connorbbalboa This is the first Roger Moore Bond film of the seven, and guess what: it's pretty terrible.The plot is that Bond, after the killing of a few British Secret Service agents, is investigating the organization of a Dr. Kananga , who is planning to take over the market of heroin and become rich after giving away a whole boatload of it for free. No really, it's that simple. It's not even that big a threat. Goldfinger's scheme was way more threatening because it would have affected so many people. Here, only people who actually buy drugs will get affected, and not everyone buys drugs. On a side note, Bond causes the fortune-teller girl, Solitaire (the genuinely sweet Jane Seymour), to lose her virginity thanks to a ploy of his where he has a card deck where every one of those cards says that they'll be lovers. Later, when Bond asks for information about Kananga, Solitaire can't use her powers because she'll lose them if she has sex (Not a wise decision, Bond!) Now Bond also has to defend her from Kananga.Being the second actor to play Bond after Connery, there are some noticeable differences, not just in appearance, but HOW he plays the character. First off, he looks more British than George Lazenby, which is already an improvement, and plus, he doesn't try to mimic Connery. His Bond is more light-hearted and slightly warmer (only slightly). However, this approach also means that Moore's Bond gives off SO many puns and one-liners, they get tiresome very quickly. Moore's performance also seems too calculated, like he's trying to figure out what to say and when and how to say it. He doesn't look like the most confident guy in the room. All in all, in this film Moore is a competent, if not outstanding James Bond.But there's more to come in terms of the film's flaws. Let me start by saying: blaxploitation elements and racial stereotyping. All of the villains are African-American, and they seem to enjoy getting back at "the white man." Many times throughout the film, Bond is called a "honky" by the villains and a lot of the African-American culture portrayal in this film is terribly offensive. Bond becoming a Japanese man in You Only Live Twice is mild compared to this. There are "voodoo" rituals that look stereotypical and plus, there is a scene where Solitaire is set to be sacrificed by the people who perform these rituals, and this scene is probably the most offensive of all. It's right up there with the scene in The Birth of a Nation (1915) where a sex-crazed African-American man (portrayed with "blackface" by a Caucasian man), is chasing a teenage Caucasian girl in the woods and trying to force her into marriage. This stereotyping and offensive imagery makes the villains really annoying as well, especially the villain with the hook for a hand called Tee Hee (even more offensive name), who's always smiling and laughing like an a**hole. Plus, not only is this stereotyping offensive, but it makes most of the African-American characters (except maybe the ones who are working with Bond) seem fake, and it doesn't allow the film to have its own identity, and makes it seemed much more dated than other Bond films.In addition to the blaxploitation and offensive stereotypes, there is also a lot of unwanted comedy, thanks to Clifton James' Sheriff J.W. Pepper, who would also appear in the next Bond film. James would also play a similar character in Superman II, although not nearly as annoying. He comes off as a racist and seems to fit a poor Southerner stereotype; he's also too much of a goofy character and causes a very good action scene to go on too long. As previously mentioned, Moore's constant puns and one-liners don't help either.I will admit that this does have a good trap where Bond is stranded in the middle of a small island with crocodiles and alligators and even his watch gadget isn't able to help him. However, like with other traps and prisons, there happens to be a convenient way for Bond to escape, by stepping on top of crocodiles as stepping stones and somehow not falling in.All in all, this is easily one of the worst Bond films I've seen (and I'm only halfway through with the franchise; I sort of started watching these out of order). Goofy comedy, annoying villains, a plan that isn't dangerous enough to care about, and some of the most offensive portrayals of African-Americans and possibly people in the Southern states I have ever seen. Not recommended in any category. Besides the boat chase (before the introduction of Sheriff Pepper), the only other good thing to say is that Jane Seymour is so sweet as Solitaire, and she brings such a warm personality to the character, especially after she and Bond sleep together. It makes me wish she was in another, better Bond film, or even a better film, period.

