The fire engine hijacking in A View to a Kill ranks among the most overtly camp moments of 1980s Bond movies. After rescuing Stacey Sutton, Bond is swiftly arrested amid exaggerated police antics that exist almost entirely for comic relief, followed by cartoonish distractions. Including using the fire engine’s water cannon against the police and a contrived chase built around a loose ladder, repeated catchphrases, and even a drawbridge. It’s entertaining for sure, but it stretches plausibility to the breaking point and makes me second guess the entire sequence for a better alternative. Even Roger Moore’s effortless charm can’t fully smooth over the awkwardness, leaving it as a moment that’s fun in isolation but emblematic of Roger Moore’s Bond character decline.
February 1, 2026 – 10:07 AM UTC
I deliberately separate the James Bond movies from the novels. After discovering the Bond movies in the mid-1990s and later reading all Fleming and some Raymond Benson, I initially enjoyed drawing connections between page and screen. Over time, though, I’ve found that treating them as distinct works leads to a more satisfying experience, especially as…