A View to a Kill (1985)
A View to a Kill (1985)
A View to a Kill, the 14th James Bond film released in 1985, marks Roger Moore’s final outing as 007—and it’s a wild, if uneven, farewell. Directed by John Glen, the plot pits Bond against Max Zorin (Christopher Walken), a psychopathic industrialist planning to flood Silicon Valley by triggering an earthquake. With microchip domination at stake, Bond teams with geologist Stacey Sutton (Tanya Roberts) and tangles with Zorin’s lethal henchwoman, May Day (Grace Jones).
Moore, at 57, leans hard into charm over agility, delivering quips with a twinkle even as the stunts strain credulity. Walken’s unhinged Zorin—blond, manic, and gleefully evil—steals the show, while Jones’ avant-garde May Day is a physical marvel, flipping Bond like a ragdoll. The action peaks with a Golden Gate Bridge showdown, blending practical stuntwork with 80s excess. Duran Duran’s synth-pop theme song, a chart-topping banger, sets the tone perfectly.
Yet, the film creaks. The plot’s convoluted—horse racing, steroids, and microchips mash oddly—and Roberts’ damsel-in-distress screams grate. Moore’s age shows; romantic scenes with the much-younger cast feel forced, and the pacing sags mid-film with a pointless Paris chase. By 2025 standards, it’s campy and dated—Zorin’s blimp feels more cartoonish than threatening—but that’s part of its charm.
A View to a Kill isn’t peak Bond. It lacks The Spy Who Loved Me’s polish or Goldfinger’s iconic weight, but it’s a fun relic of Moore’s era—suave, silly, and gloriously over-the-top. For fans, it’s a nostalgic last dance.
