Polipka

007__#13__Certainly not a bad contribution to the Bond franchise. The setting of far away India is nice, the action scenes are imaginative, some of them excellent, in fact, the final one with Bond strapped to a plane is an amazing stunt. But the first problem with the film is Roger Moore. Of course, I can't demand any significant physical presence from a fifty-six year old actor, but if he needs a double even for a roughly five-meter sprint (which is significantly evident in one scene), something is wrong. Moore has always reliably compensated for his dull movements with wit and dry humour, but sadly we see very little of that in Octopussy. The second problem is the extremely unlikeable main villain, who lacks the necessary charisma. Still, a pretty solid show. (2005.10.02)

The Indian Bond film was not made during an easy time. Hanging over it was the imaginary threat of the thirteenth film and the fact that it would be competing with an unofficial episode with a returning Sean Connery. However, the permanent team was maintained, and Miss Moneypenny even got an assistant. ;) And although the pairing of the Indian adventure with the espionage set in the Eastern Bloc didn't quite work, as a whole Octopussy was very satisfying. As usual, Moore spared no bon mots and Bond's favorite girl Maud Adams certainly did not disappoint. She first appeared in The Man with the Golden Gun and was not left out the next time around in A View to a Kill. At that time Bond was very lucky when it came to Swedish women because besides Adams, her blonde counterparts Britt Ekland and Kristina Wayborn were also from there, but they were not very prominent. The casting of Kabir Bedi as the villain's loyal sidekick Gobinda is, of course, a chapter in and of itself. This aspect, alongside Sandokan, formed the immortal foundation of his worldwide career. All in all, if we argue about the qualities of a blockbuster, we arrive at a solid Bond film that, while not perfect, has stood the test of time in many ways, making it a favorite part of the franchise for many. (2010.10.25)

A seductive old-fashioned Bond film with a pleasant Far-East feeling. Roger Moore is already too old and it's not that nice, but he tries to at least decently pull the last two parts. Overall, I think Octopussy is uninspiring in terms of a narrative and acting. The only things I enjoyed were the aforementioned form, the costumes, the set design, and the captivating typically 1980s smooth jazz theme song. It’s not completely bad, it sticks to the well-worn tracks, but it needs a change. (2014.05.14)

I also give this Bond ****... BUT: The pre-title scene with the bomb and the mini-plane is funny, but not particularly breathtaking. The title song isn't bad, but what plays out on screen during it is an incredibly uninteresting parade of awkwardly dancing and flying silhouettes. The rest of the film is a different beast altogether. The scene with the clown-009 already has momentum, but the film only really gets going in India. The rickshaw chase is brisk, the battles in the crowd between the fakirs are just as brisk... Bond's hunt with the elephants is classic dodging bullets, but that doesn't matter. But the two best moments are still to come. 1) The train scene (his pursuit by the "rail Mercedes", the scuffles on the roofs and in the carriages, and MOST IMPORTANTLY - Bond in a gorilla suit and when he is looking at his watch, which made me howl with laughter). 2) The ending with the plane. Nothing to do here but marvel at the stunt performances, a first class display! Too bad about the circus-like palace robbery, which is unnecessary and only stretches the film. Oh, and I give both thumbs and all fingers up for that parade of beautiful women. (2010.03.06)

I don't find the writing bad, but why do all the bombs in film always have to be deactivated at the last minute when everyone knows how it's going to turn out anyway. I just can’t wrap my head around it. Octopussy is a Bond film for senior and advanced viewers. The age average has gone up, the acting has gone down accordingly. One of the few characters who’s still clear-eyed is Sandokan, but he doesn't have a boat. (2016.08.04)

Roger Moore is visibly aging before our eyes, but that doesn't change the fact that he still manages to handle action scenes quite well. Furthermore, "Octopussy" is not his last Bond film that he directed. It is amusing in itself that Sean Connery was replaced by Moore, who is three years older than him. However, it cannot be said that Roger Moore was a bad choice. His run is perhaps my favorite, although it still depends on Craig how he finishes his. "Octopussy" is not as elegant as the previous two films, some pop culture references are too obvious, like Tarzan's roar. Despite the choice of a circus setting, "Octopussy" doesn't stand out significantly. (2014.03.10)