We are officially more than half way through the marathon. There are some really good, even great, things about Octopussy, but it also has some truly awful bits that just ruins any chance of it being more than a mediocre Bond movie. It is my third favorite of Roger Moore's adventures, but since I've made it pretty clear how I feel about Moore's movies in general that likely tells you it isn't highly ranked.
1. Mischka and Grischka chasing 009 is an eerie beginning to the film that has some hints of the horror-like tone we saw when the dogs chased down Corinne Dufour in Moonraker. I also really like it when we get a reference to the other 00 agents working for MI6. In this sequence we actually get to see a 00 agent who isn't Bond, which is quite rare.
2. General Orlov is insane, and not just because he wants to start a war with the Western world. He is just truly off his rocker and every scene he is in has a heightened sense of insanity about it. The actor portraying Orlov, Steven Berkhoff, has the scenery-chewing dialed up to an 11.
3. Upon my first viewing of Octopussy I had no clue that the guy playing Vijay, Bond's ally in New Delhi, was a famous tennis player, so the jokes referencing the sport did not land with me. However, he is such a likeable guy I have always enjoyed the character.
4. We've seen Bond best people in gambling and we've seen him cheat cheaters while gambling, but it never gets old seeing him outduel a cheater while gambling. The backgammon scene is good on its own, but what makes it really stand out is when he rolls he is so confident that the loaded dice will work he doesn't even look as he claims his victory. It is a boss move!
5. I certainly enjoy the Bond movies that are spy-centric and this one falls into that category more than most of them. The plot gets a pretty convoluted and even after multiple viewings I'm still not 100% clear on who has real jewels and fake ones, but the twists and turns throughout the film make it a fun watch overall.
6. "You have a nasty habit of surviving." "You know what they say about the fittest."
7. Remember what I said about liking Vijay. That makes his demise so heart-breaking when he is slaughtered by the yoyo blades.
8. This is a extremely silly moment that you either love or hate. I happen to love it. When Bond looks at his watch in the gorilla suit it makes me laugh out loud every single time.
9. Bond getting revenge for 009 is a nice moment. Seeing Roger Moore get a little nasty is always welcome since he did it so rarely in his films.
10. The climactic battle where Bond is hanging on the plane as the villain and his henchman try to escape is possibly Moore's greatest finale. The one coming up in the next film certainly gives it a run for its money, but this one is rip-roaring and reminds me that Tom Cruise might have done the same stunt for real in the Mission: Impossible franchise (as opposed to Moore letting the stunt team handle it) but he didn't come up with the idea first.
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