Octopussy (1983) User Reviews

Entertaining, action packed n hilarious at times.

[Fella_shibby · 8/10 · 25 April 2021]

I first saw this in the early 90s on a vhs.

Revisited it recently.

This is the thirteenth in the Bond series and the sixth to star Roger Moore as James Bond.

After the death of 009, Bond is assigned the task of following a general who is stealing jewels and relics from the Soviet government. The mission leads Bond to cross paths with an exiled prince n his associate, Octopussy and later Bond discovers a plot involving nuclear weapon.

The film has one of the best pre credits scene of an aerial chase.

For a change, Bond does a Tarzan stunt, dons a gorilla outfit n also of a clown.

There is a lovely train sequence and a lol scene of that of a car being run on tracks by Bond.

It has a jungle chase sequence involving elephants, tiger, leeches, spiders n crocodiles.

But the best is the climactic aeroplane sequence which is tension filled n well shot.

Bond's sliding on the rail of stairs n shooting villains is epic and he riding a horse n catching up an aeroplane is amazing. Both the scenes are copied by the Bollywood spy film Ek Tha Tiger but done in a good way by Salman Khan.

This film has some very weak villains but a mighty strong n loyal henchman known as Gobinda played by an Indian actor Kabir Bedi.

This time Bond faces knife throwing assassins, a deluded General Orlov, an exiled prince Khan, a strong henchman Gobinda with an intimidating glare that causes Bond to lose his appetite, lots of thugs, guards, hunters, Colonel Luis Toro n his soldiers n a very ruthless contract killer with a yo-yo saw.

This time Bond gets to cool off with a sultry Hispanic female agent played by Tina Hudson, another hottie Kristina Wayborn and once again Maud Adams.

This film is the only one with a Bond Girl whose name is used as the title of the film.

Also Maud Adams played Bond girl in two different films, The Man With the Golden Gun and this film.

Watch out for poor Q getting seduced by a bunch of females to which he replies, "later perhaps".

Moore's best Bond

[davidmvining · 8/10 · 26 February 2020]

I did not predict that I would like this the most of Roger Moore's Bond films. It's reputation is honestly not that good, but I was more caught up in the action and story of Octopussy than any Bond film since On Her Majesty's Secret Service. It doesn't go the same route as Lazenby's picture, though. It's more of a straight forward action mystery, but it does it with more style and clarity than any other Moore film.

This is what Diamonds are Forever wanted to be, except that this film actually gives us a good excuse for Bond to investigate diamond smuggling while also providing an interesting series of clues that add up to an actual adventure. We start with two main actions, the killing of a clown outside of a circus in Germany where he delivers a Faberge Egg to a British official in his final moments, and a crazed Soviet general outlining his plan to send a couple dozen tank divisions into the West, confident that there would be no counterattack. The general gets dismissed angrily by General Gogol, but it's obvious that General Orlov isn't going to stop there.

The death of 009, the clown, is the exact kind of hook that would send 007 into the field to investigate, and the investigation quickly takes him to India. The movie uses the colors and visual flavors of the country really well as Bond navigates backgammon games, chases with auto rickshaws, and even a hunt that includes elephants where Bond himself is the quarry. It's well filmed and exciting stuff that gets Bond one step closer each time to what he thinks is the center of the mystery, an island populated by young women and the eponymous Octopussy, a slightly older woman who runs a jewelry smuggling ring whom Bond immediately beds because he's James Bond.

The mystery continues, though, because there has to be more than just jewelry smuggling and, as Octopussy points out, jewelry smuggling isn't the concern of the British secret service (a subtle dig at Diamonds are Forever, perhaps?). Bond keeps following the trail and finds that there is more, and it involves that Russian General Orlov. He's used the jewelry smuggling operation by stealing precious Russian jewels and selling them in order to buy a nuclear weapon that he will detonate at an American military base in Germany. His hope is that the explosion will look like an accident and drive the West towards denuclearization, which he'll be able to use back home as justification for a more aggressive approach towards dealing with Europe.

For a movie that's talked about as inherently silly, that plot by Orlov is surprisingly grounded. It's not about neutering the human race like in Moonraker or making life unlivable on land so people will move to the sea like in The Spy Who Loved Me. It's about triggering an explosion that will create a political environment for the Soviet Union can take advantage of. It's still about bombs, spies, and chases, but the basic evil plot feels surprisingly grounded and real. I've never minded the sillier aspects of Moore's run as Bond, mostly objecting to the fact that they're poorly constructed, but this plot feels like something Connery's Bond would have dealt with.

The silliness is there, though. The famous Tarzan yell is a headscratcher at best. The alligator disguise isn't really that out there, but it's definitely weird. However, in particular with the Tarzan yell, that happens at the end of a compelling chase where Bond has to escape captivity in an Indian mansion where his host is readying a hunt on his elephant and ends up chasing Bond instead. It's taught and exciting, and then there's the embarrassing visual and sound, but it's a very small part of the sequence. I don't excuse the yell, but I do note that it's a small part of a sequence that works really well in a movie that actually knows how to unfold a mystery. Oh, and it ends with one of the best stunt sequences in the franchise as Bond fights his way into a plane as its flying.

Maud Adams as the titular character has an easy rapport with Bond and fits in nicely with the overall plot, running a circus that Orlov uses to get the bomb into West Germany. When she strikes back out against Khan, the man who got her unwittingly involved with Orlov, she does it from a position of strength, using what skills she has to exact her revenge. Yes, the sight of a series of circus performers descending on an Indian villa and using their skills to infiltrate and fight is a bit silly, but it still works overall.

