Never Say Never Again
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Movie Reviews of Never Say Never Again
Movie Review: Everyone's a critic
Summary: 4 Stars
You know, I saw NSNA in theatres as a young teen, and having been brought up in the Moore era, I really did not see it as a bad or good movie, just an action movie. In later years, I kept hearing this was the orphan James Bond movie, that it really wasn't very good, and that when the Bond films were being released on VHS in the early 1990's, it was not worth looking for. I promptly forgot about the movie's existence.
Then something happened. Over the two successive DVD releases of Bond films over the last decade, I started remembering mysterious, hazy scenes of a chess game that caused the players to feel the pain of their decisions, with a round-faced bad guy who loved the water. Sean Connery played the lead role. Ooooh! And then there was that really, sexy bad lady in (what was for 1980) a very brief bathing suit. But what movie were these scenes from? Oh yeah! Never Say Never Again. The power of negative reviews! I decided to watch it again and yes, it did have some bizarre production values for a Bond film. The opening music is truly awful for the scenes shown. (Irving, my Empire Strikes Back friend, what were you thinking?)
But by the end of the movie, the good plot points outweighed the bad. There were some moments of humor...perhaps too many for a Bond film...but I didn't feel as if I wasted 2 hours of my life. I enjoyed it. And while I prefer the Broccoli/Salzman productions, I think seeing an alternative like this is rewarding. Even if you don't like it as much, it's a different take. Mind you, after many years of being a habitual fuddy-duddy, I now now enjoy trying new things and looking at different perspectives. You may not.
As a true Bond fan, it's almost a must own anyways, especially at Amazon's price. Extras? Well, yes, that would be nice. A commentary or two? Redux? Digital restoration? Sure, but think about it...if you owned the rights to this movie, after reading about so many low ratings over the years, would you invest $5 million in a redo? Well, I hope the owners/studio will consider it, because I think the film is worth it.
Movie Review: Four Reasons To Own This "Unofficial" Bond Flick:
Summary: 4 Stars
1.) Sean Connery's back in the role to which most people best associate him (would "Trainspotting" REALLY have been as good without the dialogue between Renton and Sick Boy in the park during the air rifle scene?) >
2.) Film and special effects technology finally had finally caught up with the series by the time this movie was made. As cool as Sean Connery was back in the shagadelic '60's, baby, the special effects in his movies were really second-rate. They may have been a step up from the Godzilla movies of the era, but not by much. The action in this movie seems to take place in real time rather than in a special effets lab.
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3.) The supporting cast are awesome...former Blaxploitation superstar Bernie Casey may be the best CIA Operative Felix Leiter there's ever been; Rowan Atkinson ("Mr. Bean", to most of us Americans) is good as the hopelessly up-tight Nigel Small-Fawcett, and does anyone really need to be told just how hot Kim Basinger and Barbara Carrera are as a "Bond Girl" double-barrelled blast?
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4.) THE PRICE!!! With all the other MGM/UA Bond films weighing in at [price](or more), only Ted Turner himself can afford to own them. This admitted re-make of "Thunderball" is not the best Bond movie out there...IMHO that distinction goes to "For Your Eyes Only" (sue me, I'm a hockey fan and I grew up during the Roger Moore years)...but for the price alone this is worth owning. True, the classic "James Bond Theme" is missing, and it is a bit tacky seeing the jet-setters in tuxedoes and evening gowns playing "Centipede" instead of baccarrat (sp?), but this DVD is the James Bond film anyone can own...and regardless of what shortcomings other reviewers have attributed this effort, none of them fall on Sean Connery's (ample-as-ever) shoulders; give it a shot (with a Walther PPK or a union jack fountain pen)!
Movie Review: Sean Connery returns again as "James Bond" at 52.
Summary: 4 Stars
Thought that YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1967) was Sean Connery's last "Bond" film? Well after they tried George Lazenby in the "James Bond" role in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE (1969), they brought Sean Connery back for DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971).
