Moonraker

1979·126 minPG·English

Rate

6.36659%2.9/5

Rent & Buy

After Drax Industries' Moonraker space shuttle is hijacked, secret agent James Bond is assigned to investigate, traveling to California to meet the company's owner, the mysterious Hugo Drax. With the help of scientist Dr. Holly Goodhead, Bond soon uncovers Drax's nefarious plans for humanity, all the while fending off an old nemesis, Jaws, and venturing to Venice, Rio, the Amazon...and even outer space.

What critics thought

Moonraker splits critics sharply between those who find its spectacular scale and sheer absurdity irresistibly entertaining and those who consider it the low point of the series — a bloated, campy exercise that sacrifices credibility for gadgetry and space-station excess. The opening skydiving sequence is widely celebrated as one of the franchise's finest action set pieces, but the film's comedic detours, particularly the Jaws-falls-in-love subplot, draw consistent fire. Even admirers rarely defend the plot.

“one of the most buoyant Bond films of all. Almost everyone connected with the movie is in top form, even Mr. Moore. Here he's as ageless, resourceful, and graceful as the character he inhabits.”
Vincent Canby·The New York Times
“The result is a film that is irresistibly entertaining as only truly mindless spectacle can be. Those who have held out on Bond movies over 17 years may not be convinced by Moonraker, but everyone else will be.”
Frank Rich·Time
“it's so jammed with faraway places and science fiction special effects that Bond has to move at a trot just to make it into all the scenes.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“Moonraker seems to have more than its share of little flaws and annoyances which begin right from the opening pre-credit sequence. The sheer idiocy (and impossibility) of having a fully fueled shuttle on the back of the Boeing during the trans-Atlantic crossing should be evident, and later in the film, the whole Jaws-falls-in-love and becomes a 'good guy' routine leaves me rather cold, and provides far too much cheesy comedy moments, as does the gondola driving through the square scene.”
Nicholas Sylvain·DVD Verdict

Accolades

Genres

Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Cast & Crew

Lewis GilbertDirector

Roger MooreJames Bond

Lois ChilesDr. Holly Goodhead

Michael LonsdaleHugo Drax

Richard KielJaws

Corinne CléryCorinne Dufour

Bernard LeeM

Geoffrey KeenSir Frederick Gray

Desmond LlewelynQ

Lois MaxwellMiss Moneypenny

Christopher WoodWriter

Ian FlemingWriter

Jean TournierCinematography

Moonraker

1979·126 min·PG·English

Rate

6.36659%2.9/5

What critics thought

“one of the most buoyant Bond films of all. Almost everyone connected with the movie is in top form, even Mr. Moore. Here he's as ageless, resourceful, and graceful as the character he inhabits.”
Vincent Canby·The New York Times
“The result is a film that is irresistibly entertaining as only truly mindless spectacle can be. Those who have held out on Bond movies over 17 years may not be convinced by Moonraker, but everyone else will be.”
Frank Rich·Time
“it's so jammed with faraway places and science fiction special effects that Bond has to move at a trot just to make it into all the scenes.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“Moonraker seems to have more than its share of little flaws and annoyances which begin right from the opening pre-credit sequence. The sheer idiocy (and impossibility) of having a fully fueled shuttle on the back of the Boeing during the trans-Atlantic crossing should be evident, and later in the film, the whole Jaws-falls-in-love and becomes a 'good guy' routine leaves me rather cold, and provides far too much cheesy comedy moments, as does the gondola driving through the square scene.”
Nicholas Sylvain·DVD Verdict