For Your Eyes Only (1981)

"Well, you get your clothes on... and I'll buy you an ice cream.", 4 May 2017

A British spy ship, operating off the coast of Albania, is sunk. The ship was carrying the British ATAC system. The ATAC is a device used to secretly coordinate the movements of Britain's submarine fleet. If the ATAC were to fall into enemy hands, they would be able to track naval movements. James Bond is called in to find the ATAC.

What works for me:

1. Tone – I appreciate the more serious tone of For Your Eyes Only. Gadgets are kept to a minimum. The final assault on the mountain fortress is a real highlight of the movie and was filmed in a very realistic fashion. And baddie Aristotle Kristatos' plan is also realistic. He's not trying to take over the world or steal space shuttles or anything like that. His plan is to get his hands on the ATAC and sell it to the highest bidder – something that's completely believable. Finally, Roger Moore was a decent enough Bond, but he turned into something of a joke to me, spitting out cringe inducing quip after quip. Not so much here. After the goofiness of Moonraker, a more serious Bond film was more than welcome. Unfortunately for the Bond series, this more serious tone would not last long.

2. Carole Bouquet as Melina Havelock – What a fantastic Bond girl! Not only beautiful, but smart, brave, and capable in her own right. Her crossbow skills are on point.

3. The Underwater Scenes – The scenes where Bond and Melina are dragged through the sea are as good as anything you'll find in a Bond movie, filled with exciting and dangerous looking moments. Also, the underwater photography in For Your Eyes Only is stunning. Really gorgeous stuff.

What doesn't work for me:

1. Some of the Logic – If you want to make sure the Soviets do not get their hands on a strategic military device that is sitting at the bottom of the sea, why not head there first? Why does Bond head to the Alps for what almost appears to be a holiday? He knows exactly where the ATAC is – just go get it. But, I suppose that would have taken at least an hour off the movie's runtime and we couldn't have that.

2. Lynn Holly-Johnson as Bibi Dahl – How annoying can one human being be? I still think that Denise Richards' Christmas Jones is the worst Bond girl in the series' history, but Bibi Dahl is a close second.

3. Kristatos – I hope I'm not contradicting myself, but while I appreciate the realism in Bond villain Kristatos, he's very unremarkable and unmemorable. I'd most likely put Kristatos near the bottom of the Best Bond Villain List (if I had one).

Overall, For Your Eyes Only is a solid entry in the Bond series. It's not without its faults, but it's an enjoyable enough experience and a considerable improvement over its predecessor. I really appreciate the film's tone. If only Bond had not made what seems to be the unnecessary side-trip to the Alps and everything that entailed (like meeting Bibi), I would probably rate this one much higher. I'm still giving it a rock-solid 7/10.

7/10