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I don't think LTK looks anywhere near as cheap as TLD, I know some people do but LTK doesn't look or feel like a tv movie to me.
My least favorite Bond film. Other than Christopher Walken, I really didn't like much. Roger Moore was way too old, the Bond girls were the worst in this one, and it just felt overall forgettable. There was nothing really notable or well-made about it to me.
#22. Moonraker
Another silly Moore film. I give it a slight edge over AVtaK, because it's more entertaining and has Jaws (even though he got a girlfriend...). Moore just goes autopilot, and everything around him seems dull most of the time too. The entire concept of Bond in space doesn't work for me either.
#21. Tomorrow Never Dies
TND's biggest problem is how generic and forgettable it is. Best parts are Brosnan, the Bond girl, and motorcycle chase scene. Otherwise, not that great. Villain/plot is ridiculous and the entire thing just feels too long even though it's technically short.
#20. Die Another Day
I think it's just a bit better than TND mostly for being more memorable. Though it has Brosnan's worst performance and is just too cheesy, the PTS and first half of the film is fairly enjoyable. Probably receives more hate than deserved, but undoubtedly falls apart completely in the second half...
#19. Octopussy
Now for Moore's fifth film. I don't even really dislike this one, other than the Tarzan yell of course. The action was quite entertaining, and Moore did good job here. PTS is also amusing. Biggest gripe is naturally the title of the film...
#18. For Your Eyes Only
Though many consider this one of Moore's best, I'm not a huge fan like others. The PTS is the best part for me, and it's a solid film from there. Unfortunately, just not memorable enough for me, but a nice break into more realistic territory for Moore.
#17. Thunderball
That's right, my least favorite Connery film is Thunderball. The reason being is that it's just too slow and dull in my opinion. Connery is great as Bond, and all the girls are great too. I just wasn't a fan of the main villain or underwater sequences.
#16. Diamonds Are Forever
Though it's a big letdown from its predecessor, there's still a few redeeming qualities of DAF for me. Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd are hilarious, and the girls are memorable. Also, Connery is great like always. I didn't enjoy the incarnation of Blofeld or the cheesiness though, and it seemed to get more boring in the second half. Still an entertaining flick.
#15. The Living Daylights
I wasn't a big fan of it when I first saw it, but TLD has grown on me since. The girls, action, and cars are all great, and even though I'm not a big fan, Dalton and the villains are also solid. The PTS was interesting too, but I didn't like the main song and a few parts dragged.
#14. The World is Not Enough
It's no GE, but it doesn't get the credit it deserves. Brosnan puts on a good performance as Bond, and the action is excellent. Though the villains and girls aren't my favorites, they're not bad, and the entertainment value makes it worthwhile for me.
#13. The Man with the Golden Gun
Another highly underrated Bond movie. Christopher Lee is an excellent Bond villain as Scaramanga; Nick Nack is also amusing. The PTS and climax are highlights, and though it drags sometimes in the middle, it's still a mostly fun Moore film.
#12. From Russia with Love
Yes, I have the great FRwL at only 12. I like it just fine, but it's simply too slow in the first half. Connery, the baddies, and girls are all great, and the train fight is a series highlight. I really enjoy the second half, but I wish the first was equally interesting.
#11. You Only Live Twice
Another Connery one; I've always enjoyed it. Pleasance as Blofeld is nice, and Connery is solid as well. The girls aren't the best, but the action sequences are also very fun in this one. Filled with action and great scenery, YOLT is a Connery classic for me.
Post will be continued with my Top 10...
The weirdest and most unintentionally funny of the Bond films. Roger Moore delivers a good debut performance as Bond, and the film features one of the best Bond girls in the series as well as great villains and action scenes. Also, an awesome main song. Just a memorable movie that stands out in the series for its entertainment and uniqueness.
#9. Quantum of Solace
Perhaps one of the most underrated Bond films is here in QoS. While the second of Craig's films is indeed my least favorite thus far, it's still great to me. Craig is awesome as Bond again, the girls are good, and the villains and story were realistic in this one. The music and action also stand out. I've always liked it.
#8. Licence to Kill
Now we get into my favorite Bond films. Licence to Kill used to be in my Top 7, but it's still very close to that point. The revenge plot was a nice change-up for the series, and Dalton is better as Bond here than TLD. The villains were great, the girls were solid, and the action was intense. A very different, hard-edged Bond flick that deserves more credit.
#7. Dr. No
Even though it's somewhat dated, the first Bond film is still my second-favorite Connery movie. Its simplicity is a strength, as it's interesting the entire way throughout without constant action or explosions. Connery is perfect in his debut as 007, the girls are excellent, Dr. No is a great villain, and the sidekicks are also good (Quarrel, Felix, etc.). Though it's the oldest, DN is still one of the best.
#6. GoldenEye
There's little debate that Brosnan's first was his best in the Bond world. Highlights of this great Bond film include one of the series' best PTS's, a great villain in Sean Bean's 006, memorable Bond girls, the tank chase scene, and an epic finale. From start to finish, GoldenEye is a treat, and a mostly well-respected entry in the series.
#5. The Spy Who Loved Me
The best of the Roger Moore era is easily TSWLM for me, fantastical in every way while not going over the top or being too silly. Jaws is of course a wonderful villain, and Moore delivers his best Bond performance in his third outing. The main girl is also great, and so is the memorable PTS. TSWLM is classic Bond the whole way through.
#4. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Though it was his only film, George Lazenby does a fine job playing Bond in OHMSS. A mysterious PTS to a tragic conclusion make for one of the series' most unique Bond movies, and a treat to watch anytime. Diana Rigg as Tracy Di Vicenzo is one of the greatest Bond girls of all, Lazenby is great and underrated as Bond, and Telly Savalas gives us the best Blofeld we've seen on-screen. Oh, and John Barry also performs his best soundtrack in the whole series. An excellent Bond film, beautiful in every way.
#3. Goldfinger
Many fans today call it overrated, but Goldfinger earns every praise it gets in my opinion. Let's see why this is such a good Bond film; Connery is at his best as 007, Auric Goldfinger and Oddjob are some of the best villains/henchmen in the series, the cars and gadgets are cool, the music is catchy, the action is awesome, and Pussy Galore! It's iconic in every sense of the word, from the gold-painted Jill Masterson to Oddjob's razor-tipped hat. Truly the quintessential Bond film.
#2. Skyfall
Daniel Craig has had a terrific tenure so far as Bond, and his newest effort ranks among the series' greatest. Not only is Craig perfect as Bond, but the supporting cast around him is just as excellent including Judi Dench's M and Javier Bardem's Silva. It's also fortunately original. The PTS and main song are great, Craig rules as Bond, and all the action in this one is some of the best in the series.
#1. Casino Royale
After re-watching all 23 Bond films, I know for sure CR is my favorite of them all. Daniel Craig gives his first and best performance as Bond, the villains are sinister, the main girl is one of the best, the music is excellent, and the plot is gripping. A thriller as much as it is an action movie, CR delivers in every aspect for me. It's filled to the brim with action and drama, while providing a fitting origin for 007.
All of my Top 8 are some of my favorite action/adventure movies, and I at least enjoy most of the other ones.
1 - Casino Royale '06
A great reboot, very true to Fleming but adjusted to reflect our modern society. Eva Green and Daniel Craig both do excellently. The movie mostly strays away from formula, remaining dark but still Bondian.
2 - On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Some grounded storytelling with solid action. Lazenby does a good job here and is quite underrated. Salavas does the best Blofeld with a unique plan. It's a totally different kind of Bond movie and ahead its time.
3 - Goldfinger
Classic. The most refined of them all. Practically invented the formula, the villain, the henchman, the sexy mistress and so on. Each scene was designed perfectly. I love how Bond uses his wits instead of his fists and guns for the whole film.
4 - The Spy Who Loved Me
In many ways, Moore's magnum opus. A little romance and detente, lots of actions, an epic water-world plot, Jaws, and a pretty cool base raid near the end.
5 - Octopussy
The idea of circus, clowns, jewelry smuggling juxtaposed with terrorism and breaking detente is really innovative. It's full of laughs, yet more believable than many of the other Bond efforts too. Underrated gem for sure.
6 - License to Kill
The darker side of Dalton. Pam Bouvier is a great tough as nails female lead. Sanchez is a terrifying villains. We get to see more Q. Some great action sequences with some gadgets sprinkled in.
7 - The Living Daylights
Dalton brought the series back to Fleming and re-defined the modern era. Monogamy for the character and respect toward women goes a long way. Plus, the defection plot is quite innovative and it capture Fleming's sniper story well.
