Customer Reviews

A View to a Kill

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

Moore's seventh and final outing as Secret Agent 007 James Bond, A View to a Kill has the unenvious distinction as quite possibly the worst film in the James Bond series, with Tomorrow Never Dies jockeying for that position. Like previous Bond flicks which turned out to be flops, for the most part (i.e. You Only Live Twice, The Man With The Golden Gun, Moonraker), A View to a Kill is rather entertaining as a movie, never meant wholeheartedly to please discriminating critics. However, A View to a Kill, aside from the fact it attempts to be cute in its humor, has its share of scenes that are so steady-paced, that they are slow and lack of depth in the characters.

In this fourteenth edition of Bond, the story starts off with 007 on the frozen tundra of Siberia, retrieving a microchip from the corpse of a fellow MI6 agent. With henchmen on his track, Bond embarks on a ski chase, which at point, has The Beach Boys' hit "California Girls" playing in the background, when Bond seems to be snowboarding. On a side note, that Beach Boys' segment is rather ridiculous and somewhat humorous. At any rate, MI6 examines the retrieved microchip and find out that this particular chip is similar to a British prototype, which could withstand intense electromagnetic radiation from a nuclear blast and that someone is leaking out the design details to the rival Soviets. That someone is the psychotic French industrialist and microchip maker, Max Zorin (Christopher Walken), founder of Zorin Industries. Bond is off to a Paris racetrack to keep an eye on the eccentric Zorin. Deducing that Zorin is hiding something from him and attempting to eliminate him in the process, Bond is led to Zorin's palatial estate in France and finally to San Francisco, where Zorin a la Goldfinger attempts to monopolize the microchip market by effacing Silicon Valley, which of course, builds the majority of the world's supply of microchips.

A View to a Kill has a fairly solid storyline, but its execution is nothing but dismal. The screenplay does not flow consistently. The slow or developing scenes are rather stagnant in that the tone can keep the viewer uninterested because of inconsistent dialogue. The stunts are not very credible either and the action scenes are pretty corny (i.e. 007 carrying Stacy down the fire truck ladder amidst a cheering San Francisco crowd). But the biggest flaw of the film is character development. Of course, Moore was pretty solid in his last outing, but the supporting cast is quite poor. May Day, played by Grace Jones, although portrayed as a stoic, athletic Amazon who exhibits raw energy is stiff throughout. Max Zorin is an intriguing villain, stoic yet psychotic, intelligent yet mentally unstable, gregarious one moment and stone-dead serious the next. However, all Walken ever does with his character is laugh like a goon, make some hilarious gestures and point out relatively flat remarks. Besides, I've personally thought Walken was a genetically altered brainchild to begin with anyway. Zorin is not exactly the worst villain, but one of the worst utilized, seeing how he had great potential to stand out as a great villain, instead of comic relief fodder. Dr. Carl Mortner, played by Willoughby Gray, seems to become more insane than Zorin later on in the film, in the sense he seems to have come down with Down's Syndrome. Last but not least, Bond's lady geologist sidekick, Stacy Sutton, ineptly played by Tanya Roberts of Charlie's Angels and That 70's Show fame, is an incompetent, helpless and moronic Barbie look-a-like, who annoyingly yells or utters, "James" almost every fourth word out of her mouth. Don't get me wrong, she's a hot number, but for crying out loud, who in the right mind loads a rifle full of rock salt, instead of regular ammunition!? Other than its obvious flaws, A View to a Kill is enjoyable when you don't feel the need to be critical, much like any other Bond film.

Great music, beautiful women, exotic locations, fancy gadgets - that's what a James Bond movie is to me, and this edition excels in almost all areas. From the opening skiing scene (not quite as thrilling as the ski scene that opens The Spy Who Loved Me, but nonetheless - ), to the very cool Duran Duran theme song, the entire film is standard Bond fare.

The great thing about Roger Moore's version of James Bond in this film is the tongue-in-cheek approach he takes. It's a Bond that doesn't take himself too seriously, yet still manages to wear a tux wherever possible.

There's a chase scene early on that starts in a French restaurant in the Eiffel Tower, runs up to the top of the tower, parachutes off and continues through the streets of Paris.

(I remember when this movie was first released, and Roger Moore appeared as a guest on Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" to promote it. He had a clip from the end of this particular chase scene, when Bond was in a small French car whose top was shorn off, and the back end was knocked off by a passing vehicle - adding new importance to "front wheel drive" in what was left of the car that Bond continued to drive through the Parisian streets. At the end of the clip, Johnny was laughing very hard and it led into a big discussion of the over-the-top Bond approach to chase scenes. I remember it well.)