So, yeah, if the movie had held back some of its sillier elements (I guess it could have done with one less bit of Bond dressed up like a clown), I think it would have improved. There's a tonal problem when some of these things pop up, but the rest of the movie around them is really, really good. The only Bond movie under Moore that understands how to unfold a mystery and gives us a compelling antagonist. This movie is really underappreciated and is Moore's best outing.

Anther great one

[michelerealini · 4 October 2005]

"Octopussy" is really peculiar in the series. Because, for example, we see Bond dressed like a clown or keeping a plaster; there's an exotic and romantic atmosphere -which reminds us of some adventure books (like Emilio Salgari's "Sandokan" and "The count of Monte-Cristo"...) Here 007 has to travel between India and Germany for stopping a catastrophic plan of Soviet General Orlov and Afghan prince Khamal Khan.

With a little more parody than in the previous film "For your eyes only", "Octopussy" continues in the line of more down to earth Bond adventures.

Roger Moore's performance is good as usual, the cast is also remarkable -Louis Jourdan is one of the French actors who built a good Hollywood career, starring in films like Hitchcock's "The Paradine case" and Vincente Minnelli's "Gigi". He's Kamal Khan, a very charming and sophisticated villain -he's the criminal equivalent of Bond. Jourdan brings a special touch of glamour -you see he's an actor of the golden years of Hollywood!

Maud Adams is the only actress who played twice a Bond girl -she was Andrea in "The man with the golden gun".

Steven Berkoff is an established English actor, mainly for theater, but he played also in Stanley Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon".

Kabir Bedi is an Indian actor very popular in the second half of the Seventies -he was "Sandokan" in a famous TV film made by RAI, Italian public TV.

John Glen directs the film with a lot of fun and assures a great show. The film doesn't disappoint.

"Octopussy" is the last great Roger Moore movie as Bond, and maybe the last BIG Bond of the series as well -because it's original, lavish, acrobatic, romantic and pompous.

8,5/10

Fun , exciting and thrilling new entry with a brilliant villain , Louis Jourdan

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 12 June 2007]

Bond again in an electrifying movie that scored a new hit in the action genre . The immortal agent 007 , whose deadly precision , sourness , irony and irresistible attractive is perfectly portrayed by Roger Moore. This time he investigates the killing one his colleagues who appeared dead with a Russian egg Faberge of incalculable price . He undergoes an incredible adventure with spectacular pursuits until a chilling countdown , leading to a possible nuclear holocaust . This time OO7 taking off an elegant villainnamed Kamal Khan (Louis Jourdan) living in India, as Bond tries to stop him but the maniacal nasty wreak all sorts of havoc until Bond steps in and the heinous mastermind schemes to put a nuclear bomb at a circus whose owner is Octopussy (Maud Adams ,the only Bond girl who repeated acting , she previously played ¨The man with the golden gun¨) . Nobody does it better...thirteen times. James Bond's all time action high. Roger Moore. James Bond 007 . Nobody does him better. James Bond's all time high

The film contains excitement, emotion , lots of action , suspense , gorgeous women (a beautiful Kristina Wayborn) and extreme nasties (Jourdan , Steven Berkoff , Kabir Bedi) . The plot tosses in every cliché including the obligatory intervention from MonneyPenny (Lois Maxwell), M (Robert Brown) , and Q (Desmond Llewelyn) . Before essaying the role Bond , Roger Moore honed his suavity in the series as ¨The Saint¨, hence he adds a humorous-tongue-in-cheek dimension to Ian Fleming's famed creation as the connoisseur (women and wine especially) spy hero , starting his role Bond with ¨Live and let die¨. Film displays gimmicks and silly set pieces that usually marred the best Moore outings . In spite of a moving opening sequence and some thrilling scenes along the way the Bond-Moore series is starting to look a little bit tired , just as its main star . John Barry's music is unforgettable ,as always , and including a colorful cinematography by cameraman Alan Hume. An agreeable screenplay and more believable excitement with cliff-hangers situations come to mind ; still, this solid outing isn't a bad Bond and it does star the most sympathetic OO7 . This is one of the more watchable entries based on a short book by Fleming with the same title ¨Octopussy¨ and stars Roger Moore in top form as 007 and adding an assured direction by John Glen .

Octopussy (1983)

[Boromir007 · 7/10 · 8 November 2005]

Out of all the Bondfilms with Roger Moore as 007, Octopussy is the one with the most Cold War aspects, and yes, what a great atmosphere I experienced when I saw the scenes in East-Germany, truly magnificent. If you are talking about those Cold War aspects you should not forget to mention Steven Berkoff his performance of an insane Soviet general with a hunger for power. Wonderful. The other villains are memorable as well: Louis Jourdan with style and sophistication; Kabir Bedi as one of those invincible henchmen and David Meyer & Tony Meyer are deadly twin brothers with an advanced skill in the trowing of daggers. As for the girls this one features two Swedish ladies: Maud Adams and Kristina Wayborn. Both of them are very strong and they have both some lovely scenes. Vijay Amritraj is Bond his ally in India: worth watching. This is also the first of four films to feature Robert Brown as Bond his superior M. John Barry is once again present with a truly wonderful soundtrack. The film is really amusing and has a great atmosphere. Despite the claim of many critics, Roger Moore is still in good shape. The only scene that disappointed me was the one where 007 is disguised in a circus clown, that will be painful for Bondfans, but the rest of the film is great. Do not skip this one.

