The Spy Who Loved Me: Lewis Gilbert

Lewis Gilbert's The Spy Who Loved Me is at its best when it's at its silliest: a snow ski chase scene capped off with parachuting off the side of a mountain, a silent and unstoppable assassin with steel teeth, an underwater villain fortress complete with orange jump-suited minions, a car that can instantly transform into a workable submarine, and elaborate death traps involving a trick elevator and a very hungry shark. However, it is dragged down by the tepid love story between James Bond and Anya Amasova. That's not to say that she isn't a great character. In fact, I wish that Bond had had more Bond Girls that could so easily outfight, out-think, and out-maneuver him (not to mention that she helps foster a theme of international cooperation, one that is almost entirely absent from the espionage genre). But the first hour of the film dominated by their love story screeches the narrative to a sudden halt. Basically, The Spy Who Loved Me only truly comes alive whenever there is a large body of water involved. Oh, and the Atlantis and Liparus are easily two of the most creative, striking, and memorable set pieces in the history of the franchise. They alone make the film worth a watch.

7/10