For Your Eyes Only (1981)

DarthDimi

Please write your fan reviews of FYEO here.

JWESTBROOK

I'd like to open with comparing this, my favorite Moore outing, to Quantum of Solace. The two films share numerous similarities, and though I love them both, '81 beats '08.

Flashback in the Foreshadow
I was really surprised, not having seen FYEO in a long time, at how well the PTS was. Especially considering the time, and where this film is in the franchise, it was nice to see a nod to Tracy, and the final and permanent (well maybe not post-reboot) end to Blofeld. Plus the helicopter action is really rather well done. I'm glad they didn't have Bond quipping back to everything Blofeld said, but rather focused on.. you know.. not dying as he should be.

A Vengeful Beauty
Having not made it that far into Fleming's novels, I've only heard that FYEO (the book) follows the female character far more in detail than Bond's character. To this, I applaud Fleming. It was something likely out of his comfort zone and it created a very unique look on a Bond adventure. I'm glad the film also had Melina's story deeply woven in. Her parent's murder was very dark and gritty for a Bond film at the time, a theme that would continue throughout the story (thankfully). The crossbow has yet to return in a Bond adventure (as far as I remember) and that helps make Melina one of the more memorable Bond girls, and her back story makes her a memorable character over-all. I have to say the actress playing Melina was not to my liking however. Her parents die and there is almost no emotion in her face. Even when she talks about it later, she keeps the same 'dramatic' straight face. It's really rather boring considering the material there was to work with. Yes she's beautiful, but it seems someone gave her a two-minute acting class that essentially said 'play it straight and serious' and she did just that!

A Man on the Edge of Retirement on the Edge of a Cliff
As I said, I enjoyed the more focused, less quipy Bond in the PTS, and throughout the film. Most of the 'Rotten' reviews of the movie, and some of the 'Fresh' complain about Moore's age. Yes, it's noticeable, and according to Fleming ala his Moonraker novel, Moore would no longer be fit for the field. I have to argue that you can't complain about an actor's appearance if he plays it as it's meant. The story is obviously looking Moore's age in the face, and embracing it. I enjoy it for that. It's not the young Bond that thinks with his Roger and get's lucked out of every situation, it's the mature Bond that thinks things through and focuses on the task ahead; ala closer to NovelBond. Reviews often also complain about Moore's 'confused' look. In the story, Bond really has no lead to go off of. He starts with the bottom of the villain-pyramid and works his way up throughout the film. He's more a Columbo (pun intended) type investigator than suave psychic spy. We learn the plot as Bond does, and I enjoy that aspect as well. We're not waiting for the character to catch up as we usually are. Overall I applaud Moore's performance, but I regretfully wish this had been his swan-song. The grittiness, though Moore disapproved, truly made a unique and enjoyable dramatic Bond to contrast the latest entries in the series.

Kerim Bay 2.0: The Rise of Columbo
I love the fact that Bond and the audience are convinced from the beginning that Columbo is in fact the enemy Bond's been hunting, while really he's the man Bond needs to complete the mission. The little plots twists like this make the drawn out middle rather worth the wait, imo. I honestly believe the writers simply looked back to past Bond work, both the novels and films, and Columbo was the son of Kerim Bay from FRWL. The finishing action scenes were set up exactly like the battle scenes in FRWL, where Bond recruits a questionable man to provide information, men, and supplies and help him succeed at the mission. The 'I save you, you save me' where Bond shoots the guy behind Columbo and Columbo shoots the guy behind Bond did get rather annoyingly repeptitive, but at least it gave Columbo a purpose. Overall I enjoyed the character, though I could get the same enjoyment, refined and improved with Bay from FRWL if I so desired.

De Ja Vu; This All Seems Rather Familiar
I have to honestly say I love it when the films revert to the novels for substance. Fleming's brilliance has so far beat out all other imaginations that have been put to work on Bond. The fact that FYEO mixed it's title book of stories with elements (like Columbo, above) from FRWL in the battles, Live and Let Die with the dragging through the coral, and Thunderball with the under-water features truly makes this film a classic for me. It gives the Bond girl a purpose and a unique attitude, it provides purely tense moments of suspenseful action pieces, and most of all, provides the film with a truly Fleming polish. The mature, focused Bond in a down-to-Earth setting pulled from the novels is a sharp contrast from the previous film in the series, Moonraker. IMO, FYEO out-shines Moonraker into almost non-existence due to this. It's a classic blend of Fleming stories, and it works. It's also what makes (the films) FRWL, Dr. NO, and Casino Royale seemingly popular amongst fans: they actually use Bond's natural environment created by the best!

