11 Things You Learn Rewatching Thunderball

3. The Climax Is Ambitious & Insane

Thunderball Climax
MGM

Though most of the movie's underwater shenanigans don't really hit the mark, Thunderball's finale manages to hit a high-note of inspired insanity that's really quite daring and entertaining, especially for a movie made over 50 years ago.

The finale kicks off with around 10 minutes of near-total wordlessness as a ridiculous underwater gunfight takes place between Largo's men and the U.S. Coast Guard. That's just the beginning, though: Largo then attempts to escape in a boat with a tied-up Domino and the remaining bomb, leading to an intense chase as Bond climbs aboard and the Navy and Coast Guard pursue the vessel.

It of course ends with Largo's demise, the ship being blown to smithereens and Bond and Domino safely in an inflatable raft, but for the standards of early Bond, it's a pretty damn ambitious and boundary-pushing way to end the movie.

Shame the rest of the film's action wasn't quite so frenetic, though.

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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.