The Spy Who Loved Me (James Bond 007)

If at the end of the day I don't wind up thinking this is my favorite Roger Moore James Bond film, I'll be surprised.

The opening ski jump was amazing and iconic, but special props to the "Nobody Does It Better" theme from Carly Simon. I had no idea that song was a James Bond theme. It's amazing.

Jaws is also a really cool Bond villain. Maybe Stromberg isn't, but Jaws is freaky.

Bond does NOT like talking about his dead wife. I liked that bit of continuity.

I very much like the personal stakes of us realizing that Bond killed Agent XXX's love. And I confess I haven't read any reviews of the movie, (and I especially haven't read any recent reviews) but I suspect the way it was handled might have been disappointing for some people, especially for people like me who have seen it years later. For many of those people, they'd believe it would be more melodramatic if Bond killing Sergei was revealed by Stromberg in the climax itself, which would make Anya turn on Bond and join Stromberg for added stakes and pathos. I understand that perspective. I do. But personally, I like the fact that Bond admits it himself in the middle of the movie, and the dramatic tension is personal between the two of them for then on, instead of forced onto them by an outside source. Instead of Anya's decision to either kill or spare him being driven by rashly decided revenge or over-emotion (as it would have been had Stromberg been dragged into it) her choice is entirely hers. And I get that people love melodrama. But for the most part, for me, melodrama of that sort rings false. It's very popular with modern audiences. I happen to dislike it and like the tack the movie took instead.

My favorite Moore film so far, and it will probably wind up my favorite Moore film, period. ****1/2.