For Your Eyes Only

Name: For Your Eyes Only
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Released: June 26, 1981
Duration: 127 min
Rating: 54
Cast: Carole Bouquet, Roger Moore

1981

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Mixed or average reviews based on 12 Critic Reviews

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Generally favorable reviews based on 66 Ratings

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6.4

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6.4	Your Score
6.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 66 Ratings

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For Your Eyes Only

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Movie Details & Credits

United Artists | Release Date: June 26, 1981 | PG

Starring: Carole Bouquet, Roger Moore

Summary: James Bond, Agent 007 is assigned to hunt for a lost British encryption device and to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.

Director: John Glen

Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Thriller

Rating: PG

Runtime: 127 min

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Critic Reviews

Staff (Not Credited)

For Your Eyes Only bears not the slightest resemblance to the Ian Fleming novel of the same title, but emerges as one of the most thoroughly enjoyable of the 12 Bond pix [to date] despite fact that many of the usual ingredients in the successful 007 formula are missing. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

The success of this picture (perhaps Moore's best in the Bond series) can be attributed to the marvelous direction of Glen, who had previously worked as a second-unit director on earlier Bond movies. Not surprisingly, the stunts are some of the best in the series. Read full review

James Berardinelli

For Your Eyes Only is a solid adventure, although it could have been better. There's enough action to hold those with even a short attention span, and Roger Moore's deft charm hasn't yet begun to wear thin. Read full review

Richard Corliss

To evaluate For Your Eyes Only and the other Bond movies, it helps to think of them not as, say, different vintages of a fine Bordeaux but as successive models off the Pontiac assembly line. In one vehicle there may be an annoying ping in the engine of narrative; in another the dialogue may be as sleek as Genuine Corinthian Leather. But all meet the same standards of speed, styling and emotion control. If there is no Rolls-Royce in the Bond series, there is also no Pinto. Read full review

Roger Ebert

For Your Eyes Only is a competent James Bond thriller, well-crafted, a respectable product from the 007 production line. But it's no more than that. Read full review

Time Out London Staff (Not Credited)

Worth a try, but without his Art Dept clothes on, Bond is like the naked Emperor. Look, Ma, no plot and poor dialogue, and Moore really is old enough to be the uncle of those girls. Read full review

Pauline Kael

The 12th James Bond film goes through the motions, but not only are we tired of them, the actors are tired of them - even the machines are tired...The producers have made the mistake of deciding on a simpler, more realistic package, without dazzling sets or a big, mad super villain.

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User Reviews

511andahalf

Feb 7, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The darker tone in this movie works well after the really cheesy and silly Moonraker. There are some good action scenes in this movie, like the ski chase and cliff climbing scenes, as well as the underwater scenes. The movie feels really grounded and that's exactly what makes it work. Kristatos is a weak villain though, he really wasn't that intimidating. Overall, I think this is one of the better Moore 007 films.… Expand

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MrPajamas

Feb 17, 2021

For Your Eyes Only was a little better than Moonraker. Location great with a great plot, but mainly ... especially the jingle. The music in this Bond is one of the best in the series for me. For me, a good film that I can recommend.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

kyle20ellis

Mar 27, 2022

Warning: Spoilers
This is not the best of the Roger Moore Bonds(The Spy Who Loved Me) but it isn't the worst(a tie between **** and A View to a Kill) either- it is a film with its pros and cons and as an entry in the Bond franchise it is actually pretty solid.
CONS: There is nothing newWarning: Spoilers
This is not the best of the Roger Moore Bonds(The Spy Who Loved Me) but it isn't the worst(a tie between **** and A View to a Kill) either- it is a film with its pros and cons and as an entry in the Bond franchise it is actually pretty solid.

CONS: There is nothing new really in the plot, there is little really of surprises. Also some of the humour came across as rather goofy and misjudged while Bill Conti's score is rather disappointing in the forgettable sense.(the theme song was pretty good though)

PROS: The set pieces are truly spectacular, even if the gadgetry and stuff is toned down here, while the cinematography and scenery are excellent. The direction and parts of the script are solid too and the pacing is fairly brisk, while I had little to criticise the acting. Roger Moore shows more grit than usual while Carole Bouquet is very classy as Melina. John Glover is suitably subdued, while there is a colourful turn from Topol and it was a surprise to see Chales Dance as a killer.

In conclusion, not great but solid enough. 7/10 Bethany Cox.… Expand

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FilipeNeto

Feb 18, 2018

Directed by John Glen and produced by Albert Broccoli, it has script by Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson, and is the twelfth film in the franchise. In this film, James Bond must investigate the sudden sinking of a British spy ship in Greece and recover a machine that, if it falls intoDirected by John Glen and produced by Albert Broccoli, it has script by Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson, and is the twelfth film in the franchise. In this film, James Bond must investigate the sudden sinking of a British spy ship in Greece and recover a machine that, if it falls into the wrong hands, can compromise the British submarine defense system. To fulfill the mission and prevent the Soviets from obtaining the lost system, the spy will take the help of a girl who seeks to avenge the death of her parents.