8 - Goldeneye
Was a great intro for a new Bond. Mixes camp and seriousness well most of the time. May have the best casting of any Bond film. Also I like the dark industrial soundtrack. I initially didn't like it, but the more I watch it the more I do like it.
9 - Live and Let Die
I initially ranked it lower, but it rose. It's more progressive than it lets on. Kananga and TeeHee are underrated, Baron Samedi is hilarious, unique atmosphere, unique villain plot, Solitaire, quality set pieces. Might raise even higher.
10 - Dr. No
The original movie. Classic. In many ways I wish the Bond series could go back to this sense of quaint minimalism - back when they were actual spy movies. The directing pays attention to small details and it all works well.
[/b]11 - From Russia With Love[/b]
Evades the top 10 since the first half hour is kind of slow, but when it picks up, it's excellent. Great storytelling. In many ways I wish the films followed FRWL's example of having a true-to-life story. Great chemistry with Bond and Tania. Loved the whole train section of the film too.
12 - Skyfall
It's a grand entertaining cinematic experience, taking on cyberterrorism, that makes really small moments feel big. Strong cast. Due to its lack of originality, a hole-filled story and some of the hype glow wearing off, it has slid from top 5 to top 10, to 12. Who knows where will end up.
13 - For Your Eyes Only
By no means an amazing movie, but it features nice Greek scenery, and a more true to Fleming plot after previous absurdities. It has a respectable amount of sobriety to it while still being entertaining. Oh, and Columbo of course.
14 - Thunderball
In many ways it's that totally great old school epic movie with that Connery charm with the gadgets, sharks, Spectre and some campy elements. The last half hour is slow and predictable, but its nonetheless an ambitious undertaking.
15 - The World Is Not Enough
I enjoyed Brosnan's performance, Elektra and Renard as a completely new pair of villains and the convoluted part. If it fixed the corny dialogue, had more spy elements and a replacement for Denise Richards, it may have even been top 10.
16 - Quantum of Solace
In one sense, it's a fast-cut action movie with half-baked writing. In spite of the writer's strike, Craig and Forster challenged Bondian conventions and added a layer of emotion, artistry and ethos that none of the previous Bond films had. It has big potential to rise, but I'll let time judge.
17 - You Only Live Twice
Don't let the number fool you. I like this movie. It might even go up, though I liked the other movies better. A lot of elements felt derivative and tacked on, but it has some of the best scenery, sound and colorful moments I've seen in a Bond movie.
18 - Casino Royale '67
It gets a little too much hate. It's chaotic, incoherent, and full of random gags. It's pretty creative, non-formulaic and has a lot of funny moments. By concept, 7 James Bonds is pretty nice. But there's no fooling that it's a mess of a movie.
19 - Tomorrow Never Dies
Plenty of fun action held together by a weak story. The cartoony villain doesn't do justice to the real life issue it's taking on. Love the gadgets and the remote control BMW especially. But most of the time it does feel like standard bullet-explosion-bullet-explosion action more than a spy film.
20 - Moonraker
I don't hate this movie as much as I used to, but it's still not good. Jaws and Drax are good villains. Goodhead is underrated. The spacey stuff is cool escapism. It does feel formulaic, especially with the standard first half, but the 2nd half gets interesting.
21 - A View to a Kill
Max Zorin, Mayday, a dark Nazi-ish plot, and an epic Golden Gate fight are all nice, but most of the movie is slow and boring. It's the breaking point of self-parody, and really old Roger Moore knows just how absurd it is. The sheer tenacity is hilarious. May very well move up though.
22 - Diamonds Are Forever
Weak acting by Connery, a bad Blofeld, a ditzy female lead and a lack of real continuity for OHMSS really made me hate this movie. But the great scenery, atmosphere and sound keep it from the bottom rung.
23 - The Man with the Golden Gun
It had a nice concept of dueling assassins but bad execution. Moore doesn't work as a brutal killer. Christopher Lee's great performance could not save this confused movie. The story and writing were unfocused, held together by silly random scenes.
24 - Die Another Day
I loved it at first but it aged horribly. It's just a bunch of random Bond cliches thrown into a movie, with the absurdity blasted to 11. I like the sci-fi concept, the vanish and the North Korea concept but the whole movie is held together poorly.
25 - Never Say Never Again
I fell asleep during this one. It's basically a more boring rendition of a movie I've already seen.
My more detailed ranking of the Bond films.
1. THUNDERBALL (1965) ★★★★★
The typical formula as created by its predecessor, brought to perfection with lavish widescreen visuals, impossibly beautiful women, an exotic atmosphere and Sean Connery in top form.
Best sequence: the pre-titles sequence including the jetpack escape.
2. THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS (1987) ★★★★★
Fans who are familiar with Ian Fleming's novels will enjoy this Cold War spy adventure with an incredibly competent Timothy Dalton in the lead, a believable love interest, a more complicated story than usual and a fairly realistic scheme.
Best sequence: the sniper scene has Ian Fleming written all over it.
3. ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE (1969) ★★★★★
George Lazenby’s more vulnerable protagonist, Diana Rigg’s captivating leading lady and a solid script are the key ingredients to one of Bond’s finest entries.
Best sequence: the very last scene, 'we have all the time in the world'.
4. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963) ★★★★★
An intriguing Cold War thriller that hits every single note right, definitely a highlight in the series.
Best sequence: the entire part on the Orient Express.
5. LICENCE TO KILL (1989) ★★★★★
This spectacular revenge tale features Timothy Dalton, who incarnates Bond as the sort of tormented action hero that became popular almost 20 years later, but without the political correctness.
Best sequence: the brilliantly shot tanker truck chase finale.
6. GOLDFINGER (1964) ★★★★
With its iconic villains, ambiguous names, imaginative gadgets and out-of-the-world sets, Goldfinger is the highly enjoyable blueprint for the less plausible Bond film.
Best sequence: Bond and Oddjob's final confrontation in the gigantic Fort Knox set.
7. GOLDENEYE (1995) ★★★★
Re-launching 007 in the post Soviet era with flair, GoldenEye is an instant classic that excels on many levels, including a wide range of unforgettable characters and Pierce Brosnan's convincing first turn as Bond.
Best sequence: Bond meets Alec in a graveyard full of fallen Soviet imagery.
8. CASINO ROYALE (2006) ★★★★
Casino Royale is well-written and injects the franchise with a welcome sense of realism. Both thumbs up for Eva Green too, whose sexy and complicated Vesper is the true highlight of this film.
Best sequence: Vesper's introduction.
9. QUANTUM OF SOLACE (2008) ★★★★
Some might think differently but Quantum is thoughtful, exciting and has the touch of an artist. Daniel Craig is at his best and Giancarlo Giannini makes a magnificent three-dimensional ally.
Best sequence: the fabulous Tosca scene at the Bregenz floating stage.
10. THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN (1974) ★★★★
While admittedly silly in places this episode is rather unfairly treated by fans. It features a witty Roger Moore, it has Christopher Lee as the franchise's best villain, imaginative sets and beautiful atmospherical cinematography.
Best sequence: Scaramanga and Bond small-talking while the former shows him around his fabulous little island.
11. THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (1977) ★★★
Though it does go on a bit too long, Roger Moore’s epic 1977 effort has a steel-toothed giant, a submersible car, underwater sets and a well-written script.
Best sequence: the Lotus Esprit that turns into a submarine halfway through a chase scene.
12. DR. NO (1962) ★★★
The opener to this trendsetting subgenre is a classy, low-key detective movie with unforgettable characters and a charismatic Sean Connery in the lead. Apart from the title tune, the music score is forgettable and outdated however.
Best sequence: the famous introduction at the baccarat table.
13. TOMORROW NEVER DIES (1997) ★★★
An enjoyable, if a bit rushed, episode with Pierce Brosnan’s most confident turn as James Bond, an inspired music score and an interesting nod to the power of mass media.
Best sequence: the short but wonderful scene with Dr. Kaufman.
14. YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1967) ★★★
This atmospherical Japanese episode benefits greatly from its beautiful imagery and wonderful music, even though the scheme is rather far-fetched.
Best sequence: Bond encounters an ally who gets murdered, chases the attackers, encounters in a fight and ends up drinking an unpleasantly poor Siamese wodka.
15. A VIEW TO A KILL (1985) ★★★
Christopher Walken's deliciously insane Zorin, John Barry's epic score, the Golden Gate Bridge finale and the undeniable 1980's atmosphere make this admittedly flawed entry much more entertaining than many would like to give it credit for.
Best sequence: the unforgettable climax on top of the Golden Gate Bridge.
16. SPECTRE (2015) ★★
Daniel Craig's fourth Bond film is much more traditional than his previous work and he seems to be more Bond than before. But it's the Oberhauser story arc that prevents it from ending up higher on this list.
