I like this film a lot more on re-viewing. Taking on a South American drug lord seemed a little old hat in the 80s but time has been kind. I wish stronger actors had been cast in the female leads but they are well defined roles - professional mistress and CIA pilot.
I love how Q goes on the mission - they should have done this more, and Moneypenny too (who is wasted here). I enjoyed the harder edge, such as Christopher Neame's agent.
Robert David is a strong villain, smart and funny - I liked him more this time. It helps he has an emotional bond with Bond (forgive the pun). Benico del Toro is a superb henchman. I love Anthony Zerbe's slimy boat dude. It's lovely to have an actor play Felix again,
The action sequences are consistently strong - the fight on a boat, the final truck duel. The look of the film is impressive - bright colours, Caribbean sunshine.
Most of all I love the "world" that they created in the country - the general dictator who does what he's told by drug lords, the financial guy who works for Sanchez and is selling to the Chinese, the Chinese investors, the way they launder money through a televangelical operation, the subplots about selling to the Contras. It's an extremely well written movie and a good one for Richard Maibaum to go out on.
Bond does smoke a lot in this. I think it was to justify him setting the villain on fire.
No comments:
Post a Comment