Reviews (13)

THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS--A very memorable war picture!!
My son asked me to purchase some WWII DVD's for him this past Christmas. Sadly, I wasn't able to include the best NAVAL WWII movies which were made by the British. Two of the best of them were The Man Who Never Was and Sink The Bismark. Sadly neither of these titles are available on DVD. Both are better than just about any of the American WWII movies (yes, I'm an American). Both of these movies are based on TRUE stories (Unlike Disney's latest Pearl Harbor movie!!), only the minor characters are fictional. If you ever see the Man who Never Was you will never forget it. The story is about a true scheme which the Brits used to make the Germans believe the southern European landings were going to be in a different location than the real one. They discuss how to do this and come up with the idea of obtaining a body of a young man, which they are going to dress up as an officer with invasion plans for another location than the one intended. The movie spends a lot of time explaining how they got the body, what they had to do to fake all this, including figuring out on which European beach they should have the body wash ashore. Unlike most American movies, you really get an excellent view of what it's really like to plan CIA type operations. Wonderful movie. You will love all the characters, even the villains!! Lots of naval action from the highest to the lowest commands. Buy it.
---UNFORTUNATELY IT IS NOT AVAILABLE ON DVD YET!!!----
Neither is "Sink the Bismark", which I remember seeing in college back in the early '60's. I remember it vividly because the auditorium in which it was shown allowed the audience to "attack and sink" the Bismark using paper airplanes!! This movie is also terrific. It too is VERY British. It too explains why the British Navy was so awesome in WWII. It also has great actors in great roles. Super movie. Both of these movies are the best in WWII movies. Now if I could just remember the name of the British naval movie which tells the story of the naval war off the coast of South America!! Yet another wonderful British Naval movie!!
The Man Who Never Was has scenes which should bring tears to your eyes, if you are the least bit sensitive!! Good movie to get your gal into crying on your shoulder!! (And that actually happened as well ;-)

An exciting World War II movie
I rate "The Man Who Never Was" as an excellent and exciting World War II movie. Why can't movies be made like this anymore? Recent World War II movies are not accurate and place too much emphasis on effects. In my opinion, the more "special effects" a movie has, the more fake it is. Anyhow, "The Man Who Never Was" describes the true events of the British trying to confuse the Germans as to where the Allies will invade - Sicily or Greece. By arranging to have a dead body wash ashore in Spain with top-secret documents, the British cause the Germans to alter their defenses, thus saving the Allies from suffering even more casualties. How the British found a body, the details that they had to come up with to make the Germans believe the body was for real, and the subsequent German effort to determine whether or not the information found on the body was accurate, all make for an exciting story which moves at a swift pace. This is really a great World War II movie.

Great British Naval Movies
I liked this movie very much. It went into great but not overwhelming detail about the British Naval Intelligence Service during WWII. The detail the British went through to confuse the Germans was phenominal and was very adequately portrayed in the movie. David Niven playing the lead did a good job of portraying the methodical British Naval officer in charge of the detail. Another great British Naval movie had two names. The first one was "The Persuit Of The Graf Spee" and then released as "The Battle Of The River Plate". It was filmed in great color and was about the battle off South America between the German pocket battleship Graf Spee and 3 cruisers, two British and one New Zealand: The Ajax, Exeter and Achilles. The Graf Spee was portrayd by the US Navy's heavy cruiser USS Salem and because of the difference in US and British ship construction the look of the Graf Spee was very different from the British ships and therefore much more believable. This movie has been out of print for some time and as of two years ago there were no plans to make it available

A great flick.
I loved the attention to detail on generating the history of the "Man Who Never Was". this had me wondering what they would miss. Would they miss anything?

You'll love it.

One of the finest WW II films of the 1950s
Although the film was a ostensibly a 20th Century Fox production, THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS was filmed in England using primarily English crew and cast (though American leads). It belongs to a tradition of English war films in which aspects of the war are treated slowly, deliberately, and with great precision. While in the US war films tended to feature John Wayne leading Marines into combat, the British tended to focus much more on the preparation and plans of operations. For instance, the very fine film THE DAM BUSTERS features very little in the way of actual combat. And THE MAN WHO NEVER WAY has no combat whatsoever.

The movie is based on a book by the same name about Operation Mincemeat, in which the British attempted to mislead the Germans about the intended invasion spot for D-Day by planting a corpse with fake papers on a beach in Spain, knowing that the Spanish would pass the papers onto the Germans. The entire movie is involved with the formation of the plan, and then creating the man who never was, creating his papers and personal effects. On one level, not much happens in the film, but on another it is one of the most fascinating films ever made about the war, because of the practical problems they deal with in the executing of the operation. Knowing that it was all based upon real events greatly adds to the appeal of the film.

Clifton Webb, who was in fact far too old for the part, turns in a convincing performance as Lieutenant Commander Montagu. In most of his films he comes across as arrogant, but in this one he instead communicates competence and intelligence. Gloria Grahame is excellent as the primary female presence in the film. If you look carefully, you can spot Stephen Boyd in a small role, a few years before he would portray Messala in BEH-HUR. ... Read more

Reviews (431)

A solid action/espionage movie that does not insult the mind
I did not see this movie when it first came out as I am getting tired of the summer extravaganzas that try to outdo one another with how many more explosions they can generate than what is playing in the next theatre. Notwithstanding, I decided to give it a shot as I loved the energy and pacing of director Doug Liman's "Go," and also liked the comedic edge and freshness that he brought to his debut ("Swingers"). I was still somewhat apprehensive as taut and original action thrillers are very hard to come by as most current movies couple the violence with buddy comedy elements that take away from a genre that has only been successfully executed by Steven Spielberg in his wildly entertaining "Minority Report". But I digress.

Since I hate it when reviewers give too much away, I will only say that Matt Damon stars as Jason Bourne (or is he?), a barely alive amnesiac with a pair of bullet wounds in his back, pulled from the Mediterranean by Italian fishermen. The scene itself is very exciting and draws you into it's web. Bourne's only clue to his own identity is a bank account number etched on a capsule implanted in his body. What follows gets very complicated and keeps you on the edge of your seat as other summer extravaganzas seem to fail to. Like its summer "cousins", the movie has action scenes, guns, explosions, an awesome car chase (that relies more on execution than on how many cars can explode), a potential love interest, and many of the usual suspects, BUT it entertains and I did not feel like checking my watch every 5 minutes. Is it Oscar material? Heck no, but within its own genre its one of the year's best.

Matt Damon, who I never quite appreciate, would seem to be miscast to play this type of character, but he is actually quite perfect is he tones it down and makes Jason Bourne almost seem like an everyman who slowly discovers that he has skills he never knew he had. The casting department should be proud of itself as it cast Franka Potente (from "Run Lola Run") as the main female protagonist. The actress is not your cookie cutter beauty nor has the marquee appeal that I am sure the producers would have liked to have a "name" for the role; but someone realized that her acting chops and international background would give the movie some grounding as her character is supposed to be a European gypsy woman who I could not see being played by say Julia Roberts.

The director does a great job in both action and character driven scenes and manages to bring excitement to a gray winter European exteriors and drab interior settings. With the exception of the first fight sequence (which is makes Damon look like he has superhero powers) and later what would seem to be a physically impossible shoot out, everything feels real and the violence is not stylized. The story is incredibly well paced and even the smaller roles are well cast. The only exception is Julia Stiles, who I hope was only a victim of some scenes winding up on the cutting room floor, as she's a talented actress who brings not a thing to this movie.

In a nutshell, this movie is about international intrigue and one man's refusal to be a pawn in some sinister, global chess game. Many things feel improbable but never less than engrossing. Also, the basic premise is not played for laughs (which I enjoyed as I am sick of tongue in cheek homages that use humor as a cop out) and the plot (once fully exposed) for once does not involve a "brilliant" psychopath with either a desire to take over the world or get even for ______ (fill in the blank with your favorite cliché). This movie solidly earns its 4 stars as a nice version of what I'd like to see in summer extravaganzas.

