For Your Eyes Only: Critic Reviews

Let's face it: When you've seen one impregnable mountaintop fortress, you've seen 'em all.

Roger Moore has crumpled his comic-strip good looks into something approaching world-weariness, and the newfound maturity in his expression is reflected in director John Glen's style, which goes for the measured and elegant over the flashy and excessive.

One of the most thoroughly enjoyable of the 12 Bond pix [to date] despite fact that many of the usual ingredients in the successful 007 formula are missing.

By the end of the '80s, Bond would be viewed as something of a relic, but at least the decade opened with an enjoyable outing.

Moore is merely the best-oiled cog in this perpetual motion machine.

Sea and ski with 1981's Bond in an average outing.

It's the only Bond film where M didn't appear.

First-time director John Glen knows what's needed to create suspense...put the series' trademark wit, women, and song alongside the high-stakes adventure of a more brutal 007. [Blu-ray]

...suffers from a disastrously plodding midsection that ultimately casts a pall over the remainder of the proceedings...

The success of this picture (perhaps Moore's best in the Bond series) can be attributed to the marvelous direction of Glen.

Moore just looks confused.

If ever a Bond film could be described as understated, this is the one.

too down to earth

Look, Ma, no plot and poor dialogue, and Moore really is old enough to be the uncle of those girls.

The Thatcher parody at the end is sublime. The rest, passable fun.

Formula, fun Roger Moore Bond.

For Your Eyes Only keeps the James Bond tradition in good form.

Most of the outlandish silliness of a few other Bond issues is mercifully absent, replaced by a greater emphasis on believable thrills. The result is highly satisfactory.