SummaryA SPECTRE agent has stolen two American nuclear warheads, and James Bond must find their targets before they are detonated.
Directed By:Irvin Kershner
Written By:Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham, Ian Fleming, Lorenzo Semple Jr.
Never Say Never Again
Metascore
Generally Favorable
68
User score
Mixed or Average
5.5
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Metascore
Generally Favorable
60% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
40% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
100
Never Say Never Again illustrates how much sheer entertainment value can accrue when seasoned, disciplined filmmakers are encouraged to use their accumulated experience and design a classy piece of escapism to the best of their abilities.
80
The action's good, the photography excellent, the sets decent; but the real clincher is the fact that Bond is once more played by a man with the right stuff. Civilisation is safe in the hands of he who has never tasted quiche, and who, on the evidence here, at least, can perform a very passable tango.
User score
Mixed or Average
30% Positive
17 Ratings
17 Ratings
54% Mixed
30 Ratings
30 Ratings
16% Negative
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
Jan 31, 2026
8
If we overlook the film's sardonic title and the Byzantine debate over whether or not it belongs to the iconic 007 saga, the idea might have worked much better if it weren't for the notion that the plot was cobbled together from bits and pieces of previous films. What matters is that all you have to do is pop some popcorn, sit back in a comfortable seat, and not take anything too seriously. For useless trivia: Lorenzo Semple Jr. was one of the screenwriters for the 1960s Batman series.
Mar 10, 2021
8
It is basically a remake of fireball, a return of Sean Connery to (t)his iconic role and one of a few James Bond movies that was not produce by Eon Productions. Because of the last it is often debated if it is a true James Bond movie. For me it is and I don't understand this reasoning or why it should not be counted. Just as remark: Some hallmarks of the franchise could not be used because of legal reasons like the James Bond theme or the standard gun sequence. Story: After the refreshing and remarkable intro scene which I call a masterpiece in positively subverting expectation James Bond is send to a health clinic by M (New boss same codename). There he witnessed some strange behaviors of a nurse and another patient he can explain yet. Meanwhile SPECTRE is planing a master-coup. I stop here with this set up. The movie and story is good and solid James Bond entertainment. It has an engaging and immersive story which delivers all hallmarks you expected but still being fresh and charming enough to avoid franchise fatigue. It might not be my favorite movie in the franchise but fully delivers and has memorable scenes. For those who don't know: The movie title is a reference. Sean Connery quit his role as James Bond and said he will never play this role again as he did not want to be typecast or better said be a prisoner of this role for the rest of his career. He managed to stay true to this statement for over a decade and after this movie managed to never returned again. In general I say this feels more like a Roger Moore era style James Bond movie (meant possessive). For clarification: It has more humor and emotions but also delivers Sean Connery's style and charm. For the cast I already praise Sean Connery who gives a last and great farewell in this role. Klaus Maria Brandauer as Maximillian Largo is a great villain. Maybe not top 3 James Bond villains but definitely top ten and not missing that much. Max von Sydow is a good Ernst Starvo Blofeld but he is not the main bad guy here. Q is not played by Desmond Llewellyn and it feels strange even when Alec McCowen is no misstep. I just cant imagine anyone else in this iconic (side) role. Edward Fox is a great M and more strict and critical to James Bond (More like a male version of the great Judi Dench who will fill this role later). I have forgotten that Kim Basigner played Domino Petachi. A good performance but like before females were not that well presented in the franchise. Barbara Carrera was intimidating and a great adversary except for the final scenes where it ruins her character. However this is the scripts fault and I will not use a bad script to ruin my evaluation **** performance. In total we have a good cast and overall performance. The action scenes and fights are well done in this movie. I praise how they manged to make a 53 year old Sean Connery nailing the role and never fail do deliver (It was a discussion topic / critique for his last James Bond movie over a decade earlier). The soundtrack sadly misses the James Bond theme but can deliver with the themesong and a good performance. Overall this is one of the better James Bond movies and worth watching. While it is not in my top 5 movies in the franchise it is still good and I rewatch it from time to time.
