For Your Eyes Only (1981)
1981
PG
127 Minutes
A British spy ship has sunk and on board was a hi-tech encryption device. James Bond is sent to find the device that holds British launching instructions before the enemy Soviets get to it first.
User Review
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WHAT I LIKED: It's common in the Bond canon that after getting extremely big and expensive, the series takes a left-turn to ground itself in something a little smaller, and such a case can be seen in 'For Your Eyes Only.' Indeed rather than sending Bond all the way to space, here he's on the trail of a criminal organisation in Greece (and the alps) who sunk a British ship with a valuable piece of intelligence equipment on it. Along the way he meets the daughter of a man killed in the affair, and he splits his time between finding the criminals who killed her father, and finding the sunken boat.
The way the story unfolds is great as there are lots of surprising and interesting twists and turns, but what really sells the drama is Roger Moore, as once again - perhaps even more than in The Spy Who Loved Me - we really get a glimpse of Bond's vulnerability behind the reserved and guarded state that Moore offers. Just small cracks in his facial expressions and even moments of paternity and grace towards the young woman he's helping make him a far more engaging character then he ever was in the earlier instalments, and that's equally helped by the fact he's also great on a gently comedic level.
As well as a brilliant central performance to keep you engaged, the world around him is also executed very well with lots of great, sparky supporting characters - particularly playing to the warmth of the Greek environment - and all in all that makes for an engaging and enjoyable Bond movie that's up there with Moore's best.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: The plot is a little confusing at times, especially because it's never really clear what the significance is of finding the criminals when really the focus should be on the mission involving getting the sunken equipment back. Also, it's hardly the most memorable Bond in terms of set-pieces, aside from the brilliant 2-CV car chase.
VERDICT: An enjoyable adventure that again allows Roger Moore to offer a glimpse below the surface of his reserved and collected Bond, 'For Your Eyes Only,' is hardly the most exciting in its series, but it's highly enjoyable and engaging for the most part.0 member like this review.
