By the time Thunderball rolled around, Bond fever was in full swing. The budget was bigger, the stakes were global, and the producers clearly thought, “You know what this franchise needs? More underwater action.” And I mean a lot more.
This one clocks in at a 4 out of 5 for me. I really liked it, even though there are chunks that move like they’re swimming through molasses. It’s a bold, sprawling adventure with a stylish Connery still fully in command, a genuinely threatening villain, and a third act that turns into a synchronized swimming death match. It’s overstuffed, but when it works, it really works.
Plot: Nuclear Heist with Scuba Flair
The premise is classic Cold War era Bond. SPECTRE hijacks a NATO plane carrying two nuclear warheads, then demands a ransom or threatens to obliterate a city. Bond is dispatched to the Bahamas after suspecting a connection involving a spa, a dead pilot, and some suspicious plastic surgery.
It sounds a little convoluted on paper, and it is, but it’s also sleekly executed. The idea of nuclear blackmail was terrifyingly plausible in the 60s, and the film plays with that dread in a very stylish, very aquatic way.
Sean Connery: Relaxed but Still Razor-Sharp
Connery is still in the pocket here. He’s smooth, cocky, and enjoying himself, but not yet drifting into self-parody. There’s a calmness to him now—he knows how Bond moves, speaks, kills. That signature cool is intact, and you believe this guy can operate anywhere, from a hotel casino to the ocean floor.
It’s worth noting, though, that this film starts the shift toward a more indulgent Bond. The gadgets get splashier, the women more plentiful, and the runtime, well, you feel it.
Largo: The Cyclops of SPECTRE
Adolfo Celi’s Emilio Largo is a standout villain. He doesn’t have the sheer menace of Goldfinger, but he’s still very effective. The eyepatch, the white hair, the yacht with a shark pool—it’s classic villain material. What makes him threatening is his composure. He doesn’t yell. He doesn’t panic. He controls his environment, whether it’s a SPECTRE boardroom or a diving expedition.
And that moment when he casually orders a henchman’s death for speaking out of turn? Cold as ice.
Domino: One of the Stronger Bond Girls
Claudine Auger’s Domino is one of the more fully realized Bond women of the early films. She’s Largo’s mistress, but she’s not just window dressing. Her relationship with Bond has real emotional weight, and her eventual turn against Largo feels earned, not forced.
She also gets a moment of actual agency at the end, which is rare for the era. Her final act of revenge against Largo is satisfying and a little poetic. It doesn’t completely flip the Bond girl dynamic, but it’s progress.
Underwater Spectacle: Beautiful but Bloated
Let’s talk about the underwater stuff. It’s gorgeous, ambitious, and unlike anything else in the series. You can tell Terence Young wanted to make it a visual centerpiece. The way light filters through the water, the eerie quiet, the slow-motion tension—it’s all beautifully shot.
But man, does it go on. The final underwater battle is impressive in scope, with harpoons flying and sea scooters buzzing, but it also tests your patience. It’s visually interesting, but after the fifth knife-to-the-oxygen-tank moment, you start checking your watch.
Gadgets and Gizmos: Jetpacks and Shark Pools
Thunderball is the Bond film where the gadget budget exploded. The jetpack in the pre-title sequence is pure 60s fantasy, and it rules. Completely ridiculous, completely awesome. The rebreather, the underwater propulsion devices, the infrared cameras—this is where Q Branch starts looking like a spy tech startup.
The gadgets are integral to the plot this time, not just flashy accessories. Bond uses them often and creatively, especially during the underwater sequences.
Pacing and Tone: A Slight Drag
The biggest flaw with Thunderball is its pacing. It sags in the middle, especially when it leans too heavily on exposition or long, drawn-out underwater scenes. There are moments where the energy dips, and while the tropical scenery is nice, it can’t always carry the weight.
Still, the mood is sleek. The John Barry score is lush, and Tom Jones belts out the title track with such force you half expect him to pass out at the end. The film knows it’s big, and it plays into that grandeur.
Final Verdict: Soaked but Stylish
Thunderball is both a celebration and a warning for the Bond formula. It shows how grand the series could get, but also hints at the excess that would eventually bloat future entries. It is bold, fun, and packed with memorable set pieces, but it occasionally loses its footing under the weight of its own ambition.
Still, it’s an essential Bond film. One that proved the series could go underwater, get weird, and still keep its cool.