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Most Under-rated Bond Movies

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  • SJK91SJK91
    Posts: 1,310
    The Living Daylights: These forums give it good praise, but many people I've talked to either wrote it off or never knew it existed. Upon seeing the film, a lot of those same people enjoyed it. At the very least TLD is a decent outing, but I find it much stronger than that. (Sixth best Bond film for me)

    Tomorrow Never Dies: Not a great film overall, but people seem to rip this one to shreds. It's a middle of the pack film for me, but I feel Brosnan is at his best here, Carver has a unique take on the usual world-domination thing, and the first half of the film is actually quite strong. Shame that it turned into empty action thereafter, but I've always enjoyed TND in a mindless way. (I will admit that nostalgia certainly helps - TND was the second Bond film I saw.)
  • bondsumbondsum
    Posts: 3,333
    I do think those that weren't around when TLD was released at the cinema really need to purchse The Making of The Living Daylights written by Charles Helfenstein, as this book will put into perpective how the movie was developed and perceived, rather than relying on belated and revisionist reviews that give a distorted view of how the public truly reacted to TLD.
  • SJK91SJK91
    edited October 2015 Posts: 1,310
    bondsum wrote: »
    I do think those that weren't around when TLD was released at the cinema really need to purchse The Making of The Living Daylights written by Charles Helfenstein, as this book will put into perpective how the movie was developed and perceived, rather than relying on belated and revisionist reviews that give a distorted view of how the public truly reacted to TLD.
    Sounds quite interesting - I will certainly be checking that book out.
  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    Can't say I much care for either TLD or LTK. Lackluster direction.

    But TND was just a straight forward Bond film so I really don't get the fan hate.

    Same with QoS except not so straight forward.

    Both flawed but not near as bad as we make either out to be.

  • JNOJNO Finland
    Posts: 137
    There are quite a lot underrated Bond movies (maybe my favourite of the series, FYEO also?) but I have to pick DAF and OP.

    DAF is pure comedy and works very well in that area. It has a great score, one of the best theme songs ever and the mood and the style of the film is somekind of special. And Connery is so loose and relaxed in this little piece of curiosity. I definitely enjoy this film from time to time... should I feel guilty about it :))

    OP on the other hand was the first ever Bond movie for me and I still have a soft spot for it. The only thing I absolutely hate in this movie is the Tarzan yell. That´s just too much. But Bond in the clown suit has never been an issue for me. OP is overall a very beautiful movie with good locations and mood. Roger is on form, Kamal Khan is stylish and sophisticated villain, Berkoff is... well, Berkoff (which is good!) and the ladies are beautiful. OP is an very enjoyable sunday afternoon Bond flick, pure adventure and eye candy.

    What comes to TLD and QoS, I like them both very much. TLD is actually in my top 5 and QoS is, maybe not the typical Bond movie, but a hard driven political thriller starring James Bond.
  • LeonUtrechtLeonUtrecht
    Posts: 30
    DAF's only saving graces are: (1) John Barry's fantastic score; (2) Ken Adams terrific production design; and (3) the Plenty O'Toole quip. So it can hardly be called "under-rated". :)
  • LeonUtrechtLeonUtrecht
    Posts: 30
    suavejmf wrote: »
    Rowan Atkinson should be edited out [of NSNA].

    Oh, come on. Let him stay. As comic relief and sidekick his character is far less obnoxious than that of sherriff J.W. Pepper.

  • JNOJNO Finland
    Posts: 137
    LeonUtrecht wrote: »
    DAF's only saving graces are: (1) John Barry's fantastic score; (2) Ken Adams terrific production design; and (3) the Plenty O'Toole quip. So it can hardly be called "under-rated". :)

    Right you are! There seems to be just the right amount of quality elements to get it out of the "underrated"-area

    :D

    I forgot to mention TWINE. I´m not a fan of Brosnan (GE was great, TND mediocre and DAD was a load of shite), but I enjoy TWINE very much. Talking about skeletons in the closet...

    Yes, Denise Richards was BAD but on the other hand Sophie Marceau was extremely hot and besides that a very good actress! This film has some cool moments, nice action scenes and great characters... I like Renard and Zukovsky, Carlyle and Coltrane are one of my favourite actors.

    They really tried to bring some personal and psychological elements into a Bond film and they almost managed to do it. Almost. TWINE isn´t Skyfall or Casino Royale, isn´t it?

    As Bond said it himself in the film: "close, but no cigar."
  • bondsumbondsum
    edited October 2015 Posts: 3,333
    Which is exactly why it's top of the under-rated list @LeonUtrecht. It's always in everbody's bottom 3 here.

    The good. Connery:"My name is Bond, James Bond....There's something I'd like you to get off your chest."

