X
- 1983
- PG
- Warner Bros.
- 2 h 14 m
- 1983
- PG
- Warner Bros.
- 2 h 14 m
Summary A SPECTRE agent has stolen two American nuclear warheads, and James Bond must find their targets before they are detonated.
Directed By: Irvin Kershner
- 1983
- PG
- Warner Bros.
- 2 h 14 m
- 1983
- PG
- Warner Bros.
- 2 h 14 m
Never Say Never Again
68
5.6
Where to Watch
Summary A SPECTRE agent has stolen two American nuclear warheads, and James Bond must find their targets before they are detonated.
Directed By: Irvin Kershner
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 15 Critic Reviews
68
60% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
40% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 15 Critic Reviews
68
60% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
40% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Never Say Never Again illustrates how much sheer entertainment value can accrue when seasoned, disciplined filmmakers are encouraged to use their accumulated experience and design a classy piece of escapism to the best of their abilities.
The action's good, the photography excellent, the sets decent; but the real clincher is the fact that Bond is once more played by a man with the right stuff. Civilisation is safe in the hands of he who has never tasted quiche, and who, on the evidence here, at least, can perform a very passable tango.
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 41 User Ratings
5.6
32% Positive
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
51% Mixed
21 Ratings
21 Ratings
17% Negative
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 41 User Ratings
5.6
32% Positive
13 Ratings
13 Ratings
51% Mixed
21 Ratings
21 Ratings
17% Negative
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
It is basically a remake of fireball, a return of Sean Connery to (t)his iconic role and one of a few James Bond movies that was not produce by Eon Productions. Because of the last it is often debated if it is a true James Bond movie. For me it is and I don't understand this reasoning or why it should not be counted. Just as remark: Some hallmarks of the franchise could not be used because of legal reasons like the James Bond theme or the standard gun sequence. Story: After the refreshing and remarkable intro scene which I call a masterpiece in positively subverting expectation James Bond is send to a health clinic by M (New boss same codename). There he witnessed some strange behaviors of a nurse and another patient he can explain yet. Meanwhile SPECTRE is planing a master-coup. I stop here with this set up. The movie and story is good and solid James Bond entertainment. It has an engaging and immersive story which delivers all hallmarks you expected but still being fresh and charming enough to avoid franchise fatigue. It might not be my favorite movie in the franchise but fully delivers and has memorable scenes. For those who don't know: The movie title is a reference. Sean Connery quit his role as James Bond and said he will never play this role again as he did not want to be typecast or better said be a prisoner of this role for the rest of his career. He managed to stay true to this statement for over a decade and after this movie managed to never returned again. In general I say this feels more like a Roger Moore era style James Bond movie (meant possessive). For clarification: It has more humor and emotions but also delivers Sean Connery's style and charm. For the cast I already praise Sean Connery who gives a last and great farewell in this role. Klaus Maria Brandauer as Maximillian Largo is a great villain. Maybe not top 3 James Bond villains but definitely top ten and not missing that much. Max von Sydow is a good Ernst Starvo Blofeld but he is not the main bad guy here. Q is not played by Desmond Llewellyn and it feels strange even when Alec McCowen is no misstep. I just cant imagine anyone else in this iconic (side) role. Edward Fox is a great M and more strict and critical to James Bond (More like a male version of the great Judi Dench who will fill this role later). I have forgotten that Kim Basigner played Domino Petachi. A good performance but like before females were not that well presented in the franchise. Barbara Carrera was intimidating and a great adversary except for the final scenes where it ruins her character. However this is the scripts fault and I will not use a bad script to ruin my evaluation **** performance. In total we have a good cast and overall performance. The action scenes and fights are well done in this movie. I praise how they manged to make a 53 year old Sean Connery nailing the role and never fail do deliver (It was a discussion topic / critique for his last James Bond movie over a decade earlier). The soundtrack sadly misses the James Bond theme but can deliver with the themesong and a good performance. Overall this is one of the better James Bond movies and worth watching. While it is not in my top 5 movies in the franchise it is still good and I rewatch it from time to time.
