Moonraker

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Moonraker
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Moonraker is a 1979 James Bond (Roger Moore) adventure movie that contains sexual innuendo, violence, and outdated misogynistic and stereotype portrayals. The plot follows Bond into space as he tries to stop the villainous Hugo Drax (Michael Lonsdale) murder innocent people. Bond is heroic and shows great bravery. But the movie is dated: Women are frequently patronized by male characters and represented as little more than objects of desire, while non-White characters are similarly relegated to having relatively few lines and are often only seen wearing ceremonial or ethnic dress. Violence is frequent throughout, but not bloody or graphic. Typically it involves hand-to-hand combat, with punches and kicks. But there is some fighting with weapons -- one character is stabbed in the chest, but again there is no blood and his presumed death is over-the-top and cartoonish. Sex is mild and mainly innuendo, although there is some kissing and hugging. Bond does this with more than one woman. There is no swearing, but Bond -- and others -- does drink alcohol, but not to excess. Characters also smoke cigarettes. Bond lives a lavish lifestyle, frequently traveling to exotic locations, while he is also given several high-tech gadgets to help him work. Bond fanatics may enjoy a nostalgic revisiting of the movie, but those new to the franchise may find it dated and dull compared to more recent 007 outings.
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What's the Story?
In MOONRAKER, after a space shuttle is hijacked, James Bond (Roger Moore) is asked to investigate. When he discovers the theft is part of a plot by the evil Hugo Drax (Michael Lonsdale) to commit mass murder, 007 must do all he can to prevent a global catastrophe. Even if that means heading into space himself.
Is It Any Good?
One of the iconic Roger Moore-Bond movies, Moonraker has for years divided fans of the series. A commercial smash praised by many for its ambitious set pieces and playful tone, critics argue that this is the point where 007 slipped into self-parody. More than 40 years after its release, it's difficult not to see it as a bit of both. While boasting a strong cast and impeccable production design, there's also a feeling that the franchise is casting around for new ideas and not quite knowing where to turn next.
It took a Jason Bourne-inspired reboot in the 2000s for the Bond series to become a pop culture staple again. But if you can forgive Moonraker's heavily-dated portrayal of women and minorities, it succeeds in its goal of offering some well-intentioned escapism. Just don't look too hard for a plot or question why everyone's wearing yellow jumpsuits in space.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Moonraker. How many characters die? What kind of impact do these deaths have? What does it mean for Bond to have a "license to kill"?
How are women portrayed in the movie? Was it unusual to see a movie like this where women feature mostly in supporting roles, having their appearances remarked on, and helping the male characters? Has this changed in recent years?
Bond is definitely a good guy, but his methods and behavior are questionable. Is he a role model? Does he seem "cool"? Is he someone to emulate? Why, or why not?
How are the non-White characters portrayed in the movie? Do you think they are stereotyped? Why do we have to be careful of racial stereotypes?
How did this Bond movie compare to others in the franchise? What are the main differences of this movie compared to more recent Bond movies like Skyfall and Spectre?
Movie Details
- In theaters: June 29, 1979
- On DVD or streaming: May 16, 2000
- Cast: Roger Moore, Lois Chiles, Michael Lonsdale
- Director: Lewis Gilbert
- Studio: United Artists
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Adventures, Book Characters, Space and Aliens
- Run time: 126 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- Last updated: January 29, 2023
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