Action plus romance on the run
Greek sailors find a man floating in the Med sea, take him in, and their doc finds a couple bullet holes in his back, as well as a laser capsule in his leg with a Swiss bank account number. The man recovers, but suffers from amnesia. Thus begins his quest to regain his identity. Only, when he opens the security box in Switzerland, he discovers passports from half a dozen countries, wads of cash in various currencies, loads of cool spy gear, and a gun.
Soon the chase is on, from Zurich to Paris, as our man Bourne enlists the help of the German gypsy Marie (charming Franka Potente) and eludes the operatives sent by his CIA superiors until a stunning conclusion when he returns to Paris.
What I liked:
Great setting details of Europe, especially Paris. There were a number of key action sequences, including a car chase involving a Mini taking on French police, and the wildest stairway descent I've ever seen on film. I also thought Matt Damon and Franka Potente had good screen chemistry. There was also a moving scene where Bourne confronts one the assassins on his trail, the professor, played by Clive Owen in a small part.
What needed work:
The hero with amnesia card has been played before, and I would have liked a little more development of Damon's character other than him realizing he had all these drilled in spy skills. We never do get a sense of his likes and dislikes. I liked the film ending over the alternate version, but both could have been better.
This is a movie I would watch again.

Bourne Conspiracy
Okay, I'm writing this because I feel that I've been burned. I just purchased the 2004(?) re-release of this DVD and I was very disappointed. The package describes an "explosive extended edition" and "includes an all-new beginning and ending". I've got to admit that I loved the movie when it was in the theatres, and am happy that it is now in my collection, but I never would have bought it had I known the hype was so lame. The 'explosive' new beginning and ending were NOT, and really add nothing to the movie (I won't 'spoil' the 'surprise' for those die-hard fans). Plus they couch the reasons for excluding them from the theatrical release in some 9/11 mumbo-jumbo that was not clearly defined enough to understand. I think it's just a marketing ploy. If you're looking for a major addition to the original in this new release...please say, "I wasn't Bourne yesterday!"

Thrilling, Exciting, Spies Among Us!
Robert Ludlum wrote "The Bourne Identity" in the 1980's and it is the quintessential "spy" story. It is a thriller and the characters are so rich and well drawn.

A man is dragged from the sea. He has two bullet wounds and a "chip" embedded into his body. These are removed; the man recovers from this ordeal. He does not, however, remember anything, His name, where he is from from and his entire identity has been lost. He takes the chip and goes in search of himself. In a bank in Zurich he finds his identity- Jason Bourne and several other passports and lots of money. Enough information for Jason Bourne to change his identity whenever he needs to. But what does this mean? It appears to mean that many people are after Jason Bourne, that he has information that many people want or they want this information to die!! Around every corner is danger and there is no one that he can trust. He meets up with two CIA analysts who appear to be trustworthy, but are they really? He travels all over Europe and changes identities at every turn. He meets very interesting people at every turn. His life is full of risk and danger. Jason Bourne is an important person with so much hidden information that he doesn't remember. But as time goes on, the people he meets share some of what he is missing, and he is beginning to put the pieces together. He begins a love affair, and he thinks this is what he has been looking for. Why can't he be happy as a single man leaving the "spy" profession and finding his true love?

The movie stars Matt Damon as Jason Bourne, and he does a credible job. The action filming is wonderfully done. The car chases and the flights on foot and in trains are very real and I felt I was amongst them. I was part of the action!! Franke Potente plays Jason Bourne's love interest. Chris Cooper is the enemy and as always is a star- a cruel man who completes his job. The scenery is fantastic and brilliant. What I did miss in this movie that was not transposed from the book, is the storyline of Carlos, The Jackal. This is an important part of the book, and is not in the movie at all. Jason Bourne and Carlos have much admiratiion for each other even though they are sworn enemies. This is a significant loss, and the movie does not have the drama, background and richness of the book. This is, however, a movie to be enjoyed- I understand the sequel, "The Bourne Supremacy" is out this week. A Must See. prisrob

It Got Bouring At Times.
First off let me silence the critics, Matt Damon was very good in this movie. I don't always care for the " cat and mouse" routine plotted into movies. This movie is not any acception. The pace is very long and dry, and when there is an action sequence, it is very brief. The plot itself is very good, but very herky-jerky. You could get lost if you miss some of the movie. The ending is fair, and I doubt that I will go and see the next segment to this series "The Bourne Supremacy." A fair time filler, but nothing to write home to mommy about. ... Read more

Description

A troubleshooting special agent is assigned to the investigation of a worldwide terror ring headquartered in Hawaii. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Great for the opposite reasons
My name is Jim McLain, spelled the same way as in the movie. This said I'm here to tell you that this is a five star rating because I LOVE terrible movies! Sometimes I wish John Wayne hadn't used the rare spelling I do in my name. The Duke was running, yes RUNNING from the House of Unamerican Activities. James Arnes Gets bested by two little oriental guys who combined don't match his weight and beat him down hand to hand! More sermons than an Amish Convention. Great drunk late night viewing!

For Patriots Only
OK, I know the ultradicallibrocrats of our society disaprove of any attempt to recognize the evils and sins of communism. When commies are portrayed as evil, or if there is an attempt to defeat them, the libs will howl and bellow all kinds of leftist rhetoric. And they certainly make a big stink about this movie, which goes to show how good it really is. Why is it that the libs always are critical of anti-communist sentiments, but never seem to have any objection to anti-fascist movie? Hmmm.... I wonder.
If you're patriotic and want to see one of the few films that puts a white hat on the good guys, this is a show for you.
Forget the whining of the pink brigade and enjoy the show.

Relax and enjoy
In some ways this movie can be seen as political [persuasion] from the 50's, but so what. All I can say is relax and enjoy. Enjoy the Hawaiian scenery and ignore the attempts to turn you into a blue blooded right wing capitalist. It's still a pretty well made movie from my standpoint. It's slow pace is due to the sort of documentary feel of it. It's pacing is more like All the President's Men. Not to say it's as good as that movie, and it's definatly coming from the "right" side of the fence.
...
Forget the politics and get the popcorn.

Underrated
This excellent movie about two detectives (6'4 (76) Wayne and 6'7 Arness) who search for Communism in the Honolulu area. The plot is realistic in the sense that the movie is about something that was happening in 1952. Many people don't like this, even though I don't know why. It has everything: comedy, action, scenery, adventure, remorse, etc. It is a switch for Wayne (who would make Hondo in '53 and The Searchers in '56.), but it shows how great an actor John Wayne is. This is a must-see movie for any fan of Wayne, big or small.

A neat movie!
This is a good movie! I see that a lot of people don't like it. I'll admit it's slow, but it has a good lesson. I mean, it's totally patriotic and wonderful! You can really see how patriotic the Duke was. James Arness costars and is cool. I enjoy watching it every so often, and I think it's a good movie. That's my humble opinion! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Middle-eastern terrorism provides the dense, perpetually timely context of The Little Drummer Girl, loyally adapted from John Le Carré's complex bestseller. It's slow going at first, taking pains to establish the tragically complicated plight of Charlie (Diane Keaton), a left-wing, pro-Palestinian actress, recruited by Israeli intelligence in 1981 to play the role of a lifetime: Once her loyalties are turned, she will lure a dominant Palestinian terrorist (Sami Frey) into a deadly trap. She's an unwitting pawn, vulnerable to romance (particularly with her Israeli recruiter, played with subtle conviction by Greek-born Yorgo Voyagis), and Keaton brings sympathetic naiveté to her character's potentially lethal dilemma. Klaus Kinski is arguably miscast as the Israeli intelligence chief, but viewers are more likely to stumble over the film's constant flow of intricate detail. The Little Drummer Girl is not always easy to follow, but attentive viewers will be rewarded, and the plot itself is, sadly, as relevant as ever. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Diane Keaton plays a spy
Diane Keaton plays "The Little Drummer Girl", a young American actress recruited into a very complex plot to help catch an international Arab terrorist. The plan involves a lot of twists, backstabing, and double crosses, so you'll forgive me if I don't go into the details. Diane Keaton dose well as the vulnerable woman who is seduced into this rather complicated mission, where she is scared because she dosn't know everything that is going on or who she can trust. Keaton is strong and believable as a Palistine sympathizer. Yorgo Voyagis and Klaus Kinski as Keaton's contact and his suprerior (resectivly) also stand out with excellent performances. I really bought the love story between Keaton and Voyagis, which is rare; usually I hate the love stories in espionage thrillers, this one felt real. It is mostly subtle, only the violence at the end is brutal and bloody, but not too badly. I keep watching movies like this one or "Black Sunday" and I get chills at how close these movies are to (then) future events. Although that's where similerities end, "Little Drummer Girl" makes former West Germany it's target of terror. I liked this movie, it had the reality that James Bond dosen't, and heart that Tom Clancy is usually lacking. Good job all around.