Englishman. Likes eggs, preferably Fabergé, and dice, preferably loaded.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 19 June 2012]

Octopussy is directed by John Glen and adapted to screenplay by George Macdonald Fraser, Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson. It stars Roger Moore, Maud Adams, Louis Jordan, Kabir Bedi, Steven Berkoff, Vijay Amritraj and Robert Brown. Music is scored by John Barry and cinematography by Alan Hume.

Bond 13 and 007 is assigned to find the link between the murder of 009 and the Fabergé egg found in the slain agent's possession. His investigation leads him to uncover a fiendish plot by a rogue Soviet General to detonate a nuclear device that will leave Western Europe vulnerable to a Soviet attack.

Undeniably the film that should have been Roger Moore's last as James Bond, Octopussy contains both the best and worst of the James Bond franchise. On the plus side is a very good core story that encompasses intelligent political overtones that were prevalent of the time period. A nuclear crisis is in the air and the East and the West, who have until now been casting suspicious eyes over each other, must co-operate to avert disaster. This closing down of the Cold War is nicely etched into the plot structure by the makers. The cast assembled is mostly impressive, with Adams and Jordan doing great characterisations, the photography by Hume makes India look like a paradise, Glen orchestrates some excellent action set-pieces, including one of the best pre-credits scenes of the series, and Barry's score is a swirl of romanticism and invention. The title song, All Time High sung by Rita Coolidge, is magnificent and this writer's personal favourite of all the Bond theme songs. While there's a new man enviably following the much missed Bernard Lee by playing M (Robert Brown) and Q (Desmond Llewelyn) gets a bigger role to play in the story.

Sadly, even though Moore is continuing the good acting of Bond he achieved in For Your Eyes Only, he is looking his age and not physically suited to the action. He is also saddled with having to do moronic things like swinging on a vine whilst doing the Tarzan jungle yell. It's pretty painful to watch and you have to wonder who on earth thought it was a good idea? There's moments when a silly bit of humour undermines the good plotting, while Berkoff and Amritraj are in turn over the top villainy and scarcely believable as a field agent. The film looks cheap, a rarity for a Bond film, and the smartness of the story often gets buried beneath the weight of convolutions. Most galling is that we should have had a classic Bond movie, a gargantuan feast of sets and tough secret agent shenanigans, for this was the year when Bond as we know it was facing off against the Kevin McClory rival Bond movie, Never Say Never Again, and that had Sean Connery in it; though he was also like Moore in his early 50s and too old for the suit.

The two films never met head to head at the box office, because McClory's was delayed. Both films made monster cash, with Octopussy grossing $184 million and Never Say Never Again copping $160 million, Bond, and the two actors playing the role were enough to ensure the cash tills rang loud and proud. But both films were solid rather than special, the profit margins were high but the quality wasn't. Octopussy has a bit of something for all types of Bond fans, but they just can't make a successful whole. From the Eon side of things there surely had to be a new direction, some decision making assertiveness instead of fluctuating between earthy Bond and ridiculous button pushing Bond, it needed some vim and vigour brought back into the fray. Moore planned to retire, and rightly so, was we about to see the dawn of a new Bond era? 7/10

Best of Roger Moore's 007's

[DKosty123 · 7/10 · 3 October 2006]

I have a spot for this film. The photography on location in India & Eastern Europe is top notch. The women in this film are to me the most beautiful ones of the Bond series. Not only is Maud Adams just wonderful, but Kristina Wayborn looks great too. The action sequences in this one are among the best of the series & the humor is great. Louis Jourdan is a great bad guy & the film based upon 2 of Ian Flemings short stories put together by George MacDonald Fraser works well. This film has a pace to it, & you just can enjoy the ride when you watch it. The opening sequence has nothing to do with the rest of the film.

I often still imagine Kristina Wayborn as my girl instead of a Bond girl. The brunette in the opening sequence is a looker too. What I love about the opening is that it sets the tone for the rest of the movie. While the stunts look awesome, this film is played for a lot of laughs along with the action. It succeeds on both counts, & truly is the "Property of a Lady" with so many good looking Bond Women.

Rita Coolidge had her all time best song with the theme song for this film which seems to have been written for her voice. It's an all time high from Louis Jourdan (Kamal) to Bond in a gator tuxedo!

More Moore!!!

[ThomasHayden · 9/10 · 1 March 2005]

Many criticized this film at the time of its release with comments like" Moore's tongue in cheek humor has turned Bond's style into brainless films , full of silly jokes, with no plot or character development. Just look at that annoying jungle sequence with Moore parodying Tarzan." OK I concede this scene was a dreadful idea. But its minor flaws aside, Octopussy is, in my opinion, one the greatest Bond movies to date.

What makes this movie extremely compelling is its adventurous storyline, which successfully combines the classic 70's spy thriller convoluted plot with amazing, yet surrealistic, action sequences, more likely to be part of a comic book (but a good one, indeed) such as the jet escape at the beginning, which is definitely the BEST pre-credit scene in the whole series. Bond moves from England to India, and then to Germany, while he tries to find out the truth in a mysterious conspiracy involving a stolen Faberge egg and... Well, it actually doesn't make sense ...but the individual sequences are great: 009's death, the purchase of the egg at Sotheby's, Bond and Khamal first encounter at the casino, the night assault on Octopussy's palace... and that lovable seduction scene, with these memorable lines: "We are two of the kind, there are vast rewards for a man of your talents willing to take risks / I am not for hire / Naturally you do it for queen and country, with the praise on your head. I have no country and no praise on my head... she leaves the room , Bond follows her and kisses her, replying, you were right, we are two of the kind" Ins't it delightful?

