The title of this James Bond film should have been FOR YOUR UNDERWHELMED EYES ONLY.
After the box office smash that were THE SPY WHO LOVED ME and MOONRAKER, the producers decided to tone down the huge sets, effects and explosions after some thought the outer space extravaganza of the latter was too un-Bond like. They attempted to bring 007 series back to its roots and they stripped down/away everything to a point where very little of the over-the-top action I usually enjoy in James Bond movies was left: in the end, the film plays more like a TV movie or, in my humble opinion, an After School Special than a cinematic adventure. I saw this film countless of times when it was released. I was a teen then and bored out of my mind and went to see it during the summer of 1981 with my high school buddies to kill time. Needless to say, I know this film by heart. And it always made me and still makes me giggle every time I watch it. From the chintzy opening helicopter scene (with the "action-packed" disco music) to the car chase scene in Spain (more "action-packed" disco music) to the overdone ski chase scene in Italy (the penultimate use of "action-packed" disco music here), FYEO always felt like a catalog of James Bond moments seen in countless other 007 epics but this time set to disco music.
The music is hilarious. It's probably the funniest Bond score ever. From the opening (and closing) credits when we see Sheena Easton's "Deer caught in the headlights" face, to the disco song heard during the pool scene, which was so dated back in 1981 and even more so today. The music during the ski chase scene makes me giggle nonstop whenever I hear it. The violins, the guitars, the trumpets. The brilliant John Barry is sorely missed here. The whole set up for the ski chase scene always struck me as being utterly ridiculous: Bond is forced to go on a ski ramp, which starts off the whole elaborate chase which culminates at a bobsled track. Spectacular? Yes but it's very contrived. Speaking of contrived, there's the fight scene between Bond and the hockey players. Like so many action scenes in FYEO, it doesn't make any sense. Why not just shoot 007 instead coming up with colorful but corny ways of dispensing of the British secret agent? And they said back then (and still now) FOR YOUR EYES ONLY was supposed to be more down to earth and realistic? Hardly.
Then there's Lynn Holly Johnson, who's the most annoying Bond girl ever. At one point, Kristatos slaps her not once but twice. God, that felt so good when he did that. The bimbo deserved it in spades. Because of her presence and her totally useless character, the film felt like the aforementioned After School Special.
After the ski chase scene, the film moves to a crawl and almost becomes inert. Like THUNDERBALL, the underwater sequences are slow and dull, filled with endless scenes of stand-ins for Moore and Bouquet. We are then introduced to Topol, who overacts shamelessly. There is one great scene in the second half, when Bond and Melina are dragged through the ocean and coral reef. But as well made as it is, it begs the usual question the other action scenes in FYEO illicit: why not just shoot 007 and Melina on the spot?
As for the ending it can only be described as underwhelming. Probably the limpest ending in any Bond film! The best thing about FOR YOUR EYES ONLY is Roger Moore. He actually gives a performance worth noting. He's really fun and seems to know that the whole thing is silly and goes along for the ride. It's a shame the rest is so forgettable.
After the box office smash that were THE SPY WHO LOVED ME and MOONRAKER, the producers decided to tone down the huge sets, effects and explosions after some thought the outer space extravaganza of the latter was too un-Bond like. They attempted to bring 007 series back to its roots and they stripped down/away everything to a point where very little of the over-the-top action I usually enjoy in James Bond movies was left: in the end, the film plays more like a TV movie or, in my humble opinion, an After School Special than a cinematic adventure. I saw this film countless of times when it was released. I was a teen then and bored out of my mind and went to see it during the summer of 1981 with my high school buddies to kill time. Needless to say, I know this film by heart. And it always made me and still makes me giggle every time I watch it. From the chintzy opening helicopter scene (with the "action-packed" disco music) to the car chase scene in Spain (more "action-packed" disco music) to the overdone ski chase scene in Italy (the penultimate use of "action-packed" disco music here), FYEO always felt like a catalog of James Bond moments seen in countless other 007 epics but this time set to disco music.
The music is hilarious. It's probably the funniest Bond score ever. From the opening (and closing) credits when we see Sheena Easton's "Deer caught in the headlights" face, to the disco song heard during the pool scene, which was so dated back in 1981 and even more so today. The music during the ski chase scene makes me giggle nonstop whenever I hear it. The violins, the guitars, the trumpets. The brilliant John Barry is sorely missed here. The whole set up for the ski chase scene always struck me as being utterly ridiculous: Bond is forced to go on a ski ramp, which starts off the whole elaborate chase which culminates at a bobsled track. Spectacular? Yes but it's very contrived. Speaking of contrived, there's the fight scene between Bond and the hockey players. Like so many action scenes in FYEO, it doesn't make any sense. Why not just shoot 007 instead coming up with colorful but corny ways of dispensing of the British secret agent? And they said back then (and still now) FOR YOUR EYES ONLY was supposed to be more down to earth and realistic? Hardly.
Then there's Lynn Holly Johnson, who's the most annoying Bond girl ever. At one point, Kristatos slaps her not once but twice. God, that felt so good when he did that. The bimbo deserved it in spades. Because of her presence and her totally useless character, the film felt like the aforementioned After School Special.
After the ski chase scene, the film moves to a crawl and almost becomes inert. Like THUNDERBALL, the underwater sequences are slow and dull, filled with endless scenes of stand-ins for Moore and Bouquet. We are then introduced to Topol, who overacts shamelessly. There is one great scene in the second half, when Bond and Melina are dragged through the ocean and coral reef. But as well made as it is, it begs the usual question the other action scenes in FYEO illicit: why not just shoot 007 and Melina on the spot?
As for the ending it can only be described as underwhelming. Probably the limpest ending in any Bond film! The best thing about FOR YOUR EYES ONLY is Roger Moore. He actually gives a performance worth noting. He's really fun and seems to know that the whole thing is silly and goes along for the ride. It's a shame the rest is so forgettable.