his A - game to the role , but even the most gifted performer ca n’t save a misconstrue lineament .
The Plot Is Needlessly Convoluted
Nobody goes to a Bond movie for the patch , but each cinema still require a operate write up driven by legal action with a few emotional beats . The plotting ofOctopussyis both painfully formulaic and needlessly convoluted .
There ’s a secret agent ’s death , a fake Fabergé egg , and an external gem - smuggling ring before get to the nuclear terrorist operation that it ’s all a book binding for . This plot line is a hat on a lid on a chapeau .
The Runtime Is Too Long
At 131 minutes , Octopussypushes its fortune . Light , escapist action mechanism - adventure smash hit transportation arguably should n’t top two hour . Octopussyonly goes 11 minutes over its two - time of day allotment , but the stretched runtime does have a psychological effect on the audience .
It feel like it could ’ve been cut down down a little . The screenwriter gave conductor John Glen too much plot to juggle and it spilled over the comfortable 120 - minute patsy .
It’s One Of The Silliest Bond Films
There ’s always room for a snatch of absurdity in a Bond movie , like a wacky gadget or a corny one - liner , butOctopussy ’s silliness goes beyond the pale – even by the Moore - geological era standards of Bond ’s silliness .
InOctopussy , Moore ’s 007 camouflage himself as a clown to sneak into a circus and gets laugh at by a group of kids . He wears a gorilla getup and does a idiotic “ Tarzan yell ” in the thick of a hobo camp following .
NEXT:10 Silliest James Bond Movies
