You Only Live Twice (1967)

Waste of time

Just so...so bad

It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

The James Bond film where the Austin Powers franchise derives most of it's material from. Contains some of the franchises most electrifying action sequences and special effects work (the gadgets in this film are simply awesome). Arguably the true star of this movie are the fantastic set designs by Ken Adam, the unsung hero of the early JB films. Every single set in this movie, especially the awe-inspiringly massive SPECTRE volcano base, is breath-taking in it's creativity and imagination. I also love the great on-location shots in Japan and John Barry's score is one of his best. So with all these elements, what prevents this movie from being a great JB entry? Two things... 1) The plot is very convoluted, messy, and not even remotely plausible. The initial set-up of James Bond faking his death becomes pretty meaningless after the first 20 minutes and the sequence in which James Bond LITERALLY turns Japanese feels like complete time-killer. 2) Around this time, Sean Connery was starting to lose his enthusiasm for the role that made him into a superstar and it shows in his substandard performance. He is far from bad, but the dashing playboy-esque charm of his previous performances feels sadly absent from the proceedings. Regardless of these flaws, this is an extremely fun movie and great for fans of over-the-top James Bond.

The last Connery Bond of the sixties must be one of the most gloriously rich and entertaining films of the decade. So be warned if your're looking for reality or substance, this is high calibre cinematic escapism only! With You Only Live Twice the film makers provide an adventure that outdoes all past Bond movies in terms of scale. While Roald Dahl's script follows the Bond template with great locations, characters and gadgets to enjoy, the concept of an arch villain in a hollowed out volcano trying to create World War 3 is the tour de force here. Bond has to find the hide out and stop the plan, and enlists the Japanese secret service for help along the way. The work of three Oscar winners is standout: Freddie Young's cinematography creates the requisite Bond atmosphere; Ken Adam's production design is nothing like anyone had seen at the time and composer John Barry's score is literally music to the ears. Enjoy Sean Connery in fine form as Bond. Strictly to be appreciated in widescreen only and via the biggest screen you can get your eyes on.

When I was around 11 or 12 years old, my dad and I watched all the James Bond movies that were released then (which was up until "License to Kill") in a period of just a couple of days. Although I liked almost every single one of them, the one and only that instantly became my favorite one in the series! I mean, what wasn't to be loved about this awesome movie?!? The utterly cool sequences of space capsules being swallowed – literally – by bigger and monstrous rockets, the fantastic villainous headquarters hidden inside an inactive volcano, the exciting scenes at the ninja training camp, the cool aerial battle between 007 in his silly little yellow toy-airplane versus various heavily armed black helicopters, the pet piranhas, and – most of all – the portrayal of the ultimate evil mastermind Ernst Stavro Blofeld by the inimitable Donald Pleasance. Now, 25 years and yet another 8 new Bond installments later, I can still shamelessly admit that "You Only Live Twice" still stands as my personal favorite Bond movie and – even though Sir Sean Connery will probably disagree with me – it's undeniably the most entertaining one of the entire series. Through the eyes and ears of an adult viewer I can add more good reasons to love this movie, actually, like for example it features on of the top three greatest theme songs (courtesy of Nancy Sinatra) and an action-packed screenplay penned down by another one of my childhood heroes, namely Roald Dahl. The plot of "You Only Live Twice" is easily summarized… Criminal organization S.P.E.C.T.R.E, led by the scar-faced and cat-loving psychopath Blofeld, is well on track to evoke a third World War by alternately abducting a US and then a Soviet space capsule from within a secret base camp on a Japanese volcanic island, and then counting on the fact that these two stubborn world powers will blame each other. Luckily the intelligent British government suspects there's more going on, and so they send their best agent to the Far East. In order to fulfill his delicate mission, 007 first has to fake his own death and then literally must become a Japanese warrior. "You only live Twice" is another fast- paced and spectacular Bond-adventure with beautiful exotic filming locations, lots of pleasant hi-tech gadgetry (cigarette gunfire, anyone?) and plenty of action. The Bond girls in this one are all Oriental, evidently, so whether Akiko Wakabayashi and Mie Hama rank amongst the most beautiful 007 bed partners or not entirely depends on your own personal taste. My major complaint now is that I remember Pleasance's role in the film to be bigger… When I was 12- years-old Donald Pleasance must have made such an everlasting impression on me that he forever remains the embodiment of James Bond villains

007 and the Japanese secret service must find and stop the true mastermind of a series of spacejackings before nuclear war is forced.Of course this is the one where Bond makes some ethnic cringe educing remarks in the opening before he is killed on a retracting bed and as my son said 'it's the one where he dresses up as Mr. Spock,' when he literally turns Japanese. While it's known for its expensive awe inspiring volcano sets and the 'Little Nellie' gyrocopter dogfight, for me the better stand out moments are the fight in one of Ken Adams lavish set that packs a punch. And there's a genius segment by director Lewis Gilbert where Bond fights on a roof top all captured from a bird's eye view.Sean Connery is on his usual cool form as James Bond, at one point he sports his Royal Navy uniform when he's buried at sea and later seemingly jumps off a building thanks to an old school stunt double switch. Roald Dahl's (yes the children's writer) screenplay has Bond shooting and killing without remorse which Connery pulls off effortlessly. It features one of the better Bond themes "You Only Live Twice" by Nancy Sinatra and John Barry's music is delightfully fitting. Charles Gray in his pre own turn as Blofeld is memorable as Henderson. Donald Pleasence is excellent as unblinking S.P.E.C.T.R.E head Blofeld, his incarnation defined the character and a place in pop culture. Bond girls Aki and Kissy do their best but lack screen presence of their predecessors. Actor Tetsurô Tanba (Tanaka) is notable. Burt Kwouk also famous for Kato shows up as Spectre 3. Regulars Bernard Lee's 'M', Lois Maxwell's Miss Moneypenny and Desmond Llewelyn as 'Q' are on usual great form.You Only Live Twice is plenty of fun, while not as dark as From Russia with Love and arguably more exotic that Goldfinger, with safe-cracking gadgets and explosive lipstick to name a few it's another must see Bond adventure.