Bond is sent to investigate suspicious activities at the location of a beautiful European castle on a palatial and breathtaking estate that makes watching the film worthwhile. The grounds are the home of Zorin, played by the striking Christopher Walken, who ultimately proves to be the Bad Guy. (Walken? The Bad Guy? Big Surprise there!) The castle is amazing, the views are impressive, and the social activities are grand. It's here that Bond first runs into a mysterious beautiful woman, played by the dreamy Tanya Roberts, who eventually proves to be the primary love interest in the film.

Zorin's plot is eventually revealed: an artificially induced earthquake in Silicon Valley which will destroy the world's primary source of microchips, leaving Zorin's own microchip factory as the sole supplier, a major step toward world domination.

The planned destruction involves deliberate tampering with the fault lines in California. As a result, the film takes you to deep caverns and excavation sites, dirigibles high over the city, and a breathtaking fight scene on the top of the Golden Gate Bridge.

It's classic Bond in the best sense. It'll never win an Oscar, but it's a fun movie.

The absolute WORST of ALL the Bond movies, Moore or otherwise. Walken gives his worst performance ever and the Bond girls are extremely ordinary looking. Even the lame action can't save this one. Grace Jones was the only thing 'Bond worthy' in this entire movie. Like a real bad episode of Charlie's Angels without Charlie or the Angels. Absolutely UNWATCHABLE and made for TV caliber script, acting, direction and camera work....

What were they thinking?Not long after starring in the excellent 'For Your Eyes Only',Roger Moore had to return for the worst Bond movie of all time.The script is laughably cheesy,and the characters are uninspired and out of place in a Bond movie.Having a karate expert Amazon named May Day as the villain's assistant is just silly.Also,Stacy Sutton is the most pathetic Bond girl of all time.She does nothing but dangle from elevator shafts screaming "Help me,James!" Stay away from this hopelessly lame,third-rate Bond movie and watch 'Goldfinger' instead.

The 14th James Bond movie. Immediately following OCTOPUSSY, Roger Moore (by then in his late 50s) made an announcement that he was going to retire from the role of Agent James Bond. After playing the role in six successful films prior, it was evident to producer Albert R. Broccoli with a new partnership with screenplay writer Michael G. Wilson, efforts would have to made in searching for a successor. However Moore's decision gave him an opportunity to depart from the role in high style. Indeed there is action and stunt sequences a plenty ranging from a ski chase in Siberia, a jump from the Eiffel Tower, and a final confrontation atop the Golden Gate Bridge. What remains is Moore's ability to bring many fascinating dimensions to the role; charm, humor, charisma, and determination. Although his final performance highlights the film, he is aided well with Tanya Roberts (who looks great in a bathrobe) as a blonde damsel-in-distress heroin, Patrick Macnee of TV's THE AVENGERS as a fellow ally, Grace Jones as an Amazonian villainous, and Christopher Walken (who won an oscar for his performance in THE DEER HUNTER) as a psychotic villain. This would also be the last James Bond film for Lois Maxwell (ironically the same age as Roger Moore) as Miss Moneypenny. Look fast for Dolph Lundgren as a KGB Agent, and who wouldn't love Fiona Fullerton as the Russian spy?

THE ASSIGNMENT: A microchip is found on the dead body of Agent 003. Yet this is no ordinary piece of silicon, it is specially designed by the British to withstand the destructive magnetic pulse that accompanies a nuclear explosion. Agent 003 must have obtained it from the Soviets who, in turn, must have access to British research. The first suspect is Max Zorin who raises horses that continually win races that their pedigree suggests impossible. Bond adjourns to Zorin's French chateau, and there discovers the horses have microchips implanted in their legs which, when activated by a transistor radio in the riding crop, overcomes fatigue. Bond also discovers Zorin has another plan for his microchips: to take control of the world market by creating an earthquake along the San Andreas and Hayward faults and thus flooding Silicon Valley, the home of the US microchip industry, thus killing thousands of scientists and engineers in the process. Can 007 stop the madman?

THE VILLAINS: Christopher Walken as Max Zorin, Grace Jones as May Day, Patrick Bauchau as Scarpine, Willoughby Gray as Dr. Carl Mortner, Manning Redwood as Bob Conley, Alison Doody (Elsa in INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE) as Jenny Flex, and Papillon Soo Soo as Pan Ho.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! BUY IT!

