From Russia With Love (1963)

User Review

• 

  Barneyonmovies

  9 / 10

  WHAT I LIKED: From the opening moments of this second entry in the Bond series, it's clear we're getting a rather different film from 'Dr No,' as Bond sneaks around wearing a rather more furrowed expression, and the whole sequence is then revealed to be a neat little trick on the audience. 'From Russia With Love,' certainly isn't the light, easy stuff of its predecessor then; this time things are far more crafty, and that becomes evident as soon as we learn an outline of the villain's plan right after the opening credits. Indeed, whilst the whole of Dr No was a discovery mission for us all, here we know from the very beginning that Bond is merely a targeted pawn in a complicated espionage game, and then it's just about him realising that and uncovering the truth behind the layers of deceit. That means he may well start out with all the brutish, irresistable swagger that Connery can muster with his ape-in-a-tux approach, but he becomes increasingly out of his depth playing catch-up, and we feel for him far more as a result. That's emphasised further by the fact the motives of his love-interest (who's a pretty integral part of the film) are also thrown into question so that the stakes seem personal, and all in all that makes it one highly engaging watch. In fact, the very best Bond adventures have always been those that give the character genuine personal stakes and vulnerability, and when you couple that fact with the witty script and the relatively smart unfolding of the plot therein, From Russia With Love undoubtedly sits near the top of its series' tree.
  
  WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: There are a few tangents and lulls in the narrative which just serve to soak up the obligatory globe-trotting locations and girls without adding much to Bond's character or the intrigue of the plot.
  
  VERDICT: Because it places Bond in a vulnerable position as a pawn in a highly intriguing espionage game, 'From Russia With Love,' remains one of the best in its series.

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