Octopussy
Rent & Buy
James Bond is sent to investigate after a fellow “00” agent is found dead with a priceless Fabergé egg. Bond follows the mystery and uncovers a smuggling scandal and a Russian General who wants to provoke a new World War.
What critics thought
Contemporary critics were broadly split on Octopussy, with the action sequences drawing genuine enthusiasm but the formula wearing thin for many. Roger Moore's performance was a particular flashpoint — some felt he finally loosened up, others that he had drifted into self-parody — while the plot's incoherence and weak characterization drew consistent complaints even from reviewers who ultimately enjoyed it.
“surprisingly entertaining—surprising because in his previous five Bond appearances Roger Moore has always come off as a smug stiff. In Octopussy Moore relaxes a bit and, just as important, his role is subordinated to the film's many and extremely exciting action scenes. Octopussy has the most sustained excitement in a Bond film since You Only Live Twice”
Gene Siskel·Chicago Tribune
“degenerated [Bond] into a male model, and something of a genial anachronism”
Richard Corliss·Time
“the spectacular aerial stuntwork marking both the pre-credits teaser and extremely dangerous-looking climax. The rest of the action scenes are well-executed but suffer from a sense of deja vu, as in a speeding train that recalls Sean Connery's derring-do in The Great Train Robbery”
Variety
“doesn't treat itself seriously for a moment ...Bond has now become almost totally absurdist, a parody of a parody. The film effectively disarms criticism, except that one might wish for the public to flock to something other than the technically ambitious”
Derek Malcolm·The Guardian
Genres
Action, Adventure, Thriller
Cast & Crew
John GlenDirector
Roger MooreJames Bond
Maud AdamsOctopussy
Louis JourdanKamal Khan
Kristina WaybornMagda
Kabir BediGobinda
Steven BerkoffOrlov
Vijay AmritrajVijay
Desmond LlewelynQ
Lois MaxwellMiss Moneypenny
Robert BrownM
David MeyerTwin One
Tony MeyerTwin Two
John BarryComposer
Richard MaibaumWriter
Michael G. WilsonWriter
Ian FlemingWriter
Alan HumeCinematographyOctopussy
James Bond is sent to investigate after a fellow “00” agent is found dead with a priceless Fabergé egg. Bond follows the mystery and uncovers a smuggling scandal and a Russian General who wants to provoke a new World War.
What critics thought
Contemporary critics were broadly split on Octopussy, with the action sequences drawing genuine enthusiasm but the formula wearing thin for many. Roger Moore's performance was a particular flashpoint — some felt he finally loosened up, others that he had drifted into self-parody — while the plot's incoherence and weak characterization drew consistent complaints even from reviewers who ultimately enjoyed it.
“surprisingly entertaining—surprising because in his previous five Bond appearances Roger Moore has always come off as a smug stiff. In Octopussy Moore relaxes a bit and, just as important, his role is subordinated to the film's many and extremely exciting action scenes. Octopussy has the most sustained excitement in a Bond film since You Only Live Twice”
Gene Siskel·Chicago Tribune
“degenerated [Bond] into a male model, and something of a genial anachronism”
Richard Corliss·Time
“the spectacular aerial stuntwork marking both the pre-credits teaser and extremely dangerous-looking climax. The rest of the action scenes are well-executed but suffer from a sense of deja vu, as in a speeding train that recalls Sean Connery's derring-do in The Great Train Robbery”
Variety
“doesn't treat itself seriously for a moment ...Bond has now become almost totally absurdist, a parody of a parody. The film effectively disarms criticism, except that one might wish for the public to flock to something other than the technically ambitious”
Derek Malcolm·The Guardian
Genres
Action, Adventure, Thriller
Cast & Crew
John GlenDirectorRoger MooreJames BondMaud AdamsOctopussyLouis JourdanKamal KhanKristina WaybornMagdaKabir BediGobindaSteven BerkoffOrlovVijay AmritrajVijayDesmond LlewelynQLois MaxwellMiss MoneypennyRobert BrownMDavid MeyerTwin OneTony MeyerTwin TwoJohn BarryComposerRichard MaibaumWriterMichael G. WilsonWriterIan FlemingWriterAlan HumeCinematographyRent & Buy