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Moonraker

Moonraker

Where all the other Bonds end… this one begins!

1979126 minPGMidcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
Director
Lewis Gilbert
Starring
Roger Moore, Lois Chiles, Michael Lonsdale, Richard Kiel

After Drax Industries' Moonraker space shuttle is hijacked, secret agent James Bond is assigned to investigate, traveling to California to meet the company's owner, the mysterious Hugo Drax. With the help of scientist Dr. Holly Goodhead, Bond soon uncovers Drax's nefarious plans for humanity, all the while fending off an old nemesis, Jaws, and venturing to Venice, Rio, the Amazon...and even outer space.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Moonraker?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Moonraker streaming on Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Moonraker?

Moonraker earns 9 badges, led by Word-of-mouth hit and Box Office Hit.

Show 1 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Moonraker worth watching?

Moonraker's Midcredits score is the 49th percentile of all films, from 232K ratings across 6 sources. 46% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

49th percentile

Better received than 49% of films

65th percentile among Action49th percentile among 1970s
Acclaim (how much people like it)51st
Approval (how many liked it)46th

62 /100

51st percentile of all films

68th percentile among Action49th percentile among 1970s

Critics 66 · Audience 62

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.3 — solid but not unanimous.

46% liked it

46th percentile of all films

61st percentile among Action48th percentile among 1970s
46% rated it 7–1054% rated it 1–6

Critics 59% · Audience 43%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 7 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Effects, Visual Effects

96th percentile

232K ratings across platforms

92nd percentile among Action98th percentile among 1970s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 13% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$34M
Opening weekend$7.1M
Domestic gross$70M
Worldwide gross$210M

Returned 6.2× its budget — 91st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree that Moonraker is a visually extravagant, lighthearted Bond entry that prioritizes spectacle over realism.

Fans praised

  • spectacular sets and production design by Ken Adam
  • ambitious special effects and action set pieces
  • pre-credits freefall sequence a franchise standout

Detractors panned

  • over-the-top camp and self-parody undercut the spy thriller tone
  • Jaws's comedic turn and love story undermine his menace
  • plot is a thin rehash of The Spy Who Loved Me and You Only Live Twice

What stands out

Cinematography80

lush location photography and striking Ken Adam sets

Effects and spectacleDivisive75

ambitious practical effects for the space station and shuttle

ActingDivisive63

Moore's smooth charisma vs. Lois Chiles's wooden delivery

Pacing50

brisk globe-trotting in first two acts, saggy before space

HumorDivisive48

divisive slapstick and double entendres

CharactersDivisive40

paper-thin Bond girl and forgettable supporting cast

Plot and storyDivisive35

recycled formula and implausible space scheme

OriginalityDivisive25

blatant Star Wars cash-in with recycled Bond beats

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 15 points higher than women.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 10 points higher than under-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 23 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 8 points apart

Watch experience

What is Moonraker like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingRomanticAbsurd
Heaviest: late
Register
Campy · 4% of filmsAdventurous · 11% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its absurd premise with a knowing wink, often undercutting tension with humour and cartoonish villainy.
The rideThe film is a fast-paced adventure with a light comedic tone, mixing action set-pieces with romantic interludes; the climax in space is the most intense.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional linear order, from the pre-title hijacking, through global investigation, to the climactic space confrontation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe light-hearted, over-the-top adventure leaves the viewer thoroughly entertained and grinning, with no lingering weight.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeBond investigates the hijacking of a space shuttle, uncovers Drax's plan to exterminate humanity and repopulate with a genetically perfect master race, and ultimately defeats him in a space battle.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfPower
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% (this title) · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1% (this title)

Power

Power · 2% of filmsTechnology · 1% of filmsSurvival
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the corrupting influence of absolute power and the use of advanced technology for genocidal control, with humanity's survival at stake.
StanceThe film satirizes the Bond formula and Drax's megalomania, treating the villain's ambitions with comic exaggeration rather than genuine menace.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanOuter spaceStylized realism
Orchestral classicalPopForeground music · original score · John Barry
SettingAcross California, Venice, Rio, and a hidden space station above Earth, with Bond's missions spanning exotic locales.
MusicThe score includes the classic Bond theme and a memorable pop theme song by Shirley Bassey.

Content guide

Is Moonraker okay for kids?

PG

Moonraker is rated PG. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (47/100), sexual content at mild (35/100), language at mild (21/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (29/100) and frightening material at moderate (40/100). Overall it is heavier than 63% of PG-rated films.

Ratings in 16 other countries
  • UKPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • IrelandPG
  • JapanG
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil12
  • Denmark7
  • FinlandK-16
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands12
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/12
  • Spain12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 20% of all filmsHeavier than 63% of PG-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
heavy for a PG-rated film
heavier than 76%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
heavy for a PG-rated film
heavier than 77%
Profanity
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 36%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 58%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 58%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is violence, heavier than 76% of PG-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Moonraker have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Moonraker?

Cast

Roger Moore
as James Bond
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Lois Chiles
as Holly Goodhead
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michael Lonsdale
as Drax
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Richard Kiel
as Jaws
Corinne Cléry
as Corinne Dufour
Bernard Lee
as M
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Geoffrey Keen
as Frederick Gray
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Desmond Llewelyn
as Q
Lois Maxwell
as Moneypenny
Toshirô Suga
as Chang
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Moonraker?

Movies like Moonraker include You Only Live Twice (1967), Thunderball (1965) and Tiger 3 (2023). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films written by Ian Fleming, and most are action comedies.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its story type: espionage. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Moonraker?

832 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: spy. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.