007 - You Only Live Twice

PG

Released Jun 13, 1967

1 hr. 56 min.

Action

List

74%

53 Reviews

Tomatometer

69%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

During the Cold War, American and Russian spacecrafts go missing, leaving each superpower believing the other is to blame. As the world teeters on the brink of nuclear war, British intelligence learns that one of the crafts has landed in the Sea of Japan. After faking his own death, secret agent James Bond (Sean Connery) is sent to investigate. In Japan, he's aided by Tiger Tanaka (Tetsuro Tamba) and the beautiful Aki (Akiko Wakabayashi), who help him uncover a sinister global conspiracy.

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Critics Consensus

With exotic locales, impressive special effects, and a worthy central villain, You Only Live Twice overcomes a messy and implausible story to deliver another memorable early Bond flick.

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Charles

Classic Bond film with a great performance from Sean Connery

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/31/22

Full Review

DanTheMan 2

As much as I love the look of this film, You Only Live Twice is plagued by tiredness and a sluggish pace despite how gorgeously outlandish this film can sometimes be. It's James Bond by way of Gerry Anderson, with plenty of gadgetry-laden action, pure spectacle and fantastic model work; it's a real shame then that in a film with so many spectacular set pieces, the downtime is so disinteresting, lacking the wit and zip, the pacing and punch of its predecessors. Roald Dahl's screenplay is implausibly mechanical if somewhat inspired, although the less said about the Japanese transformation... the better. Connery is doing the script no favours as he looks like he simply doesn't want to be there and the film's treatment of its Japanese cast is unforgivably shallow, seriously why dub the legendary Tetsurō Tamba when the man already spoke perfectly adequate English? Donald Pleasence is one of the film's saving graces, a clear professional throughout and delivering such an iconic performance. Between Lewis Gilbert's direction, Freddie Young's photography, Ken Adam's amazing sets and Barry's oriental brass score, it's a real shame that You Only Live Twice fumbles in its storytelling department, given how much everything else in this film works leaving the visuals and music do a lot of the heavy lifting.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

04/12/24

Full Review

James B

One might conclude that a volcano base housing space rockets is an apt metaphor for the apocalyptic stakes at the heart of this movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/22/23

Full Review

Tony S

A thin plot makes this the worst Bond movie yet.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

12/05/23

Full Review

William Joseph B

Overall a pretty good movie.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/15/23

Full Review

Daniel G

With a worthy Bond Villain in Blofeld, a true threat and villains lair in the Volcano Lair, how did this movie do so much wrong. This film is dull at best. Connery is his worst here. The bond girl(s) are a mixed back. Aki, who isn't technically a Bond girl, is much more interesting than the movies intended Bond girl, Kissy, whose name isn't even mentioned in the film. Blofeld is a truly special villain. I only wish there was more of him here.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

11/10/23

Full Review

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Lewis Gilbert

Director

Sean Connery

James Bond

Akiko Wakabayashi

Aki

Donald Pleasence

Blofeld

Tetsurô Tanba

Tiger Tanaka

Mie Hama

Kissy

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TIME Magazine

There have been so many flamboyant imitations that the original looks like a copy.

Oct 13, 2008

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

Sean Connery plays 007 with his usual finesse.

Jul 22, 2008

Full Review

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Tired, poorly paced Bond from 1967, with Sean Connery displaying his discontent.

Jul 22, 2008

Full Review

Carson Timar

ButteredPopcorn

You Only Live Twice is easily one of the cleanest and most well-built Bond films.

Rated: B+

Aug 28, 2022

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

This one's a lot of fun.

Rated: 3/4

Sep 25, 2021

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

The special effects aren't as visually pleasing as one might hope for, with many of the stunts clearly designed to be performed by actors in front of greenscreens.

Rated: 4/10

Aug 27, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

During the Cold War, American and Russian spacecrafts go missing, leaving each superpower believing the other is to blame. As the world teeters on the brink of nuclear war, British intelligence learns that one of the crafts has landed in the Sea of Japan. After faking his own death, secret agent James Bond (Sean Connery) is sent to investigate. In Japan, he's aided by Tiger Tanaka (Tetsuro Tamba) and the beautiful Aki (Akiko Wakabayashi), who help him uncover a sinister global conspiracy.

Director: Lewis Gilbert
Screenwriter: Ian Fleming, Roald Dahl, Harold Jack Bloom
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Danjaq Productions
Rating: PG
Genre: Action
Original Language: English (United Kingdom)
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 13, 1967, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 1, 2016
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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