For Your Eyes Only (1981)
One of the lesser Bond films in my opinion which for better or worse doesn't feel like the usual globe trotting money no object typical Bond action adventure. Perhaps the producers decided the only way to follow up the huge spectacular epic that was Moonraker (1979), a film that was a phenomenal success financially, was pretty much impossible so they decided to scale things down somewhat.
That doesn't mean For Your Eyes Only isn't any good. It is but it is lacking something. For one it lacks a credible Bond villain. Julian Glover is okay but his smuggling operation is certainly small scale compared to Bond villains prior - perhaps it was a mistake to kill off Blofeld in an ill advised but quite exciting opening helicopter sequence as he would have made for a better villain.
In truth the film is about twenty minutes too long and my mind (as it always did) starts to wander during a lengthy underwater sequence just after the hour mark - before that the film had been an intriguing little ride with some great action sequences, the most memorable being the hillside car chase where Bond and gorgeous Carole Bouquet are at the wheel of a yellow Citroen - but the final assault on the clifftop hang out of Glover is nicely staged with a tense ascent up the cliffs for Bond.
Oddly enough for a Roger Moore Bond movie the Bond girls and un-erotic fumblings are kept to a minimum, Bond even turns down sex with Lynn-Holly Johnson at one point (a good thing as he appeared to be twice her age) and Carole Bouquet who co-stars is more akin to the likes of License to Kill's Pam Bouvier with her business before pleasure ideals rather than the typical 'Oh James' swoony types occasionally cast opposite Moore. Moore himself is fine. Probably not his best work in the role but he's capable enough.
What i found oddly bewildering was the lack of use of Monty Norman's classic signature tune, instead opting for uninspired 80's pop during the best action sequences. Had these excellently done sequences boasted the soaring theme then the film as a whole would have felt more exhilarating.
As far as grittier Bond films go this is certainly no License to Kill (1989) but for the most part it is pretty decent although on the grand scale of things it probably gets a little lost in OO7 history sandwiched between the incomparable Moonraker and the under appreciated but certainly grander Octopussy (1983).
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