Rating: ★★★★ (4.0/5)
If there is a top Roger Moore Bond film, I definitely agree that this is the one. This movie captured all those elements that make a good Bond movie and it captured them really well. Nothing feels thrown in or wasted. It’s a joy to watch from start to finish, even though Roger Moore is not my favorite actor to watch.
It’s definitely a silly film in a lot of ways, but not enough to distract from what’s going on. A lot of the gadgets are over the top and the villain definitely is as well, but at least I was scared of him. Having a secret hidden underwater base is the most James Bond villain thing I think I’ve ever seen. If I have any complaints about that, it’s just that we didn’t see enough of it.
Overall, this one had everything you’d want. It really feels like this is the film that is most mocked, parodied, and played with in our movies now. Thinking about Austin Powers specifically, that movie owes a lot of its jokes to The Spy Who Loved Me. There is so much here that matches what that movie played with.
Overall, I’d watch this one again. If anything it would be just to watch the main villain. Jaws also makes his debut in this movie and I absolutely love him as a henchman. He steals every scene he’s in because he’s so dang imposing and actually gives James a run for his money in a fight. To be fair, I don’t believe any of these fighting moves that they came up with for Moore. I think he just lacks the overall toughness that Bond needs to operate in these conditions. He doesn’t look like he believes in a single punch or kick he throws at these enemies. They really needed a better fight choreographer to make this work.
I’d watch this one again.