The Little Drummer Girl
I really love this movie, although I have to admit I didn't catch the entire plot until I turned on closed captioning on my TV. A lot of the words are just too garbled to understand. My one big complaint about the movie itself is the casting of Diane Keaton. This isn't a criticism of her looks since I think she's very attractive, however for the role she was playing they needed someone who was very pretty in order to be convincing. She does do a magnificent job of acting the part.

This movie is one the most romantic I have ever seen. Although there are only a few romantic areas in it, they are enough to carry the whole thing and make your your knees go weak. I became an instant Yorgo Voyagis fan after seeing this.

The plot is excellent and carries you through to the end. I recommend this movie very much.

great spy movie!
forget the tacky 1980's clothes that Diane Keaton wears, forget the fact that Diane Keaton was a mite too old to be playing the Mata Hari, this is a fantastic spy movie!

A more boiled down verson of the novel by the same name (this is one of the rare example where I think the movie is better than the book) is complex and gritty; a fluid example of the race/religion quagmire that is the State of Israel. Klaus Kinski is absollutely fabulous and subtle in his role as the leader of the Israeli spy team that is trying to hunt down a mysterious bomber (remarkable performance by Sami Frey as the Palestinian bomber) and Diane Keaton, though a little too mature to be playing a somewhat nieve actresss who is recruited to pose as the bomber's brother's lover, plays through her confusion of grappling with her pro-Palestinian political affilations while at the same time working for the Israelis. The supporting cast of characters are equally complex if not extremely present in the movie which adds to the feel and scope of the spy operation that ensues.

The final hour is emotionally engaging and harrowing as is Keaton's eventual nervous breakdown after the bomber is caught. The extent of the spy operation is also grand in scope without being overbearing or, likewise, confusing.
A great movie for a cloudy day when you feel in the mood for a little intrigue!

YIKES
I was surprised at how dopey this movie was -- I mean, right from the beginning. But then, it wasn't made yesterday -- it was made 20 years ago. I guess nowadays we demand a far more detailed setting for a flick involving Middle East intrigue. It felt so much like a standard issue TV episode from the early 80s that I kept expecting to see a commercial break. I swear I've seen episodes of Gilligan's Island that outperform this film in terms of suspense and plot development.

The terrorism is familiar but the plot is implausible.
This 1984 film is based on the novel by John LeCarre and deals with a subject we've all become too familiar with lately: terrorism. Diane Keaton stars as a young woman who's into causes and even though she shows Palestinian sympathies, is still recruited by the Israeli Mosad to become an operative. What follows is an entirely implausible plot that required utmost concentration to follow.

Klaus Kinski played the part of the Israeli leader and even though he is a good actor, his Nordic looks made him hard to believe as an Israeli. Yorgo Voyagis, a handsome Greek actor, played the Israeli agent who gets romantically involved with Keaton. Problem is that their relationship never really sizzled and it was hard to believe she wound up putting herself in so much danger for a cause she felt so lukewarm about or for this man with whom she had few, if any, love scenes with.

I liked Keaton in her role, cast as an actress with a rather ditzy personality. The role called for her displaying her own insecurities as well as courage. She also played it in a way to make it clear that she was attracted more to the adventure and the Israeli agent than she was to the politics.

There's good cinematography and a fine sense of place. Scenes are shot in Germany, England, Greece and the Middle East. It all looks very real. There's a moderate amount of tension, especially near the end, but the story itself lacks believability and emotional intensity.

Times have changed since the film was produced, which was groundbreaking then because it showed the moral ambiguity and savage methods used by both the Israelis and Palestinians. The computers the characters used were the latest technology then too, but I had to smile the black and white monitors and dot matrix printers. Watching the film is a trip back into the past with overtones that are all too true in the present. And it's sad to note that the conflict it deals with has grown in intensity since. ... Read more

Reviews (182)

Fantasy romp is a real pleasrure
I recently said that Hollywood may have forgotten how to make family movies. It seemed like an art lost in a sea of social changes. It is often said that children aren't as innocence as they used to be. If so, this is equally true of adults. Stories that entertained our grandparents are ones that many of us today find tame, trite and tedious. So, Spy Kids is a welcome surprise. It's fast, funny and innovative. By design, it's greatest appeal is to children, but most parents should enjoy it, too. It is like a Tim Burton movie [The Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman, Sleepy Hollow] with all the dark overtones happily banished. It doesn't make any sense, but, like all great tall tales, it exists in its own space and time.

It took an odd pairing to create this movie. Its star, Antonio Banderas, gained fame as a very hot lover in movies in his native Spain. Director Robert Rodriguez started out in Mexico making movies that were stylish and creative but extremely violent. Until Spy Kids, his American movies were the same. I don't know what drew them to this project, but I'm glad they chose to do it.

Carmen and Juni [Alexa Varga and Daryl Sabara] are kids who live in a cool house overlooking the ocean. Their parents, Gregorio and Ingrid [Banderas and Carla Gugino] are loving but decidedly uncool as far as Carmen and Juni are concerned. Mom is overly protective, and Dad seems to be a wimp. They run a consulting business out of the house. What the kids don't know is that Mom and Dad used to be international spies. Currently, Gregorio and Ingrid are looking into the disappearance of some former coworkers. Juni is obsessed with a wacky children's show starring the bizarre Fegan Floop [Alan Cummin]. The boy, as well as the rest of the family, is about to learn that Floop and the disappearing spies are very much connected. When Gregorio and Ingrid also vanish, the kids set out to find them. It will prove to be the adventure of a lifetime.

The sets are colorful and imaginative. There are lots of cool gadgets - crayons that are actually lasers, neat cars that are also boats and submarines and so forth. Floop has a treasure trove of creatures he has created, including the robot children he plans to use to take over the world. My favorite characters are his bodyguards - pudgy, waddling things that are literally all thumbs.

Banderas is fun as Gregorio, playing a kind of a parody of himself. Varga and Sabara make the children likable. These aren't the cloyingly cute kids you see in most family films. They have personalities with flair and great senses of humor. Cummin plays Floop as a Pee Wee Herman gone completely mad. He's a great villain.

Spy Kids may be about kidnapping and espionage on one level, but it's also about the importance of family, not in the sense of so-called family values, but in the sense of love and loyalty. There will be a sequel in 2002, and, for once, I'm glad to hear it.

