Release Year: 1979 Rating: PG Duration: 126 minutes Other Title: Ian Fleming's Moonraker Director: Lewis Gilbert Producer: Albert R Broccoli Distributor: United Artists
When a U.S. space shuttle is stolen in a midair abduction, only James Bond (Agent 007) can find the evil genius responsible. The clues point to billionaire Hugo Drax, who has devised a scheme to destroy all human life on earth. As Bond races against time to stop Drax's evil plot, he joins forces with Dr. Holly Goodhead, a NASA scientist who is as beautiful as she is brilliant. And 007 needs all the help he can get, for Drax's henchman is none other than Bond's old nemesis Jaws, the indestructible steel-toothed giant. Their adventure leads them all the way to a colossal, orbiting space station, where the stage is set for an epic battle which will determine the fate of all mankind.
MOONRAKER is a sort of James Bond meets STAR WARS. Released in 1979, the year that saw the arrival of STAR TREK on the big screen, MOONRAKER was the latest film to latch onto the science fiction revival started by George Lucas' 1977 picture. Audiences flocked to see MOONRAKER, making it the highest grossing 007 movie before GOLDENEYE. The mixture of escapist action and space shoot-outs found favor with the American public. Indeed, while parts of MOONRAKER are rather silly (a trend during Roger Moore's tenure), solid special effects, well-executed action sequences, and a strict reliance upon the "Bond Formula" keep this film among Moore's better entries as the British superspy.
