25 replies to this topic

[Qwerty]

Keeping in line with the Countdown Movie Review threads we've had in the past few months and have been going periodically on the mainpage - now we will be reviewing Never Say Never Again.

Please give an in-depth review of Never Say Never Again.

Ah, the battle of the Bond's. If you ask me, I'll take Roger Moore's Octopussy anyday, but Never Say Never Again does have some very good moments in the 007 series. We've got Sean Connery back, and despite his age, he gives yet another credible performance as agent James Bond. The supporting cast, mostly the villains, are outstanding. The psychotic Maximillion Largo portrayed by Klaus Maria Brandauer is simply perfect for a James Bond film. His scene with Domino upon arriving at his escape getaway is terrific; the way he taunts her. Also: '...then I slit your throat.' Priceless.

Who can ever forget the delightfully evil femme fatale, Fatima Blush? Her introduction scene (or pretty much all of them) with Bond is top notch. She's a controlling, powerful, and all evil woman, making her one of the series best villains. Almost a shame when she dies. Domino Petachi is good in the film, her dance scenes with Bond are interesting - but I prefer Thunderball's Domino.

If there is one aspect of Never Say Never Again that gives it success in my opinion, it's the dialogue. It's fun and rarely falls flat. Negatives for me include the score and title song, the latter by Lani Hall. All in all, not very inspiring. If comparing to Thunderball: Thunderball wins by far. However, Never Say Never Again is definitely a film for a Bond fan to own.

[TheLazenby]

I didn't really care much for the original version (it doesn't seem like James Bond, it just seems like a cheesy '80s action movie), but I really enjoyed the version that Drummond Grieve made.

In his version, where is the song from that plays when Jack Petachi is hacking into the presidential computer for real? It sounds so familiar but I can't remember what Bond movie it's from!!

[marktmurphy]

That's the safe crack music from OHMSS. Fits a treat, doesn't it?

As for comparing to Thunderball, I'd say Thunderball wins out because of its terrific style (and that's all a Bond film should need!), but at least the plot concerning Domino and Jack makes more sense in NSNA. And you're definitely right about the dialogue- only Golden Gun and Diamonds have better in the Bond series if you ask me.

[TheLazenby]

DAF has the single best exchange in a movie *ever*:

"Who is she, your mother?"
"Blow up your pants!"

[Qwerty]

Please try to keep this thread dedicated to the reviews for this film.

[ACE]

The King Stays Across The Water
A "Never Say Never Again" opinion by ACE

The Promise
As a remake of TB, stipulated by law, NSNA had narrow confines to work within. TB, whilst spectacular, always had narrative problems getting too bogged down with the complex abduction of the warheads. NSNA could never overcome the fundamental structural problems of TB which, I think, ironically for what was always meant to be a film script, works better as a novel. Therefore, NSNA had inherited deficiencies. Nevertheless, NSNA was to have been created as if there had never been a Bond film before in order to re-define and resurrect, both, the James Bond character and James Bond iconography and return to the human James Bond of Ian Fleming.

If only....

American Bond
NSNA was an American Bond film with an American director from an American script by made by a company (and backed by a studio) who thought they understood who and what James Bond was but, in reality, didn't understand at all. Irvin Kershner was too sedate in his pacing and his emphasis on character development, while interesting, elongated a film which needed tighter storytelling. NSNA did not need the slow grandeur he gave to The Empire Strikes Back. Like DAF, none of the action scenes excite. All the fights (training, Shrublands, Palmyra, Tears of Allah battle) were too staged and slow. The chase sequences (motorbike and horse and SCUBA) were soggy and contrived without even being absurdly imaginative. The reliance on optical post-production effects, while novel for Bond, was distracting and came off badly especially in comparison to Octopussy's stunning but straight forward real-for-real thrills.

Semplicity
Lorenzo Semple Jnr's screenplay was riven with cliches about the Bond myth. Bond by numbers. So much for no previous Bond films. RM's influence was felt throughout the film in the obvious humour and characters like Nigel Smallfawcett. The idea of an aging Bond was interesting (Tom Mankiewicz, in Bondage #8, postulated an older Bond story where his timing is off and his reflexes a beat below par humanizing the supercool spy) but the film did not maintain that characterisation. There was not enough class in the film (although the fois gras, vodka and quails' eggs suitcase was wonderful). Champagne and casinos, in themselves, are not enough

Edited by ACE, 01 August 2005 - 10:56 PM.

