A martial arts expert and instructor gives a low rating to one James Bond fight scene fromMoonraker. James Bond films are synonymous with cool gadgets, “shaken, not stirred" martinis, and adrenaline-pumping action scenes. However, Bond movies do not always excel in all of these categories. Released two years afterStar Wars, the movie came out as a reaction to the increased popularity of science-fiction films.Moonrakerhas some of the most ridiculous moments in the Bond franchise, including its fight scene.
OnInsider’sHow Real Is It, Seki Nobuhide Sensei, a martial arts and katana instructor, rates Roger Moore’s kendo (a modern Japanese martial art that uses bamboo swords as well as protective armor) abilities in the 1979 Bond film. Unfortunately,Moonrakerdidn’t fare too well in his analysis, receiving a 3/10. He questions the equipment, technique, and skill of the performer. Check out his quote below:
Basically, if you want to kill your opponent, you don’t use a shinai (bamboo sword). I’m not sure about this scene. I honestly don’t know why he is wearing protective gear and doing that kind of thing with a shinai … In a situation where the opponent has sword and you do not, the training involves, for example, the principle of leverage to take away the opponent’s weapon. The person wearing the protective gear here does not do kendo and is not good at it.
What The Low Score Means To The 007 Franchise
Bond Fighting Styles Have Evolved Over the Years
There have been 25 Bond films to date, spanning over nearly six decades. In that time,fighting styles in film and on televisionhave evolved and improved. WhenDr. Nopremiered in 1962, there wasless of an emphasis on realism during fight scenes, with broader styles being implemented instead. Actors in the action genre were not as well-trained in fighting and martial arts as they are today, so easier-to-learn techniques were taught.
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This modified martial arts training resulted in staged-looking fights. However, many present-day actors in films such as Bond films,go through extensive fight and martial arts training. By the time the 007 franchise got to the likes of Daniel Craig,Bond’s on-screen fightingtechniques became more refined, with considerably more time and money being put into training and choreography, making for a more satisfying and realistic fight scene.
Our Take On Moonraker’s Poor Score
A Small Blip On An Otherwise Pretty Stellar Record
WhileMoonrakermight have scored poorly for its use of kendo, overall, the Bond franchise has been abeacon of thrilling action sequences and exciting fight scenes. Not every James Bond film has earned the acclaim as entries likeGoldfingerandCasino Royale, but each film has its merits. As the franchise evolves, it can be expected that the fights in theupcoming Bond 26will reflect something different from before. This poorMoonrakerrating does nothing to take away from the long history of action-packed spy action that the 007 films have earned.
Moonraker
Cast
James Bond investigates the theft of a space shuttle, leading him to the megalomaniac industrialist Hugo Drax. Bond uncovers Drax’s plan to annihilate humanity using a deadly nerve gas and repopulate the Earth with a master race. The mission culminates in a dramatic showdown aboard a space station.