But the pleasures Octopussy delivers don't end here. Louis Jourdan plays a glamorous, icy, double-dealing villain, perfectly balancing ruthlessness and elegance. He gets this great line" Mr. Bond, you have the nasty habit of surviving", almost comparable to Goldfinger's "Do you expect me to talk? No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die" And stunningly beautiful Maud Adams gets the leading role she deserved, since she's probably the most seductive and cool of all Bond girls.

And the ending gag is wonderful as well, successfully capturing the film's essence. It isn't just Bond kissing the girl again, but reminds us of the fantasy world we have lived in for two hours. I still remember what a good time I had when I saw this movie for the first time. You cannot miss this one.

The Producers Were Confused.

[gerard-21 · 6/10 · 16 February 2005]

They didn't know what type of Bond film to make: an overblown action comedy best personified by Moonraker or a down to earth action thriller like they had done in For Your Eyes only, the previous picture. Solution: they gave the audience both! Result: this movie is very uneven. There are some great sequences: the teaser featuring the mini jet, the killing of 009, the auction, the backgammon game and subsequent chase scene, the fight in Octopussy's bedroom and the train sequence all come to mind. But there is just too much misplaced humor in between and the rest of the movie after Bond diffuses the bomb is unnecessary and somewhat silly. Moore really shows his age in this one too, as does Maude Adams. Stephen Berkoff is awful, but Louis Jordan is great. Christina Wayborn deserves top marks as well. While not a bad film, and certainly one of Moore's better outings, this could have been so much better. Some of the best Bond scenes ever are present here, but they are overwhelmed by the shear enormity of it all: the producers just tried to put all of the past elements into this movie to please every Bond fan. So while there is something for everyone and it is entertaining, Octopussy is ultimately a victim of it's own excesses.

Octopussy- An all time low

[Ibuk · 4/10 · 5 June 2008]

Firstly let me get this of my chest I hate Octopussy with an absolute passion. What is so frustrating is that it had so much potential and had a very good opening sequence, unfortunately post the opening sequence it all goes downhill. Firstly there was absolutely no plot to begin with, just an excuse for Moore to tell his corny jokes. Next there are several sequences that would make a Bond fan cringe,for instance the sequence in which Bond turns up to diffuse a bomb dressed as a clown. The villains are pretty poor, Louis Jordon fails to make an impact as Kamal Khan and Bollywood veteran Kabir Bedi is equally poor as his henchman. It's funny that when people debate over what the worst Bond movie is and Octopussy gets overlooked when it can easily give them a run for their money.

100% Bond!

[AnJ81 · 10/10 · 15 July 2017]

"I'm sure the General will get a big blast out of this!" - "I know he wont be disappointed."

Excellent film that must be among the best in the series. It really feels like a genuine Bond movie. Like Broccoli & Co went all in. Top- notch action, mysterious women, eccentric villains and great locations. And Roger Moore was born to be a leading man. When Connery got worse for each film, Moore just got better. In Octopussy he is super- confident and handles both the drama and humor with ease.

Crass, confusing and downright campy.

[d-mcpherson1 · 2/10 · 27 June 2011]

3 problems with Octopussy:

1. Roger Moore is 56 here. 2. The plot is so overly-complex it's almost headache inducing. Not to mention there's so many stupid elements in it. 3. The majority of the cast (not including the magnificent, if OTT Loius Jordan) is shallow and forgettable.

Pretty much sums up this movie. The second worst Bond, next to Die Another Day, which is absolutely god-awful. However, the movie does have a few things going for it. The action scenes are pretty well staged and John Barry's score is, as ever, great. Rita Cooldridge's theme "All Time High" is very good as well.

Overall, no bond Movie is terrible, but this one is wholly bad.

A Fun, Albeit very Forgetful, Bond,

[lesleyharris30 · 6/10 · 10 November 2015]

Octupussy is a decent movie with a reasonably well written storyline and a talented cast. It's an enjoyable Bond film, mostly because of Roger Moore, who is still terrific in the lead role in his sixth outing as 007, he's cool, slick and very funny, his one liners here are particularly excellent and it's what makes him stand out from other Bond actors, his scenes with Maud Adams are the best as the two have undeniable chemistry. It's biggest problem is that it never takes itself seriously, Moore is fine but other characters have comedic lines and it dosen't suit, I liked how it worked in previous movies, where every other character was dead serious while Moore made jokes that they didn't respond to, it almost feels like a parody of a Bond film at times instead of an official entry in the series, seeing Bond dressed as a clown is simply ridiculous. The story is also far too predictable, you can tell every move that is going to be made ten minutes before it happens, it's formulaic and never really tries to stand out from other Bonds, it's also very slow moving with too much dialogue and not enough action. It has many flaws, if you're a fan of James Bond, and particularly Roger Moore, then you should certainly watch Octupussy, but if you're looking for a genuinely good adventure film, give it a miss.

James Bond is assigned to solve the murder of an agent who was killed while clutching a fake Faberge egg.

Best Performance: Roger Moore

What A Title!

