For Your Eyes Only eschews the gimmickry and campiness of earlier James Bond films, concentrating instead on telling the story and maintaining suspense. Roger Moore is back as Secret Agent 007, this time on the trail of Soviet spies while he romances the beautiful Melina, played by Carole Bouquet. Richard Maibaum's screenplay has very little to do with the collection of short stories that made up Ian Fleming's For Your Eyes Only, save for the plotline involving Melina's seeking vengeance for the
death of her father. The direction is by John Glen, who'd previously done second unit work on other Bond films. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Roger Moore has crumpled his comic-strip good looks into something approaching world-weariness, and the newfound maturity in his expression is reflected in director John Glen's style, which goes for the measured and elegant over the flashy and excessive.
One of the most thoroughly enjoyable of the 12 Bond pix [to date] despite fact that many of the usual ingredients in the successful 007 formula are missing.
First-time director John Glen knows what's needed to create suspense...put the series' trademark wit, women, and song alongside the high-stakes adventure of a more brutal 007. [Blu-ray]
Okay, FOR YOUR EYES ONLY clearly is not at all the best film starring Roger Moore as Bond. (James Bond.) In fact, Moore is beginning to go downhill on the I'm-A-Great-Bond-Actor-Like-I-Should-Be scale, never performing a reality check, and uphill on the silliness scale, veering more to the 1967-Casino Royale / Austin
Powers side than the legitimate 007 side. Still, we should still be able to easily enjoy this...what is it...twelfth Bond film (and fifth starring Roger Moore) without need for yawn-age or boredom at all.
July 31, 2011
Alexander Diminiano
Super Reviewer
For Your Eyes Only is a more serious return for James Bond. The film has a more plausible plot that Moonraker,and this may appeal to Bond fans. The action sequences are thrilling and well done, and This film is one of the most solid Bond films since The Spy Who Loved Me and Live And Let Die. The film has a good cast,
but a few weak points as well. One is Lynn-Holly Johnson's role as Bibi, fucking annoying and one of the worst "Bond" girls. She really doesn't qualify as a Bond girl cause she never successfully romances Bond. Besides that, the soundtrack is silly, 1980's pop music, but oh well. This film has enough thrills to restore faith in fans who were disappointed with Moonraker. One of the better Bond films of the 1980's. And in my book, the last great Roger Moore Bond flick.
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