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Parents' Guide to

Octopussy

By Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

More sexual innuendo than usual in provocatively named film.

Movie PG 1983 131 minutes
Octopussy Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

After another agent discovers a fake Fabergé egg, Agent 007, James Bond (Roger Moore), is sent to an auction in London to find out more. He traces the egg to an exiled Afghan prince, Kamal Khan (Louis Jourdan). Khan is involved in an international crime ring, stealing priceless Russian treasures and smuggling them through a circus run by the beautiful Octopussy (Maud Adams). Khan also is working with a Russian general (Steven Berkoff), who plans to set off a nuclear warhead to trick the United States into lowering its defenses. It's up to Bond to expose the bad guys and save the day, all the while evading deadly circus performers, such as the twin knife-throwers, who are hot on his trail.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (18 ):

Even the worst Bond movies can be entertaining, but this one seriously pushes the envelope. OCTOPUSSY was the 13th official James Bond film and Roger Moore's sixth of seven appearances in the lead role. John Glen directed, and he was already growing lazy. The movie indulges Moore's taste for ridiculous humor, which might have been fine, except that the movie bungles the more serious aspects of the story. The movie runs awfully long, but the timing is all off. Things seem rushed and clipped when they should have been more exploratory and suspenseful.

Louis Jourdan, who had worked with Hitchcock, Ophuls, and Cukor, does his best as the head villain, but he's limited by the screenplay. Maud Adams falls short with not much to do as the provocatively named title character. Meanwhile, Moore barely seems involved in the story at all and even disguises himself as a clown in one scene, thereby sucking all the dignity out of an otherwise suave and exciting series.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the movie's violence. How many characters die? What kind of impact do these deaths have? What does it mean for Bond to have a "license to kill"?

  • 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 women portrayed in the movie? Are they realistic? Strong?

  • How much alcohol does Bond drink in this movie? Does he make drinking look cool? In real life, would it get in the way of his doing spy work?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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