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Lavishly rendered set pieces and Sean Connery's enduring charm make Thunderball a big, fun adventure, even if it doesn't quite measure up to the series' previous heights.
All Critics (46) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (40) | Rotten (6) | DVD (10)
If Thunderball's gimmickry seems to overreach at times, Actor Connery gains assurance from film to film, by now delivers all his soppiest Jimcracks martini-dry. Oct 13, 2008 | Full Review…
If Thunderball's gimmickry seems to overreach at times, Actor Connery gains assurance from film to film, by now delivers all his soppiest Jimcracks martini-dry.
Slightly bloated Bond, with too much technology for my taste and a climactic slaughter that's a little too mindless to be much fun. May 6, 2008 | Full Review…
Slightly bloated Bond, with too much technology for my taste and a climactic slaughter that's a little too mindless to be much fun.
Dave Kehr
There's visible evidence that the reported $5.5 million budget was no mere publicity figure; it's posh all the way. May 6, 2008 | Full Review…
There's visible evidence that the reported $5.5 million budget was no mere publicity figure; it's posh all the way.
Variety Staff
The fourth Bond, marking the point at which spectacular hardware began to dominate the series. Sleek and quite fun all the same. Jun 24, 2006 | Full Review…
The fourth Bond, marking the point at which spectacular hardware began to dominate the series. Sleek and quite fun all the same.
The color is handsome. The scenery in the Bahamas is an irresistible lure. Even the violence is funny. That's the best I can say for a Bond film. May 9, 2005 | Full Review…
The color is handsome. The scenery in the Bahamas is an irresistible lure. Even the violence is funny. That's the best I can say for a Bond film.
Bosley Crowther
In this, the fourth instalment in the series from the original team, you have a classic Bond film that wants for nothing but a trim. Jun 27, 2001 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…
In this, the fourth instalment in the series from the original team, you have a classic Bond film that wants for nothing but a trim.
Nick Hilditch
Not a classic like Goldfinger, but it's still fun. It'll be a long time until I watch it again, mind you. It doesn't have the rewatchable charm as some of the other Bond films Jan 27, 2019 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
Not a classic like Goldfinger, but it's still fun. It'll be a long time until I watch it again, mind you. It doesn't have the rewatchable charm as some of the other Bond films
David Hogan
In addition to the physical machines there is a lot of deus ex-machina involved too, but only a critic would carp about that. Just go to watch the most remarkable things. Dec 30, 2017 | Full Review…
In addition to the physical machines there is a lot of deus ex-machina involved too, but only a critic would carp about that. Just go to watch the most remarkable things.
Emerson Batdorff
For all its flaws, it was classic Bond. And remains so. Oct 27, 2015 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…
For all its flaws, it was classic Bond. And remains so.
Tim Evans
Director Terence Young never quite solves the pacing problems posed by filming underwater, but John Stears's Oscar-winning special effects more than compensate. Oct 27, 2015 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
Director Terence Young never quite solves the pacing problems posed by filming underwater, but John Stears's Oscar-winning special effects more than compensate.
David Parkinson
Connery's last exceptional Bond as it gives 007 a competent villain, a thrilling adventure in an unusual setting, great Bond Babes and one of the series' all-time best scenes. Oct 23, 2015 | Rating: 8.5/10 | Full Review…
Connery's last exceptional Bond as it gives 007 a competent villain, a thrilling adventure in an unusual setting, great Bond Babes and one of the series' all-time best scenes.
Jeffrey Lyles
Terence Young's direction is nothing if not taut, whisking the narrative along with the speed and precision of a jet plane, defying one to express boredom. Oct 23, 2015 | Full Review…
Terence Young's direction is nothing if not taut, whisking the narrative along with the speed and precision of a jet plane, defying one to express boredom.
MFB Critics
"...And he STRIKES!!! Like Thunderbolt!!!" (Gotta love that Tom Jones theme song) A bit overlong but still remains my personal favorite Sean Connery-era James Bond film. Great larger-than-life set pieces perfectly balanced out by carefully crafted slow-burn suspense sequences. Terence Young (Dr. No, From Russia with Love) returns to helm and I think this movie demonstrates that he was by far one of the franchises best directors next to Martin Campbell, John Glen, and Sam Mendes. Connery gives probably his most self-assured performance yet as James Bond and Fiona Volpe (played wonderfully by the beautiful Luciana Paluzzi) remains one of my favorite femme fetales of the series next to Xenia Onatopp of "Goldeneye." The usual make-or-break element of this film are the extensive underwater sequences, but personally I love them. They are gorgeously shot and the epic underwater battle between the good and evil Spectre army is fantastic.
Super Reviewer
"Thunderball" may not be a crowd favourite, but I really got a kick out of the story in this film and how well the underwater action scenes presented themselves. The action is top-notch and I could easily re-watch this film for that reason alone. As always, the acting is fantastic by the entire cast, especially Sean Connery, and all the elements of a great Bond film are present. It is definitely not without it's overlong running time, but if you sit through the film and be patient, you will get was you deserve. This film has great direction and very solid effects for it's time. "Thunderball" is one of the better bond films I've seen.
Though the gadgets get too gimmicky and the climax feels like anything but, 'Thunderball' is significant because it is carried by Connery's most assured performance as Bond.
This is the fourth entry in the James Bond series, and this timearound Bond once again finds himself squaring off against international criminal organization S.P.E.C.T.R.E.- specifically their member Emilio Largo- an eye patch wearing nut job who drops enemies and ineffectual henchman into a tank full of hungry sharks. Largo has hijacked a NATO nuclear bomber and hidden the bombs in the ocean depths. He gives the British government one week to pay him a ransom of 1,000,000 pounds or else he'll launch the weapons. Well, it doesn't take long before Bonds sets of for Nassau to foil this diabolical plot, and he's get a few beautiful woman to accompany him along the way. This is a fun one. It's Connery (once again), and, while he's not as strong as he was in the previous two entries, he's still quite strong here, and very comfortable with the role. It's a solid film, but maybe one of my least favorite of the Connery era. It's not a bad movie, just not quite as exciting as some of the others. It's a bit goofy, but I think it really only adds to the charm. Plus, we get some great underwater scenes, and those are quite well done, especially for the time period. Those are some of the best parts, but the cinematography in general is quite good, and there's some okay land sequences as well. With a decent title theme from Tom Jones, a fine score in general, and an entertaining title sequence, this is a really fun movie, and a decent entry in the long running series. Give it a go.
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