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Another average Bond movie. There are some boring scenes, especially the domination sequence is ridiculous today. Also Brandauer as Largo and Max von Sydow as Blofeld are boring.
On the opposite Connery was great, just like Carrera as Fatima and Basinger as Domino.
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Sean Connery is still up to par as James Bond in the latest adventure of Agent 007,
It is good to see Connery's grave stylishness in this role again. It makes Bond's cynicism and opportunism seem the product of genuine worldliness (and world weariness) as opposed to Roger Moore's mere twirpishness.
Connery delivers his usual charming performance, and Brandauer (MEPHISTO, OUT OF AFRICA) makes a great Bond villain. Gone is the excessive gadgetry that mars Bond films, and, as a result, the characters are more prominent and colorful.
It's his sense that he is superior to the series (which he certainly is) that introduces a fatal strain of campiness and condescension. And without absolute conviction, no action film can survive: if there's no belief, there's no danger.
Not bad. Not good, it's not boring but its so forgettable, Sean Connery is too old, they should at least hire someone who is young enough to play the role of JB
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All in all, this isn't a bad Bond film but one that plays with all of the cliche's and tropes the Bond franchise is known for, jamming them into one well produced rehash of a nearly 20 year old film. Connery still has what it takes to be the ultimate English Spy but it is clear that this would be his last hurrah in the title role, allowing him one last chance to star in his most recognized role. If you are a fan of the franchise, this is one worth watching just to see him at it one final time. ****
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This unofficial Bond film is nothing more than a rehash to outright remake of the much better Thunderball.
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I watched all 25 from **** to Spectre, I would place Never say Never again at 21/25.
Thunderball, the source for this movie, is easily the worst Bond, for many reasons, but mainly three: terrible logic, terrible dialogues, and a poor villain.
For Never Say Never again, there is one great positive to write: despite Connery's very visible age, I think the movie manages to rejuvenate the series in interesting ways. Connery is treated as some old relic of the 60s by a young M that wants him to follow the "new methods". It's an interesting angle, which applies beautifully to Connery.
The movie doesn't suffer from the abysmally slow scenes and overly leisurely direction of Thunderball, nor does it make stupid decisions like 5 minutes long underwater battles in realistic conditions (5 minutes of slow motion without a word said or a face seen, what a bore).
It has a somewhat different style and feel to the EON productions Bonds.
It is, overall, not a bad movie, really.
For half of it.
Because everything I just said, more or less lasts for 1/3rd to half the movie.
And the **** Thunderball all over again.
The same nonsense decisions, the same poor ideas, the same absurdities, the same kind of wtf moments, the same terrible villain, the same everything that made Thunderball the worst Bond.
Never say Never again isn't the worst movie. But it bases itself on it. Connery's age, the general directing, acting, or plot, it was all more or less decently handled, somewhat cleverly sometimes even.
But it all falls apart in about an hour, and just like with Thunderball, there is nothing to say before the utter failure that follows. No need to watch this movie, except to be impressed at how well Connery handled himself at his age.
Oh, except for the videogame battle though.
If you've ever wanted to see Sean Connery fight some mediocre Bond villain in a giant videogame where lasers shoot the players when they lose, sure, that's a scene to see.
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Production Company
TaliaFilm II Productions,
Woodcote,
Producers Sales Organization (PSO),
B.A. Turner,
European Banking Company Limited,
First National Bank of Chicago (London Branch),
MFI Furniture Group,
Manufacturers Hanover Limited,
Midland Montagu Leasing
Release Date Oct 7, 1983
Duration 2 h 14 m
Rating PG
Tagline If you haven't seen Sean Connery in 'Never Say Never Again' then you haven't seen James Bond 007!
Website
https://www.007.com/
Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 1 Nomination
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 2 Nominations
Golden Screen, Germany
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
