Octopussy (1983)

Variety
"...Thrilling stuntwork....Roger Moore is eminently effective in the Bond role....Spectacular aerial stuntwork marking both the pre-credits teaser and [an] extremely dangerous-looking climax..." 06/08/1983

Reel.com 8 of 10
Even though its title elicits snickering, Octopussy is a dead-serious James Bond movie. Full of exciting action, nifty gadgets, exotic locales, and even more exotic women, the thirteenth 007 adventure is among the series' best. It's certainly the top film of Roger Moore's tenure as the martini-shaking secret agent, a period which has been pooh-poohed in recent years due to the actor's penchant for tongue-in-cheek humor and hammy acting. Moore, however, is pitch-perfect in Octopussy, conveying both deadly intent and detached bemusement with a single raised eyebrow...Octopussy the film is packed with exciting action sequences, including: a pre-credit sequence featuring a miniaturized jet plane; a nighttime brawl involving a yo-yo chainsaw; a jungle tiger hunt with human quarry; and a dizzying airborne sequence where Bond hangs clings to a prop-driven private plane as it does loops and barrel rolls. Unlike the preposterous set pieces of Moonraker or The Spy Who Loved Me, the film's action is stripped-down and often realistic, aside from a silly assault on Kamal's compound by Octopussy's spandex-clad army and Bond in a Union Jack-bedecked hot-air balloon. But that's not so say there isn't any spectacle -- the circus antics are consistently amusing, and the Indian sequences, shot on location in South Asia, are loaded with vibrant scenery. - Tor Thorsen
 
ReelViews 6 of 10
It's probably just a coincidence, but the two Bond films that Maud Adams appeared in -- The Man with the Golden Gun and Octopussy -- are easily the silliest entries in the long-running series (not counting the intentional spoof Casino Royale). In a duel of dumb storylines, Octopussy loses, but only by a length. There's a fine line between wit and absurdity, and this particular movie too often falls on the wrong side...1983 was the year of competing Bonds -- Connery against Moore; Never Say Never Again against Octopussy (the thirteenth "official" entry). Even though Connery's return was a remake of Thunderball and didn't have the John Barry/Monty Norman theme music, it was still better than Octopussy...Ultimately, it's the extravagant stunts and chases that save Octopussy from the scrap heap. The pre-credits episode features a stunning race between a 12-foot long jet and a heat-seeking missile. Later in the film, there's a pulse-pounding chase-and-battle sequence that takes place on the roof of a moving train...After Octopussy, Roger Moore announced his intention to retire from the role. Considering his lackluster performance here, which is at least partially responsible for this film's absence of flair and energy, the decision seemed appropriate. Ultimately, however, Moore returned for one more outing, and, while that film (A View to a Kill) wasn't a positive triumph, it at least gave the actor a better story with which to depart. - James Berardinelli