[Qwerty]

Wonderful stuff. Great work ACE.

[Blofeld's Cat]

No So Legrand
Lani Hall's title song was inappropriate, especially over those visuals, although it was a well-written, song-writer's song. It lacked the dramatic sweep or the haunting introspection of the traditional Bond songs.

So bad in fact that I'm sure even the producers tried to hide it by letting the sound of the action play over it.

Great review there ACE.

I'd like to read one from DLibrasnow.

[DLibrasnow]

I wrote a review of Never Say Never Again five years ago, but it probably needs to be revisted.

Incidently I really liked the Ed Harris comparison between Thunderball and Never Say Never Again. It's nice to read a write-up from someone else who appreciates what Irvin Kershner and his team were trying to do in the 1983 outing. I thought it was a very balanced review and agree with most of his points (except for the knock against Semple).

But I'll post an updated in depth review before Qwerty gets to 1983 in his countdown series of articles. I believe the last movie covered was 1971's Diamonds Are Forever.

[Loomis]

SC's approach to Bond was considered and well-meant but off-beam. It was obviously influenced by RM's comedic approach.

Wow! The claim that Connery was influenced by Moore while playing Bond! Now I've seen everything!

But I don't necessarily disagree with you, ACE (or agree with you, for that matter) - just strikes me as somehow heretical to the Church of Bond Fandom to make such an assertion. The very idea that the great Connery's comeback Bond performance would have been influenced by anyone, let alone by one of his inferior successors as 007! Would Paul McCartney take songwriting lessons from Noel Gallagher of Oasis?

It's a bit like claiming that Gardner is a better writer than Fleming (which he may be). Upsets the applecart, rocks the boat, queries the established pecking order, is what it does.

I'll call security.... and CONGRATULATE them! ACE, we need more of this sort of thing. An excellent post, with some very interesting points.

[DLibrasnow]

Never Say Never Again: A franchises crowning achievement

Faced with not being able to include the iconic familiar gun-barrel sequence at the beginning of their 1983 Bond movie, Taliafilm (named after the wife of the producer and Rocky actress Talia Shire) had to cone up with their own motif. What they decided upon gives the first clue that we are about to experience something different, a breath of fresh air and a good kick up the rear end to a series of movies that had become stale through resorting to self-parody and recycled dialogue and villainy.
Yes, Never Say Never Again is a retelling of the Thunderball storylines worked out between Fleming, Bryce, Whittingham and McClory. It

[ACE]

SC's approach to Bond was considered and well-meant but off-beam. It was obviously influenced by RM's comedic approach.

Wow! The claim that Connery was influenced by Moore while playing Bond! Now I've seen everything!

But I don't necessarily disagree with you, ACE (or agree with you, for that matter) - just strikes me as somehow heretical to the Church of Bond Fandom to make such an assertion. The very idea that the great Connery's comeback Bond performance would have been influenced by anyone, let alone by one of his inferior successors as 007! Would Paul McCartney take songwriting lessons from Noel Gallagher of Oasis?

It's a bit like claiming that Gardner is a better writer than Fleming (which he may be). Upsets the applecart, rocks the boat, queries the established pecking order, is what it does.

I'll call security.... and CONGRATULATE them! ACE, we need more of this sort of thing. An excellent post, with some very interesting points.

Yes, the Bond police are coming to get me. I think Moore was a more consistent Bond performer than Connery (who was dire in YOLT). However, I think Connery was a better Bond than Moore, although not blindly so. BTW, Macca wrote with a lot of people like Costello whom he compared favourably with Lennon. I really do think that the Eon evolution of the character influenced the dramatic choices in NSNA. I think Connery gave his broadest interpretation of the character. Sorry.

Thanks for the compliment Loomis. I'm new to this posting lark and looking at the profiles of various members, I have seen everything! The Bond police will surely also be after those who think Gardner or Benson were better Bond authors than Fleming.

DLibrasnow, wonderful review. I'm sorry to be negative on your favourite film. I actually enjoy watching it and there are many good things in it. We just disagree. As Eastwood said, "Opinions are like a***holes. Everybody has one."

