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If you believed the promotional materials for this movie, you might think that “Moonraker”, the 11th James Bond film and the fourth starring Roger Moore, takes place mostly in space. But in reality, “Moonraker” pulls a “Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan“, the one that’s supposedly set in New York, by only sending Bond to a space station in the final act.
In “Moonraker”, James Bond is sent to investigate the disappearance of a space shuttle and uncovers a sinister plot by billionaire industrialist Hugo Drax, who plans to wipe out humanity and repopulate the Earth with his genetically perfect “master race” from a secret space station. As Bond follows the clues from California to Venice, Rio de Janeiro, and the Amazon rainforest, he teams up with CIA agent Holly Goodhead, who is also investigating Drax.
Of Roger Moore’s Bond films, “Moonraker” is probably the first to fully embrace all the classic tropes that define a James Bond movie. Q’s gadgets were largely absent from the previous three films—he didn’t even appear in “Live and Let Die“—but “Moonraker” firmly checks every box. There’s the cold open, a theme song (sung by Shirley Bassey, marking her third time) set against a Maurice Binder title sequence filled with silhouettes of naked women, the introduction of this movie’s main gadget, a megalomaniacal business tycoon with an evil scheme, a couple of stunning women, and a memorable henchman, all leading up to a climactic showdown in the villain’s enormous lair.
What sets “Moonraker” apart from the previous Bond films is the return of Jaws (Richard Kiel), the lethal henchman with metal teeth from “The Spy Who Loved Me“. Bond movies are usually standalone affairs, with no overarching storylines or callbacks. The only real exception is Blofeld, who appeared three times—though rather inconsistently, as I noted in my review of “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service“. Only “Diamonds Are Forever” directly references the ending of “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service“, but since both Bond and Blofeld are played by different actors, it doesn’t leave much of an impact.
That’s what makes Jaws’ return in “Moonraker” so special. When he appears in the opening scene and you see the look of recognition on Roger Moore’s face, that moment extends to the audience as well. Sure, Jaws was last seen surviving “The Spy Who Loved Me“, but that didn’t guarantee a comeback. The fact that he does made me cheer inside the moment he came on screen.
He even gets a redemption arc in the form of a girlfriend. The only real disservice the movie does to their characters is leaving their fate unknown. I get that post-credits scenes weren’t really a thing back then, but this movie had me fast-forwarding to the end just in case there was one revealing what happened to them.
Jaws’ reappearance completely overshadows this movie’s big bad: Hugo Drax. His plan is classic Bond villain territory—so over-the-top that it’s hard to take seriously, even though it draws from some of history’s darkest moments. But Drax himself isn’t exactly a flashy antagonist, and Michael Lonsdale plays him so straight and emotionless that he easily lands near the bottom of the Bond villain rankings in terms of memorability.
The story in “Moonraker” is also pretty underdeveloped for a Bond movie. Bond essentially hops from one Drax-owned location to another, constantly dodging assassination attempts by Drax’s goons. This setup leads to plenty of action, including a daring fight on top of a cable car and a high-speed chase through the canals of Venice in a tricked-out gondola.
The big payoff—at least by 1979 standards—is the climactic battle in space. But more than 40 years later, the limitations of the special effects make it feel more silly than thrilling. It certainly doesn’t reach the bar set by a little movie called “Star Wars” just two years earlier.
When it comes to Bond girls, “Moonraker” gives us two. First, there’s Corinne Dufour (Corinne Cléry), a helicopter pilot working for Drax, whose office attire consists of plunging necklines and no bra. Her death scene is one of the most brutal in the series—hunted down in the woods by a pair of Dobermans. While the actual kill happens offscreen, the desaturated colors and eerie music make it one of the more chilling and grisly murders in the franchise.
The main Bond girl is Holly Goodhead, rocking one of those classic double-entendre names. She works for Drax as a scientist and astronaut but is actually a CIA agent aiding Bond in his mission. She continues the trend of Bond encountering strong, capable women who can match him rather than just serving as a damsel in distress. Lois Chiles is also easily one of the most stunning women in the series, adding to Dr. Goodhead’s memorability.
There’s one female character I have to mention as well it’s Dolly (Blanche Ravalec). She is best described as the “cute and quirky girl next door” type. She’s not a classic Bond femme fatale or a glamorous seductress but instead has an innocent, almost nerdy charm. With her pigtails, glasses, and wholesome demeanor, she feels more like a wholesome cartoonish counterpart to the hulking Jaws rather than the typical Bond girl archetype. Her presence is lighthearted and comedic, especially given how she softens Jaws’ character and gives him a surprising romantic subplot.
While “Moonraker” will never be regarded as one of the best Bond movies, it’s one of those entries that leans heavily into everything that makes a Bond film a Bond film, making it an undeniably entertaining ride. It’s often remembered simply as “the one set in space,” and while that’s technically true, the space sequences don’t take up as much of the runtime as you might expect. Instead, we get moments like a gondola transforming into a hovercraft—so that’s got to count for something.
