A View To A Kill (1985)

 

This is the final film featuring Roger Moore, which in truth was about time. Moore was getting on a bit and it unfortunately shows throughout. But I wouldn't go as far as classify this as one of the weaker, as there is quite a lot to be enjoyed.

There's also some bad stuff as well, but we'll all get to that.

The stakes this time have to do with computerchips. Yes, they finally caught on that holding the world for ransom because of some harebrained scheme was a little outdated. Which is why they now have something to do with a harebrained scheme to hold the world for ransom, but with computerchips!

It's truly wondrous what some writers can come up with.

Anyway: chips are being duplicated and Bond is sent out to find out just what the heck is actually happening. To do this, he has to get close to a young industrialist named Max Zorin, who has amassed tremendous wealth in various areas of expertise and who also breeds racehorses that shouldn't be able to win, but do anyway. In Zorin's stables, Bond discovers that the horses are surgically improved with chips, but more importantly: that Zorin is hoarding chips, which makes no sense as these are plentiful. 

It gets even more bizarre when it turns out Zorin is pumping seawater into his oilwells, as this would cause a tectonic disaster. 

Obviously, this is the point, as Zorin intends to destroy Silicon Valley, thus making the entire world dependent on his supply of computerchips. 

Sure, be insanely wealthy, think of some insane plot to become even more wealthy. Because of course. 

I'll be the first to admit that the plot is rather "Eh?". There is no real rhyme or reason to it and that does hurt the film in the long run. Roger Moore now focuses more on quips and they are fairly funny, but you can tell his age isn't doing him any favours anymore and his doubles take over for pretty much most of the time. Whenever you see Bond running, doing stunts or pretty much anything besides talking, it's a double. This wouldn't be so bad if you didn't notice this almost every single time. But it's Roger Moore, so there's that. 

What does feel like fun, is the inclusion of Patrick Macnee as Bond's aide Sir Godfrey/Tibbett, but Patrick Macnee is always a win, in whatever capacity the man shows up. As for the Bondgirls, this is a bit of a downer. Not because they chose the absolutely gorgeous Tanya Roberts, but because they don't give her anything to do besides call out Bond's name in various iterations. She really is just there for windowdressing and this makes her probably the least memorable Bondgirl ever. A real shame.

There's more fun to be had with the baddies. Not with Christopher Walken as Zorin, as he is really a one note character (he's a Nazi experiment, because of course). He gets through the film okay, but he doesn't feel as weighty as some of the more glorious villains from the past. But the one character that steals the show every single time is Grace Jones as Zorin's henchwoman May Day. Not only does miss Jones look menacing, but she has such a striking look and so much charisma, you can't help but enjoy every second she's on screen. She truly makes the film and her eventual redemption is actually rather poignant. 

Other than this, you get some fun stunts like the scenes on the Eiffel Tower, but most of the action is a bit stale. The finale on the Golden Gate Bridge is even surprisingly boring. But you can't win them all, I suppose.

'A View To A Kill' is fairly mediocre in the series. It is enjoyable and personally, I do like it more than it has any right to be liked, but as a film it is rather bland and dull. Watch it to enjoy Grace Jones.

Oh, and the title song is an absolute banger and ranks among the three best of the entire franchise, hands down.