ACE

[DLibrasnow]

DLibrasnow, wonderful review. I'm sorry to be negative on your favourite film. I actually enjoy watching it and there are many good things in it. We just disagree. As Eastwood said, "Opinions are like a***holes. Everybody has one."

ACE

Thanks. Don't worry about it. That's what makes CBN such a great place. People can disagree about something, yet still be civil towards each other. You don't find that often in fan communities.

[Qwerty]

GREAT reviews so far! Keep the coming.

[Double-Oh Agent]

Never Say Never Again -- ranks 19th on my list of Bond movies (FYI) before TMWTGG but after AVTAK but this is an individual thread so we'll ignore that and get on to the review.

Sean Connery makes a welcome return to James Bond after 12 years and (other than a little heavier and certainly grayer) is in fine form in this remake of Thunderball. Connery retains every aspect that made him James Bond and for many people, the one and only 007. For the longest time I thought Connery was the only Bond who could play an aging 007 effectively as evidenced by NSNA. I have come to amend that as I think George Lazenby could do so as well as he looks really good now, but that is neither here nor there.

As for the film itself, it has some high and low points that lend itself to mixed results and leaves one wondering what more could have been done although Kevin McClory and Jack Schwartzman are hamstrung in being able to use only stuff that was written for screen treatments of Thunderball back in circa 1959.

The low points: Michel Legrand's score is by far the worst of any Bond score. Granted, he is handicapped by not being able to use the James Bond Theme or even the 007 Theme but aside from that, the rest of the music is just bland and does not seem anything like what should be heard in a Bond film. As for Kim Basinger's Domino Petachi, I really enjoy her later work but she is not effective here. Her inexperience is too evident. How I wish we could transplant her from 6 to 10 years in the future back into NSNA. She looks a lot better in 1989-1993 than in 1983 and with that extra experience would have been a great Bond girl instead of just a so-so one. Also, the film loses steam when Barbara Carrera's Fatima Blush dies, particualrly in the underwater scenes. I'm also not as excited with Bond's allies in the home office (M, Algernon, Elliott, Moneypenny, Nigel Small-Fawcett). Something just seems to be missing with them for whatever reason.

The good: Connery, of course. Barbara Carrera is a scene-stealer in the femme fatale role. She really drives the movie. Another good point is Bernie Casey's Felix Leiter. While Leiter is not black, the filmmakers cast a black actor to make Bond's friend stand out and Casey does have a good rapport with Connery. To date, he's probably in the top three or four Leiters in the series. Pat Roach's Lippe is also great. He's a very intimidating and dangerous presence at Shrublands. You definitely have concerns for Bond when they are fighting. And Klaus Maria Brandauer is good as Maximillian Largo. He does a good job of portraying Largo's being psychotic, especially once Bond boards the Disco Volante, although I believe he falls short of Adolfo Celi's sinister Emilio Largo in Thunderball.

All in all, an okay but not great film. While worth watching to see an older Connery returning to the role and to see what a faithful non-EON film would be like, it is nevertheless a terrific example of why the Bond movies should never be remade. Most are classics in their own right and would be difficult, if not impossible, to improve on.

[Qwerty]

Excellent! Keep them coming, this movie is coming up soon in the Countdown.

[Harmsway]

Ah, Never Say Never Again...

Never Say Never Again is a film that has been a film that has not only gone largely ignored by the Bond fan community, but often criticized. Some of the criticisms are more than valid, but in truth, this Bond film is much better than many would have you believe.

It was 1983, and Connery was back as James Bond. That casting alone makes this film worth watching, and what an interesting performance it is. Connery's take on Bond this time is a Bond that's a bit older, with a bit of a twinkle in his eye. This Bond has been around the block, seen the world, and is getting a bit tired of the game. It's a nice twist that works well. The one-liners are stated with relish, and that great Connery charisma is all over this film. This is Connery's Bond with a different flavor, but one worth no less relishing.

To add, the supporting cast is generally terrific. Klaus Maria Brandauer is a fine villain, giving a wonderful performance of a very youthful Largo, even if he lacks the elegance and menace of Adolfo Celi. Bernie Casey's Felix Leiter is one of the best. Max Von Sydow has a cameo role as Blofeld, and does very well in the part. The real scene-stealer, however, is Barbara Carrera, owning the screen in the role of Fatima Blush.