[AaronCapenBanner · 7/10 · 8 September 2013]

Roger Moore plays James Bond once again in this thirteenth installment, where Bond. while tracking a stolen Faberge Egg, finds out about a plot by a renegade Russian general to detonate a nuclear missile on American soil, thereby striking first in a proposed third world war. The missile is traced to a circus(!) so Bond must go undercover to retrieve it, and defeat the general(played by Steven Berkoff). Story also takes him to India, where he meets up with the title character(Maud Adams) and her circus performers, staying with villain Kamal( played by suave Louis Jordan) who is involved with the evil plan.

Despite the sight of James Bond dressed as a clown(!) this entry is still a lot of fun, striking the right balance between seriousness and high adventure, resulting in a satisfying film, though it does go on a bit too long! (Not that bad a thing here.)

In spite of having a certain roughness around its edges, Octopussy isn't an all that bad-a spy thriller - a good enough entry with enough to get caught up in.

[johnnyboyz · 7/10 · 5 October 2011]

When Octopussy begins, James Bond wasn't told that there would be as much security as there actually is once he's at the Latin American airbase that he's about to infiltrate. There is a sense of uncertainty, of unease; the stakes have all of a sudden been raised and sure enough, he is caught. As is commonplace with any Bond entry for those new to the series, it is established during these precredits sequences that the man is able to deal with mostly any situation - often possessing the ability to turn things around and into his favour. He does so here, albeit with the help of a female accomplice - without whom he would have found himself in a tough situation, in what is an early representation of a female character with certain abilities and qualities away from being stock Bond-franchise objects. The sense throughout the opening, that it possesses an engaging and burning sense of development combining with degrees of thrills and spills more predominantly put across via exciting action, sticks throughout 1983's Octopussy; the entry that is probably second only to The Spy Who Loved Me in terms of the best of Moore's tenure as the dogged British secret agent, and a wholesome adventure film all by itself.

Octopussy's events are sparked into action with a clown's departure from a travelling circus, a man in disguise and actually a British double-0 agent fleeing the place. The circus' jovial background ambiance juxtaposes the sense of chase and danger as he's pursued by two expert knife throwers whom have mean looking intent etched onto their faces; it dissipating with the deathly popping noise that a balloon the clown had attached to him makes upon snagging a branch - the danger escalates, and the scene changes tracts. Escaping them, he stumbles into an Allied embassy and dies on arrival – only to reveal that he was carrying a fabergé egg. Baffled but somewhat alarmed, the British secret service assign Bond to the case and charge him with finding out precisely what's going on. The egg is more broadly linked to that of Louis Jourdan's villain of Afghan descent, Kamal Khan. Khan is royalty in his neck of the woods and a man of whom comes equipped with a hard-as-nails body guard named Gobinda (Bedi), whose own strength is put across via a sequence in which he crushes some dice in the palm of his hands – allusions to Goldfinger's henchman Oddjob, and his uncanny ability to do likewise to golf balls, here rearing up.

A fair few miles away, Steven Berkoff's Soviet General, Orlov, is engaged in a heated debate with half a dozen of his compatriots. In reaction to another General's peaceful ideas about surrendering to the West and ending Cold War hostilities (dialogue playing out to a fitting background of a world map, inferring unity) Orlov outlines a plan built on the notion of full scale warfare which will result in the occupying of most of Western Europe out of an enforced Capitalist disarmament. His methods and attitudes are played out to a very different backdrop, that of a large image built on the iconography of a dictatorship-come-propagandist infused piece of artwork, something reiterating an aggression or a thirst for conquest.

But most of that stuff comes later on; primarily, it is about the duelling between Khan and Bond, a duelling which begins at a London auction in which Bond outbids the man for another fabergé egg and then continues on to an Indian-set casino when either man, respectively clad in white and black reiterating this sensibility of there existing conflict, do battle over a game of high-stakes Backgammon that again, sees Bond win out. When Bond is in India, Khan's nation of residence, it is to attempt to uncover why it was Khan desires the egg; a mark around which we encounter the titular Octopussy (Maud Adams, redeeming things somewhat for her turn/presence in the underdone The Man With the Golden Gun). We observe how Khan appears in the service of her and her palace-set island dwelling; conditions housing circus performers whom dominate a female-only zone. The women on Octopussy's island have purposes or roles; there is a sense of positivity where she dwells, that of taking people in and turning them into someone rather than nothing. Her abode, while very much similar to Khan's in appearance, is the polar opposite to his, in which plans for destruction and harm come to fruition, while attitudes of greed dominate proceedings and the lone female presence is that of the initially somewhat flimsy Magda (Wayborn), of whom is not particularly empowered and employed only as a seductress.

The film has a merry, outgoing quality about it; it is good, clean adventure imbued espionage fun – an honest romp with a likable degree to it. When allies in the film die, there is pause for thought and we sense their lack of presence; there is a sense of great travel throughout, characters are shooting from one corner of the globe to another but are discovering new things that actually total up into something. As the film builds to its finale, intrigue often intensifies rather than merely dissipating; clues are dotted around that we, as must the characters, have to make sure we observe: we overhear the names of certain German cities in distant conversations and that of dates, the names of these places rearing up later on in print furthering tension as pieces of a puzzle come together. We enjoy the intrigue, the mystery surrounding each movement and nuance as things develop – things are not spelt out to us like they might have been. While easy to criticise, the casting of a then-tennis pro and the taking of events to India in order to pine to a new audience seemingly rife enough, Octopussy holds up as a taut; coiled, involving spy thriller which works a lot more than it perhaps has any right to.

