My Movie Review on Never Say Never Again

Greetings and salutations, my friends.

This is your top-of-the-line film, TV show, and episode reporter here with another review.

Today, for the 4th installment of this year's "Christmas Craze", and for my 7th analysis on a member of the James Bond franchise, I'm gonna give you guys my take of Sean Connery's final outing as the title character: "Never Say Never Again".

Considering the fact that this movie is another adaption of Ian Fleming's "Thunderball", and since both films share similar plot lines, I hardly think that a summary for it is necessary.

Before I get started with spilling my thoughts on this film, I'd like to come clean with you guys about something:

Many years ago, "Never Say Never Again" was the very first James Bond film I ever saw! When I was a kid, I caught a glimpse of the film in passing while the part featuring James getting attacked by tiger sharks was playing. Afterwards, I watched the whole thing for the first time with my family, and my interest in the James Bond franchise was piqued ever since. All in all, this movie played a significant part of my life.

Because I decided months ago that I'd be reviewing Connery's Bond films by order of the years each were made, I had to save "Never Say Never Again" for last despite how much I yearned to see it again before. Even now, I honestly believe this decision was the more appropriate course of action, mainly for when it came to making my overarching dedication to Connery.

Having finally reacquainted myself with the film not too long ago, I found "Never Say Never Again" to be as wonderful as I remembered it being. It's also one of the most unique 007 films I've ever watched.

For instance, the direction by Irvin Kershner, the story by Kevin McClory, and the screenplay by Lorenzo Semple Jr., Dick Clement, and Ian La Frenais (the latter two being uncredited) were incredibly well-done.

And yes, I'm aware that Jack Whittingham and Ian Fleming were credited as co-writers of the story. But, they weren't actually involved in the project, and their credits are more on the lines of this movie being based on their contributions on the "Thunderball" book and film of the same name.

Anyway...

I know that it's currently unknown where this movie stands in terms of Bond-canon, but as I watched it recently...I took note of how many new developments were being talked about in this movie, such as the 'M' of this movie apparently being the successor of another 'M' and the Double 0's not being active since the new management started. It was like the film as a whole was establishing itself as one that takes place several years after "Diamonds Are Forever", which was undoubtedly influenced by Sean Connery's involvement in the movie's development process. The way the film played into Bond's age in this movie was also interesting, because what started as innocent jabs on the matter transformed into a theme that defined Bond's situations and where he currently was in life. With Bond's struggles regarding his age coming to light, a greater sense of risk and high stakes came along due to his skills not being as sharp as before.

On top of all this, the story tied itself together incredibly well, and there was a vast amount of mystery and thrills to keep things interesting. The action sequences were fun to watch too, and Bond's age-struggles happening in those particular moments helped the outcomes be surprisingly unpredictable. Plus, the film had witty moments that were entertaining to a tee.

The music by Michael Legrand was magnificent, if I may add.

Legrand was definitely no John Barry, but he certainly did know how to capture the feel and spirit of the 007 franchise while incorporating something of his own. Whenever there were moments of danger and thrills, Legrand would raise the crescendo to where a chill would run down your spine. Plus, the film's title song was enjoyable, and Lani Hall did an awesome job providing the vocals.

Finally, the acting, characters, and character development were amazing.

Similar to a great many others, I was blown away by Sean Connery's performance as James Bond in this movie. Granted, I consistently praised Connery in all the other 007 films I reviewed before, but with "Never Say Never Again"...he truly hit the ball out of the park. Being away from the role for over a decade was clearly of great benefit to Connery, because it gave him the chance to recuperate from the fame he gained for playing the character and approach the role like all talented actors would for their parts. He played Bond with a remarkable sense of calm and naturalism, and his commitment and passion for the part in this movie was like two old friends reunited after so long. Plus, he incorporated as much charm, wit, and personality as before while adding onto it all with a newfound depth. The character himself was as three-dimensional and human as ever.

The supporting cast and characters were fun as well. All of the other performers involved looked like they were having a great time being part of the project, and they showcased themselves at their very best as entertainers. The side characters had great personality and depth too, and their developments were deeply impressive.

In conclusion, "Never Say Never Again" is undeniably one of the top best movies in the James Bond franchise. Not only does it serve as a fitting sendoff for Connery's 007, but it has all the qualifications needed to make it an enjoyable watch.

So, I rate "Never Say Never Again" five out of five stars.