BILLION DOLLAR BRAIN is the third in the Harry Palmer trilogy of spy movies and a far drop in quality from the excellent first in the series, THE IPCRESS FILE. The film feels very much like an inferior Bond movie which is odd given that the whole reason behind the series was to be an 'anti Bond' with a greater emphasis on seriousness and realism. The story sees Palmer come out of retirement to go after a mysterious megalomaniac bent on world domination, with the story set in an icy Finland for the most part.
This was an early film in the career of director Ken Russell and his inexperience shows. Some of the staging is okay but the action feels oddly flat and lifeless and the actors struggle to make their characters interesting, Karl Malden a cast in point. Sure, the story does benefit from an entertaining and original choice of villain, but everything that happens feels clichéd and oddly muted, and the end result is merely average.
This was an early film in the career of director Ken Russell and his inexperience shows. Some of the staging is okay but the action feels oddly flat and lifeless and the actors struggle to make their characters interesting, Karl Malden a cast in point. Sure, the story does benefit from an entertaining and original choice of villain, but everything that happens feels clichéd and oddly muted, and the end result is merely average.