In my top 5 of 2001!
GENERAL: Spy Kids is truly a delight, not offensive at all and can be watched over and over again. This movie exceeded my expectations by so much that I bought it. One of the best films in a long time.
ACTING: Wow, Alex Vega and Daryl Sabara knocked me over with their pro performences. The bounce off each other perfectly, and really seem like siblings. The rest of the supporting(adult) cast is great too- 100% flawless.
PLOT: Original and gripping, this is the entertaining story of two children whos parents are captured- while on a spy mission, which the kids have no idea about. Now the kids(Carmen and Juni) have to save their parents and the world from a creative madman.
HUMOR: Wonderful, I laughed hundreds of times during this film and have done so all 10+ times I have seen the movie since.
SPECIAL EFFECTS: This movie has a brand of special effects all it's own, completely original and convincing. A breath of fresh after the doses of metallic Star Wars CGI.
MUSIC: The score, by the director, is beautiful and original. Completely perfect, something that I will never forget. Worth buying the soundtrack.
SPECIAL FEATURES: This is one of the most bare-bones DVDs I've ever seen, terrible for such a great movie! Unless of course all you want is (dun dun dun dun) a trailer!
CONCLUSION: A wonderul family/comedy/thriller, great for anyone and memorable. Spy Kids is definitely worth buying on DVD, if only for the lasting sound quality and picture clarity.
MY GRADE: A+

a great first!
this movie was real good!when i first saw the trailer i didint think it would be that good!but we were going to see a movie but the tickets were sold out,so we just decided to go see this!i was surprised of how good it was!this movie is awsome!

OK but Could Have Been Better
We rented Spy Kids and it was ok and had a couple of scenes that were amusing but I think it could have been better. It was okay to watch once but not a movie I could watch again and again. It just didn't live up to all of the hype it received when it was released to the theaters though it did have a great cast, Antonio Banderas, Alan Cumming, etc but the movie seemed like it was rushed and over edited and some scenes are a little choppy and also this seems like a movie that a child would find more appealing then a adult but that is just my opinion.

Don't Watch This Movie
I saw this movie when it first came out in theatres and was incredibly disappointed. I found this strange considering that, at that time, I was the film's target audience. There was so much room for a clever spoof of spies like James Bond, but the whole movie seemed like an insult to spy movies. The film struggles and fails to be funny. At the theatre where I saw it, no one laughed. I suppose the cheap special effects and awful plot are something to laugh at. But it just felt sad. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A pre-Phantom Michael Crawford plays Woody, a goofycartoonist-accidentally-turned-spy in this Cold War-era lark. In Parisvisiting his friend, a CIA "file clerk," Woody is sent on a cloak-and-daggererrand and is mistaken for an operative by his beautiful Russian counterpart.She then contacts the agency with the demand that he, and only he, help her defect. Writer adopts comic book persona and voilà: Condorman! Thiswide-winged hero thwarts the pesky Soviets at every turn. From the oldrun-down farmer's truck he's driving emerges a flashy race car that outruns afleet of Russian vehicles. Later, in a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang moment, thecar sprouts floaters, allowing the pair to escape their pursuers by sea.Barbara Carrera's Natalia--the true spy of the two--is really just alongfor the ride. It's Condorman's show, as confirmed by the ending: ashot-filled showdown off the shores of Monte Carlo.--Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Condorman is a great movie for everyone.
I first saw this movie when I was very young and loved it ever since. Every time I see it on the Disney Channel, I tell myself that if I ever found this movie I'd buy it. All of my friends have to put up with it at least once a year. It's always been my favorite. I think that Michael Crawford is a wonderful actor.

Fun but not very good
I first saw this movie five years ago, as a preteen, with my father. We made jokes about what low-quality it was until I read a year ago that it stars Michael Crawford(Phantom of the Opera). It was still low quality (except the special effects, which are pretty good), but it is definitely worth it for Crawford fans. Crawford plays a cartoonist who, with an amazingly coincidental association with the CIA, acts out the exploits of his hero, Condorman. Not especially funny or thrilling, Condorman is a uniform mock-spy-thriller, with a good supporting cast but bad writing. Would probably be good for younger children (note the PG rating, though), and has gorgeous scenes in the Alps.

This movie changed my life!
It was 1981... I was a poor, young man lost in a cloud of bong smoke, living in some cardboard box on the corner of 1st and Main. I was living a lie. A horrible lie, like that time I told mom that binky the bunny ran away... and then served the family "lamb". Anyway, all I had were comics, graphic novels, if you know what I mean... and my favorite character? The Thing from the fantastic four. Why? He was encased in a shell of stone... just like me. So there I am in my box... and I happen to find $3.25 in canadian pennies one day. Instead of buying a premium bottle of the happy juice, I saw the marquee and it sang CONDORMAN. I was on the edge of my seat with the opening credits. This man... was me. A dreamer who had shed the skin of ambiguity and embraced the true nature of the... ummm... dream. I had no wings. Condorman gave me wings. I love you, Condorman. Whenever you're in my part of town, be sure to stop by... mine's the box where the rabid coyote prince sings his tortured songs of yesteryear. Bring that lady, too... man... I mean... umm... man. And eat meat.

Movie is 5 stars, but dvd is 1 star
I love this movie, and have been waiting for it to be released on dvd. Unfortunately, the dvd was not worth the wait. The dvd has no features whatsoever, not even subtitles. The main menu has two options, play movie and chapter selections. The sound and picture are no better than the video; the only benefits the dvd has over the video are that you can fast forward directly to a specific scene, and you have your choice of full screen and wide screen (double sided dvd). What's the point of making a dvd if it is as bad as this one? Very disappointing....
P.S. This is for the 1999 dvd version. I noticed that a new version was released in 2003. Hopefully that version is better.

Up In The Sky...It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's...Condorman?
Yes, it's Condorman, vulture of the western world and superhero/spy extraordinare! Disguised as mild-mannered comic book writer/illustrator Woody Wilkins (Michael Crawford) by day, Condorman must fight a never ending battle to save the world from the ever growing forces of evil that threaten to engulf it, while at the same time trying desperately to protect his beautiful Russian spy girlfriend Natalia (Barbara Carrera) from the clutches of the villainous Krokov (Oliver Reed)!

Highlighted by a well above average cast and an exciting musical score composed by the one-and-only Henry Mancini, and loaded with tons of adventure, action and excitement..."Condorman" is certainly a very fun movie to watch and is one that can be enjoyed by anyone, no matter how young or old they may be! ... Read more

Reviews (139)

"Remember - The Spy Who Loved Me"
On July 7,1977 (7-7-77), The Spy Who Loved Me roared into theaters across the country to become one of the most financially successful Bond films of all time. The tenth in the series, TSWLM marks the begining of the big Bond films, a trend that would continue (with the exception of For Your Eyes Only) throughout the rest of the series. In this film, James Bond (Roger Moore) must join forces with Soviet secret agent XXX (Barbara Bach) as they track down two missing nuclear submarines. Their search takes them to Egypt, Sardinia, and Atlantis, a giant underwater city owned by the shipping mogal Stromberg. Stromberg wishes to use the two submarine to start World War III by launching nuclear missles at New York City and Moscow. If successful, he wishes to start a new civilization under the sea. This is a grand movie. The action, gadgetry and the sets themslves are absolutly wonderful. Two more reasons to see TSWLM: the villanous Jaws (7-foot 2-inch actor Richard Keil) and "Nobdy Does It Better" the title song is arguably one of the best Bond songs of all - it's my personal favorite. So anyway, see this movie. It's the biggest. It's the Best. It's Bond. And B-E-Y-O-N-D.

Moore's best
The Spy who Loved Me was awesome.This film had the best settings,Roger Moore performance,and musical score.Atlantis was SWEET.Stromberg gets 3 out of five stars as a villain,while Jaws gets 4 and a half.Barbara Bach was great as agent Triple X.I love the car chase on land and the part were the Lotus Espirit turns into a submarine is awesome. The trapdoor in the elevator that led into the shark room was really cool.A good pre-title sequence with the ski chase.This movie takes place in Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.I liked the part when Jaws and Bond fought in the shark room. Kind of gruesome when he kills the shark though.

Great Bond Adventure
This is the 10th film in the long-running "James Bond" series and the third to star Roger Moore as Bond. This entry is also my favorite in the series (well, so far it is as I have only seen five Bond films).

007 is on another mission to the save the world (what else?) in "The Spy Who Loved Me." A pair of nuclear submarines from England and Russia have strangely disappeared and Bond...James Bond, is assigned to retrieve a microfilm that has recorded the movements of the British sub. The Russians send their own spy, the beautiful Anya Amasova, to find the film as well. At first, Amasova and Bond attempt to outwit each other to get the film but eventually the pair are ordered to team up to get to the heart of the problem. The trail they follow leads them to billionaire Karl Stromberg who has a dastardly plan to destroy the Earth...