Maynard Handley This is a truly amazing movie to watch in the year of Trump, and compare to the year it was made, 1973 so 43 years ago. I can't imagine that everyone involved had an explicit political message; rather they were just channeling the times. But damn, what times they were channeling. Every stereotype of "the other" you can imagine is here, and proudly displayed. Black men do, in fact, form a single organized cabal. They are intent on poisoning "us" all. They want to steal and deflower "our" women. They believe in strange savage cults and engage in ghastly rituals. Hell, in the last mass ritual scene I half expected the boiling pot to come out and a cannibalism trope to join everything else we'd seen so far. It's a weird weird mix --- think James Bond meets the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, with the word Jew find-and-replaced with Black. You have to see it to believe it.Oh, and of course the usual Bond formula is well established by now. We have the gadgets, the multiple different types of chases and fights, the underground lair, the stupid evil genius who cannot shut up about his evil plans and never just shoots his enemy the moment he see him. We even have the first prototype of that canonical Roger Moore James Bond villain, Jaws!If you're going to see just one early Bond movie, make it this one; if for no other reason than to see how much has changed (and how much hasn't) over forty+ years.

jordansepticeye This movie is great.First,the pros,the theme song and obviously the main score is fantastic.Secondly the portrayal of Bond,while it can be argued that it is not accurate to the original Ian Fleming novels and he isn't serious at all,Roger Moore does great and is very likable.I appreciate the fact that Bond is very resourceful,he uses all of his surroundings to defeat the bad guys,and his awesome gadgets of course.The Bond Girl,is decent,she doesn't do much but she's well acted.The villains are great as well,entertaining and slightly charismatic.The story is decent,and fits well with the time it was made.It was cool that the filmmakers paid attention to detail,like Kananga(the main villain)having henchmen all over New Orleans,and there's a scene that ends with an explosion,then the next scene you see smoke in the distance.The action is decent at best,but it was great in the last thirty so minutes.The last thing I like is the tone,colorful,weird and fun,its atmosphere was a great change of pace for a Bond movie.Now,the negatives,I thought that the stereotypical redneck sheriff JW Pepper,was stupid and very unfunny,there was some unfunny jokes,it wasn't very interesting in the first act,and the action wasn't that good.Otherwise,it was pretty good.Live and Let Die is an exciting colorful action adventure with good acting and a few flaws

rjsf96 It was Roger Moore's chance to step into the shadow of Bond after the likes of Connery and Lazenby had played their part. Moore's comedic approach never sat well with me and his outings cannot be taken seriously. He is undoubtedly good fun in the role, but he is also the last person that springs to mind when I think of Bond.This is the first Bond film where we do not see the organisation of SPECTRE for a lengthy period. Bond instead goes up against a heroin manufacturer who uses the threat of Voodoo dolls and black magic as a front to disguise his true business and intentions.Live and Let Die feels like a product of its times. It is a wacky Bond entry that was made in the 70s. Yet it is embarrassing in its treatment of the material. The voodoo elements ring false on several occasions and make it likewise hard to buy into. For me personally Roger Moore is the weakest Bond. So why was he granted seven separate entries? Seems a bit much considering that Sean Connery had six.No one can deny that the racial slurs used throughout the film make you feel uncomfortable and awkward. Mentions of the word "honkie" and jokes regarding the Ku Klux Klan make the film more of a chore than a pleasure to sit through. You can rest assured that no other Bond film would be this unwise. Although I have many issues with the treatment of the story, Live and Let Die is not a total loss, just impossible to recommend to the casual viewer. The villains; Mr Big and Kanaga make for an excellent pair coming across as egotistical, twisted and mad. The girl Solitaire is a favourite for many and it's easy to pinpoint why. Her fragile nature, natural beauty and virginity make her a heavenly creature. The set pieces are inventive using many elements that provide sufficient thrills, such as sequences involving crocodiles, speedboats and a bus! It is certainly not Bond, but by all accounts it is a hard film to dislike.Live and Let Die would prove the limit for most Bond fans. Can you stomach racial slurs and stereotypes? If you can overlook these factors and regard the film as a product of its time then you are bound to gain more joy watching it than I did. As for myself I have no desire to ever return again to Live and Let Die. But as a strange peculiarity it demands one viewing at the very least.