Best sequence: the spectacular Rome car chase.
17. SKYFALL (2012) ★★
Skyfall might as well be the series' most overrated entry yet. James Bond seems to have forgotten his taste for the finer things in life and is more thuggish than ever. It also feels terribly pretentious while the plot is as ridiculous as usual. Nevertheless, the cinematography is gorgeous and the cast is actually quite good.
Best sequence: the Shanghai skyscraper encounter with Patrice.
18. FOR YOUR EYES ONLY (1981) ★★
Such a shame that most of the cast is so bland, because the plausible story and Roger Moore's worldly performance are top notch.
Best sequence: Blofeld's remote control helicopter and his subsequent final moments in the pre-titles.
19. DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971) ★★
Not in the same league as the series' highlights, Diamonds still is a fairly enjoyable ride due to its zany characters and witty dialogue.
Best sequence: during a briefing Bond recognises the original vintage year on which a sherry is based just by the taste of it.
20. OCTOPUSSY (1983) ★★
This episode's large amount of silly gimmicks prevent it, despite a good cast and fine stunts, to be higher on the list.
Best sequence: the auction scene at Sotheby's.
21. THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (1999) ★★
Sophie Marceau is a great femme fatale and Brosnan does a fine job, but the writing is uneven and Denise Richards is a lot easier on the eyes than on the ears.
Best sequence: Desmond Llewelynn's goodbye to the series.
22. LIVE AND LET DIE (1973) ★★
A curious entry with voodoo cults, supernatural elements and the memorable Baron Samedi. Sadly there is also a lackluster main villain and an anticlimactic finale.
Best sequence: M visits Bond at a bad moment and gets a disappointing coffee.
23. MOONRAKER (1979) ★
Basically Moonraker is how The Spy Who Loved Me would have turned out with bad writing and ridiculous humour.
Best sequence: Bond battles Chang in a Venice glass museum.
24. DIE ANOTHER DAY (2002) ★
While it starts off promising, Die Another Day completely loses itself in noisy set pieces, mindless action and cringe-worthy dialogue.
Best sequence: the well-choreographed sword fight at Blades.
---Perfect tier----
These ones are just perfect, at least for the type of film they were trying to make. You really can't find complaints in these, which is ironic because these are the films that aren't your typical Bond.
1. From Russia With Love (10/10) - This is the one that proves that Bond is just as comfortable in a genuine spy thriller as he is in a Goldfinger-esque escapade. The atmosphere and tension is just so raw, so brilliant. Connery's at his best, and this is Blofeld's best too - he's never shown, but he's more terrifying than he's been in any of his other appearances. The plot and the writing are at their best in the entire history of Bond, IMO.
2. Casino Royale (10/10) - If Die Another Day fits in the worst tier of Bond, then, in order for the series to recover, it would need a film of the highest caliber. That film is Casino Royale. Action, spectacle, hot girls, plot, stunts, writing, music, cinematography - whatever you want, this has it, in droves, and in the highest quality. Maybe not so much for humour, but the way this film is written is just so bloody brilliant. Nothing can ever take away from my experience of watching this at the cinemas in 2006.
---True Bond's----
These are definitive, quintessential Bond movies. They're the most famous films of each of their respective Bond actors, and many hold these movies to be their respective best.
3. The Spy Who Loved Me (9.5/10) - This one is indisputably Moore's best film, IMO. It has pretty much everything - a good, confident performance from Moore, a hot girl in Barbara Bach's Triple XXX, some amazing cinematography, a great score, one of the best theme songs, a monumental stunt and some of the most iconic scenes in Bond history. Then there's Jaws, the iconic metal-toothed henchman who, in his first few scenes, is utterly terrifying. The PTS, along with the scenes in Egypt and Sardinia and everything in between, are absolutely magnificent. The last act of the film dips slightly before it goes back up when Bond infiltrates Atlantis. My only real complaint (and the only reason why this film isn't in the top tier) is because Stromberg is essentially Blofeld with a different look and a different name. Had it actually been Blofeld, this film would probably be ranked number 1 on my list. But seeing as they couldn't access Blofeld thanks to legal rights issues, they decided to make a carbon copy of him, and that's the slight disappointment in this film. The humour is also a little strained at times, but being a Roger Moore flick, I'm already in the mood for that when I turn it on.
4. Goldfinger (9/10)
5. GoldenEye (9/10)
---Great, but not perfect----
These ones edge ever closer to perfection, but they're not quite top-tier.
6. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (8.5/10) - I've just never quite enjoyed OHMSS as much as others, but I still appreciate it for being one of the best Bond flicks. There's some moments of really good acting, even with Lazenby in the final sequence (otherwise, he's just considerably worse than any other Bond). The action sequences, the cinematography, the atmosphere, the score, and the theme song(s) are all magnificent. The ending is incredibly moving. This film is really set up to be top-tier, but there's two crucial flaws. One, the plot isn't very good. Two, the pacing is horrendous. This film feels so long it feels like three Bond films, and despite the fact that I can watch movies that are typically regarded as boring, I always find myself struggling to watch all of this film in one sitting.
7. Licence to Kill (8.5/10) - The intensity and pacing of this film is what makes it so good, IMO. The script is better suited for Dalton but not quite perfect for him yet. Robert Davi needs more recognition as a villain - he's easily among the best. Then there's the top-notch stuntwork, which make for some really impressive action sequences. But there's something, perhaps the needlessly uncensored violence, which keeps this film from really feeling like a true Bond film. And because of that, I just can't justify it being in one of the top two tiers.
8. Octopussy (8.5/10) - Besides TSWLM, this is the quintessential Roger Moore Bond flick. The humour is a bit excessive and it gets plain bad in several instances, but it is also genuinely hilarious in other moments. I quite like the atmosphere shifts, and the film is very well-paced. The score is also another highlight, although I can't say the same about the theme song. And despite how old Roger Moore is, there's something about this film that allows you to forget about that (perhaps because the Bond girl is appropriate for his age, unlike in AVTAK). The adventure-like feel of this film makes it really enjoyable, and some of the stunts are absolutely phenomenal.
9. Thunderball (8.5/10) - Connery's really, really good in this. And that's by far the best compliment I can give for this film. Thunderball is when Bond starts getting really big. It's like Dr No, but somewhat more refined and just bigger. My only problem with this film is the excessive underwater sequences, which drag the film and get tedious after a while. There is some good cinematography here though.
---Good, but still flawed----
These films are good, but they're not great because there's some gaping flaw that needs to be fixed.
10. The Living Daylights (8/10) - This is one of those Bond films that is well-written, but it's clear that the writers were used to writing for Moore, because it's very much at odds with Dalton's take on Bond. The villains in this one are unfortunately some of the worst in the series, too. But hell, there's awesome stunts, an awesome theme song, and an awesome score. And apart from the part where Bond stays with the Mujaheddin, which sadly drags a bit (no, actually, a lot), the story and pacing of this movie are good.
11. Dr No (8/10) - This film is great except for how dated it is and how obvious it is that the producers had a very limited budget. Still, this is Bond at its rawest - with the sizzling Bond girls, intimidating villains, and Connery's indelible take on the timeless super-spy.
12. For Your Eyes Only (8/10) - Honestly, if they had cut out the stupid PTS sequence (which I know is a jab at McClory), this film would be in the tier above. It has some really great action sequences, and less of Moore's usual playfulness. Moore shows here that he's just at good at being serious as he is being funny. It's a really sublime film, nothing like traditional Bond's, but it's all the more enjoyable for that. Just what we needed after Moonraker.
13. Skyfall (8/10) - It's a good action movie with some really good scenes, and Craig delivers a really good performance here (and, of course, the same can be said of Judi Dench and Javier Bardem). This film also has an amazing theme song and the return of the DB5 was equally amazing. Unfortunately, the cliche "Bond/M making mistakes that come back to haunt them" thing and the plot holes (and the convolution of the plot) drag this film down.
---Average Tier----
Not bad, but not good either. But not bad.
14. Spectre (7.5/10) - There's really only a hair separating this and TND. It's nice to see Craig taking a lighter stance on Bond. Otherwise, the action is pretty good, the story is decent though definitely flawed, and the acting is pretty good as well. Not a fan of the title theme or the score, but this film is still quite good.
15. Tomorrow Never Dies (7.5/10) - Basically the same as what I said about Spectre. The difference is that Craig feels more natural and experienced in the role, and he acts better than Brosnan. Oh, and Franz Oberhauser beats Carver as a villain.
