You Only Live Twice

I absolutely loved this one. It's so much fun (James Bond teaming up with ninjas!) that you can't help but smile throughout the film. Little Nellie and Tiger's reaction to it ("It's a children's toy!") is priceless, and Blofeld is easily one of the greatest movie villains of all time.

It also helps that it's written by a writing genius in Roald Dahl, who with the likes of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and James And The GIANT Peach wrote some of the best stories ever told.

Ahh, here's the serious Bond film. I mean, at least compared to the 1967 version of Casino Royale (out months before) this is as realistic as possible. Honestly, I was a little surprised with how into the movie I was this time. I feel like this has always been one that I don't have many serious problems with, but at the same time it isn't something I feel the need to catch all the time. But this viewing was different, I was into it all. I wish Connery was happier to be in this, but otherwise I don't have major complaints. The helicopter fights, the ninja fights, the space scenes, the sumo fights... all pretty damn entertaining.

Another classic Bond with cool tools. In this one, he uses his famous ultra light copter that was afterwards copied by many in real life. As always, it is a solid Bond with the usual Sean Connery charm.

The best Bond, Connery, fighting with Spectra in Japan, has everything to like

Sean Connery's James Bond battles the sinister Blofeld, who's trying to initiate World War III by stealing spacecrafts of both the US and the USSR.

This is certainly one of the craziest Bond flicks. There's lots of action and everything's done on a grand scale. Highlights are Bond's dogfight using "Little Nellie"; a helicopter assembled from four suitcases and Blofeld's spectacular hollowed-out volcano lair; set design courtesy of Ken Adam.

In this installment of the 007 saga, Sean Connery once again embodies the iconic James Bond with unmatched elegance and charisma. The film retains the extravagant, action-packed spirit that defines the franchise, delivering a spy thriller that blends international intrigue, futuristic technology, and memorable villains.

The screenplay, penned by Roald Dahl, is one of the standout elements, weaving a narrative set in an exotic and captivating location. The cultural details and stunning Japanese settings give this adventure a unique flavor, while the plot unfolds at a brisk, engaging pace.

Lewis Gilbert’s direction ensures the film maintains its dynamism, especially during the action sequences, which feature high-tech battles, hand-to-hand combat, and a spectacular volcanic lair that has become an iconic element of spy cinema. The villain, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, brings a menacing presence that perfectly complements the story, standing out as one of the most intriguing antagonists of the series.

The production design is impressive, particularly in its gadgets and set pieces, which enhance the visual experience. While some elements may seem excessive or over-the-top, they are part of the charm of this era of the franchise.

Overall, this film strikes a balance between unabashed fun and moments of high intensity, offering an entertaining and visually striking experience worthy of Bond's legacy.

The James Bond Films
1 Eon films
1.1 Dr. No (1962) https://trakt.tv/movies/dr-no-1962
1.2 From Russia with Love (1963) https://trakt.tv/movies/from-russia-with-love-1963
1.3 Goldfinger (1964) https://trakt.tv/movies/goldfinger-1964
1.4 Thunderball (1965) https://trakt.tv/movies/thunderball-1965
1.5 You Only Live Twice (1967) https://trakt.tv/movies/you-only-live-twice-1967
1.6 On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) https://trakt.tv/movies/on-her-majesty-s-secret-service-1969
1.7 Diamonds Are Forever (1971) https://trakt.tv/movies/diamonds-are-forever-1971
1.8 Live and Let Die (1973) https://trakt.tv/movies/live-and-let-die-1973
1.9 The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) https://trakt.tv/movies/the-man-with-the-golden-gun-1974
1.10 The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) https://trakt.tv/movies/the-spy-who-loved-me-1977
1.11 Moonraker (1979) https://trakt.tv/movies/moonraker-1979
1.12 For Your Eyes Only (1981) https://trakt.tv/movies/for-your-eyes-only-1981
1.13 Octopussy (1983) https://trakt.tv/movies/octopussy-1983
1.14 A View to a Kill (1985) https://trakt.tv/movies/a-view-to-a-kill-1985
1.15 The Living Daylights (1987) https://trakt.tv/movies/the-living-daylights-1987
1.16 Licence to Kill (1989) https://trakt.tv/movies/licence-to-kill-1989
1.17 GoldenEye (1995) https://trakt.tv/movies/goldeneye-1995
1.18 Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) https://trakt.tv/movies/tomorrow-never-dies-1997
1.19 The World Is Not Enough (1999) https://trakt.tv/movies/the-world-is-not-enough-1999
1.20 Die Another Day (2002) https://trakt.tv/movies/die-another-day-2002
1.21 Casino Royale (2006) https://trakt.tv/movies/casino-royale-2006
1.22 Quantum of Solace (2008) https://trakt.tv/movies/quantum-of-solace-2008
1.23 Skyfall (2012) https://trakt.tv/movies/skyfall-2012
1.24 Spectre (2015) https://trakt.tv/movies/spectre-2015
1.25 No Time to Die (2021) https://trakt.tv/movies/no-time-to-die-2021

2 Non-Eon films
2.1 Casino Royale (1967) https://trakt.tv/movies/casino-royale-1967
2.2 Never Say Never Again (1983) https://trakt.tv/movies/never-say-never-again-1983

Connery is really phoning it in by this point, but it is still enjoyable. Cheesier than ever, which is not necessarily bad. I like it marginally more than Thunderball before it. Still not the James Bond films I would recommend to non-fans.

Rating: 2.5/5 - 70% - Worth Watching

It has all the ingredients of a Bond movie, the good and the bad. Although one has to take into account that this is an old movie from a different time.
I like the space scenes and they already had a re-usable spacecraft. That's futuristic at that point. They take a very long time to show Japan and part of the culture. I like it when the location becomes almost a character. Tropical islands all look alike. And the sets are once more absolutely great. The finale was explosive to say the least.
My one big beef with the story: [spoiler] why did they kill Karin Dor ? She was much more interesting than the Japanese girl. [/spoiler]

Minuses first... Connery is aging rapidly.

The quite horrendous 'Japenese-ing' looks more like Dumb And Dumber: The Prequel.

The now-usual sexual assault has now graduated to pimping by the Japanese agency.

The same problems we had with the underwater scenes in Thunderball are evident in the space scenes here - though thankfully they're a bit shorter.

On the pluses... The gyrocopter scene is still pretty cool - and the instrumental of the theme song is fantastic.

Oh and book me on that 3-day Ninja course. Seems nice and easy!


7/10