One of the Bond's most colorful and imaginative missions, and just avoids going over the top

[Movie_Muse_Reviews · 7/10 · 11 April 2019]

The title alone says a lot about the 13th entry in Eon Productions' "James Bond" franchise. "Octopussy" leans into the camp and silliness that had become associated with the "Bond" brand in the Roger Moore era. It's one of the most colorful and inventive films in the series, brandishing a certain audacity that's as endearing as it might be eyeroll-worthy.

After a clever pre-title sequence sees Bond flying a Acrostar mini jet, 007's latest mission goes into motion due to a fake Fabrege egg and the death of a fellow 00 agent. The trail leads Bond to India, a private island home to a female cult leader named Octopussy (Maud Adams) and even a circus in West Berlin.

Most of the movie takes place in India, allowing the film to include a number of places and people that teeter on the line of offensive these days, but it does achieve the desired effect of imbuing "Octopussy" with its own flair. Compared to 1981's "For Your Eyes Only," which borrowed a lot of concepts from previous "Bond" films and failed to stand out, "Octopussy" offers a lot more visually engaging material, even if both films feel obligated to formula.

"Octopussy" stretches to offer something completely different from past "Bonds" in the form of circus acts, elephant hunts, yo-yo buzz saws, death-defying train and plane chases and even a woman in a position of power. The movie even stoops to dressing Moore in a sad clown outfit. Regular writers Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson (with George MacDonald Fraser), whether under strict orders of Albert Broccoli or of their own volition, craft the story and events in such a way that it's so obvious what parts of a "Bond" movie are immutable versus where fanciful, creative liberties can be taken. For example, every dashing Bond villain (Louis Jordan) needs a physically imposing or otherwise memorable henchman (Kabir Bedi)-this one has a turban and a curved sword.

There is plenty to groan about in "Octopussy," but it's rarely boring. Even director John Glen steps up his game in this his second "Bond" outing, getting tons of shots that drive home the magnitude of the stunt work and even some first-person perspective. These "wow" moments help to justify the simplistic motivation behind them (let's have Bond hold on to a plane in midair!")

"Octopussy" exposes in a new way the fine line Bond has always walked between clever and cheesy, inventive and outrageous - and in this particular instance, he manages to keep his balance. That said, there's a sense upon finishing this film that there couldn't be much room left for Bond to grow given these formulaic restrictions. Moore is a fabulous Bond, but six films into his tenure (and 55 years old, to boot), perhaps his hanging on was restricting Broccoli and Wilson's vision of what else Bond could be, and that the trajectory that nearly ended cinema's greatest character by the end of this decade had already been set in motion.

~Steven C

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Hiss off

[Ali_John_Catterall · 1/10 · 19 November 2009]

Coming in at unlucky number 13 in the James Bond series, Octopussy is at the scrag end of Roger Moore's incarnation, when it had begun to look like 007 might require liver tablets just to make it out of bed in the morning.

Among other embarrassments, it features Moore disguised as a circus clown, sliding down a banister like Inspector Clouseau and informing an Indian accomplice as he hands him a wad of winnings, "That should keep you in curry for a few weeks." There's the issue of that awful title too, though admittedly that was Fleming's doing. One to pass quickly over.

First film my dad took me to.

[cornerudolph · 8/10 · 9 September 2020]

This was where my live for the James Bond franchise began. What a great character to follow for decades to come!

The best Roger Moore - James Bond cheese

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 20 February 2014]

009 is killed in East Berlin while undercover as a clown. With his dying breathe, he brings a fake Fabergé egg to the British Ambassador. This leads 007 (Roger Moore) to questionable antiques seller Kamal Khan (Louis Jourdan). Meanwhile war hungry Russian general Orlov (Steven Berkoff) wants to invade the west. He's behind the fake Fabergé egg. Now Bond must uncover how it's all connected with the circus run by Octopussy (Maud Adams) and a first strike against NATO.

Roger Moore is having fun with a more campy Bond. I love the exotic Indian location and the sarcastic Vijay Amritraj. I like the jokey exchanges, and I love east Indian/circus motif. As Roger Moore Bond cheese, it doesn't really get much better. Although the Tarzan yell is a bit much.

Bond does India

[C22Man · 4/10 · 15 July 2015]

Bond Review.

Title: A silly title that has a reason behind it but doesn't make it easier to accept.

Pre-Titles: Bond fails to plant a bomb in an aircraft hangar, but he escapes in his own aircraft and just about avoids a heat-seeking missile which does the job for him. This is another exciting opening to a Moore Bond film and it is always fun to see standalone action like this open the film. The stunt work in the plane is absolutely brilliant and its intense escape is one of the best parts of the film.

Theme Song: Rita Coolidge delivers one of the dullest themes of the series with 'All Time High'. It just moves along so slowly and neither the melody nor Coolidge's vocals are that good. In fact it sounds like something from a cheesy 1970's sitcom not a Bond film.

Plot: When a fellow agent is found dead holding a Faberge egg Bond is sent to track its progress and it leads him to Afghan prince Kamal Kahn. Bond soon discovers that Kahn and a Soviet general plan to blow up an American air base, which forces him to team up with the mysterious Octopussy. The story is well told and moves along fine, but some of it is quite illogical. The reasoning for Kahn wanting to harm the Americans is never made clear and Octopussy herself just comes out of nowhere to side with Bond. The film also drags the longer it goes on, everything is set-up effectively yet the final third with the circus goes on for too long.