16. Live And Let Die (7/10) - A cracking theme song, a fair debut by Moore, and a decent score & cast. There's also some nice action sequences with some really memorable scenes such as the crocodile bridge. However, like all the 70's films which tried to draw on the context of the time, it failed to excel. J.W. Pepper is an automatic loss of points for the film, and so is the blaxpoitation. Everything other than what I've mentioned is mediocre. I like the atmosphere of this one, since it has touches of horror, but it fails to sell itself as a great film, and it's flaws are undeniable.
17. You Only Live Twice (7/10) - A rather linear experience throughout the film. It's feels like it's could be good, but it's just outside of good's reach, because it really does have all the elements of a good Bond movie, and it has a number of good scenes too. Had Connery not looked so bored, this would be right up there with Thunderball instead of being so many spots down.
18. Quantum of Solace (6/10) - It's a decent action movie, except that the action sequences are very poorly edited. And while it does evoke some of Fleming's Bond, this film lacks in everything else.
I'll do the rest tomorrow.
24. Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
The presence of Sean Connery is welcome in this light and breezy episode. John Barry and Ken Adam are up to their usual high standards, but the trend of overt humour into the Bond films is a step in the wrong direction. Tom Mankiewicz's script, however, sparkles.
23. The Man With The Golden Gun (1974)
Absurd situations and a tepid screenplay, mar this ninth Bond film. Roger Moore improves on his performance in Live and Let Die, giving a more terse interpretation. The films greatest asset is Christopher Lee as the titular villain.
22. Die Another Day (2002)
Pierce Brosnan is fantastic as 007, turning in a finely honed performance. The action is brilliant, and the first half of the film, is dark and moody in a wonderful Flemingesque fashion. Sadly, a hammy acting by Halle Barry, below par villains, tired script, woeful one liners, and dodgy CGI mar this high octane, action adventure, cum Sci-Fi extravaganza.
21. A View To A Kill (1985)
The main asset to A View To A Kill is Christopher Walken's fantastic performance as Max Zorin. The film also benefits from a John Barry score, but silly humour and poor casting mar the film. Despite being to old for the part, Moore deserved a better swansong. Moore provided a steady hand when the films where at their most inconsistent.
20. Live and Let Die (1973)
Cleverly written, Live and Let Die, contains some delicious humour, but the overt trend continues from Diamonds Are Forever. The plot is cunning in its simplicity, and Roger Moore successfully establishes himself as James Bond. The heavies are particularly fine, and Jane Seymour makes an impression as Solitaire.
19. Moonraker (1979)
The sight gags and overt humour blight what could have been a terrific entry in the series. Regardless, Moonraker is a production triumph, with winning contributions from John Barry, and the entire visual effects crew.
18. You Only Live Twice (1967)
A triumph in production values; the sets, the music and the cinematography are all second to none. The plot, however, is rather too far fetched, and Sean Connery glides through his fifth film on autopilot, in this explosive and memorable addition to the Bondian franchise.
17. GoldenEye (1995)
In his first adventure Pierce Brosnan sets the screen on fire as the legendary secret agent, 007. GoldenEye has a terrific cast, most notably Sean Bean as Trevelyan, whose chemistry with Brosnan is one of the films highlights. Other highlights include many exciting action scenes, and some grand stunt work.
16. For Your Eyes Only (1981)
For Your Eyes Only represents a welcome return to the more serious side of 007. The great action is well tempered by a paired down plot. The supporting cast, namely Carole Bouquet, Topol and Julian Glover, give great performances, which meshes well with one of Roger Moore's finest portrayals of James Bond, 007.
15. Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Tomorrow Never Dies features a strong script and cast, and contains many glossy action sequences. Michelle Yeoh is good value as Wai Lin, and works well with Brosnan, in this classy, sleek, hi-tech, and fast paced entry in the series.
14. Octopussy (1983)
The fantastic splendour of India makes for a memorable backdrop this 13th James Bond movie. The screenplay to Octopussy is involving and intriguing, plus the cast is one of the most impressive in the Roger Moore era, and boasts one of his strongest performances.
13. Quantum of Solace (2008)
Quantum of Solace has a bleak ambience that makes it unique. Forster delivers a most visually impressive film, being brisk, classy and slick, plus the production design and cinematography is top notch, where the drawbacks are the much maligned hyper-editing. Other than that, QoS is a very effective, 70’s style thriller. On the acting front, Daniel Craig presents a subtle character study of 007, a highlight of the film.
12. Goldfinger (1964)
This glittering classic introduces all the legendary hallmarks of the series, and defines the style of the franchise. Goldfinger is also the first film to put an emphasis on high-tech gadgetry. The movie itself, is wonderfully balanced, and includes some of the most iconic scenes and memorable casts of the series.
11. Skyfall (2012)
Featuring an excellent cast, great script, gorgeous cinematography by Roger Deakins, and inspired direction from Sam Mendes, Skyfall is one outstanding Bond film. Skyfall trades the soundness of the plot, in order to be thematically strong, which is a minor flaw in this 50th Anniversary treat.
10. Spectre (2015)
In this, his fourth James Bond film, Daniel Craig is magnificent as the incomparable 007, being insouciant, charming and very dangerous, all leavened with a wry humour. His Bond is a self assured Bond, that learnt the lessons from Craig's previous three movies; inner calm, tempered by his experiences. The screenplay is rather erratic from Morocco onwards, but the script, the cast and the sheer sense of Bondian fun more than compensate.
9. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
The series returned in fine fettle with The Spy Who Loved Me; a fast paced adventure, boasting great stunt-work and action. The scope and style is reminiscent of the earlier Bond films, all anchored around Roger Moore's definitive Bondian performance.
8. Thunderball (1965)
Epic and lush, Thunderball features Sean Connery at his most virile best, and Luciana Paluzzi is simply smouldering as Volpe. Barry, Adam and Young are all up to their usual high standards, in this eye-popping action adventure.
7. The World Is Not Enough (1999)
This is a tightly scripted, emotional thriller, that combines action with suspense, with character development. The cast of The World Is Not Enough is one of the most memorable of the series, while Pierce Brosnan, is once more, excellent as James Bond.
6. Dr. No (1962)
Sean Connery steals the show as the charismatic 007. He receives wonderful support from a great primary cast, a strong story and superb direction from Terence Young. Although lacking the flair and polish of latter efforts, there is great attention to detail in Dr No.
5. The Living Daylights (1987)
Timothy Dalton is supremely impressive in his début outing as 007. The plot is well written, and boasts a tight script. The film benefits from a great attention to detail, and the fantastic elements of espionage are well tempered with some classic action. Dalton also enjoys a convincing relationship with leading lady, Maryam d'Abo, in this well rounded thriller.
4. Licence to Kill (1989)
Dalton produces an edgy, tense performance in his final film. The three main villains are played superbly, especially Robert Davi. The confrontation between him and Bond is a highlight of the film. Licence To Kill also contains some frantic action, and is a fitting tribute to Timothy Dalton's terrific portrayal of Agent 007.
3. Casino Royale (2006)
A refreshingly mature and well written film, which succeeds in presenting a classic Bondian thriller, with a twist – Craig's more earnest, and visceral interpretation of our man, which breaths new life into a character that's been in the pop-Zeitgeist for more than half a century.
2. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
The cast of On Her Majesty's Secret Service is of the standard of From Russia With Love or Goldfinger. Other strengths include a faithful adaptation of probably Ian Fleming's best work, and John Barry's finest musical score. George Lazenby impresses in the action scenes, but ultimately is a disappointing successor to Sean Connery, although Lazenby has bags of potential and a great chemistry with both Savalas and Rigg.
1. From Russia With Love (1963)
Several hallmarks of the series are established in this classic entry, namely Desmond Llewelyn as Q, the introduction of Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the pre-titles sequence and theme song. Moreover, From Russia With Love has the best written plot of the series; it is fantastic to watch Bond being outmanoeuvred from the start. The film also boats one of the finest casts to appear in a Bond film, Terence Young's direction is uniformly superb and John Barry makes his début as composer.
I'm not happy with this list. A slight revision to my ratings; a few films have moved up and down my list, which is most unusual for me, as I'm a bit set in my ways.
I prefer the grandiosity of You Only Live Twice and Moonraker, despite their plot holes and excessive gadgetry, than the drudgery of Sheriff bloody Pepper, hence why Live and Let Die is ranked so low.
MEDIOCRE
24. Diamonds Are Forever
All-round, this film is just completely mediocre. There is only one good scene - the elevator fight - whilst the rest is just dumb and unfunny humour, complete with a lame locale (Vegas, yay!), a stupid plot (an outer-space diamond laser!) and an all-round awful cast. Drag Blofeld, Wint and Kidd and Bambi and Thumper are collectively the worst villain group ever. Bond girl is helpless and annoying, the action is particularly mundane and lacks imagination, and the script is unnecessarily raunchy. Even Connery was bored here and you can see why...
