This forced quip from The Man with the Golden Gun is Bond’s response to discovering MI6’s partially sunken ship headquarters in Hong Kong. Despite the hand-waving explanation that the slanted offices are “quite practical” due to real estate costs, there’s nothing remotely practical or plausible about the setup. The concept feels like it was devised purely for visual novelty, without serious consideration of feasibility.

While the setting is undeniably striking, it ultimately comes across as contrived. Bond’s line lands with a thud, sounding less like a natural witticism and more like a strained attempt to justify an already bizarre idea. The logistical absurdities alone as far as approvals, renovations, security, and the unconvincing claim that it “can’t be bugged,” are eye-roll inducing. It’s a stylish oddity, but I can’t help but think of the Jurassic Park meme for the writers and set designers of the movie: “they were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.”