This Bond episode works well thanks primarily to some good direction from Lewis Gilbert. Though the film is not well paced, Gilbert makes up for that with some excellent set pieces. I thought the fighting sequences on Stromberg's boat were particularly well done. There are some other good moments too, including the chase in the Lotus Espirit (which can transform into a submersible), the opening ski-chase, and Bond's dueling with steel-toothed bad guy Jaws. The acting here was serviceable, though I felt it left something to be desired. This happens to be the first Bond film I've seen in which Roger Moore is carrying the 007 moniker. Moore gets the job done but he seems to lack the edge of the two other Bond's I've seen: Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan. Meanwhile, Barbara Bach has the looks for a typical Bond-girl but is a bit stiff in her role. Still, she gives an effective performance. One more thing worth noting is the theme song by Carly Simon, "Nobody Does It Better." I really liked it and it seems to complement the James Bond character well.

This is a great entry in the 007 series. If you're a Bond fan (or even a non-fan) and haven't yet seen this episode, then be sure you do so. This movie will be a fresh reminder that indeed "Nobody Does It Better" than James Bond.

moores franchised bond
roger moore gets knocked around a lot for the way he played bond.
now, come on, lets be frank, bond is the stuff of pulp fiction and moore knew this.
by the time live and let die was being filmed the bond movies had become a franchise (only the first three stand out as non franchise movies). connery could not co-exist in a franchise.
he was too stubborn an actor to merely be 'one of the special affects'.
when roger moore came around he decided not to take any of it seriously and he was right to do so.
it is moores little boy sense of humour that makes these movies work.
spy who loved me and for your eyes only are the best of the moores, with this one having the slight edge.it has the necessary balance to make it a mmeorable entry. classic scene:
when moore is in a van being attacked by jaws he smiles, and charms his way through a series of puns that only he, in his all too cool superficiality, could pull off.
makes for a fun night.

the underrated moore in the best of his bonds
roger moore gets picked on a bit too much as of late for making bond too cartoonish.
puleazee!
we are talking about a pulp character here.
there is no doubt that he did not have connery's edge, but. hell, connery no longer even had his edge.
the lame, bored connery of diamonds are forever is not the gritty connery of dr.no or from russia with love.
we wouldn't see that type of grit again until dalton's brief stint, which DID work, but was flawed by two films with a miami vice feel.
moore refused to take any of it seriousely and by doing so, at least for a while, he gave a new vigor to the franchise.
unfortunately, moonraker followed this, but then moore did one have one last hurrah with a more subtle performance in 'for your eyes only '(and he did prove to the producers in that film that he could take it seriousely).
but here, is moore at his best. this is His interpetation and all the elements come together to support moore in his styling of the character.
a potent remionder that moore kept this franchise alive and going and did it well for some time. ... Read more

Reviews (128)

For More Than Just Your eyes
It's nice to know that Roger Moore can act. I personally think that Dalton would have done a better job at this part, but Moore is adequate. The plot is more engaging than the previous ones. A ship with ATAC unit sinks off the coast of Greece and a smuggler plots to sell it to the Russians for a price. Bond is sent to Greece to recover the ATAC. He then works with the two-faced Kristatos, who plans to use 007 to eliminate his competition, his brother Columbo. Columbo makes a fine good guy. The Bond girl is Melina, whose parents were working for the British Government and trying to find the ATAC and were killed by Kristatos. She tries to avenge them throughout the film and finally does. Admiral Gogol makes a nice appearance towards the end. For comic relief we have Bibi Dahl, the skating protege who wants to sleep with Bond. The score by Bill Conti is fantastic. The action is thrilling. A Great Bond.

Roger Moore's best Bond
An intelligent and suspenseful follow-up to the daffy Moonraker. Refreshingly light on gadgets and silly jokes, FYEO is a Bond movie in the grand tradition. More like Goldfinger and FRWL; the only two Bond movies that are better. Its hard to believe John Glen directed his best Bond movie first but there it is. He directed five in all; the last three Moores and both Timothy Daltons. FYEO and The Living Daylights are the only two that should have seen daylight. 007, played excellently by Roger Moore in his 5th Bond movie, finds himself playing cat and mouse with Kristatos, an unsavory Greek smuggler, as they wrestle over a piece of Cold War hardware called the ATAK. Julian Glover does a fine job as the manipulative and sophisticated villian. Carole Bouquet is stunning as well as a competent actress. She is the Bond Girl but, unlike many Bond movies, she is more than window dressing. Her character, Melina Havelock, as her own beef with Kristatos. Beautifully set in Northern Italy and Greece, FYEO features several extremely well-done action scenes everywhere from the ski slopes to a sunken ship to a mountaintop fortress. The interplay between Bond and the young, amorous ice skater (Lynn-Holly Johnson) is clever and humorous in a tongue-in-cheek way that goes over much better than the obvious sight gags and obnoxious comments in Moore's most recent efforts. Alas, Moore's Bond movies never found a consistent happy medium between the silly and the serious. LALD and TMWTGG were both serious and silly in turns. They are both good but uneven 007 movies. TSWLM is pretty silly (but excellent). Moonraker is pretty silly and downright dreadful in parts, especially the ending. Moore's weakest. FYEO is Moore's most serious and best. Octopussy and AVTAK, Moore's last two efforts after FYEO, were both pretty silly and stale. Quite a mixed bag. His two best performances sandwich his worst. Go figure.

Roger Moore's Best Turn as 007
James Bond films can be divided into two camps. Some have over-the-top villains and larger-than-life plots, while others are down to earth, gritty spy adventures. "For Your Eyes Only" falls squarely in the latter camp. This characteristic has earned it praise from those who enjoy Bond movies with a more realistic air, while those who prefer the more fantastic deride it as boring.

For my own part, I find "For Your Eyes Only" to be the best Roger Moore film and indeed better than most of the Connery and Brosnan films as well. That is not to say the movie is without flaws. The "heavy" and the "henchman" are a somewhat underwhelming, the score is a little too pop, and Bond's flirtation with a young skater strains credulity. However, these minor complaints are overcome with thrilling chases, superb action, tight storytelling, beautiful locations, and intense suspense that is sorely lacking in most Bond films.

On the whole, "For Your Eyes Only" may not be what you expect, but it is one of the best of the series.

DVD: Thankfully, MGM gave this one the full 5.1 sound treatment. Unfortunately, the soundtrack has its jarring moments, especially in the rear channels during the pre-title sequence and when Bond gets caught at Gonzales' lair. The extra features are informative and fun, as has been the case with the other Bond films.

A leaner, meaner, Moore, Roger Moore.
In 1979, the James Bond series had officially "jumped the shark (i.e. reached a turning point which signaled a downward spiral.)" with the campy, over-the-top, sci-fi MOONRAKER. Although he had a blockbuster on his hands, producer Cubby Broccoli had the forsight to see that the Bond series would crash under the weight of huge sets and bad puns. Thus, a back- to-basic approach was in order for the harder-edged 1980's with FOR YOUR EYES ONLY.

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, from the title of Ian Fleming's collection of Bond short stories, is noted by Bond fans as the first from the "Michael G. Wilson Era" of the series. Wilson, a writer, co-producer, and Broccoli's son-in-law had sighted the darker, more realistic espinage thriller FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE as his personal favorite. Along with first time director John Glen (an editor from the series), FOR YOUR EYES ONLY's recipe of grittier action sequences, amid exotic locations would be a template for the series that would extend into Pierce Brosnan's epics.