The big casting flaw was Kim Basinger. Her acting is very poor, and she presents a very weak love interest for Connery. There's none of the independence or toughness of the Domino of Thunderball (either in the book or film).

And here's where the other flaws start to creep in. The direction and editing is pretty slow and poor at best. Legrand's score for Bond is extremely poor and often annoying. The production design is nothing to match the grandeur of anything Ken Adam touched. The action is clunky, and the finale sags and is ultimately unfulfilling.

The success of NSNA largely rides upon Connery playing the part again. Put any other Bond in the role here, and you'd have a film that was much worse. Credit must also be given to the small moments of invention in this film that give it a bit of umpf. Moments like Fatima booby-trapping Bond's room or Bond enjoying a tango with Domino make this succeed. The action may not impress, but who can't help but chuckle with the manner in which Bond takes care of the casino doorman?

Ultimately, Never Say Never Again is a mixed bag. There's good and bad all over the place in this film, but the good really edges out the bad. Connery's great return to the role is worth the price of admission (or rental or purchase) alone, and there's much more to hold your attention. Is it as good as Thunderball? Definitely not, though Thunderball isn't perfect either. But is it worth seeing? YES!

[A Kristatos]

Never Say Never Again


Yes, Never Say Never Again, also known as the "imposter". But still a pretty darn good movie nonetheless. The great Sean Connery (as opposed to the sleepwalking Sean Connery of You Only Live Twice) is back in full form here, though in a bit of different path in this movie. Connery is not the imposing, sometimes menacing figure he is in his earliest Bond incarnation, but rather relaxed, and taking the job of secret agent in stride. However, he is not boring as in You Only Live Twice, and he looks more fit than in Diamonds Are Forever.

Being an unofficial Bond film by a rival company, the trimmings that come with an official EON produced Bond film could not be used. Therefore, this movie lacks the trademark gunbarrel sequence at the beginning, and the familiar James Bond music. Having said that though, there is no reason the producers could not have hired at least a more John Barry sounding composer, if Barry himself would or could not compose the soundtrack due to contractual reasons. What we are left with is a bizarre sounding jazz soundtrack by Michael Legrand, that only on one occasion even remotely sounds like something even close to a John Barry cue. The offical title theme sung by Lani Hall was amongst the worst of all Bond themes, though at least the theme was well placed throughout the movie, poor theme or not.

The plot is basically a retread of the original Thunderball plot, but like Connery, the story moves at a much more relaxed pace. I don't get the feeling of the impending threat of nuclear war watching this movie that I get from watching Thunderball. But again, it's a refreshing change of pace to watch a Bond movie that has a more down to earth ending.

What really propels this film into the top half of the Bond hierarchy is the acting. Edward Fox plays the smarmy, self-centered M, who is forced to reactivate the 00's when a madman demands ransom for SPECTRE in exchange of the location of two stolen nuclear missles. While not highly regarded, I liked Fox's take on the MI6 boss! While Q and Moneypenny were rather forgettable, the usually more likeable Rowan Atkinson was downright irritating as Bond's Bahammas' contact, Nigel Small-Fawcett (Okay, okay! We get the joke already! And one can see why....oh, never mind)! However, the good heavily outweighs the bad, as the two main baddies in this movie, Maximillian Largo and his hencewoman, Fatima Blush (portrayed by Klaus Maria Brandeur and Barbara Carrera, respectively) are sensational. Brandeur's portrayal of a gentler, but far more psychotic Largo nicely complements the more sinister, threatening Largo played by Adolfo Celi in Thunderball. And as has been said many times before, Carrera steals every scene she's in as she plays the goofy, seductive Blush. I dare anyone to find a greater portrayal of a Bond girl villian, and death scene in any of the offical Bond movies! Finally, Bernie Casey plays a great Felix Leiter, while Max Von Sydow comes off as too "prim and proper" to be believed as Blofeld. And Kim Basinger comes across as a thoroughly forgettable Bond girl.

When all intangibles are added up, I find the return of Sir Sean Connery a great experience. Though the film loses some punch after Fatima Blush is killed, and the official Bond music would have really spiced things up even more, the positives far outweigh the negatives in this film, therefore adding up to a solid Bond film, unofficial or not. This would definately rank amongst the top third of my rankings of all the official Bond movies.