23. Die Another Day
Saved from the worst spot because there are good scenes. But like DAF, the script is awful. Film peaks at the swordfight, then downspirals into a whirlpool of ridiculous gadgets, bad CGI, excessive action and another ridiculous plot. The main cast is awful - count on Brosnan to spout out any number of bad puns, and for the lame villains to fail at villainy. Less said about Jinx the better. Film becomes unsalvagable at the tidal wave.
DECENT
22. The Man with the Golden Gun
Not quite as offensive as the previous entries - although you have things like the sumo wedgie, JW Pepper, slide whistle, and so on - but the film's main problem is that is simply so empty. It is the emptiest film in the franchise. Many claim that Glen's period of direction is where the films experienced a creative decline, but the nadir in creativity is TMWTGG. It just feels exhausted, as if there is nothing the film can think of giving the franchise. The writing is lazy as well - for example, Hip drives off without Bond for no reason just for the sake of a boat chase, which is incredibly lame anyway! There is little in the side of action, and the only really good scenes are the ones on the island. A good villain in Scaramanga overshadows Bond in Moore's poorest and most unconvincing performance, whilst the secondary Bond girl is far better than the annoying primary one (worst of the Moore era).
21. Quantum of Solace
Also known as 'the 108 minute headache'. God, those action scenes are blasphemously edited. Shaky cam and flash cuts galore! The writing is also quite terrible, and the film isn't long enough to give it the closure of what it tries to set up. Quite a lot of the action feels notably superfluous. But past the problems of editing and writing, there is good. Camille is not a bad Bond girl, Fields is good for the few minutes she's on screen, M has a good role here, and Craig plays Bond well as usual. But the villain is the worst individual villain in Bond, and the henchman is also the worst individual henchman in Bond. And God, those action scenes really are bad...
20. Moonraker
There is much to offer in terms of visual spectacle, and the film is very enjoyable at first, with some classic Bond scenes like the centrifuge and hunting scene (PTS is definitely overrated). But it downspirals quicker than DAD. You get the slapstick Bondola, Jaws falling in love (ruining the character) and a space laser battle (going into space was not bad, but adding lasers crosses the line). Drax is a slightly underrated villain, but not a classic. Not much thought was put into the plot, but it is not as ridiculous as others (but is a clear reworking of TSWLM). Bond girl Holly Goodhead is among the worst in the franchise and cannot act. Action is very mundane as well.
19. A View to a Kill
Not quite as bad as people make out to be, but still the sixth-worst in the Bond canon. Stacey is not the worst Bond girl, but she is pretty clueless and well her scream is the most grating to ever be heard in mainstream cinema... Max Zorin is a decent villain - overrated though, as is Bond's ally, Tibbett. May Day is... weird.. but does what she's supposed to do. Some parts are great - elevator scene, Golden Gate bridge - whilst others are painful - Beach Boys and that really awful fight scene... Occasionally funny. Tonally I think it is everywhere - that massacre is painfully out of place. And Moore was WAY too old here, rewatch that scene where he's chasing May Day up Eiffel Tower, it looks like an old man running after a stolen purse...
GOOD
18. The World Is Not Enough
In a nutshell, the film has good ideas, but fails to execute them properly. The film has good characters, but their actors are collectively subpar. Basically, the film is the definition of 'missed potential'. The action is contrived and excessive, but most of it is fun. The tragic villain duo is good, but the only main characters who are well-acted are Valentin and M.
17. Thunderball
Yes, this is indeed Connery's second-worst film... The underwater sequences are incredibly tedious, and the film is overlong... Therefore, the film is very difficult to watch. Largo is an overrated villain as well - he's basically, 'oh look, I'm wearing an eye patch, I'm so eeeeeevil!' Bond girls are both good and beautiful as well - impossible to not like henchwoman Fiona Volpe. And most of the above-water sequences are good. But just as you're enjoying them, the film goes underwater again...
16. Live and Let Die
A picture that is not the best ever, nor the worst ever... It is simply 'there'. Solid, but a little flat sometimes, and the amount of times the villains cook an overly elaborate plot to kill Bond and inevitably fail goes way overboard. Bond girl Solitaire is second-best in the Moore era, and Kananga is a powerful and menacing villain. Baron Samedi is great as well, Tee Hee decent. And who can forget that classic crocodile sequence. But then there's JW Pepper, and people complaining about the car chase in Spectre for being 'slow' should watch this film's boat chase...
15. Tomorrow Never Dies
The worst thing about it is that it is unoriginal. But if that's not really an issue, you can have lots of fun with TND. There's a decent villain, below-average Bond girls, a passable henchman, and one very good scene - Dr. Kaufman. Action does become excessive in the second half and Bond has no chemistry with the lead Bond girl.
14. Skyfall
I admit it is a very well-made film. It gets story structure right, and the cast of actors are great. The artistry is admirable - the Patrice fight, my God! And it is nice to have a truly emotional storyline. But it is a very, very, very dull film. Lacks the fun of even its inferiors, and engages in action reluctantly. Humour is almost completely off. I don't quite understand how it become the highest grossing Bond film ever, and it hardly feels like a Bond film sometimes.
13. Spectre
Sam Mendes is a very pretentious director, so much so that he has trouble producing 'an ordinary, fun Bond flick' without the usual Mendes pretentions - ruining the potential of a classic Bond gunbarrel with the whole 'the dead are alive' shtick. Film opens well, and the first half is great... Slowly declines in quality... Third act is just completely lazy. Then the film is overlong, and yet somehow undercooks every element of the film - villain is wasted, henchman is wasted, romantic story is wasted, etc. Admirable for its intention, and damn - that PTS. But if only it were not so derivative and did not recycle from Skyfall so lazily!
GREAT
12. Licence to Kill
Unquestionably the darkest film in the franchise, and also the goriest. If it had a better director, it could have been one of the best, but as it stands, there are glaring missteps. Revenge story feels contrived somehow. And out of the entire canon, this is the one that feels least like a Bond film - where is that 'British air' for God's sake? It's the first truly 'American' Bond film... But aside from that, the action is mostly great (sans bar fight, and truck chase is good but overlong). Great villain in Sanchez, but Bond girls are notably subpar and very badly acted. The film succeeds as a dark revenge thriller, but as a Bond film, it goes too far in terms of blood and gore. The head explosion is unwarranted.
11. You Only Live Twice
Wow. I was shocked to see how badly received this film is on these forums. Like really. Yes, it is a little mindless and over-the-top, but that's it's style, and it's great at it! The action isn't the 'best ever' but it is entertaining. Bond girls are good most of the time, and we have a good ally as well in Tanaka. Has a very unpredictable narrative as well, which is either its strength or its weakness. Blofeld isn't well-liked for some reason, but he has so much menace! But then Bond goes Japanese - oops!
10. For Your Eyes Only
Perhaps a little forgettable... And let's be honest, Glen hasn't any hold over the tone of his movies - one can't really tell if the movie's trying to be fun or serious... The Bond girl Melina is great - my personal favourite! Moore has a surprisingly good portrayal here, more serious in his acting. But some scenes - hockey, Margaret Thatcher - as well as Conti's disco score at completely at ends with the movie's supposed seriousness. The villains are also the epitome of boring! If there are any problems though... that ski chase absolves them!
9. Dr. No
A very iconic entry. Full of those great iconic moments - Bond, James Bond; you've had your six; i'm just looking; and the Dr. No dinner scene. Dr. No is of course a great villain, and I have a lot of respect for the suspenseful way in which the film is structured. Honey Ryder is a classic Bond girl. Lots of spying as well, which is also a plus. But none of the action is very thrilling, and there is not much action at all. The film is slow a lot of the time.
8. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
It is a good one! But unlike what people around here would have you believe, you would have to be either blind or sorry for Lazenby to call it the best one... Blatant editing problems (a fight scene cut so aggressively it ends in 10 seconds!) and severe pacing issues - film forgets it's an action movie upon the meeting with Draco, then has a renaissance at the ski chase. Bond girl is good, but definitely overrated, and their love story is inherently flawed since Bond sleazily beds two other women whilst romancing her. But the ski chases are great, and the third act is riveting (mostly). Lazenby's Bond handles well in fights, but sometimes his acting falters (problems are exaggerated though). Film is way too long and you really feel it. And this Blofeld is good, but vastly overrated! So basically, it is a very good film, but very overrated!
(cont. next post, because I will probably exceed the word limit, oops)
EXCELLENT
7. Octopussy
And now, this, the most underappreciated Bond film! Yes it is a John Glen movie, yes it is Grandpa Bond's second-to-last, but come on! He actually moves quite well in this movie, more than TSWLM at any rate... The action is among the most explosive, tense and exciting in this movie (both plane scenes, train scene, both palace fights). The best film to watch if you want to have fun. Has a unique blend of humour and suspense unlike any other. Good Bond girl, good villain, passable main henchman, great secondary henchmen pair, and good God, everyone was holding their breath during that bomb defusal. There is one joke too many, but that does not take away from the movie.
