--- title: "A View to a Kill: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/a-view-to-a-kill/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/a-view-to-a-kill" critics_score: 40 critics_reviews: 9 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # A View to a Kill (1985): what the critics said Critics' score 40 from 9 reviews: 3 positive, 0 mixed, 6 negative. Most critics do not think much of it. Six of the nine reviews are negative, and the complaints are the same ones: a plot that feels lifted from earlier entries, action that stops and starts, and Roger Moore, whom nearly everyone judges too old for the part by this point. Where there is praise, it clusters around the villains. Christopher Walken and Grace Jones are named as the reason to keep watching even by critics who otherwise dislike the film, and Jones’s parachute jump from the Eiffel Tower is the moment most often picked out. The spread is wide. Two critics call it the worst Bond film outright; two others reckon it a good deal better than its reputation. The Guardian defends it as camp, knowingly silly and the high point of Moore’s run, and Den of Geek argues it is charming, escapist fun with quotable jokes. Even the defenders concede that Moore looks tired. ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 9 April 2021. The critic defends the film as a glorious, silly and camp romp that represents the pinnacle of Roger Moore's Bond tenure. They single out Christopher Walken's villainous performance and Grace Jones's memorable character for praise. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/apr/09/james-bond-a-view-to-a-kill-roger-moore) ## Radio Times — Adrian Turner Rating 2/5. Roger Moore's final outing as Bond is a below-average entry in the series. The action provides some excitement and Christopher Walken and Grace Jones make for memorable villains, but the plot feels unconvincing and overly familiar. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-c1vizl/a-view-to-a-kill/) ## Empire — Ian Nathan Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 3 August 2006. The critic finds the film a creaking, beyond-redemption Bond adventure that shows Roger Moore is long past his prime as 007. The only standout is Grace Jones as May Day, with her parachute jump from the Eiffel Tower singled out as a cool moment amid otherwise failed stunts and a boring plot. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/view-kill-review/) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1984. The film winks at the audience with its campy humor and dated elements, with Roger Moore only half-convincing as Bond due to his age. The horse-racing sequences entertain moderately, but the plot and action feel abrupt and unconvincing overall. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1984/film/reviews/a-view-to-a-kill-2-1200426660/) ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 29 April 2015. The film is the worst entry in the James Bond series, scoring poorly across nearly every category despite some visual appeal and a strong title song. It stands out as a curiosity due to its cast, locations, and misguided attempts at humor like the Beach Boys song in a chase scene. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/far-flung-correspondents/thirtieth-anniversary-of-a-view-to-a-kill) ## Slant Magazine — Robert Cashill Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 21 June 2010. The critic declares it the worst Bond film, a jumble of half-baked ideas with poor storytelling and weak performances from the leads. He singles out the lack of invention and the embarrassing finale for criticism, while noting some technical competence in locations and score. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/summer-of-85-a-view-to-a-kill/) ## Den of Geek — James Stansfield Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 23 October 2012. The critic argues the film is more entertaining and charming than its poor reputation suggests, despite Moore's age. They single out the globe-straddling adventure, memorable action sequences (including the pre-credits ski chase), Christopher Walken's villain, Grace Jones as Mayday, and the overall escapist fun and quotable humour. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/looking-back-at-a-view-to-a-kill/) ## Eye for Film — Gator MacReady Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 30 January 2003. The critic praises Roger Moore as Bond but notes he seems tired in this outing; highlights fun set pieces like the Golden Gate Bridge showdown and praises director John Glen's balance of plot and action. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/a-view-to-a-kill-film-review-by-gator-macready) ## HeyUGuys — Rob Keeling Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 20 August 2015. The critic finds the film a weak entry in the Bond series, criticizing the script, Moore's age, and lack of thrills, while noting some positives in Walken and Jones's stunts. It spurred a shift to a darker tone in subsequent films. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/a-view-to-a-kill-retrospective/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/a-view-to-a-kill.md