Although I don't consider FOR YOUR EYES ONLY in the panthanon of, say, GOLDFINGER, (and despite what you read here, the high adventure plot line is closer to the botboilers of Alistair McClain then it is to Ian Fleming's), the movie is a fun ride. It is also, perhaps the first time many began to stop worrying and like Roger Moore as 007. I don't know if it was Moore's advancing age or his fuller hair style, but here he's clearly not the same twit who waltzed through MOONRAKER. His Bond, for once, has to huff and puff is way out of a situation instead of a raised eyebrow. He still a charmer who rather use his wits than his fists, but when the going gets tough he'll use a full clip of his Walter PPK without hesitation. That's James Bond!

Years ago I was floored by the old CBS-FOX laserdisc version of this movie. Although panned and scanned, the disc's stereo sound mix was thunderous. This new DVD is sharper despite some flaws due to the film stock's age, but retains the surround sound theatrics that keeps 007's 12th outing state of the art in a constantly improving digital landscape.

This could be an opportunity...or a trap!
The 12th James Bond movie. After a science-fiction epic with MOONRAKER, producer Albert R. Broccoli brings 007 back to Earth in a well crafted thriller closely echoing the vein of earlier Bond films as FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE and ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. Yet FOR YOUR EYES ONLY would appropriately emphasize such fantasy elements in a more grittier and realistic adventure filled with the usual beautiful women and non-stop action. This time a greater emphasis began with the idea of 007 as a more polished Super Agent who survives off his physical wits and prowess rather than the aide of gadgets. This would be a trademark well established in John Glen's debut as director for this film. Glen would continue to direct from this film all the way to LICENCE TO KILL. Equally credible is a tough, determind Bond girl in Carole Bouquet as revenge obsessed Melina Havelock, and a collection of the usual nasty villains out to silence her. As Bernard Lee who had played M passed away during production, Broccoli in refusal to replace him filled in with the Bill Tanner character. For the next film, OCTOPUSSY, Robert Brown would take over the role.

THE ASSIGNMENT: The ST. GEORGES, a British electronic submarine disguised as a fishing boat, has been blown up in the Ionian Sea. On board is the valuable ATAC machine, which is a coded transmittor using ultra-low frequencies to order British submarines to launch ballistic missiles. If fallen into the wrong hands, submarines could be ordered to attack British cities leaving no chance of being manually countermanded. Bond's only lead: marine biologist Sir Timothy Havelock and his wife Iona were murdered while searching for the ATAC on behalf of the British. His killer, a Cuban hitman Hector Gonzales lives in Madrid. Bond pays his villa a visit, but before he can interrogate, Gonzales himself is killed by a crossbow bolt - from the Havelocks' daughter Milena who is on a revenge vendetta for their deaths. Bond and Milena quickly join forces, but not before Bond noticed Gonzales being paid for the job by a bespectacled man. If Bond can identify the man, he may still have a glimmer of hope.

THE VILLAINS: Julian Glover as Aristotle Kristatos, Michael Gothard as Emile Leopold Locque, John Wyman as muscular Eric Kriegler, (a very young) Charles Dance as Claus, Jack Klaff as Apostis, and Stefan Kalipha as Hector Gonzales.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! BUY IT! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Roger Moore was introduced as James Bond in this 1973 action movie featuring secret agent 007. More self-consciously suave and formal than predecessor Sean Connery, he immediately reestablished Bond as an uncomplicated and wooden fellow for the feel-good '70s. This film also marks a deviation from the more character-driven stories of the Connery years, a deliberate shift to plastic action (multiple chases, bravura stunts) that made the franchise more of a comic book or machine. If that's not depressing enough, there's even a good British director on board, Guy Hamilton (Force 10 from Navarone). The story finds Bond taking on an international drug dealer (Yaphet Kotto), and while that may be superficially relevant, it isn't exactly the same as fighting supervillains on the order of Goldfinger. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (131)

Moore's first gets off on the right foot
Roger Moore's first turn as James Bond is an interesting film that showcases James Bond trying to stop an island dictator from creating a massive drug problem in the world. The film features a large element of voodoo, a largely black cast, and the absence of Q, who was excused as part of a plan to make the series more current - these elements make this a unique Bond adventure. For some reason, this feels like a holdover from the more intimate, stylish Sean Connery era, probably due to veteran Guy Hamilton's direction (he directed Goldfinger and Diamonds are Forever), and the more down-to-earth sets, which lean toward the more realistic ones of movies like From Russia With Love.

The movie is a fun adventure, with a so-so villain, an interesting Bond girl (Jane Seymour, practically the only one who had a career afterwards), and a boat chase that goes on WAY too long. It also features Bond's first (and so far only) movie trip to New York City. The movie has a nice pace (aside from the chase), good changes of location, and it's just fun. Not a series highlight, but one that sits firmly in the middle of Bond's adventures.

THE BEST BOND FLICK EVER!!!!!!
Roger Moore's performance as 007 in this film really changed from Sean Connery's acting as 007 in the prevous film, Diamonds Are Forever. Moore is more with car chases and the women that Sean was, and that's what makes him awesome. In this movie, 007 is sent to find the man responsible for killing two British Agents, and he finds the man responsible, Kananga. Kananga is trying to get the whole USA hooked on heroine, and Bond is the only one who can stop him! He gets the help of card dealer Solitare, the hottest babe in any of the movies!!! Some of Kananga's henchman are: Teehee, a man who got his right arm bit off by a crocodile and now has a dangerous steel arm that can cut anything! Also is Baron Semidi, the voodoo weirdo. Some gadgets are Bond's magnetic wrist watch, and a gun that has gas pellets as bullets. A great movie, must watch!!!!!

Piece of junk....
The only good thing about this shlocky (sp?), horrific, racist piece of (...)is the theme song by a certain former Beatle... poor Paul. Why couldn't you have done a good one?

moore's twist
each of the first three major bonds had their own little twist as 007.
connery was suave with an edge.
moore was tongue in cheek suave.
dalton's was a lethal edge cop .
no, not counting lazenby because his one shot was simply too brief to grasp, and as far as brosnan goes; he is certainly a competant bond but as far as adding his twist; nope. he dissapointingly is a mere variation of those first 3.
but, despite the jabs that moore has so often got he actually did the best thing to do in light of the bond films becoming a
super sized franchise; he refused to take it too seriousely.
yes, his bond is plastic, but so is the film. this is not fleming's bond. but moore's bond is a bond that says 'hey this stuff is just pulp, let's treat it that way' and for a few years at least it was unique and fun

great entertainment
roger moore playing james bond,. well to a lot of folks he was a great james bind, but after getting blasted with him from atv series " the saint" i was kinda sick of seeing him.
how ever watch the racial overtones and how harlem was in
nyc during the 70's, seems a lotta 1973 chevy impala's
made it to the screen. also we see sheriff j.w. pepper
playing a red neck cop. good entertainment only to be taken for face value, not a serious movie. ... Read more

Description

The coolest SPYkids anywhere are back for a huge new adventure! This time, Carmen and Juni are on a mission to recover a device that threatens the entire world! They enlist the skills of Mom and Dad (Carla Gugino and Antonio Banderas) -- and even their SPY grandparents (Holland Taylor and Ricardo Montalban) -- in a thrilling show of family teamwork! With even more cool gadgets, imaginative creatures, and awesome special effects ... it's a nonstop high-tech adventure for everyone! ... Read more

Reviews (76)

Spy Kids 2, better that the 1st
As a teenager I usually don't have a thing for movies like this but I definetly liked this one. I ended up taking my little sister to see it but I ended up liking it more than her. Yes, some parts are cheesy (like when the little spy boy ballet dances with the presidents daughter), but there aren't that many moments like that. They also have 2 new characters. Gerti (who is played by Haley Joel Osments sister) is a cool gal and her brother Gary (Matt O'Leary) is gorgeous! I think that's why I liked the movie so much. He's a great actor and a major hottie! The movie itself is WAY better that the first too. The islands got some cool animals too, the "catfish" is cute but i found the "spider monkey" a little disturbing looking. If that thing was my pet I'd be a little scared! I don't want to give the movie away but DEFINETLY WATCH IT!

We¿ve Got A Franchise!!
"Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams" is another in a line of great sequels to great movies. Overall, if you enjoyed the first film you'll be very pleased in the next installment in this "Bond for Kids" comedy/adventure series!!

