Grade: C-
Synopsis: British super spy James Bond (Roger Moore) investigates a fellow agent’s death, leading him to a smuggler (Maud Adams), a clown disguise, and a plot to instigate World War III.
Octopussy is the thirteenth in the long-running James Bond series of films, and the fifth for star Roger Moore. After the previous knock-out, For Your Eyes Only (1981), this entry is quite a let down, as the pendulum has swung all the way back to over-the-top camp, making for a fun, but ultimately forgettable, film.
Cast-wise, star Roger Moore is still fine, if getting a bit long in the tooth. Supporting him, Louis Jourdan is wasted as a flat baddie, and Maud Adams fails to register as the titular jewel thief.
The script is little more than a stitched together array of set pieces, some of which work better than others, though none stands out. The movie tries to distract you by perpetually trying to one-up itself in the action department, but all it really succeeds in doing is tossing any semblance of believability out the window.
Yet, as bad as Octopussy is, it’s still a hair better than Moonraker (1979), but only just, which makes this one necessary for Bond enthusiasts only.