    The booby-trap clamp that almost severs the goon's fingers.
    "Welcome to Hell, Blofeld"

    Great title song. Great score by Barry.

    Wint and Kidd. "Bitten by the bug"

    The fight with Peter Franks in the glass elevator.

    "Exceptionally fine shot." .

    007: "I'm just stepping out." Bond outside the Whyte House with grappling gun.

    Bond firing the grappling gun into Blofeld's double's head. "Right idea. Wrong pussy."

    Bond smells a rat.

    The Vegas car chase.

    Bambi and Thumper.

    The finale on the cruise liner.
  • AceHoleAceHole Belgium, via Britain
    Posts: 1,731
    Meh... can't agree that DAF is underrated. It's always been near the bottom of the pile, right where it belongs.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    Outside of the whole "isn't it great to have Connery back" thing, how was DAF received back in the 70s @bondsum. I know you were fairly young yourself but I'm guessing you have some memory.
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,584
    The problem with these 'most under rated' threads of which there have been many over the years, is that they basically turn into your most or least favourite Bond film thread. Or effectively the same thing.

    Also, under rated by whom? Fans? Critics? General public?

    In my opinion
    Most under rated by fans? Possibly Goldfinger. Many fans believe it to be over rated if truth be told, and see it as a poorly paced, dull and leaden thriller. So it's therefore under rated because the truth is GF is a genuine piece of epic film making, a masterpiece of the action/adventure genre. Or at least it was in the mid 60s.

    Most under rated by critics? I would go with The Living Daylights. Because Dalton didn't really take off in the role TLD is unceremoniously lumped together with LTK and dismissed out of hand. It needs to be seen again by them because it's Glen's most assured piece of work. He may be more proud of LTK, but he's wrong.

    Most under rated by the general public. OHMSS of course. Overlooked, ignored, forgotten. People are stupid aren't they?
  • bondsumbondsum
    edited October 2015 Posts: 3,333
    I have a vivid memory from the UK perspective @BAIN123, right down to the smell of the sticky-carpet cinema and sugary confectionery. It was a huge affair. Large billboards of the poster everywhere, endless TV spots, Dinky toys of the Moon Buggy and the red Mustang Fastback in the playground (for which I owned both), the cinema brochure being sold in the BO kiosk. Of course, 007 was loved by the majority of us kids who were allowed to see such violent movies. The audience laughed and cheered in all the right places. The response was good. Funnily enough I went to see it again on the big screen, just after TSWLM came out, at a much larger local cinema and the movie was sold out. I kid you not - a full house - and this was just before it was about to be shown on TV for the first time. Also, it wasn't double billed with another Bond or movie, just DAF as the single feature. So big was the turn-out for DAF in '77 it was just like watching a new release Bond. Why did people come back to watch it again in huge numbers? Why, because they had enjoyed it the first time.

    I wasn't so young @BAIN, that I couldn't getaway with purchasing a box of Player's Navy Cut and smoke them down an alleyway with a friend. Yep, that was '71 - what a year!

    PS. I remember it differently @NicNac. TLD was the one that got good reviews, but LTK was the one that fell flat with the critics.
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,584
    @bondsum, I also went to see DAF the time when it was re-released on it's own. And I remember my cinema being more or less full as well. This was my first viewing of the film so I remember it well, and yes it would have been around 1977.
    My audience wasn't over enthusiastic though and a couple walked out. I was mortified at that. I enjoyed it even though I struggled to follow the plot at the time. It was a wonderful, colourful, bizarre film.

    I think my feeling that critics under value TLD is based around their current opinions. At the time it was released I think the opinions were possibly mixed, bordering on good, with Dalton getting decent reviews. Hard to remember now, but critics tend to follow general trends with little original thought.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    That's interesting @bondsum, thanks. I can't say I'm the biggest fan of Diamonds, but I do acknowledge it has its moments. It sounds as if its something of a cult film nowadays with a lot of detractors but many staunch defenders too, including yourself obviously.

    Regarding Dalts I get the impression his Achilles heel was that he simply didn't have the desired impact in AMERICA. @Birdleson is a respected US member on these boards and I've seen him comment about Dalton's lukewarm greeting he received. Same goes for other US fans.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited October 2015 Posts: 23,883
    jake24 wrote: »
    Bondite wrote: »
    The World is Not Enough.

    For a movie that often gets listed in worse Bond film lists it really isn't that bad and better than most of Moore's in my humble opinion.
    I also love the more era, but I do agree The World is Not Enough is nearly criminally underrated. Alright, maybe not criminally, however some elements are excellent, and it still remains high in my rankings.
    P.S sorry @bondjames ;)

    No worries @jake24. We're all entitled to lapses in judgement from time to time, myself included (I like TMWTGG & even DAF after all). ;)

    Regarding the sorry mess that is TWINE, I actually prefer, in every way, the superior remake (complete with Bond pretitles fall from great height) that is commonly known as SF.

