A View to a Kill is the fourteenth in the James Bond series produced by Eon Productions, and the seventh and final appearance of Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. In the film, Bond is pitted against Max Zorin (played by Christopher Walken), who plans to destroy California’s Silicon Valley. It was the third James Bond film to be directed by John Glen, and the last to feature Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny. Bond is sent to Siberia to recover a Soviet microchip made by government contractor Zorin Industries. Bond visits Ascot Racecourse to observe the company’s owner, Max Zorin with MI6 agent & horse trainer Sir Godfrey Tibbett (Patrick Macnee). Zorin identifies Bond as an agent, and has his “henchperson” May Day (Grace Jones) assassinate Tibbett. Bond tracks down State Geologist Stacey Sutton ( Tanya Roberts), a woman Zorin attempted to pay off , and discovers that Zorin is trying to buy her family oil business as part of his plan. Infiltrating Zorin’s mine, Bond and Stacey discover his plot to detonate explosives beneath the lakes along the Hayward and San Andreas faults. Stacey escapes the mine while Bond fights May Day. After realising Zorin abandoned her, she helps Bond remove the larger bomb, putting the device onto a handcar and riding it out of the mine, where it explodes and kills her. Escaping in his airship, Zorin abducts Stacey while Bond grabs hold of the airship’s mooring rope. The ensuing fight between Zorin and Bond culminates with Zorin falling to his death and his plan being foiled.
OK, on to the ratings;
Bond- 79 out of 100 This is the 7th and last film featuring Roger Moore as Bond. Moore was never a terribly physical Bond anyway, and in this film his age renders him, well, let’s say unimposing. He’s clever, urbane, etc. but Bond should be dangerous, and this Bond is definitely not.
Villain- 84 out of 100 I love Christopher Walken in many things, but not in this. The blond wig is distracting and his character doesn’t feel evil or dangerous.
Bond Girls– 66 out of 100 Tanya Robert is an attractive woman, obviously. But from an acting standpoint she makes Denise Richards looks like Meryl Streep. Not strong, not sexy. Grace Jones is sexy in a crazy sort of way. Fiona Fullerton as Pola Ivanova, a KGB agent is there but doesn’t really add to the Bond girl score.
Theme- 66 out of 75 Duran Duran’s “View to a Kill” got to #1 on the US charts and #2 in Britain. 80’s pop, but good 80’s pop.
Henchman- 44 out of 50. Grace Jones. Pop star, model, nut job. A crazy, dangerous & sexy henchman. Not an actress, but she never claimed to be.
M, Q, Moneypenny, etc.- 20 out of 25. Desmond Llewelyn as Q, Lois Maxwell as Moneypenny, Robert Brown as M. All do solid, yeomen’s work here. And bonus points for Patrick McNee of “The Avengers” fame and Dolf Lungren in a walk on role.
Total- 359
Scoreboard;
- Goldfinger- 419
- Spectre-397
- Live and Let Die- 396
- Skyfall- 383
- Casino Royale / Die Another Day / Skyfall- 382
- The World is not Enough- 367
- A View to a Kill- 359
- Dr. No- 346
- The Man with the Golden Gun. 331
- License to Kill- 321
- Octopussy- 255
- The Living Daylights- 228
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