THE STORY:

Carmen and Juni Cortez (Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara) are back in a bigger and wilder adventure than before. This time the Cortez siblings are locked in a dead heat to get to the bottom of a mystery concealed by a remote and mysterious island before a rival team of Spy Kids beat them to the punch.

THE COOL THINGS:

The "Island of Lost Dreams" expands upon the Spy Kids world tenfold as we are introduced to the entire Spy Kids organization including its hierarchies and ultra-cool weapons. The "monsters" in this installment are also more formidable looking (mutated/spliced animals) as compared to the comical mutated humans from the first movie. We also get introduced to the extended Cortez family tree as Ingrid's parents gain a supporting role. In all, seeing the competing Spy Kids and the newer and cooler weapons made this movie more enjoyable.

BEST SCENES:

1. The Monster Duel

2. Popstars Carmen and Juni!!! (HILARIOUS!!!)

3. Battle at OSS

THE VERDICT:

Spy Kids was generally regarded as a good, solid movie not only for kids and families, but anyone in general. It was fun, entertaining and all around enjoyable. Summed in a nutshell, Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams is even better!!!

Highly Recommended

A PRETTY GOOD MOVIE!
IT WAS PRETTY GOOD!I LIKED THE FIRST ONE BETTER,BUT THIS ONE WAS REAL COOL TOO!THE ACTORS ARE REAL GOOD WHEN THE`RE PLAYING AS THESE PEOPLE!

Great Movie
I enjoyed Spy Kids 2 a lot. I have Spy Kids and it was alright. I watched 3-D in theatres and thought it was crappy. Today I watched Spy Kids 2 and I loved it it's a funny movie full of action. I highly recommend it.

Better than the original but much less like 007
Spy Kids was a lot like James Bond, only for kids. Sure, the gadgets were a little wacky, as was the plot, and the lines weren't super (they should have included some double entendres, that would have been a laugh), but it was good. This, however, shows the franchise is veering into fantasy. And from what I hear about Spy Kids 3D: Game Over, the James Bond similarity seems to be over. If you want James Bond, see Agent Cody Banks, XXX, or the real thing, Die Another Day.
Kids, however, will not make a Venn diagram between Bond and Spy Kids, primarily because they've never watched 007 ask for a vodka martini, shaken not stirred. This movie is heavy on stars ( Antonio Banderas, Ricardo Montalban) but it never feels like, say, Hook.
Two spies have no choice but to let their children, Carmen and Juni, become junior agents. The movie starts out, oddly enough, with a not-so-irrelevant action sequence.
At an OSS meeting, something fishy is going on already. The President, whose daughter was rescued by Juni, is carrying some sort of technological wonder called the Transmooker device (nice name, what's it mean?). It is promptly stolen by the champagne waiters, who disappear by being magnetically sucked to a UFO. Juni is claimed responsible by Gary, the snobby son of the president of the OSS. Gary also has a relationship with Carmen.
Gary and his younger sister Gerti are sent on a mission to recover the Transmooker device, but Juni and Carmen beat them to it. When they get to the island, however, their gadgets do not work... Poor Carmen without her cell phone. Soon they find out about the genetic experiments of a scientist that roam the island, which are pretty big. Picture a lizard with a twenty-foot neck. Yep, they're big. The president of the OSS, however, soon wants the Transmooker device for himself, and things get complicated fast.
The casting could use a little change. Alan Cummings, although his role is tiny in this movie, should have been replaced by Jim Carrey, Jim Carrey played a (kinda) normal guy in Batman Forever, and as a scientist and entrepreneur he wasn't completely wacky. It would take some work, but Robin Williams could do the scientist. That might need a bigger budget, though, so scratch Robin Williams.
This movie doesn't feel so much like a Nickolodeon flick, though, which is an accomplishment. Still, if your child likes the show, they'll like this. Heck, your child will like this no matter what. Take 'em to it. ... Read more

Reviews (224)

Hitchcock and Grant: An Unbeatable Combination
"North by Northwest" (1959) was the fourth and final collaboration between director Alfred Hitchcock and actor Cary Grant -- and it's easily the best. Both men were at their artistic zenith when they made this superb comic thriller, which screenwriter Ernest Lehman promised would be "the Hitchcock picture to end all Hitchcock pictures." Lehman's script incorporates some brilliant setpieces that the Master of Suspense was unable to work into his previous films, such as the famous crop-dusting chase and the surreal Mount Rushmore climax. However, the highlight remains the Chicago auction sequence. Grant's screwball humor and dark charm make him the ideal Hitchcock leading man -- complemented by excellent performances from Eva Marie Saint, James Mason and Martin Landau. "North by Northwest" was Hitchcock's sole effort for MGM and he makes the most of the studio gloss. It's a top-notch production in terms of set design and matte work. In fact, author Ian Fleming considered "North by Northwest" to be the stylistic prototype for the James Bond series and wanted Hitchcock to direct the first 007 production (he turned down the offer). To fully appreciate this classic film, it should be seen in the letterbox format that Hitchcock intended. One of the all-time greats.

I'M AN ADVERTISING MAN, NOT A RED HERRING...
I won't bore you with the summary as I'm sure who ever is on this page has seen other reviews with the synopsis of North by Northwest. In my opinion, this and Psycho represent Alfred Hithcock at his apex and definitely NBNW is one of the greatest films of all time (it's in the AFI Top 100 Movies of all time). Sure maybe there are errors in it but no movie is perfect, nonetheless it comes close to perfection. It moves along, solid storyline, legendary actors and actresses (the always debonair Cary Grant; the beautiful Eva Marie Saint; the cool, calm, evil that James Mason exudes and the dark, sinister presence of Martin Landau) performing their parts to perfection. Hitchcock didn't need to use special effects, loud explosions or graphic violence to keep the viewers entertained. The characters and the storyline keep the viewers glued to the screen and the underlying espionage story was appropriate given the era of the Cold War. This was the template for future action/adventure/spy thrillers and I am even tempted to say that this could be a 1959 version of The Fugitive, ordinary man accused of a crime he didn't commit and has to exonerate himself! You forget this movie is over 2 hours long the way it moves briskly along. A perfect melange of comedy, action and suspense. See it if you haven't and buy it if you can, you WILL NOT regret it. A timeless classic!

HIS BEST CHASER...
It seems 2 me that Hitchcock sort of stole many elements from his pre-chaser-films and said: "Good-eeeeevening..... You think you have seen my best efforts, but I must unfortunately dissappoint you.....!"

Indeed this is a neurotic and clastraphobic chaser and suspenser - maybe the BEST EVER - thanks 2 the talents of Ernest Lehman, Hitchcock himself, his crew and the entire cast. There are numerous highlights from this film; I prefer NOT 2 single out any of them in favour of others. This film belongs IN EVERY HOME:-)

I LOVE this movie!
This movie is not only Hitchcock's best (just a tad behind 'Vertigo', in my opinion), but is one of the best movies ever made. Movies rarely have it all (story, acting, visuals, music, wit, action, suspense, 'hipness', and sexiness), but this movie has it all in spades.

Some of my favorite things about this movie:

1. Eva Marie Saint - Stunning...absolutely stunning. Everybody always thinks about Grace Kelly or Kim Novak in association with Hitchcock, but, for my money, Eva Marie Saint is the most drop-dead gorgeous of any leading lady.

2. The settings - The United Nations interior scenes are mouth wateringly rich. It really makes you want to go back in time to when everything 'modern' was new and exciting. We take so much for granted these days. The Cropduster scene is exciting and vastly more inventive than action movies being made today. Van Damm's House is the epitome of the promise that modern organic architecture once held. The scenes at Van Damm's house are even more amazing when you consider that the exterior settings are entirely fabricated, in a pre-CGI effects sort of way. They are more convincing than CGI scenes of today. Amazing.

This is one movie I never get tired of. Buy it and you won't be sorry.