This the 14th Bond movie, and Roger Moore's seventh and final outing as OO7 is by far one of the best in the series.
Forget the negative reviews that this movie has recieved from those people who considered Sir Roger past his prime, and too comical, this movie has some classic moments. Christopher Walken and Grace Jones are formidable villains and the location ( San Francisco in particular ) are first rate.
The title track by Duran Duran is easily the best in the series, and John Steed himself, Patrick Macnee is also thrown into the action.
I gave this 5 stars but it's worth a lot more. Remember nobody does it better than Roger Moore.

This is such an amazing bond film. It has all the great elements:- A great storyline, excellent villains, sexy women, thrilling action sequences, and wonderful locations. Some people think that Moore is too old, but I thought he was ok. An excellent entry in the 007 series. My favourite. 10/10

With not pretty GRACE JONES but so STRANGE and CHRISTOPHER WALKEN as A GENIUS WHO SERVES THE EVIL AGAINST THE GOOD SPY SECRET AGENT NUMBER 007 PLAID BY ROGER MOORE IS THE BEST OF THE BESTS SECRET AGENT 007 BY HIM THROUGHT THE MANY ACTORS WHO HAVE PLAID THIS AGENT OF ITS MAJESTY THE QUEEN ! beside evidently mister SEAN CONNERY ant the others but i like these TWO basics actors in this gender of MOVIES A VERY GOOD MOVIE DVD FILM ! ... SURELY ... And also don't forget PATRICK MAC NEE ! ... A SPLENDID "CODGER" BRITISH ACTOR WHO SERVE THIS FILM !

A View to a Kill is one of those that people either love or hate. After a terrific, bullet-riddled opening sequence and an above average theme song, this Bond movie comes to a screeching halt. Bond walks around for the first hour at the villain, Max Zorin's estate under the alias of "James St. John Smythe," which is a bit aristocratic, but I guess it works. Zorin and May Day (Walken and Jones, respectively) are suspicious of him right from the second he arrives (and Jones doesn't recognize him from Paris??), but they don't bother to check on who he actually is until long after what is normally acceptable for a Bond movie. And when Zorin does decide to check on who he actually is, his method is so slick, fast, and efficient that you have to wonder why we're an hour into the movie and Bond is still "James St. John Smythe" walking around with a wine bottle in hand, stiffly flirting with the ladies and awkwardly trying to cover for a spy he's brought, who is unconvincingly disguised as a chauffeur. But, if you are patient and make it through the first half, the second half picks up the pace slightly, offers a few chase sequences, a little bit of gunplay, and a terrific conclusion on the top of the Golden Gate Bridge. In short, a great beginning, a great ending, but you might yawn a time or two in between. And this is one of the longer running Bond movies at 132 mins.

So what's good about this one besides the beginning and end? Not the Bond girls either: Jenny Flex, May Day, and Miss Sutton aren't memorable in a good way. But, Christopher Walken's performance as pycho Max Zorin is very well done. It's pretty obvious that he's crackers from the first time you see him and Walken plays the part with a subtle quirkyness that works pretty well for him. One nice touch is that while Walken is delivering some of his lines he will stop mid sentence with a sinister chuckle and not finish or he'll just let his voice fade out and he'll stare blankly. It's typical Walken stuff, but some critics thought the sequence near the end where he guns down mine workers with a machine gun as they come out of a flooding tunnel in droves was going overboard (and did not befit a PG rating), but it just depicts what the character will resort to after having been thwarted by Bond for what seems like the umpteenth time. After all, there is a subplot here too involving an old Nazi doctor to whom Zorin is connected.

While I found the tone and mood of A View to a Kill to be dark, violent, and humorless (unless you find some of the absurd chase stunts humorous) this is actually a sentimental favorite of mine. This is Moore's last outing, Moore is and was my favorite Bond, and I had to salute him for still being at it by 1985. In reality, For Your Eyes Only (best theme song, best Bond girl, and probably best Bond movie IMO) should have been Roger's last. Moore should have gone out while he was on top (literally) and left Octopussy and this one to Dalton. In the end, A View to a Kill, even if you don't like Moore or think he's too old here, isn't nearly as bad as Die Another Day.

Rank 20 of 23. I give this 3.5 stars as a movie, but I rank it 20th of 23 bond movies. It was one thing when they killed Diana Rigg in OHMSS, but then they had to go and kill Steed! This is a very clever script and an entertaining story. The Bridge fight scene had me white knuckled. But in the end, there are 19 bond movies I liked better. note for those with kids, you may want to fastforward the scene where the dogs run down the girl.