[Major Bloodnok]

You know, I really don't want to do a beat by beat review of NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN. There are enough of them already and opinions are just that- opinions. Some folk think this is the best Bond ever and some think it's a steaming pile of dung. I find it somewhere in the middle.

I still have the STARLOG magazine where they announced that Irvin Kershner was going to be directing a Bond film based on JAMES BOND OF THE SECRET SERVICE (it had STAR TREK II on the cover) and I still remember how excited I was knowing that Sean Connery was coming back. I went to see it opening night- twice. The second time I sat next to the fattest man I'd ever seen and shook every time he laughed, which was loud and often. I enjoyed it, but I left feeling as though I hadn't gotten my money's worth (later on when I bought the dvd I really got hosed- it was edited!).

The problem I have with it, for the most part, is that we've seen it before and know how it's gonna go beat for beat. That's the problem with any remake.

McClory and company had such a narrow field to work with and what seems like a limited amount of time to get this film in the can that they ended up shortchanging themselves and the audience. This movie boasts a fine cast, a top notch DP and a great director- but in the end it comes up short. The script by Lorenzo Semple Jr. (and who is Lorenzo Semple Sr?) is too close to BATMAN and too far from THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR, both of which he was responsible for. Even a dose of FLASH GORDON would have been nice.

Unfortunately, what stood out to my 16 year old mind was: "Did I really see a boobie? And did they really show Bond and Fatima Blush in the act?" What stands out in my 40ish year old mind is that this movie is less exciting than the average episode of E.R. Sean looks good, Carerra looks amazing, Bassinger looks fine, Rowan Atkinson looks silly, Klaus was great but the over all effect of the movie is a not intense or suspenseful movie about nuclear bombs being stolen.

I still liked it better than Zardoz.

[Qwerty]

Keep them coming, this film goes on the mainpage soon.

[A Kristatos]

Keep them coming, this film goes on the mainpage soon.

I'm going to post a review for each film, Qwerty. I only have fifteen more to go!

[Colossus]

NSNA, just one of two Bond films that got the highest rating of all Bonds on my Video movie Guide of 4

Edited by Colossus, 24 November 2005 - 08:55 AM.

[Streetworker]

NSNA is an abomination and I would cheerfully sanction the burning of all copies. Usually, I would write more about why I liked/disliked a film. But I wasted two hours of my life watching the wretched mess in '83 (Barbara Carrera's jaw-droppingly awful performance - one of the worst in movie history in my opinion - is forever etched on my memory, damn her) and have no intention of wasting any more than I have to on it now.

[Qwerty]

Keep them coming, this film goes on the mainpage soon.

I'm going to post a review for each film, Qwerty. I only have fifteen more to go!

Very glad to see more members getting involved in these countdown threads.

[mtonline]

Kevin McClory, thats the first thing i think of when i hear Never Say Never Again, and BOY does it put a smile on my face. The devilish power he seems to bring to the enemy, and the power he adds to the hero, add that to good actors and MAN am i happy. Thats exactly what this movie has done to me, if this was rereleased in theatres, i would be the first in line to see it.

The style of the 80s is very present in the movie, and for some reason, i like that about it. The "sex" scene was more daring than what EON would ever allow, and up till DAD things like this would have never been concievable. Its also a cool note to add that Felix in this movie is not the same Felix as in the EON films, and yet he is almost more believable (except if u think of Hedison).

I have been waiting for another remake, just so we could see a whole new franchise, and now that EON is part of the Sony family, that VERY well could happin, but im not gettin my hopes up, all i know is that when the times right, more will come.

So, its like this:

Music: 8
Looks:8
Sex:10 (Beats any other bond film hands down)
Cast:8
Post production effects:7
Script:9

if u havent seen it, SEE IT!!!

P.S.:

SPECTRE'S BACK!!!


M_T

[Colossus]

If ever there was a personification of the word 'sadistic' it would be Klaus Maria Brandauer's potrayal of Largo. When he sees Domino and Bond in the dance room, he comes back to the empty room, takes everything and starts smashing it into the mirrors, moments before being absolutely charming to Bond.
!!!

Edited by Colossus, 05 December 2005 - 09:44 AM.