One of the Greatest Thrillers of All Time
This is arguably Cary Grants best film. Couple that with a terrific cast, dynamite story, immortal one-liners, some great scenes in actual locations, and classic Hitchcock editing and you have a shoe-in on any "best of all time list". This movie was made in 1958 and although it was current in it's day, it now is just as current as a period film set in 1958, keeping in mind of the political climate and cold war attitudes of the time. The costumes are very natural, having been bought in actual New York stores, and the set designs are beautifully designed. The set decoration is also first rate.

This DVD is a superb transfer. The color looks perfectly natural, the sound is full, low noise stereo and the widescreen is anamorphic. There is hardly any flaw in the print. Amazing. The menu is also animated to match the Saul Bass opening title and is wonderful. The "making of" film (30 minutes long) is superb and hosted by beautiful leading lady "Eve Marie Saint".

Finally, the score by Bernard Hermann adds to the high tension of the action. The orchestration and performance on this film is one of the very best of all time. I can't recommend this film enough for action, solid story and terrific action besides just being completely entertaining. ... Read more

Reviews (111)

A Bit More Cheek Than Usual, Miss Case?
DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER marks Sean Connery's return to the role of Bond after the hiatus of ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. It was also his last Bond film to date (except for the swan song NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN in 1983).

The opening precredits sequence involves Bond's hunt for Blofeld, who killed Bond's wife Tracy in OHMSS. The story then develops into a melange of diamond smuggling, Las Vegas casinos, an eccentric billionaire (pork sausage king Jimmy Dean playing Willard Whyte, a sort of cornpone version of Howard Hughes), cheesy funeral parlors, moon buggies and laser beams, cloning, and a girl named Tiffany Case.

In terms of story, this film is one of the weakest of the Bond films,jumping frenetically from one scene to another in an attempt to cram in everything it possibly can. The film editing is awful. There's just no other word for it.

The movie is redeemed by the characters and the nonstop action sequences, all of which are wildly entertaining. Connery is suave and irrepressible in a white tuxedo. Jill St. John, who plays the aforementioned Miss Case, is brassy and sassy, sexy and fun. The two of them seem to be sharing a private joke all the way through the film.

We are also introduced to Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, a pair of openly gay assassins who kill with a creative streak and have a penchant for really bad puns. The appearance of Wint and Kidd and their relationship marks a kind of minor milestone in the Bond canon, showing that the series was moving unselfconsciously into the 1970s.

Minor but important roles are filled out by Bambi and Thumper, a pair of gymnasts specializing in assault, battery, and tumbling routines, and Plenty O'Toole ("Named after your father, no doubt") a casino girl reminiscent of a low-rent Sylvia Trench from the earliest Bond films.

Blofeld is played by Charles Gray. Gray's Blofeld seems more like a disgruntled waiter than a criminal mastermind. His cat does give us an excellent performance.

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER never takes itself seriously. This is not the film noir of FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. The series was taking its turn here toward the Roger Moore era of cartoon excess and "groaners", a downward spiral which continued until Timothy Dalton rescued Bond from utter obsolescence.

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER is Eon's version of an Andy Sidaris film. Sidaris' films are low-budget Bond take-offs, but in this instance, it would be hard to say who inspired whom. Like Baby Back Ribs, this film is sloppy but delicious.

The Special Edition DVD has much to recommend it, including deleted scenes (which to Eon Productions' credit, help make sense of the film) and interviews with some of the cast. There is also an excellent retrospective on the life of Cubby Broccoli. -

Sparkling
"Diamonds Are Forever" is the 7th in the James Bond 007 series from 1971. Agent 007 is assigned to stop diamond smugglers. This movie marks the return of Sean Connery to the role of Bond. He does a decent job here, but afterward he retired again and Roger Moore took over the role. Jill St. John does a good job of playing Tiffany Case, one of the smugglers. Norman Burton does a forgettable job of playing Felix Leiter. (The best Leiter was Jack Lord in "Dr. No" [1962]).

This movie really has two things going for it: an outstanding soundtrack and some of the best villains of the entire Bond series. Shirley Bassey sings the title track. Her's is a return performance, as she also sang the title tracks to "Goldfinger" (1964) and "Moonraker" (1979). The two villains, Mr. Kidd and Mr. Wint, are henchmen of Ernst Blofeld. It is just hilarious how they make deadpan one-liners which parody those of Bond!

This is one of my favorite Bond movies, but I am rating it down one star because it seems to bog down near the end. Ironically, I saw a DeBeers diamond commercial which said "A diamond is forever" while I was preparing this review. Apparently, the movie title has some marketing power to it!

Not as bad as Moonraker
Connery is the only saving grace to this film. The film has a rushed, cheap quality to it. The producers must have been so pleased to have Connery back one last time they forgot about minor stuff like exotic sets (Las Vegas coming on the heels of Japan and the Swiss Alps is a let-down), decent special effects, and a good editor--how did Plenty end up dead? what about the car on two wheels switching sides?--see the movie and you'll understand. Also, someone should have at least tried to get Telly Savalas back as Blofeld for some continuity. Blofeld is 007's Moriarty and while even Savalas didn't quite match the literary Blofeld, he at least had far more presence than Donald Pleasance or Charles Gray. Having Connery back one more time was good, but production values really took a hit in this one. Still, it wasn't as silly as Moonraker.

He deserved the dough
One of my favorite Bond movies. Connery earn his unusual ( for the time ) fee for this role as he hunts for the killer of his wife only to find him behind a mission after he believed he finished the job.

Jill St. John is very hot and does a fine job and the supporting cast follows through well. The cut in the effects budget shows with the parking lot chase but I always felt that Connery as Bond was the attraction rather than the gimicks.

A winner

Making Mud Pies, 007?
The 7th James Bond movie. DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER introduced a fascinating character in the series with Willard Whyte, a reclusive billionaire who runs an empire from a Las Vegas penthouse. Whyte is played to perfection by none other than the sausage king himself Jimmy Dean - a legendary tycoon himself during the late 50s and 60s for a series of hilarious commercial and comedy skits. Dean cleverly enthuses the role of Whyte with his own persona. As such, the whole extravagant gambling activities seen throughout the film give a unique appeal for Sean Connery's final apperance as James Bond. The film also showcases memorable action sequences with a more spunky heroine in Jill St. John.

THE ASSIGNMENT: M introduces Bond to the problems of diamond smuggling. Despite apparent air-tight security at South Africa's diamonds mines, a large quantity has recently gone missing. Even more alarming than the larceny is that none of the stolen jewels have found their way on to the world market. Bond is sent off to discover who is stockpiling the diamonds, and why. He begins by impersonating smuggler Peter Franks, and ends up in Las Vegas - and to his shock face to face with Ernst Stavro Blofeld! Blofeld has devised another way to hold the world at ransom - a giant laserbeam generator suspended in orbit around the Earth which uses diamonds to intensify its' energy to the point where it can cause rockets, missiles, and submarines to simply self-detonate. Blofeld is effectively conducting an international auction with nuclear supremacy going to the highest bidder. Who better than 007?

THE VILLAINS: Charles Gray as Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Joseph Furst as Professor Metz, and Putter Smith and Bruce Glover as the whimsical homosexuals Mr. Kidd and Mr. Wint.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! BUY IT! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Frederick Forsyth wrote the novel and screenplay for this story about a plot to stage an enormous nuclear accident in England, a catastrophe so large that its source can never be identified but will lead to assumptions that America is behind it. Michael Caine plays an aging intelligence agent who picks up clues that the ingredients for such an apocalypse are being smuggled piece-by-piece into the U.K.--but he cannot seem to get his superiors to care. Caine is outstanding in a role that seems tailor-made for him, and Pierce Brosnan is very good as the Russian agent working undercover in England to effect the planned tragedy. The film perfectly captures a spreading suspicion and resentment toward superpower adventurism, even though such sentiments are, in fact, being exploited by the bad guys. Caine, as always, suggests a man walking a narrow line through a gauntlet of moral compromises. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (12)