On the Edge of My Cliff Seat
The action pieces sprinkled throughout the film provide a thrilling, suspenseful, and truly nail-biting quality otherwise missing from Moore's set. The helicopter ride is enjoyable if only for maniacal return of Blofeld. When you think about hanging off of a helicopter as it dives 3ft above the roof, you truly bite your nails (if not for Bond, for the stunt guy!). The car chase is unique. Bond's not in his souped up, gadgeted Q-car from the non-existent future, but a yellow buggy that likes to roll. It's an enjoyable contract from the previous installments in the series, and even the ones that followed. The entire film seemed to focus on Bond out of his comfort zone. That's not something to be ashamed of and to scorn, either! It creates a truly unique look at Bond's adventure. The ski-chase is nicely paced, and drawn out but not too far, imo. The underwater sequence is also suspenseful. The ticking of the bomb on the bad-guy-diver adds a tension to the scene, and just when you think it's over here comes James Cameron in his deep-sea death machine. Followed by Bond being dragged through the water and scraping the coral was really rather violent and painful to experience as an audience. I enjoyed it in that odd, cynical way you can get away with from movies. Having just finished the novel LALD, from which that scene is pulled, it's striking how well my imagination matched what FYEO provided. Finally, the cliff scene. I love how during the entire quarter hour sequence, almost no music is played. It's almost as if the film is holding it's breath with Bond, his team, and the audience as Bond dangerously plays with death. The sharp *ping* of the villain trying to send Bond falling added to the intensity of the scene, and would have only been numbed by a musical attempt. Considering Bond nearly dies the same fate as his parents, it's truly a metaphoric, tense sequence to be respected! Overall the action is done very well.

FINALLY! Some Directing
John Glen's directing debut is a welcomed refreshment to the series. Though rare and subtle, FYEO has a taste of something new that Bond hasn't seen before. The dramatic stare into the camera from Melina as we see the anger build in her eyes just after the death of her parents, or the contrast between wide-shots and close ups that helps convince the audience Bond is truly in peril. It's all rather subtle but adds a dramatic tone to a dramatic Bond flick. A similar tone is blatant when Glen goes on to do License to Kill later, another film with multiple similarities to FYEO. However, there is still a 'boringness' to many of the shots. Moore couldn't escape tasteless cinematography, it would seem. But in FYEO, those boring shots only made the attitude of the rare close-ups, or wide shots that much better.

Wait! I'm Not Done With That Yet
The editing sucked. I'll leave it basically at that. A character would barely finish a sentence in the middle of a paragraph before crashing into a new scene, almost blindingly. I'm assuming, since the film is over two hours, that they felt the need to cut down a lot. I can understand that, but surely we didn't need to see BB's character, or her trainer. If they'd cut the few awkward minutes in Bond's bedroom, simply had him escort her (without only slight hints of flirting) to the ski competition, and then had him never see them again, It would have saved close to fifteen minutes of time. Cut the bedroom scene, the training scene where Bond fights the hockey team, and the pointless conversation Kristatos has with BB and her trainer on the mountain top and you'd have yourself a *better* story. And it's all something they could have done post-production. I know you spent money to film it, but if you want to save time, and the scenes aren't necessarily needed, then CUT THEM DAMMIT.

Finally, Time to Kick the Car Can On This Review
In conclusion,
[] I like how Kristatos led Bond on to Columbo as a distraction, but overall the villain was weak. I did, however, enjoy the scene where Bond fights the Russian and Kristatos calmly walks around to collect his things and leave.
[] I like how Bond doesn't fight the Russians for the Lektor Decoder, Er.. I mean thingy-ma-bob but rather destroys it. The moment between him and the General is humorous, but you can feel the tension.
[] I like how it sacrificed many 'Bond' elements and went bare with Fleming's material instead of a hog-wash fantasy gadgent adventure.

[] I'd give it a 8/10. The story was rather good, but it was a bit drawn out and long, the villain wasn't the best, and the editing and some cinematography just fell flat.

Hm.. As far as 'realistic' goes for Bond:

From Russia With Love
For Your Eyes Only
License To Kill
Casino Royale
Quantum of Solace

Essentially rather bare-bones Bond films. When it comes to those, FYEO does it impeccably well.

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