6. From Russia with Love
A bit overrated, like OHMSS, in that it isn't really the best Bond film... I mean really. The first half is, objectively, very slow - almost painfully... And the gypsy subplot isn't really in there for a reason. But then you have a very good lineup of villains - Blofeld, Klebb, Grant and chessmaster Kronsteen - and a suspenseful story. Technically speaking, since the awesomely brutal fight with Grant is the climax, everything after should be anticlimactic... but it is not! Tatiana is a bit annoying - oh, James, oh James - but she is smart and way better than most of the Moore or Brosnan Bond girls, and I sympathise with her as well. Bond ally is good - but he is somewhat overpraised... Good because of all the spy scenes!
5. The Spy Who Loved Me
The only really bad points are that the fight scenes are unconvincing and that the film sort of falls apart from the fight at Liparus onwards. But that ski jump absolves anything, and damn, the film has a lot of laugh-out-loud moments. Bond girl is serviceable, she has good and bad moments. Villain is underrated. Plot should be stupid, but is incredibly stylish. And that Lotus! Moore's finest hour, and it is amazing how many people try to deny it...
4. The Living Daylights
The best Bond in his best movie is sadly not the BEST Bond movie ever. But it is ONE OF the best. Great action and great stunts - aaaaaah that Hercules fight is still the best action scene in Bond ever! Bond has real chemistry with the girl this time with my second-favourite Bond girl in Kara, in one of the best love stories of the series. Necros is my favourite henchman, and he's absolutely great. Dalton gives his best performance out of his two - God, the anger when Saunders was killed, and his cold ruthlessness in the scene with Pushkin! Only negative points are that the plot is somewhat tortuous, villains are flat (but still amusing) and the finale is definitely anticlimactic.
OUTSTANDING
3. Casino Royale
What can I say, apart from that this is a great movie? Some of the action in here is the best the series has seen, and the suspenseful plotline is appreciated. A very menacing villian in Le Chiffre, a good Bond girl in Vesper, and a good ally in Mathis. Everything is great. The film is long, but doesn't feel long at all! Although, the film does seem to have, like, ten different endings, and the finale in the sinking house doesn't really cut it... It's the dark and entertaining film everyone wanted!
2. Goldfinger
Come on now, this is just classic. Great henchman in Oddjob, and just about everything that happens in the movie is iconic. Good Bond girl in Pussy, and a good villain in Goldfinger. Has a better pace than the previous two films and more villainous presence. And those iconic gadgets! But the Fort Knox shtick is a bit overblown, Bond is captured for a bit too long, and that barn scene is difficult to watch nowadays...
I WILL GET SHOT FOR SAYING THIS BUT I DON'T CARE!!!
JAMES BOND'S FINEST HOUR!
1. GoldenEye
The most perfect Bond film in my opinion. Only Brosnan flick where everyone is a competent actor, where the action isn't excessive, and where the plot is first-rate!
People around here seem to be thoroughly intent on putting this film as low as possible on their lists so let me remind you of its greatness:
Perfect cast of villains - Ourumov is the greatest Russian general in a Bond film; Boris had everyone laughing and his actor nails it; Xenia, first henchwoman to use pleasure as a weapon, and God was she good at her job; 006 - speaks for himself.
Perfect action scenes - you have the high-adrenaline PTS, then the great archive shootout, then the iconic tank chase and then the finale with the legendary fight between 007 and 006!
Perfect pacing - nails it, really. Bond and/or Natalya in constant danger at just about every turn. Never a dull moment.
Perfect Bond Girl - Natalya's smart and independent, and helps Bond without stealing the show.
Perfect writing - Damn whoever wrote the script for this film was quite witty, some of the lines are very, very clever, and they boomerang too in creative ways.
And come on, wasn't everything else just great? Complaints about the score are taken way out of proportion, there is like one truly bad track (Ladies First) and it fits the scene anyway. And what are you saying about Brozza? Brosnan's great here - it's a portrayal of Bond that gives his TND a run for its money, and he's able to act all the pivotal and emotional scenes well. Some of the scenes too are just great - graveyard scene, for example, beautifully scored, shot and conceived.
This was the pivotal Bond film, the one that saved the franchise after LTK's cinematic failure box-office wise (but not qualitatively, it was a good film). Directed assuredly by Campbell as well!
Good list, agree with some points, agree to disagree on others...just a few observations
1. I find the MR PTS incredible. They did around 90 jumps for that short bit of action which won't happen these days (see QoS "freefall" scene)
2. Khan perhaps is a bit average in his villainy but he sure has the best line delivery, including the classic "nasty habit of surviving" and "soon to become extinct", two of my all time favourite villain lines
3. GE would rate a lot higher for me if the studio agreed to do a Barry score, it probably would be top spot. As it stands it's still a respectable 6th...for now. The script is pretty good but a bit too self-referencing...the script history is messy
Thanks for your comments! Yes, technically the MR PTS is quite spectacular and a lot of work went into it obviously! And it is much better than the QoS freefall scene - which I don't think Bond could have survived, really... The thing I don't really like about the MR PTS is the scuffle Bond has with the pilot in the air - mid-air combat simply doesn't have the brutality of grounded fights, let's be honest... So I do find it a bit overrated. It is also closed with Jaws surviving the massive fall by falling in a circus net, so...
Khan was a good villain, I agree! And yes, he certainly knows how to deliver a line. Gives a very suave performance indeed. But I do think some other villains are better, particularly the ones that I think are truly menacing.
Regarding GE... well, there were no Barry scores post-TLD... Arnold does similar stuff though so I get your point. Script is self-referencing, but that is it's style, I think, and it always work well - the whole 'the pleasure was all mine' shtick is genius. SF tried to do that with it's 'last rat standing' line, but it didn't work at all and is just there for the sake of it...
I think GE has quite an underrated score, honestly. I think Ladies First is the only really bad track in the film. And the soundtrack really fits with that constant metallic sound. Really gives the film an atmosphere, I thought... so I think if there are any films that would have benefited from a 'Barry sound' they are FYEO and LTK, honestly.
Yeah same here. I might post one up after I get through them all. Which I started last summer, so my ranking won't be precise more rough.
24. Moonraker (1979)
MR overtook AVTAK as my least favorite Bond film a while back. The last 2-3 times I've watched this, I was completely sure it had to be last place. Compared to the other 23 films, there's nothing that's particularly strong about it to me. Decent moments, sure, but not anything truly great. First half is mostly tolerable, but after that, it's a complete mess.
23. A View to a Kill (1985)
Two things put this above MR: the title song and Christopher Walken as Max Zorin. I can't think of much else that really stands out that well. There is a lot I don't like about this film - particularly Stacey Sutton (worst Bond girl IMO) and how distracting Moore's age is. It's not a total loss, but it's definitely going to stay stuck near the bottom.
22. Die Another Day (2002)
If I'm not mistaken, DAD averages as the worst Bond film on this site, right? I understand why; it's a pretty disappointing film, going from a decent first half to a complete train-wreck of a second half. I do like the PTS and sword fights, but those are the only main standouts. The CGI, title song, Gustav, lame humor, and weak story secure it as a lower-tier Bond film.
21. Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
Connery, Moore, and Brosnan certainly deserved better final Bond films. DAF is worth it for Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd, as well as the comical moments that do work, but otherwise it's kind of dull and dumb.
20. Octopussy (1983)
OP might be able to climb to #19 or #18 in my next Bond-a-thon, but I'm keeping it here for now. Even though it gets to be a little too silly at times, I always have a pretty good time with it. Stuff like the Tarzan yell remains off-putting, and I prefer a little more seriousness in Bond films, but it's still alright.
19. The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
Definitely in danger of falling a place - but likely no lower. Scaramanga is one of the series' best villains, and that alone keeps it afloat. There are too many un-funny and dumb moments though that damage the film; I think the film would have benefitted from taking a more serious route.
18. Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
It's managed to climb a little in my ranking, but TND remains a so-so Bond film on my list. Most of the action is great (I really love the car and motorcycle chase scenes), and Brosnan is rock-solid as Bond here. Still, I never cared for Carver all that much, and I maintain my stance that it is one of the less memorable Bond adventures.
17. You Only Live Twice (1967)
YOLT suffered a big drop, and a lot of that is simply due to other Bond films rising. Connery's performance is noticeably weaker than his first four outings, and the whole turning Japanese thing is awkward. Still, the volcano finale is great, and it has the classic charm of the golden age era Bond films. Definitely a mixed bag Bond film, and the weakest of the golden age.