    @NicNac, I think you're right about Dalton. Originally the reviews were much more favourable towards him for TLD. However, he just never caught fire with the US audiences, and unfortunately that is a 'requirement' for a Bond actor's first film it seems (both Laz and Dalts failed to do this and that is why they are somewhat poorly remembered among the masses......the narrative takes hold quickly).
  • Scaramanga12Scaramanga12
    Posts: 562
    Crazysoul95 wrote: »
    For your eyes only

    I watched this recently and I noticed quite a few problems.

    The dubbing Of Melina is poor, didn't sound like the person made any effort.

    Bibi and Lisl characters are unnecessary.

    They should made a lot more of bond being misdirected against columbo

    The showdown in the monastery was disappointing after the rock climb

    Roger moore too old and so not given any decent fights. The hockey scene rivals the avtak warehouse fight.




  • DariusDarius UK
    edited October 2015 Posts: 354
    dalton wrote: »
    Knowing that I'm probably alone in thinking that they're underrated, I'd say that Licence to Kill and Quantum of Solace are very underrated, both by the general public and Bond fans.

    No, you're not alone.

    LTK was way ahead of its time in terms of harsh grittiness and its move away from the jokey suave Bond to one that is truly dangerous. I agree with Mark Gatiss' contention that Dalton's Bond in this movie was "a prototype Craig-Bond".

    QoS was also ahead of its time, although its "time" is yet to come. It deals with a topic that will, likely as not, become very hot in the years ahead and that is eco-terrorism. The fight to control vital natural resources will become as vital as the fight to control energy is now. Most viewers of the movie thought that the fight to control a country's water supply was just not interesting or exciting enough, but this opinion may change in the future when taps start to run dry.

  • TripAcesTripAces Universal Exports
    Posts: 4,588
    AceHole wrote: »
    Crazysoul95 wrote: »
    For your eyes only

    Yes, it's easily top ten stuff[/qu
    NicNac wrote: »
    The problem with these 'most under rated' threads of which there have been many over the years, is that they basically turn into your most or least favourite Bond film thread. Or effectively the same thing.

    Also, under rated by whom? Fans? Critics? General public?

    In my opinion
    Most under rated by fans? Possibly Goldfinger. Many fans believe it to be over rated if truth be told, and see it as a poorly paced, dull and leaden thriller. So it's therefore under rated because the truth is GF is a genuine piece of epic film making, a masterpiece of the action/adventure genre. Or at least it was in the mid 60s.

    Most under rated by critics? I would go with The Living Daylights. Because Dalton didn't really take off in the role TLD is unceremoniously lumped together with LTK and dismissed out of hand. It needs to be seen again by them because it's Glen's most assured piece of work. He may be more proud of LTK, but he's wrong.

    Most under rated by the general public. OHMSS of course. Overlooked, ignored, forgotten. People are stupid aren't they?

    Very true.

    I think by underrated, it's a film that critics don't value. So we'd have to look at RT and metacritic scores to get a sense of how the Bond films rank in relation to each other.
  • SzonanaSzonana Mexico
    Posts: 1,130
    Die another day
    Yes the script is not the best but the movie captures your attention since the first scene and it's one of the most visually stunning of the whole franchise.

    And even though some say Pierce was a little too old I think he looked at his most Bond style in this.

  • SzonanaSzonana Mexico
    Posts: 1,130
    Ok look at this poll
    Your underrated film might be not that underrated

    http://www.imdb.com/poll/T8dGOnA-1ck/results?answer=17&ref_=po_rv
  • Aziz_FekkeshAziz_Fekkesh Royale-les-Eaux
    Posts: 403
    OP
    TND
    QoS

    All at least 7/10 in Bond terms
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Most underrated is FYEO, and QOS is up there, too.
  • AceHoleAceHole Belgium, via Britain
    Posts: 1,731
    Thunderfinger wrote: »
    Most underrated is FYEO, and QOS is up there, too.

    No. You have to choose ONE. Them's the rules.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    So Dr No, then?
  • mepal1mepal1
    Posts: 1,098
    If QOS had, had an actual decent plot, with some well defined characters, then it would rank higher up (Elvis..........for christ sakes!).
    Though the main error of QOS was the warp speed editing Forster chose...............as it rendered a lot of his good work unwatchable!
  • AceHoleAceHole Belgium, via Britain
    Posts: 1,731
    Thunderfinger wrote: »
    So Dr No, then?

    No, you can't choose that one. Rules is rules.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    QoS isn't underrated. It's the contrarians choice of Bond film.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    It suffered due to the writers strike and a poor director. But Craig still carries the film.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I don't think Craig has ever given a bad performance as Bond. :)
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