James Bond: Roger Moore is starting to look too old for the role here. His suave personality and witty comments are still entertaining, but it's obviously not him in the action scenes and many of the romantic scenes are rather awkward. However he does just enough to keep things enjoyable.

Bond Girls: Maud Adams returns to the series as the title character and she is just okay. She certainly brings elegance to the role and does have a strong screen presence, but the role limply written and she doesn't contribute anything to the film. Kristina Wayborn is very good as Magda. She gets to show off her athleticism and get involved in the action scenes, she also handles her dialogue well and is an entertaining presence when she appears.

Villains: Louis Jourdan brings sophistication to Kahn and makes for a charming villain opposite Moore, but he isn't much of a threat. Sure he gets some fun lines and is classy, but his plan is flimsy and you get the feeling that Bond could defeat him easily. Steven Berkoff hams it up as disloyal soviet Orlov and it doesn't pay off. He delivers all his lines like a maniac and his expressions are laughable, he's never as threatening as he's meant to be. Kabir Bedi as Kahn's hulking henchman is simply a bore.

Support: Desmond Llewelyn is great once again as we see Q doing some field work here which is fun. Robert Brown plays M for the first time and he is very good, retaining the characters stern attitude.

Action: The action again ranges from nicely intense to absurd. A car chase through the streets of India is good fun and making use of their customs is a smart idea. The whole train sequence, though overlong, is enjoyable and well shot. While there is intensity to some parts, such as 009's death and Bond having to defuse a bomb, which is very effective. But the whole elephant stampede is ridiculous, seeing Bond make a tiger sit and doing a Tarzan yell is embarrassingly dumb. The climax on Kahn's plane is sluggish and not very exciting.

Score: John Barry returns and his score is very good. There are some different compositions that add a more tropical flavour to proceedings and at many points the score is fantastic as a backdrop to some of the more intense scenes.

Production Values: John Glen keeps his more low-key direction here and for the most part it works, however given the films locations and its broader tone it certain would have benefited from more visually impressive directing. The pacing and editing is a mixed bag as stated. The film starts off really well and keeps everything interesting or appropriately mysterious, but things really start to drag once we get to the bomb on the train and it never really recovers. Using India as a location was a good idea as it's always fun to see Bond in a new country and it takes a look at the Indian culture. The writing is hit and miss here. Some of the dialogue is fun and snappy, but other times it just feels silly. The more tongue-in-cheek parts don't work either, the scene with Bond in the jungle is borderline painful for how daft it is.

Conclusion: Octopussy is arguably Moore most laid-back and easy to enjoy film. Nothing that memorable happens and it does have many weak points, but it does have a classic adventure quality to it and it is pretty clear that it's simply trying to entertain which it manages to do. By this point Moore looks too old for the part, but he still makes it work. The villains aren't done very well, Octopussy herself is a bit of a bore and there are some annoyingly comic moments. For me it is just okay and on the whole is just isn't very memorable, yet if you take it for what it is then you may well enjoy it whilst it's taking place.

Roger Moore's Best Bond Film

[Eric-62-2 · 5 September 1999]

This is by far the best of the Roger Moore Bond films in my opinion. I may be prejudiced since "Octopussy" was the first Bond film I saw theatrically, but I absolutely loved it back then and it still holds up today. The plot is a fine blend of the serious stories of the early Connery films and the humorous touches of the Moore era. Add to that a smooth villain in Louis Jourdan, delicious over-the-top counterpoint from Steven Berkoff, a formidable henchman in Kabir Bedi, two exotic Bond girls in Maud Adams and Kristina Wayborn, beautiful location photography in the rich "travelogue" style (did India ever look as good as it does here?) and a great John Barry score and you can't go wrong with it at all. The tense buildup in the bomb countdown which has Bond donning clown makeup at one point is probably one of the most exciting in any Bond film.

Roger Moore hit his peak playing Bond in this film and the proof is how he seems so much better than Sean Connery does in the inferior "Never Say Never Again" that came out that same year. It's a pity that Moore didn't go out with this one, since "A View To A Kill" was so poor by comparison.

By all means rent this, watch it and have fun!

BOND#13: Tigers and Elephants and Clowns, oh my

[Bogmeister · 7/10 · 15 July 2007]

MASTER PLAN: detonate a nuclear bomb at a U.S.Air Force Base, as part of a radical Soviet agenda. This 6th Bonder with Moore has a couple of similarities to the previous "For Your Eyes Only," suggesting a 'been there, done that' tone throughout. There are no really memorable villains or set-pieces, but it does progress at a fairly good clip while you're watching, even if it does bog down in a few spots during the middle half. The teaser exemplifies those thrilling pre-credits sequences which have really nothing to do with the rest of the film. Yet, even the filmmakers seem to acknowledge Moore's advancing years here, since he needs help from a female agent and utilizes another mini-flier gadget to successfully deliver a knockout explosion. It goes along fine until the very end of the teaser, when Moore grins like a, eh, clown, and there's a freeze-frame; these later Bonders with Moore always tended to throw in this foolish smirking to offset the straight action, for some damnable reason (see also the reference to Tarzan and other examples below). The song over the credits is by Rita Coolidge, a rather tepid piece (of course, it's not named Octopussy, which might have been interesting). Moore here appears to be in a similar position to Connery when he was in his final official Bonder "Diamonds Are Forever" - obviously past his prime, but not quite ready to call it quits (Connery did return for the non-canon "Never Say Never Again" this same year). This also has the first interpretation by actor Brown of M, quite similar to Bernard Lee's from most of the previous Bonders, though Lee was, again, more memorable. Moneypenny appears briefly with a new assistant, Ms.Smallbone; she was probably meant to replace Moneypenny in the future, but this didn't pan out. Q has more screen time, as is usual with these later Bonders, even becoming actively involved in the action at one point, though it's presented as a joke.

