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Never Say Never Again
Movie

Never Say Never Again

1983 • Unknown

Woke Score
1
out of 10

Plot

James Bond returns as the secret agent 007 to battle the evil organization SPECTRE. Bond must defeat Largo, who has stolen two atomic warheads for nuclear blackmail. But Bond has an ally in Largo's girlfriend, the willowy Domino, who falls for Bond and seeks revenge.

Overall Series Review

The film is a classic 1980s spy thriller that features James Bond, called out of semi-retirement, battling the global criminal organization SPECTRE and its leader, Maximillian Largo, who has stolen two nuclear warheads. The narrative is a straightforward, globe-trotting mission to save the world from nuclear blackmail. The plot is entirely focused on traditional espionage action, high-stakes danger, and the conflict between the hero and a nihilistic international villain. The film strongly adheres to the action formula of its era, featuring a charismatic male lead, beautiful women cast as either a dangerous femme fatale or a damsel in distress seeking revenge, and a clear moral dynamic where Western agents are the force for good against international terrorism. The story contains no political lectures on race, gender, or social injustice, presenting a universal theme of good versus evil.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics2/10

The plot centers on a global nuclear threat and the individual merit of the hero, James Bond, to stop it. The narrative does not lecture on race, immutable characteristics, or systemic oppression. Bond is a classic white male hero, not depicted as incompetent or evil. The film includes a Black CIA agent, Felix Leiter, which is a rare but colorblind instance of diversity that does not impact the plot’s ideology or rely on an intersectional lens.

Oikophobia1/10

The central conflict is the defense of Western civilization (NATO nations) against a global, stateless terrorist organization (SPECTRE) seeking world domination and extortion. The institutions of MI6 and the United States military, despite initial bureaucratic slowness, are ultimately portrayed as the shield against chaos. There is no hostility toward Western heritage or demonization of ancestors; rather, the British secret agent saves the world.

Feminism1/10

The movie operates entirely within the traditional, pre-feminist structure of the classic Bond archetype. Female characters are explicitly framed as either the passive victim who needs rescue and redemption (Domino) or the evil, sexually charged femme fatale (Fatima Blush). Masculinity is celebrated as protective and competent. The female love interest is saved by the hero and then assists him by killing the villain in an act of personal vengeance, fitting the complementary dynamic of the era, which is the antithesis of the 'Girl Boss' trope.

LGBTQ+1/10

The story adheres strictly to a normative structure, with all sexual and romantic interactions being exclusively heterosexual. Bond's pursuit of women is a core element of his character. The nuclear family structure is neither a focus nor deconstructed, and there is no presence of alternative sexual ideologies or gender theory messaging.

Anti-Theism1/10

The film’s central conflict is a geopolitical and personal battle between a secret agent and a terrorist organization. The movie is devoid of any explicit religious themes or anti-Christian rhetoric. The morality is clearly defined, with SPECTRE representing objective evil (stolen nukes for blackmail) and Bond representing objective good (saving the world), which affirms the existence of an Objective Truth and higher moral law within the narrative framework.