Themes: Switching Sides, Race Against Time, Terrorism
Main Cast: Roger Moore, Christopher Walken, Tanya Roberts, Grace Jones, Patrick Macnee
Release Year: 1985
Country: UK
Run Time: 131 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
Secret Agent 007 must stop a megalomaniacal technology mogul from destroying Silicon Valley in this unexceptional entry in the James Bond series. Computer baron Max Zorin (Christopher Walken) is planning to trigger a major California earthquake in order to wipe out his competitors. Bond is assigned to stop him, but first he must do battle with Zorin's statuesque partner in crime, May Day (Grace Jones). The expected high-wire confrontations ensue, as Bond battles the villains at international landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and takes the occasional break to romance an attractive geologist. Unfortunately, nothing fresh is brought to the familiar formula, and even the well-staged action sequences prove less than exciting. Indeed, this otherwise by-the-numbers production is most notable for the fact that it marked the final appearance of Roger Moore as the dashing Bond. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
Review
007 films have a strict set of rules and are best viewed within those parameters. That being said, Roger Moore's final turn is a mixed bag. John Glen again takes the helm as he did with every Bond film of the Reagan/Bush '80s and decides to take James to new heights, literally, by having him ski off cliffs, jump off the Eiffel Tower, and hang off the Golden Gate bridge. In between, the aging Mr. Moore is clearly done with the series and mails in a performance so thin he can't even pull off his wink-at-the-camera take on the character. Dual bad guys Christopher Walken and Grace Jones are one of the most inspired casting choices and sinister villains in the series to date. Sadly, as has been the case with later Bond films, they spend minimal time onscreen and are given little more to do than deliver awful lines. Imagine Mr. Walken being allowed to take Max Zorin to a crazy, campy extreme and the possibilities are limitless. Another disappointment is the lack of Bond gadgetry, none here at all. But the film is not a total bust; one of the more interesting aspects is Grace Jones, who kicks more ass than almost any other female in the series up through that time. Other moments include the always enjoyable Q (who gets the plot going after comparing two microchips on a micro-comparator, get it?) and the typical over-the-top locations and set pieces. Many have accused this film of being a rip-off of the superior Goldfinger, which may be true, but producers have never felt they needed to apologize for Bond plots. And why should they when A View to a Kill can boast a theme song by MTV darlings Duran Duran? Try and top that, Mr. Connery. ~ Scott Engel, All Movie Guide
Patrick Bauchau - Scarpine; Fiona Fullerton - Pola Ivanova; David Yip - Chuck Lee; Manning Redwood - Bob Conley; Alison Doody - Jenny Flex; Willoughby Gray - Dr. Carl Mortner; Desmond Llewelyn - Q; Lois Maxwell - Miss Moneypenny; Walter Gotell - Gen. Gogol; Geoffrey Keen - Minister of Defense; Bill Ackridge - O'Rourke; Daniel Benzali - Howe; Gerard Buhr - Auctioneer; Anthony Chinn - Taiwanese Tycoon; Joe Flood - U.S. Police Captain; Dolph Lundgren - Venz; Seva Novgorodtsev - Helicopter Pilot; Jean Rougerie - Aubergine; Tony Sibbald - Mine Foreman; Papillon Soo Soo - Pan Ho; Mary Stavin - Kimberley Jones; Carole Ashby - Whistling Girl; Gerard Buehr - Auctioneer; Peter Ensor - Tycoon; Lucien Jerome - Paris Taxi Driver; Bogdan Kominowski - Klotkoff; Taylor McAuley - Guard; Dominique Risbourg - Butterfly Act Compere; Ron Tarr - Guard; Robert Brown - M
Credit
John Fenner - Art Director, Tom Pevsner - Associate Producer, Debbie McWilliams - Casting, Emma Porteous - Costume Designer, Gerry Gavigan - First Assistant Director, John Glen - Director, Peter Davies - Editor, John Barry - Composer (Music Score), John Barry - Songwriter, Duran Duran - Songwriter, George Frost - Makeup, Armin Ganz - Production Designer, Peter Lamont - Production Designer, Alan Hume - Cinematographer, Albert R. Broccoli - Producer, Michael G. Wilson - Producer, Crispian Sallis - Set Designer, Lawrence James Cavanaugh - Special Effects, Ken Morris - Special Effects, Willy Neuner - Special Effects, André Trielli - Special Effects, Joss Williams - Special Effects, John Morris - Special Effects, John Richardson - Special Effects, M. James Arnett - Stunts, Claude Carliez - Stunts, Gerry Crampton - Stunts, Bob Simmons - Stunts, Jason White - Stunts, Richard Maibaum - Screenwriter, Michael G. Wilson - Screenwriter, Don Lusher - Musical Performer