Bond's mission involves smuggling and those famous Faberge Eggs from the Russian aristocracy of a past century. He actually takes over a mission from agent 009, who is killed early in the story. The first half of the mission takes him to New Delhi and the strongly-exotic Indian locations. The main femme fatale of the title doesn't appear until an hour into the story, played by Adams of "The Man With the Golden Gun" fame. She makes a good fit for the seasoned Bond, but, as with everything else, the filmmakers seemed unable to come up with new twists, including actresses. There's a central action piece where Bond is the object of a hunt and encounters virtually every deadly animal in the region within the span of a few minutes, an expansion of the usual 'deadly animal' scene. But, it comes across as a gimmick and not as an exciting chase, with an inappropriate Tarzan yell to further ridicule the whole concept. A lot of the action also involves a circus, knife throwing by a couple of deadly twins, and an island of women (hoo-hah, just what Bond needs). The smuggling conspiracy is revealed as just a sideline to a crazed Soviet General's plot to expand Soviet control far beyond East Berlin - ah, yes, still the good old days of the Cold War (and some over-acting by actor Berkoff). As the main villain, veteran star Jourdan is suitably classy yet slimy, but somewhat over-the-hill (like Bond), and reminds me of his similar villain in the campy "Swamp Thing"(82). Bedi, as his brawny henchman, does better, with an imposing presence. These two have their best moment when Jourdan orders Bedi to go get Bond outside an airplane. Moore, in his mid-fifties then, still did OK with the tough-guy stuff, but his scenes with thirtyish ladies were a tough sell. The final chasing in Berlin and in the circus is suspenseful, undone a bit when Bond dresses up as a clown; then, the final aerial combat is pretty exciting, but it all ends on another groan-inducing wink from Bond on a boat. Moore would return one more time in "A View to a Kill." Bond:6 Villains:6 Femme Fatales:7 Henchmen:7 Fights:7 Stunts/Chases:8 Gadgets:6 Auto:6 Locations:8 Pace:7 overall:7-

Not a Favorite Bond but still Very Good!

[Zoooma · 7/10 · 29 January 2014]

Perhaps my least watched Roger Moore 007 film; I may have seen this only once before, maybe twice, and like so many others it's been about ten years or so. Roger Moore is getting old as Bond. But he still has it. I really liked this one. Seemed light on the thrills (chases) but heavy on the suspense. I'm not sure any 007 film prior to this felt as suspenseful. Still it has its silly moments, almost as if everything has already been done and Sir Roger is having fun with. At first he's sent out on an art forgery caper? Really? But in between it all we get a decent Cold War spy drama. Not sure I like this as much as the previous Bond outing (For Your Eyes Only) but it flows well and kept me thoroughly entertained. And it might seem minor but John Barry returning for the musical score gave it very good feel in that respect.

7.3 / 10 stars

--Zoooma, a Kat Pirate Screener

A Good, Solid Entry in the Series

[carologletree · 7/10 · 8 January 2016]

This film came out in 1983, the same year as the unofficial Bond film, "Never Say Never Again" starring Sean Connery. They had a box-office battle called "The Battle of the Bonds," and this film grossed a lot more and was, by a long shot, the better film as well. This is another fun Bond adventure with plenty to like.

Roger Moore is starting to show his age a little bit in this film, but he's still has his charm and can still seduce women and deliver the one-liners. Maud Adams, who was previously in "The Man With The Golden Gun," once again is pretty much wasted, which is a shame since she's the title character.

Louis Jordan as Kamal Khan is a very smooth and cool villain, and Steven Berkoff isn't as bad as most people say. The plot may be convoluted for some, but it's actually another fairly down-to-earth spy story.

The locales in India are very beautiful and the film doesn't disappoint as far as action goes. It has a brilliant plane chase in the pre-credit sequence, a chase through the streets of India, a struggle on top a train, and a nerve-racking climax with Bond hanging on to Khan's areoplane.

There are some incredibly silly elements that this film is infamous for. Bond dressing in a clown costume is one thing, but the Tarzan yell is a bit much. You'll enjoy the film if you just ignore those.

By no means is this Bond's "All-Time High" like Rita Coolidge's theme song says, but this is still a fun, suspenseful, action-packed entry in the Bond series. Well worth a look.

RATING: B

Good fun, and a great Bond film!!

[xboy614 · 9/10 · 24 August 2012]

This is Roger Moore's 6th Bond film and you can see that he has aged a bit since For your eyes only. The plot is rather nonsense, hard to follow and, like a lot of Bond films, not to be taken seriously. But for this film, the eight stars are for the sheer energy and work the crew have put into this film to make it funny, exciting and with heaps of stunts and action work. Roger Moore still has his great class from when he started in 1973 ten years before this film. Octopussy is based in India,with heaps of lovely big wide city shots with a scene showing India's jungle as well. The acting is fine, you don't need to worry about that and there are a few funny one-liners and jokes to keep the story from being to serious. All in all, take the film with a pinch of salt, its a bit of fun.... and a great popcorn film!