16. The World Is Not Enough (1999)
TWINE is Brosnan's second-best outing in my ranking. Though it had potential to be much higher, what works is pretty good; Brosnan does well as Bond, the PTS is great, the action is good, and the plot stayed interesting. A lot holds it back though, like Denise Richards and a really anti-climatic finish, but I still quite enjoy this one overall. Also includes a great final scene for Desmond Llewelyn's Q.
15. The Living Daylights (1987)
TLD is solid. Dalton has a decent debut as Bond, the PTS is very good, and there's just a lot of standout scenes to me. However, there are also some dull stretches that keep it from being higher. Definitely a good Bond adventure in the end, though.
14. Quantum of Solace (2008)
I'm a big fan of Daniel Craig's Bond films, and all 4 make my Top 15. QOS remains over-hated by the public today, but luckily it has gotten more appreciation on this site over time. I still don't consider it one of the series' greatest, but there is a lot to like; a good PTS, intense action, and great characters. Also the most somber of the lot. Some annoying shaky cam, and it doesn't always flow smoothly, but it's still much better than it's usually given credit for.
13. Live and Let Die (1973)
LALD is the funniest and most bizarre Bond movie IMO. The black magic angle is interesting, Moore gives a great first performance, the villains are good, the title song is great, and the whole thing just feels fun. It's one of the most unique films of the whole series, and I really like it a lot. A couple slow scenes, but nothing that dampens it too much.
12. For Your Eyes Only (1981)
FYEO shot up quite a lot in my ranking. I just really like that it's a more grounded and realistic turn for Moore, and he gives quite a good performance here. I personally like the PTS a lot, and Melina would also rank in my Top 10 Bond girls. Bibi does considerably hurt this film unfortunately. I guess there aren't a lot of elements that stand out extremely well, but it's just a very good Bond film collectively.
11. Thunderball (1965)
TB has also climbed my list a lot. It was the first Bond movie I ever watched, and I've grown to enjoy it more and more over time. It might even include my favorite Connery Bond performance. I'm not a big Largo fan, and some of the underwater scenes do feel like they drag, but those are minor complaints in the long run. The girls are some of the series' best, the PTS is fun, the title song is good, and it also includes some of the series' best one-liners. Definitely a classic.
I'll post the Top 10 later.
Even though I enjoyed it the most my last watch, I had to put it 1 lower. It was fun to see Craig do a Bond film a little more in the vein of the classics, and also have something a little lighter in his tenure. The PTS is one of my favorites, I liked the locations a lot, most of the action was great, and the actors did a fine job. Still a so-so third act, but otherwise a thoroughly fun ride.
9. From Russia with Love (1963)
FRWL is simply a sure-fire Bond classic. Connery is great as Bond, and the story plays out as a classic spy thriller. Grant and the train fight are perfect, as are most of the side characters. Tatiana isn't one of my favorite Bond girls, and it takes a little while for the film to take full flight, but it's an extremely good Bond film with quite a high reputation.
8. Licence to Kill (1989)
Dalton's second and final Bond outing is a longtime favorite of mine. Dalton does well as a revenge-driven Bond, and Sanchez makes for one of the best villains in the series. For a less traditional, more action-packed and edgy Bond film, LTK excels.
7. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
TSWLM is the perfectly done edition of over-the-top Bond fun. Moore is in top form, the PTS is one of the series' finest, the action is plentiful, the locations are terrific, and the whole thing is just a lot of fun. This was Moore's finest hour.
6. Dr. No (1962)
The first one of them all remains one of my all-time favorites. The simplicity is a plus for me, which sets it apart from all the ones that followed. Connery doesn't need any time getting comfortable in the role, and all the side characters are great too. Dr. No himself is one of my favorite villains. Not a lot of action, but plenty interesting, DN is still a big treat.
5. Skyfall (2012)
It fell a little bit, but I still love SF plenty. Craig cements himself as a great Bond at this point, and Judi Dench gets a great final turn as M. Silva is an amazing villain, and really, the whole cast does a really good job in this one. I love the locations, the story, the characters, the action - everything. Really great film to celebrate 50 years of Bond.
4. GoldenEye (1995)
Brosnan's first film was never topped, but it sure was great. This film is a blast all around for me; Brosnan does well, Natalya is a favorite Bond girl of mine, Alec is one of my favorite villains, the PTS is amazing (as is all the action), and the side characters are really good as well. Brosnan also establishes some great chemistry with Q. I love this film.
3. Goldfinger (1964)
Not everyone holds GF in high regard on this site, but I still think it's one of the greats. Connery is perfect here, and all the elements coming together for the first time help make this the quintessential Bond film. A great representation of what the golden age Bond films are all about; also a perfect introduction to anyone for Bond.
2. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
OHMSS kept going up more and more in my ranking, until it got all the way to second place. Though Connery is still superior to Lazenby, Lazenby is still great as Bond in my eyes, and the film ends up as my favorite of the 6 golden age movies. Tracy is my favorite Bond girl, and Telly's Blofeld is my favorite Bond villain. I really love the Alps, and many individual scenes like the ski chase and the ending are truly great. An emotional, unique Bond classic.
1. Casino Royale (2006)
CR is the ultimate Bond film for me. Craig's performance is top-notch, it's packed with intense action, the cast and characters are perfect, Le Chiffre is a very good villain, the story is my favorite of the series, and the PTS is also my favorite. Also one of my all-time favorite movies. I have a hard time imagining this one being topped on my list.
Now, you may all be shocked by this but I am actually quite a big fan of the James Bond films. I know, it's shocking. Positively shocking. I've posted my ranking of them several times before as it's changed gradually over time. I do think that, this time around, there are a few dramatic shifts in my list that need to be addressed properly. So, I'll add in a bit of discussion as to why each film is where it is on my personal list. As always, the unofficial, non-EON films (1967's Casino Royale and 1983's Never Say Never Again) will not be included. Those films are meaningless to me. They may as well not exist.
I'm going to do things a bit differently this time around, though. I've of course got things to say about these movies and say things about them I will. Sometimes... many things. So, to avoid posting a thesis paper in a facebook status, I'm going to break it up, by posting one film at a time, once a day, for today and the next 23 days as we countdown from #24 to #1. And so, without further ado, my pick for the worst Bond film of all time...
#24: DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971)
Most people know why this film stinks, and its’ placement at or very near the bottom of most lists is entirely justified. I do, however, feel that its’ placement below Die Another Day - which, traditionally, has always been at the bottom of the list for me - requires an explanation. And it is this:
Die Another Day is crap. It is abhorrent cinema and a travesty to Bond. In fact, as cinema it is miles worse than Diamonds Are Forever, or most other movies ever made for that matter; moon buggies, Blofeld in drag, chubby phone-it-in Connery and Jimmy Dean be damned. It is not merely for being terrible that Diamonds Are Forever somehow finally swapped places with Die Another Day.
No. Diamonds Are Forever has overcome the odds and “earned” the #24 spot because of the tremendous damage it did to the series. In the wake of Lazenby leaving the role and OHMSS’ at the time poor reception, the filmmakers decided to pretend that James Bond’s 1969 adventure was a figment of our imagination.
Die Another Day may be a crap film, but ultimately it stood alone and had no lasting impact on the series… well except maybe a positive one, actually, in the way that a death in the family brings that family together. It encouraged the filmmakers to go back to the drawing board and resulted in a harder edged, more realistic agent (as well as an entry that... may or may not... prove to be #1 on this list). Diamonds Are Forever, on the other hand, can stake no such claim.
Diamonds Are Forever not only disregarded Majesty’s plot - most importantly, of course, the death of Tracy, which at that point was easily the largest emotional beat of the films - but also disregarded Bond’s need for vengeance against Blofeld. Blofeld is Bond’s nemesis and the biggest sin of the movies is that they never get the opportunity to have the proper showdown that was both portrayed in the books and built up to across the previous two films.
Part of the blame for this lies in the decision to shoot OHMSS and You Only Live Twice in the opposite order, but I place more blame on the fact that, when given the opportunity to rectify this, the filmmakers instead said - as described above - “screw it, let’s just pretend Bond’s wife didn’t get shot in the forehead in the last movie. What movie? George Lazen-who?” So there’s that.
