On the DVD: For Roger Moore's final Bond outing the production crew faced the usual quota of difficulties and disasters, the "making-of" documentary reveals: from base jumpers off the Eiffel tower whose antics threatened to jeopardise fragile relations with the Parisian authorities, to Ridley Scott thoughtlessly burning down the 007 at Pinewood right before production was due to start. Patrick MacNee, who has a supporting role in the movie, hands over narrative duties on this one to Rosemary Ford. The commentary is one of those less-than-satisfying montages of comments from various members of cast and crew. Also included is Duran Duran's "A View to a Kill" video (sounding hopelessly dated now), the usual trailers and a brief deleted scene of comic relief inside a Parisian police station. The second documentary concerns the music of Bond--always a crucial ingredient--although it manages the neat diplomatic trick of interviewing both Monty Norman and John Barry without giving the least hint of any controversy about the famous James Bond theme. --Mark Walker
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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
Roger Moore's last outing as James Bond is evidence enough that it was time to pass the torch to another actor. Beset by crummy action (an out-of-control fire engine?) and featuring a fading Moore still trying to prop up his mannered idea of style, the Film is largely interesting for Christopher Walken's quirky performance as a sort-of supervillain who wants to take out California's Silicon Valley. Grace Jones has a spookily interesting presence as a lethal associate of Walken's (in the best Bond tradition, she has sex with 007 before trying to kill him later) and Patrick Macnee (Steed!) has a warm if brief bit. Even directed by John Glen, who brought some crackle to the Moore years in the Bond franchise, A View to a Kill is a very slight effort. --Tom Keogh
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
A View to a Kill, Roger Moore's last outing as James Bond, is evidence enough that it was time to pass the torch to another actor. Beset by crummy action (an out-of-control fire engine?) and featuring a fading Moore still trying to prop up his mannered idea of style, A View to a Kill is largely interesting for Christopher Walken's quirky performance as a sort-of super-villain who wants to take out California's Silicon Valley. Grace Jones has a spookily interesting presence as a lethal associate of Walken's (and who, in the best Bond tradition, has sex with 007 before trying to kill him later), and Patrick Macnee (Steed!) has a warm if brief bit. Even directed by John Glen, who brought some crackle to the Moore years in the Bond franchise, this is a very slight effort. --Tom Keogh, Amazon.com
A GOOD VIEW IN MY EYES
Review date: 2007-08-07 Rating: 8 out of 10
Roger Moore is too old, Tanya Roberts is too young for him, and Christopher Walken and Grace Jones make an odd pairing, but if this films is one thing it is very enjoyable. While these factors should make the film a disaster, it is, however, great fun, with Moore joyfully playful as usual, Roberts alright as a screaming heroine and Walken and Jones are great as the villains, Max Zorin and May Day. While it may seem like an odd pairing (Oscar winning actor, violent acting singer who attacks chat show hosts), they are superbly psychotic together (until May Day turns into a good guy at the end). There is a feeling here that it's all been done before, and possibly better. Megalo-maniacal villain, here trying to destroy Silicon Valley, the heroine who is clever but needs Bond to save her, the puns and double meanings as well as the fast paced action sequences, but it strangely works for me. As a Bond film it isn't a classic, and it sure as hell it ain't one of Moore's best. It will never compare to Goldfinger, From Russia With Love, Licence to Kill, The World is not Enough, The Spy Who Loved Me or The Man with the Golden Gun, what it will do is provide the audience with two hours of solid fun. If there's is anything overtly wrong with the film it's the use of the Beach Boys when Bond is snow boarding (John Glen should hang his head in shame for that one). However when you have Moore, despite looking too old for the part here, being playful as usual, a great villain in the shape of Walken who is typically in psychotic mode here, a great theme tune from Duran Duran and a wonderful score from John Barry why should we complain.
Bond films are meant to be about entertainment, anybody watching these films for dialog or plot needs their head examined. While it is fun to get Bond films that put the plot and characters center staged like Licence to Kill, For Your Eyes Only and The World is Not Enough, it is also great when we get fun pieces of entertainment like this. The film is eye and ear candy. Barry's music is so much fun it clearly goes well with the film and while Tanya Roberts sure as hell ain't a great actress, she is pleasant on the eye. All in all it is great fun and while I know there are many out there that really hate this film I don't. I love it, so there.