75
Sean Connery is still up to par as James Bond in the latest adventure of Agent 007,
70
It is good to see Connery's grave stylishness in this role again. It makes Bond's cynicism and opportunism seem the product of genuine worldliness (and world weariness) as opposed to Roger Moore's mere twirpishness.
60
Connery was perhaps wise to call it quits the first time round.
50
Connery delivers his usual charming performance, and Brandauer (MEPHISTO, OUT OF AFRICA) makes a great Bond villain. Gone is the excessive gadgetry that mars Bond films, and, as a result, the characters are more prominent and colorful.
40
It's his sense that he is superior to the series (which he certainly is) that introduces a fatal strain of campiness and condescension. And without absolute conviction, no action film can survive: if there's no belief, there's no danger.
Sep 21, 2021
6
Another average Bond movie. There are some boring scenes, especially the domination sequence is ridiculous today. Also Brandauer as Largo and Max von Sydow as Blofeld are boring.
On the opposite Connery was great, just like Carrera as Fatima and Basinger as Domino.
Aug 28, 2025
5
There are Bond films that feel out of place in the saga, and this is one of them. It doesn’t belong to the official EON line, and although Sean Connery returns to the role, it feels like a somewhat forced comeback. Seeing him again in the tuxedo with a gun is intriguing, but it’s also clear that time had passed and the character no longer fit him **** story, a reworking of Thunderball, lacks the vibrancy of the stronger entries and drags at times. The script tries to balance this with humor and secondary characters, but the classic Bond spark only shows up intermittently. The real highlights come from Klaus Maria Brandauer’s intense villain and Barbara Carrera’s magnetic presence.Visually it delivers, with solid settings and polished cinematography, but it never reaches the elegance or freshness of other films in the series. It stands today as a curiosity, almost a collector’s item, letting us see Connery’s final 007 performance—more of a rare artifact than an essential entry.
Sep 28, 2019
5
Not bad. Not good, it's not boring but its so forgettable, Sean Connery is too old, they should at least hire someone who is young enough to play the role of JB
Sep 23, 2024
3
After a dozen years of sabbatical, Sean Connery slips into the old tuxedo, wraps his fist around a cold martini and reclaims the role of James Bond for one last lap around the track. Connery looks rather gray for the part, but neither he nor the filmmakers shy away from that. Rather, he's portrayed as an old spy come out of retirement, with a renewed reliance on gadgets and sneaky tricks in lieu of dust-ups or more physical slices of action. That's admirably honest, particularly in contrast to Eon’s stubborn insistence that fifty-six year old Roger Moore was not an older man at all, and it might've paid off, had the ensuing film shown any sense of style or panache. Instead, Never Say Never Again is thoroughly safe, flat and workmanlike, as though it were already looking forward to cashing checks for the sequel. There's no fire to the plot, nor any energy to the performances. Sir Sean seems perfectly content to let his mere presence do all the work, showing no sign of the magnetic, charismatic personality that once made him so irresistible. Much of the film's structure feels silly and out-of-date, too, perhaps reaching for familiar material to put the aging superstar at ease. Even the big set pieces land with a thud. How is it possible for a jetpack chase to feel so boring? Grinding through the last hour is a terrible chore, drug out and underwhelming as it is. By that point, it's already obvious that not even James Bond can pull out of this tailspin.
Jun 7, 2022
3
This unofficial Bond film is nothing more than a rehash to outright remake of the much better Thunderball.
Production Company:
- TaliaFilm II Productions
- Woodcote
- Producers Sales Organization (PSO)
- B.A. Turner
- European Banking Company Limited
- First National Bank of Chicago (London Branch)
- MFI Furniture Group
- Manufacturers Hanover Limited
- Midland Montagu Leasing
Release Date:Oct 7, 1983
Duration:2 h 14 m
Rating:PG
Tagline:If you haven't seen Sean Connery in 'Never Say Never Again' then you haven't seen James Bond 007!
Website:
Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 1 Nomination
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 2 Nominations
Golden Screen, Germany
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