This is another movie where Bond will protect his country in the context of the Cold War. As seen in "The Spy Who Loved Me", the threat of open war between Russians and Americans was already a situation that both powers sought to avoid, in so-called policy of "détente". In fact, Bond mentions that policy in this film, in one of the final scenes, addressing the Russian General Gogol. This is probably one of the most memorable scenes in this film. In another, Bond scale an almost vertical mountain, in order to get to villain's lair. And how can we forget the famous chase scene where Bond, at the wheel of a disjointed Citroen 2CV, makes cross-country by the Andalusian hills? In addition to that famous scenes, we must appreciate the good performance of the cast, particularly Roger Moore, which achieved to harmonized well his comic vein with the pure action scenes, showing much more the aggressiveness that he seemed to tempered in previous films. The opening theme, "For Your Eyes Only", sung by Sheena Easton, is also unforgettable.

Besides the central cast, inherited from the previous films, and the continuation of Roger Moore in the role of 007, in this film participated Carole Bouquet, in the role of the Bond-girl Melina; Topol gave life to Columbus; Julian Glover represented the villain, Kristatos; Cassandra Harris took the role of Countess Lisl and Lynn- Holly Johnson gave life to the nymphet Bibi Dahl.… Expand

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VidyaBum

Oct 22, 2021

Having watched 25 Bonds from Dr.No to Skyfall, I place this one at 12/25.

For Your Eyes Only is fairly simple: it's a generic Moore Bond, with a villain whose time onscreen is massively misused, and it has no exceptional qualities in its story, actors, or style. But I believe that for itsHaving watched 25 Bonds from Dr.No to Skyfall, I place this one at 12/25.

For Your Eyes Only is fairly simple: it's a generic Moore Bond, with a villain whose time onscreen is massively misused, and it has no exceptional qualities in its story, actors, or style.

But I believe that for its time, and perhaps even for much later in the series history, it has the best action of perhaps the whole franchise. There's a sense of real violence in the strikes, the shots, the moments. The ending sadly is quite boring, and there's a bunch of really poorly made scenes, but the overall movie is visually appealing and its action scenes, in the snow and the mountains particularly, are extremely well made. It's the only Bond movie to have 15 minutes of action scenes upon action scenes, and I still didn't feel bored or that it overstayed its welcome.

Otherwise, it's another Moore Bond, not his best, not one of his bad ones. They tried to give it a twist with a friend that turns villain, but he has so little character during his scenes that it's a moot effort. A special mention to Carole Bouquet, who was truly beautiful.… Expand

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amheretojudge

May 8, 2019

By this point, Moore doesn't care, he is on the run, shooting blanks, it might go really good or really bad; quantity will boil down to quality. is his motto.

For Your Eyes Only Glen is new to the town. And so is his method. This breath of fresh air may not hold up against time, but forBy this point, Moore doesn't care, he is on the run, shooting blanks, it might go really good or really bad; quantity will boil down to quality. is his motto.

For Your Eyes Only

Glen is new to the town. And so is his method. This breath of fresh air may not hold up against time, but for now, this is as good as entertainment gets. The script isn't breaking any ground here, but it is the director John Glen whose mano-y-mano approach to this franchise fabricates it with new color. And with fast gritty action that may not particularly be the smartest of all, the time slides by like melting butter, and just like it, it is unhealthy yet gestating a fun time for us, where often before reaching the climactic point, the film drops down all its weapons and reveals all its cards, this time with a nail biting tensed environment created around the set, it cuts deep and it cuts good.

Finally, they leave the film as they should, at its peak point; no pun intended. Not to say that the rest of the time is spent upon building this grand finale, there are plenty of antics to drool over. From the classic humorous chase sequence- another major scoffed off limitation is the humor that is more subtle, of course, compared to the chapters in this franchise- to a well choreographed and equally flawed escapism from the jaws of the death.

Even the Bond girl gets a more emotionally driven and less tempted towards the materialistic aspects of the world, arc to fill, it is still corny though. Roger Moore's performance seems a bit rushed over, almost like a runny ingredient in one big meal that was supposed to amplify the taste and instead undermines them. For Your Eyes Only, claims our lead actress, and is exactly how dogmatic the film travels, there is only so much a stuntman can do, please breathe some life on both paper and screen.… Expand

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imthenoob

Nov 13, 2019

Two words: Instantly forgettable. Action scenes were in need of a major edit, The plot is so bland and typical and the lack of a compelling villain really put a damper on things. It's a shame to see Moore get wasted on such mediocre scripts because he is such a good Bond but it seems likeTwo words: Instantly forgettable. Action scenes were in need of a major edit, The plot is so bland and typical and the lack of a compelling villain really put a damper on things. It's a shame to see Moore get wasted on such mediocre scripts because he is such a good Bond but it seems like all of his recent Bond films are just scraping the bottom of a barrel. They're awful.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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