James Bond’s Most Underrated Villain Is The Perfect Dark Mirror Of 007

James Bond’s Most Underrated Villain Is The Perfect Dark Mirror Of 007

There are many Bond villains, but here’s why one of Roger Moore’s most notorious antagonists is the most underrated dark mirror of 007 himself

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James Bond’s Most Underrated Villain Is The Perfect Dark Mirror Of 007

The James Bond franchise has seen 007 come up against numerous villains, and one of the most underrated is arguably the perfect evil reflection of Bond himself. The release of No Time To Die and the speculation over the next Bond villain means that extra scrutiny is on previous antagonists Bond has faced. Although there are many, including other dark mirror characters such as 006 or Silva, it is Scaramanga who deserves more recognition.

Appearing in The Man With The Golden Gun, Scaramanga is a hitman who sells his services for a million dollars per contract. Similarly to Bond, he honed his talents from a young age, but while Bond was then employed to kill professionally for his country, Scaramanga began to assassinate people for pure enjoyment. During the movie, Bond is tasked with retrieving a stolen solar energy device taken by Scaramanga, and the mission culminates with them fighting it out on his private island. Unfortunately, upon its release in 1974, both the movie and Roger Moore’s performance as 007, were criticized for being underwhelming, and it underperformed at the box office. It is because of this that the character of Scaramanga is usually overlooked.

Discussions surrounding the franchise’s antagonists often focus on the larger-than-life characters such as Goldfinger or Blofeld, who returns to face Bond multiple times. However, when considering the parallels between Scaramanga and Bond it becomes clear how important his story is as a villain. Both characters had the potential to become cold-hearted killers as they grew up, and the film shows Bond coming face to face with a dark reflection of who he might have become in different circumstances. The stark contrast between the two, despite their similar pasts, is used to emphasize Bond’s role as the hero to audiences. The dark mirror character has been replicated in various Bond films, such as with 006 in GoldenEye or, more recently Silva in Skyfall, and recognition should be given to Scaramanga as a role from which these could draw inspiration. Because of this, he is criminally underrated as the perfect dark counterpart to Bond’s personal journey.

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More praise should also be given to Christopher Lee for his performance of Scaramanga. Due to Lee’s experience playing Dracula and other villainous roles, he managed to create an intimidating character. Despite humorous lines and Scaramanga having a third nipple, Lee portrayed him threateningly enough that audiences believed he could be a risk to Bond. This was also enforced by the iconic weapon that was introduced in the movie. Made up of a seemingly harmless fountain pen, lighter, cufflink and cigarette case, Scaramanga’s infamous golden pistol remains memorable to this day. Since the film’s release, the gun has featured in video games, been turned into countless replicas, and was ranked sixth in a 20th Century Fox poll of the most popular film weapons (via The Guardian).

Both Christopher Lee’s performance, and Scaramanga’s golden gun, cement the antagonist as one of the best James Bond villains. Although he is often forgotten due to the film’s ratings, he is an important reflection of the life Bond avoided and adds depth to an otherwise disappointing movie. Overall, Scaramanga deserves more recognition and is an underrated feature in the Bond franchise.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/james-bond-villain-scaramanga-man-golden-gun-underrated/

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