James Bond: Ultimate Edition, Volume 2

The second of MGM's four boxed Bond sets will be of particular interest to those who dote on the 007 adventures starring Roger Moore as the dashing secret agent who likes his martinis shaken, not stirred. Rabid Bondomaniacs generally agree that Moore's best was his third, 1977's The Spy Who Loved Me, a rousing, opulently-produced thriller that introduced Richard Kiel as that memorably murderous metal-mouth “Jaws,” and that his worst was his seventh and last, 1985's A View to a Kill, which boasts some customarily elaborate action sequences but flirts too openly with self-parody for most fans. Both are included here, so viewers can make up their own minds. Thunderball (1965), Sean Connery's fourth Bond opus, reflects the series' increasing emphasis on gadgetry and lavishly mounted action set pieces (in this case a climactic underwater battle between 007's allies and the baddies led by Adolfo Celi's Emilio Largo), but it also teems with beautiful Bond girls (Claudine Auger, Luciana Paluzzi, Martine Beswick) and effectively exploits Connery's insouciant charm. License to Kill (1989), Timothy Dalton's last series entry, is a relatively sober thriller distinguished by some surprising plot twists and the presence of two delectable dames, Carey Lowell and Talisa Soto. The most recent film, Die Another Day (2002), features Pierce Brosnan's swan song—a real shame, inasmuch as he had grown into the role and was far more convincing than in his earlier outings—and gives him a capable counterpart in Halle Berry, whose character was so well received that producers thought about spinning it off into a separate series. Each film is presented in a beautifully remastered double-disc edition, with DVD extras across the set including audio commentaries, “making-of” featurettes, deleted scenes, screen tests, booklets, and more. Highly recommended. (E. Hulse)