Project Bond: From Russia With Love

This is a bit more like the sort of thing I was expecting. The long title sequence was preceded by an action scene, whereas Dr. No started very slowly. After a decent start, though, I thought From Russia With Love suffered from a very unsubtle scene explaining the background and spoiling a lot of the plot that was to follow.

However, the film picks up a bit, because then we cut to James Bond (and, yes, he’s with a lady!), but he is quickly ordered back to heidquarters (but not too quickly, if you take my meaning). He is then sent off on a wacky mission to track down a Russian woman who has been enchanted by his picture and has offered some spy equipment in exchange for some sex, so there’s definitely no time to lose in stopping to think about how dodgy this might be.

Matters are further complicated when it turns out that a number of different groups are after our hero, and, what’s more, they will stop at nothing to get their paws on him, for reasons that need not be fully explained. There are some people who are probably on Bond’s side, who will inevitably be killed or elsehow rendered useless, and some of whom we’re never quite sure. Bond seems to know what’s going on some of the time; at other times, he’s in a world of his own. I’ll say this for him: he’s relatable.

Anyway, I digress. Various confrontations ensue (some on trains, some not on trains), with sexy results, and all’s well that ends well. This seemed a more thorough story than Dr. No, was quite a bit sillier in places, and overall was a more entertaining film, in my opinion. I think I can say with some confidence that this is my very favourite of the James Bond films that I have seen.