lawrenceconwayvulcan The nefarious organisation SPECTRE plans a spot of nuclear extortion and only Commander James Bond can stop them. Thunderball can be considered to be the first of the epic Bond films due to it's Bahamas location, bold action set pieces being the first in the series to be shot in a wide screen format. Sean Connery is on top form whether battling the bad guys or charming the ladies. Adlofo Celi as Largo the SPECTRE commander who sees Bond as a threat for many reason, not just including the blackmail plot makes for a charismatic opponent. Playing Domino a woman who has been sucked into events because of her brother is Claudine Auger who provides both glamour and some depth into her role. Then there is Lucianna Paluzzi as Fiona Volpe a SPECTRE agent who uses her sexual charms in achieving her and her co-conspirator aims though she ends up caught up in her own trap, Volpe would be the template for all future Bond Femme Fatales. Thunderball features many memorable including the famed conference that has been lampooned many times that features the high command of SPECTRE discussing their operations including their involvement in one of the biggest real life crimes of the 1960s. Thunderball has a place in the top tier of Bond films for many good reasons.

Hitchcoc I stole my title from another reviewer. I braved a harsh winter night in downtown Minneapolis to see this movie. We were all Bond fans in those days. We had seen the previous three movies and were thrilled that a fourth was on its way. Unfortunately, after Dr. No, From Russia with Love, and Goldfinger, we wanted something that would top all of them. It doesn't work. There is something missing here, a kind of spark that even the great Sean Connery can't provide. This all takes place in underwater settings and I have found that this creates a weakness. Of course, there is a Bond girl and a serious villain, but that's where it all stops.

jordansepticeye After the greatness of Goldfinger,the expectations for Thunderball were high,while the movie isn't as good as the previous films,it is not bad.Starting off with the pros,is Sean Connery,he is still very good and a perfect Bond.I also like the plot,it seems slightly realistic for the time.The idea of starting off with the villains instead of Bond although taken from From Russia With Love,is a good idea,as it fleshes out SPECTRE and helps us understand their movies.Although this movie is basically a fun action movie,it does have its serious moments,which are executed well.The action is also good,the best being a chase scene at a Mardi Gras parade,and a fight in a pool.The Bond Girls are good too,with one being a complete villain.Now for what makes this movie worse than the previous ones.For one,there are too many action scenes underwater,and they feel more boring than exciting.Also the villain,although menacing at times,doesn't have enough character and feels too generic,ended up not very memorable.Another con is that first twenty minutes are pretty hard to follow.Negatives aside,this is a fun movie with more flaws than the previous films,though it is still quite well done.

KineticSeoul This fourth outing by Sean Connery is still a formidable Bond film in the franchise. It doesn't have the most memorable or the most iconic moments compared the the previous ones but it does get the job done. The whole villain having a shark tank or swimming pool for people that crosses his path thing did stand out though. And also the scene with the electrocution chair for one of the members in SPECTRE. This film is entertaining in a lot of areas, while incorporating quite a bit of action sequences into the equation. I wouldn't be shocked if James Cameron directed this installment because the main set pieces and where most of the action and investigation takes place is under water. There is even a battle sequence at the end with bunch of harpoons that is done quite well despite the cinematography being quite choppy and all over the place. I will admit it's pretty much outdated when it comes to today's standards. I also think quite a bit of movies and video games that came after this borrowed certain elements when it comes to going on missions underwater and such. It even has the hottest and most attractive Bond girl in the franchise, Domino played by Claudine Auger.7.4/10