Moonraker
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Synopsis
James Bond investigates the mysterious hijacking of an American space shuttle, tracing the conspiracy from Venice and Rio to an orbital space station where an industrialist plans to wipe out humanity and breed a master race.
Plot
When a Drax Industries Moonraker space shuttle on loan to the United Kingdom is hijacked mid-air in transport, James Bond is assigned to find out what happened. Traveling to California, Bond visits the manufacturing mogul behind the shuttles, the aloof and aristocratic Hugo Drax. After surviving multiple assassination attempts set up by Drax’s henchmen, Bond joins forces with CIA operative Dr. Holly Goodhead, who is working undercover as a Drax astrophysicist.
Their investigation leads them across the globe to Venice, where Bond uncovers a hidden laboratory manufacturing a lethal orchid-derived nerve gas fatal exclusively to humans. Following the trail to Rio de Janeiro, Bond and Goodhead are relentlessly pursued by the towering steel-toothed assassin Jaws. For comprehensive film analysis, franchise retrospectives, and streaming guides, visit MovieToWatch. In the heart of the Amazon rainforest, Bond locates Drax’s hidden launch facility, where the billionaire is preparing a fleet of Moonraker shuttles to transport handpicked couples to a radar-cloaked space station. Drax plans to bombard Earth with fifty globes of nerve toxin, extinguishing all human life so his chosen colony can repopulate the world.
Ending Explained
Bond and Holly sneak aboard Moonraker 6 and dock with Drax’s hidden space station. Bond sabotages the station’s radar-cloaking mechanism, enabling the United States space military to detect it and dispatch a shuttle carrying armed astronauts. As the American forces approach, Bond convinces Jaws that Drax’s master-race doctrine has no place for him or his petite girlfriend Dolly. Jaws turns on Drax and assists Bond.
A laser battle breaks out in outer space between Drax’s defenders and the US astronauts. Bond corners Drax in an airlock, shooting him with a cyanide-tipped dart before ejecting him into the cold vacuum of space. With the damaged station rapidly disintegrating, Jaws and Dolly assist Bond and Goodhead in boarding Moonraker 5 before popping a bottle of champagne, surviving in an escape module that safely re-enters the atmosphere. Bond and Holly pilot the shuttle to manually track down and incinerate the three launched nerve-gas globes just before they enter Earth’s atmosphere, successfully averting global extinction. Back on Earth, MI6 and NASA officials establish a video link to congratulate the heroes, only to catch Bond and Holly celebrating intimately in zero gravity.
What We Think About This Movie
What We Liked
Impressive, Oscar-nominated visual effects and Derek Meddings' ambitious miniature space models.
The return of Richard Kiel's fan-favorite henchman Jaws, complete with his unexpected, charming romantic subplot.
Ken Adam's breathtaking and opulent production design, especially Hugo Drax's hidden Amazon launch facility and radar-cloaked space station.
Outstanding practical stunt work, particularly the heart-stopping pre-credits freefall skydiving battle.
What We Didn't Like
Leans excessively into campiness and cartoonish slapstick humor (such as a double-taking pigeon in Venice).
Glaring scientific inaccuracies and gravity physics during the outer-space laser skirmish.
Heavily borrows the core plot beats of its direct predecessor, The Spy Who Loved Me.
Who Should Watch
Fans of Roger Moore’s lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek incarnation of 007.
Viewers who love 1970s retro sci-fi aesthetics and ambitious orbital set pieces.
Anyone looking for an easygoing, spectacle-driven popcorn adventure.
Who Should Skip
Purists seeking a gritty, grounded, and tension-filled Cold War espionage thriller.
Viewers easily annoyed by over-the-top camp and science-fiction silliness in a spy franchise.
Movie Details
Where to Watch Moonraker in the USA
Frequently Asked Questions About Moonraker
Why did the Bond franchise send 007 into space for Moonraker?
Following the massive worldwide success of Star Wars in 1977, the producers fast-tracked Moonraker instead of the planned For Your Eyes Only to capitalize on the global space-craze.
Is Moonraker faithful to the original Ian Fleming novel?
Very little remains from Ian Fleming's 1955 novel outside of the title and the villain's name, Hugo Drax. In Fleming's book, the plot involves a V2-style nuclear ballistic missile targeted at London, taking place entirely in England.
Did Richard Kiel play Jaws in any other Bond movie?
Yes, Richard Kiel made his debut as Jaws in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) before returning in Moonraker.
Was Moonraker nominated for any Academy Awards?
Yes, it received an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects in 1980, recognized for Derek Meddings' miniature photography and composite optical work.