However, 12 years later, Sean Connery returned to be "James Bond" one last time in NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN. This film is a rarity to see and is not part of the "official" James Bond package. It is declared "Unofficial" because it was made by a different production company, not EON Productions.. You will notice how different the film is by the style it is filmed in and the original MI6 cast members were not cast.
M (Edward Fox) believes that James Bond (Sean Connery) has slowed down with age and has been put on a strict diet. Bond reminds M that he now teaches and hasn't been used as a double 00. Don't worry. Bond will be right back in action as soon as he finishes his "therapy" with Miss Fearing (Prunella Gee).
Blofeld (Max Von Sydow) is back in action and will use Largo (Klaus Marie Brandauer) and Fatima Blush (Barbara Carrera) to avenge James Bond.
Bond's mission is to go to the Bahama's and get closer to Fatima Blush and in Nice he gets to massage Domino (Kim basinger). All in a day's work for James Bond.
Sean Connery was 52 at the time of filming and proved he was still in vigorous form.
This film was the longest "James Bond" film ever made at 2 hours, 17 minutes. Rated PG.
DVD includes spoken languages of English, Spanish. Subtitles: French, Spanish or choose none.
Movie Trailer for "Never Say Never Again".
Movie Review: Never Say Never Again
Summary: 4 Stars
I may be the only person alive who thinks that "Never Say Never Again" is better than the film it is based on; "Thunderball". The fourth 007 picture; "Thunderball" was definitely one of the better Bond adventures but "NSNA" has a special magic to it.For starters it is definitely pleasing to have Connery back one more time as Bond, but what makes "NSNA" a better film than "Thunderball" are the supporting players. The danger that Largo presents to Bond here is much more affecting and dramatic than in "Thunderball". The action sequences are more ingenious, the art direction is more elegant, and the performaces are more well tuned.
Whether you prefer "Thunderball" to "NSNA" or not, "NSNA" is still a great Bond entertainment.
The story involves an older 007 (Sean Connery) who must have retired from espionage after "Diamonds Are Forever", because now is is slightly out of shape and much older. 007 is called back into action after the terrorist group S.P.E.C.T.R.E. has stolen two nuclear warheads and is holding the world hostage.
He travels to the Bahamas (just as in "Thunderball") and seduces a young Kim Basinger and gets seduced by Catherine Zeta Jones... uh, I mean a S.P.E.C.T.R.E. assasin played by Barbara Carrera. You all know the rest.
While not the best 007 film, I think that "Never Say Never Again" is a more entertaining alternative to the classic 007 adventure "Thunderball".
Movie Review: Connery Is BACK!!!
Summary: 4 Stars
Is this film a rehash of Thunderball? Yes. Are some of the effects a little cheesy? Yes. Is it considered an unofficial Bond film because of not originally being on MGM? Yes. Does any of that matter a damn when you consider that it's Sean Freakin' Connery back in the role of James Bond? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Even a not so good Connery Bond film is still better than most. This film delivers most of the things you want out of a Bond film, and the only things it doesn't are due to copyright mumbo jumbo (the most disheartening being the famous gun-hood opening and signature music being missing, and of course, the late great Desmond Llwynne not appearing as Q). Connery is lean and mean in this one, and in fact looks better than he did in Diamonds Are Forver. And beside, this film is way better than the Roger Moore film "Octopussy", which was released the same year, and for some unGodly reason did better at the box office. By this time, I think most will agree that Roger Moore was begining to wear out his welcome, and so (since it would be a few more years before the great Timothy Dalton made the role his own) it was a great time for Sir Sean to come back one more time and remind us what James Bond is all about! Cars! Women! Collateral Damage!! And honestly, I don't think anybody who wasn't told previously would have ever even known that this wasn't and official Bond flick. Watch for a small role played by a young, pre-Mr. Bean Rowan Atkinson!