Well, this is a weird one. Not just because it features James Bond IN SPACE! , though there is that. But it’s also because the film is actually rather divided. On Earth, it’s a live-action cartoon, but once the characters go into space it suddenly starts trying to take itself seriously. It’s a tonal whiplash that hurts the film. And the film is already on thin ice because even for as silly as it's been, the finale is completely ludicrous. Yet we’re expected to see that part as genuinely dramatic. To compare to Director Lewis Gilbert’s other two entries in the series, they maintained a mostly consistent tone throughout. There were moments that were more dramatic or tender, but for the most part, they were lighthearted romps. Any tonal changes happened gradually and organically.
The death of Corrine is a particular moment of bizarre drama. It’s a very cruel scene that feels out of place and unnecessary. By this point, the trend of Bond movies killing off the early Bond Girls has grown very stale, and the brutality of this one is completely unearned. The Bond franchise has always had a problematic relationship with women, and while that is changing, it will always be a mark on the franchise.
Speaking of sexism, let’s talk about the relationship between Bond and the leading lady, Lois Chiles’ CIA agent Dr. Holly Goodhead. This whole subplot just doesn’t work. On Bond’s end, the idea that he would be taken aback by a capable female spy rings hollow after both of Lewis Gilbert’s previous films featured highly competent female agents. He treated Aki and Amasova like equals, but now he’s surprised that Dr. Goodhead is capable? That just doesn’t track. And as for Dr. Goodhead, her distrust of Bond doesn’t really work when we know that Bond can easily contact Felix Leiter to vouch for him. The conflict between the two never really works, and it drags the movie down.
But let’s talk about what works. The return of Jaws was great. I know a lot of people think he comes off as an unintimidating joke character, but I still enjoy seeing him. Richard Kiel’s physical presence is still immense, and it’s clear that if he were ever to truly get his hands on Bond, he would win. Yes, some of the sequences with him feel like a live-action cartoon, but personally, I’m having fun with those moments. Perhaps Moonraker does become a full self-parody, but it’s one I find myself laughing along with.
So does Moonraker work as a Bond film? No, not really. Does it work as a film in general? Again, not really. But there is plenty of fun to be found in parts. I’d say it’s definitely worth checking out for yourself, but how much you enjoy it will definitely depend on your cheese tolerance. It proved to be a step too far for me, but perhaps you’ll enjoy it.
Shoots for the Moon and Misses
Well, this is a weird one. Not just because it features James Bond IN SPACE! , though there is that. But it’s also because the film is actually rather divided. On Earth, it’s a live-action cartoon, but once the characters go into space it suddenly starts trying to take itself seriously. It’s a tonal whiplash that hurts the film. And the film is already on thin ice because even for as silly as it's been, the finale is completely ludicrous. Yet we’re expected to see that part as genuinely dramatic. To compare to Director Lewis Gilbert’s other two entries in the series, they maintained a mostly consistent tone throughout. There were moments that were more dramatic or tender, but for the most part, they were lighthearted romps. Any tonal changes happened gradually and organically.
The death of Corrine is a particular moment of bizarre drama. It’s a very cruel scene that feels out of place and unnecessary. By this point, the trend of Bond movies killing off the early Bond Girls has grown very stale, and the brutality of this one is completely unearned. The Bond franchise has always had a problematic relationship with women, and while that is changing, it will always be a mark on the franchise.
Speaking of sexism, let’s talk about the relationship between Bond and the leading lady, Lois Chiles’ CIA agent Dr. Holly Goodhead. This whole subplot just doesn’t work. On Bond’s end, the idea that he would be taken aback by a capable female spy rings hollow after both of Lewis Gilbert’s previous films featured highly competent female agents. He treated Aki and Amasova like equals, but now he’s surprised that Dr. Goodhead is capable? That just doesn’t track. And as for Dr. Goodhead, her distrust of Bond doesn’t really work when we know that Bond can easily contact Felix Leiter to vouch for him. The conflict between the two never really works, and it drags the movie down.
But let’s talk about what works. The return of Jaws was great. I know a lot of people think he comes off as an unintimidating joke character, but I still enjoy seeing him. Richard Kiel’s physical presence is still immense, and it’s clear that if he were ever to truly get his hands on Bond, he would win. Yes, some of the sequences with him feel like a live-action cartoon, but personally, I’m having fun with those moments. Perhaps Moonraker does become a full self-parody, but it’s one I find myself laughing along with.
So does Moonraker work as a Bond film? No, not really. Does it work as a film in general? Again, not really. But there is plenty of fun to be found in parts. I’d say it’s definitely worth checking out for yourself, but how much you enjoy it will definitely depend on your cheese tolerance. It proved to be a step too far for me, but perhaps you’ll enjoy it.