Rating of
2/4
Live and Let Die - Moore goofy instead of groovy
Indyfreak - wrote on 11/08/20
Roger Moore's first outing as James Bond plays out a lot stranger than expected.
Taking cues from blaxploitation movies and throwing in a voodoo mysticism does help it stand out from the other films. But it also makes it dated in its fashion and some cringey stereotypes. Jane Seymour is one of the most beautiful looking Bong girls but she's kind of useless. But she gets off better than Gloria Hendry, another beautiful actress who is nothing but dead-weight for 007 in her performance.
As for Bond himself, Roger Moore is very charming but his initial appearance is neutered by the fact that his version is rather easily tricked or captured. It starts out as funny seeing the suave super-spy walking around Harlem among pimps and gangsters. But it seems out-of-place compared to the globetrotting locales and exotic backdrops the franchise is known for. Yahpet Kotto has the potential to be a menacing villain but his motivation isn't as interesting or strange as it could be given the Voodoo angle. Geoffrey Holder and Julius Harris are memorable lackeys who you wish were the main villains instead.
If there's anything in its favor it is the action scenes. Director Guy Hamilton does handle them well enough. The best one being a hectic boat chase in the Louisiana bayou. And the title song is one of the best ever for the Bond series. I feel like an idiot not making the connection between Live and Let Die the song with the blasted movie until I actually watched it!
