keelhaul-80856 This one is entertaining, but basically a rip-off of Thunderball. Apparently, the studios were fighting over rights to the name and music, etc. and this one isn't even considered Bond canon. The Good= Connery is always fun to watch, and his reprisal of the role was enough to make it salvageable. There is a fair amount of action and some 80s cheese that is kind of funny, as we rehash the earlier films of the 60s through this one. The brunette villain is interesting and sexy. I think I also saw a young "Mr. Bean" or "Johnny English" in this one for humor.The Bad= They couldn't even open with the trademark Bond music, and all the original actors are missing from the usual films. They have all been replaced by mediocre bozos, so it leaves you feeling like you are watching a high school version of some scenes. The Ugly= Connery is my favorite as the original bond, and he stars in a lot of decent films. However, casting him yet again, by the 80s, as the same hunky 007 ladies man tough guy was stretching it, to say the least. Luckily, his persona and rugged charm can sort of save this, but you still have to laugh in many scenes, where his age and weight and toupee are just funny. Every woman turns to look at him like a piece of meat, no matter what location he is in, or what clothing. I'm like really? He's that cool that 6 women start drooling when a dumpy guy in his 50s walks in with a sweat shirt on??? LMAO. That was hilarious. The missing signature music and other credentials make this one bland, also, as mentioned, and it is a very lazy 80s reboot of Thunderball. Also, Kim Basinger is cute, but overrated, and this Largo wasn't nearly as interesting as the original. This comes across as worthy of an occasional watch, but nothing to write home about.

OllieSuave-007 Sean Connery returns as James Bond, in a movie remake of Thunderball. Here, mad man Maximilian Largo steals two American nuclear warheads and demands millions of dollars in ransom from the world leaders. As a result, MI6 reactivates their "00" agents and James Bond comes out of retirement to carry on the mission.Armed with secret weapons and an armor of one-liners, Connery still shines once again as the suave 007, though, he does look rather emotionless and mellow portraying his character at times. There is lesser action in this movie than in previous Bond films, but some of the the thrills are still a little entertaining, especially the part where Bond attempts to dispatch the femme fatale Fatima Blush (Barbara Carrera).Sorely missing is John Berry's iconic James Bond theme and score, and what we have instead is a very 80s-sounding soundtrack from Michel Legrand. The acting was just OK for the most part - Connery had some good chemistry with the Bond Girls, but much of the other cast members were forgettable. Max von Sydow gave a mediocre performance as Blofeld, Edward Fox gave a very overzealous and pompous portrayal of M and Rowan Atkinson gave a rather unfunny role as Small-Fawcett. Klaus Maria Brandauer gave a convincing villain in Maximilian Largo - slimy and sly, making you want to punch him in the face.The film its adventurous moments, but, it's not one of the best Bond movies out there - it's more like a stand alone action flick.Grade C+

freemantle_uk Never Say Never Again is an oddity of a film, made because of a legal dispute screenwriter Kevin McClory and MGM after McClory worked with Ian Fleming when writing for Thunderball before it was turned into a novel and subsequently turned into a film. After McClory sued he was allowed to credited as a producer, got the rights to the character of Blofeld and organisation SPECTRE and allow to make his own Bond film after enough time has elapsed. This is more interesting then the actual film.In Never Say Never Again Sean Connery plays an aging Bond working for an MI6 that has limited funding and an M (Edward Fox) who has no respect for the 00 section. After failing a training exercise Bond is sent to a health camp to get back into shape and stumbles on a plot that leads to the theft of two American nuclear warheads and leads to Bond going back into action to stop SPECTRE and their agent Maximillian Largo (Klaus Maria Brandauer).Never Say Never Again is an interesting case study of a film, made because the rights controversial, that allowed another Bond film to be made outside the main series and to see Connery return one more time as Bond because of the big paycheque and as a way to say screw you to EON. It is the most official unofficial franchise film to be made. It even lead to a media dubbing 1983 as the Battle of the Bonds, forcing Roger Moore to stay on in the official series. The official one won.Never Say Never Again is really a poor remake of Thunderball, which is a damning indictment because Thunderball is one of the weaker Connery Bond films. McClory and co could only make a film with the Thunderball plot, so the big selling point was the return of Connery. Never Say Never Again did have some interesting ideas, we see an older Bond who seems past his best, an idea that was used in Skyfall, has an M who has a dislike to Bond, like Judi Dench's M in Goldeneye and showing MI6 struggling financially and politically. But that idea seems to be an excuse to for why Never Say Never Again then be a commentary about the espionage world. Plus the official series ended up doing these ideas better then Never Say Never Again.The film does has some decent set-pieces, the opening training exercise was strong except for the god-awful theme song, the fight in health club and the motorbike chase and the scene where Bond dances with Domino (Kim Basinger) could have easily have fitted in an official Bond film. Barbara Carrera as the main henchwoman, Fatima Blush was a great addition and Alec McCowen was strong as the film's Q, Algernon, having great banter with Connery and having to work with work with limited resources. The film also the excellent casting of Max von Sydow as Blofeld, a man who would have been perfect to play an official Bond villain.Despite these positives Never Say Never Again is weaker then most entries in the Bond series and can tie with Diamonds Are Forever as the worst Connery Bond film. Like Diamonds Are Forever Never Say Never Again had an interesting set-up for a darker, more thoughtful Bond but wasted the potential. The film has also feels very dated, that it was a product of its time - the special effects look worst then what was in Thunderball and the video game sequence was just added because of the growing popularity of video games. Even the music didn't feel approach for a Bond film or even an action film in general: it sounded more like an attempt of making a jazz album. The score only has action beat during the climax. Bond was also still able to bed women 20 to 25 years his junior, which was just creepy with the film having a nonchalant attitude towards it.Fox as M was wasted. He had a great set-up as a civil servant and an outsider to the intelligence service, someone who has run down the 00 section. He was just made out to be pompous public school boy with no understanding of the world and Fox exaggerated every mannerism. He was the worst portrayal of the character, official or unofficial.Never Say Never Again is just an exercise in vanity from McClory and Connery, making it just because they could. It was made out of spite and if Connery wasn't involved no one would have been interested. It is nothing but a footnote in the Bond series.

Jamesfilmfan905 Never say never again I viewed last on itv4 and by God it's great stuff for real bond enthusiasts it stars Sean Connery as James Bond 12 years after he called it quits with the series with diamonds are forever in 1971 and it's about an older 007 who is called out of retirement by his superior m played by Edward fox to stop a spectre operative played by Klaus Maria Brandeur and his voluptuous sidekick Fatima blush played by Barbra careera who have stolen two nuclear warheads and held NATO ransom by planting them in various locations and bond must stop them before they cause world war 3 . Overall this film despite it being classified as an unofficial bond film is really quite fun and much better than most of Roger Moore's turkeys ( octupussy which came out at the same time ) Connery is brooding as well charming as bond he doesn't look bad considering he was 52 in 1983 when this was released and handles himself well especially in the action scenes and love scenes better than in Diamonds are forever when he looked flabby and overweight Kim basinger is stunning and tough as the Bond girl of the piece she is not just seen as a sex object . Klaus Maria Brandeur is credible villain with his cynicism and his snake like charm and overall his coolness under fire , Barbra carreaa Though is gorgeous but severely goes OTT as Fatima blush the cartoonish fem fatale and it's just embarrassing to watch . But check this film out its better than most of Roger Ms cartoonish outings ignore the negative reviews there ( obviously Moore fans ) check it out its undoubtedly Sean Connery's best bond film in my opinion .