And of course, the movie itself is garbage to boot. You know how people rag on most of the Moore films for being over the top, campy, cheesy, almost a self-parody? Well… this film was responsible for it. The next decade of Bond films arguably wouldn’t have happened the way it did without this one. Charles Gray is a terrible Blofeld, about as menacing as Bibi from For Your Eyes Only; Connery is in it solely for the paycheque here, in what is probably the worst lead performance in the whole series; Jill St. John is entertaining enough, beautiful, and a good enough actress, but Tiffany Case is such a terribly written, inconsistent, ditzy mess; the aforementioned moon buggy chase is embarassingly tedious; the only good stunt in the film is ruined by a terrible editing job; the goddamn space laser and hilariously bad special effects as it destroys missile silos galore (and my GOD what the hell is wrong with that actor playing the Chinese soldier?); Las Vegas has never looked so boring on screen; and about halfway through the climactic oil rig showdown is precisely where you can pinpoint where the film’s budget ran out.
So, is there anything positive? Well, the elevator fight scene is actually awesome and one of Bond’s best fisticuffs; it is a scene indistinguishable from the film it is contained within. I’ve also warmed ever so slightly to Wint and Kidd, but the way they go out in the coda is still annoyingly stupid.
So, yeah, that’s my rage release for today. Not all of the writeups will be this long; I merely have a lot to say about this film I so very much hate. See you tomorrow for #23!
DAF is one that until recently languished toward the bottom, but on my last viewing it's risen up to a mediocre level. You make some good points however, but I just found it so damn fun. An oddball of the series if you will.
#23: DIE ANOTHER DAY (2002)
I'm not going to dwell too much on this film. I addressed previously why it no longer takes the bottom spot, but on its' merits as a film alone... or should I say, rather, the absolute lack thereof... it would be no contest. Let's just fire off some quick CGI bullet points as to why this film is an abomination of cinema:
Tsunami surfing. RoboCop Sith suit. Ice palace. Trip hop score. Slow-mo/sped-up film bonanza. Invisible car. CGI bullet in the gunbarrel. Taking an actually brilliant idea for a plot and bungling it after fifteen minutes. Jinx. Jinx. Jinx. Jinx. Jinx. Halle Berry. Halle Berry doing the most incomprehesibly bad CGI swan dive off a cliff. Halle Berry saying "yo' mama". Halle Berry saying anything. Halle Berry's existence. The decision to cast Halle Berry in a Bond film. Lee Tamahori didn't get struck by lightning for making this movie. ANOTHER. FREAKING. DIAMOND. SPACE. LASER. Michael Madsen. Did I mention Halle Berry yet? That godawful Moneypenny scene at the end of the movie. Gustav Graves' daddy drama. Madonna's song. Madonna's cameo. Eight minute swordfighting sequence. "Diamonds aren't for everyone." Kleinman's title credits which are so bad I often forget he made them. "It's gotta come out some time"/"Oooh James"! And one more special re-mention has to go to THE GODDAMN STUPID MINDNUMBING TERRIBLE LIFE-RUINING CGI TSUNAMI SURFING!!!!!!! F#$%!
Is there anything good about Die Another Day? As stupid as the surfing into North Korea is (where did they surf from? Japan?), I've come to have a great appreciation for most of the pre-title sequence. Brosnan is pretty much at the best he ever was there. The action is actually quite good here even if the editing isn't quite up to snuff with it. The idea of Bond being captured and spending over a year in a foreign prison is one of the best plot ideas a Bond film has ever had. The scene in the medbay between Bond and M is a tour de force and I'd go so far as to say Brosnan's finest two minutes as Bond. "It seems Mr. Zao has lost himself in Havana. When you find him, say goodbye for us." And Raoul along with any of the Cuba sequence not involving Halle Berry is also quite good. But when Halle Berry does that swan dive off the cliff, that is the border between when this move is good, and when this movie is f---ing terrible. There is nothing, not a single frame or sound clip or anything after that point in the movie that gets even the smallest of passes from me.
So yeah. That's it for Die Another Day. See you all tomorrow!
1. Casino Royale (06): it stand head and shoulders above everything else. Craig is brilliant in his first film. The plot is down to earth. The music is great. Eva Green is just wow. What else can you say about a near perfect masterpiece. Star moments for me are the card games the Venice battle sequence and the amazing PTS
2. Quantum of Solace: I don't care everyone hates it and wants to complain about this beautiful film. I am tired of hiding my love for this movie and I am not going to any more. The movie is exactly what Forester set out to be a bullet. The action is incredible Craig give an Oscar worthy performance (shows how much of a joke the academy is when he isn't given a mention seriously) the subtle touches are brilliant and overall the film is just great and of course David arnold's score lovely: Stand out moment the Opera sequence
3. From Russia with love: moving away from Craig we go straight into Connery territory with his best bond film period. I love how Engorssed in the Cold War it feels. I love how he plot is very complicated and yet also really simple too. Bond has his first and only three way through out the entire franchise (and they say bond is getting more liberal if anything I think he is more conservative lol) over all the film is warm strong and just absolutely fantastic.
4. Licence to Kill: Dalton's two films are both top 5 for me if I have to be bluntly honest but I prefer Licence to kill a bit more. It feels more Dalton to be honest where as even in the behind the scenes stuff The a living daylights was written first for Moore then Brosnan then generic and it does kind of show a bit. Here Dalton is just fantastic it also the film diamonds are forever should of been but like I said fantastic film also I like Lupe a bit more sure she is slightly wooden but go is she hot (sadly I feel the Dalton era had the least attractive girls but oh well)
Stand out Scenes Tanker Chase the Bond going rogue scene and Q well being Q
5. The Living Daylights: yeah I know my top 5 are kind of predictable all films steeped in espionage with little to know silly gadgets/one liners and mostly just bond being a bad ass. This film is definitly along those lines. I love how just dark he film is and how good Dalton is (a breath of fresh air compared to Moore trust me) the films I great Kara makes the film slightly weak. (I don't mind a one woman bond film but make her hot Kara is just hell I would bang Caroline a loss over Kara I realized what I just wrote but you get the idea)
Stand out scene/scenes the snow chase he whole finale with General Whittaker I actually kind of like. Bond investigating Kara also is great
6. For Your Eyes Only: I don't get why people hate this film to me it's Moore's best and proved he could be a total bad ass (except for the not sleeping with Bibi who was I think 21 at the time and very very cute) I love how bond feels almost out of his element but knows he has to succeed
Best scenes the car chase the attack on the share house the finale etc
7. On her Majesties Secret Service: ok hear me out I love this film I honestly do but on my most recent rewatching the decision to dub Lazenby's voice is so annoying and so stupid that it does almost ruin it for me. Luckily Dianna Rigg being gogous as anything Telly Savalas being a brilliant Blofeld and Lazenby actually being pretty good and a brilliant plot is what saves the film. I know it's a minor thing but why? Because the producers hated Lazenby? Sigh
Best scenes Bond sneaking around Piz Gloria the wedding and of course he ski chase sequences
8. The World is not enough: yeah I already hit controversial opinions by putting Quantum at number 2 but at this point anyone still paying attention has likely tuned out with me putting this above goldeneye.. Well yeah sorry but the plot is actually really good and while it doesn't hit quite as high as Quantum or Licence to kill the film has a down to earth feel that works really well. I like bond being in a situation where he doesn't know everything but knows he will figure it out. also Denise Richards is super hot I don't care she is a bad actress she was so so so soooooooooooo hot!
Stand out scenes the pts, bond in the casino, and of course the ski sequence
9. Goldeneye: well to everyone who is still reading yes I love the first Pierce Brosnan film as it does everything right it's a fun film that has a lot of great down to earth moments and a few over the top ones. I do wish Bean and Brosnan were in reverse roles as Sean Bean feels like he would be a darker and grittier bond but oh well minor complaint
Stand out scenes: the casino scene was nice as was the climax and pts.
10. Octopussy: a strange opinion of mine is that each bond actor gets his Hitchcockian thriller film and for Moore he had two For your Eyes only and this under appreciated film. Sure there are a few silly jokes but over all I was surprised at how good and serious this film is if you minus the Tarzan yell and yelling sit and a few other jokes the film is quite good and down to earth
Stand out scenes: the PTS the train sequence and of course the bidding scene all of it just really awesome.
11. The spy who loved me: this used to be number 10 but Octopussy recently beat it out. Where do I begin with yes I know it's an over the top plot but honestly it's played down a lot. Barbra Bach is extremly hot and maybe the hottest Moore Bond girl (it's a battle between her and Jane Seymour. ) but over all the film is fantastic but the villian feels well kind of weak and is what brings the film down a bit
Best scenes the ski sequence the car chase and any time Barbra Bach was in a skimpy outfit...
12. Live and let die: honestly where do I begin the film is great the score is great Jane Seymor is so hot so is the Italian girl at the brig in of the film the issue is the plot seems weak. I also don't like the villian Yaphet Koto is s fine actor I just feel like dr kananga is just ok not great. Though I love the cab driver and am looking forward to seeing it next weekend
Stand out scenes: bus chase, the plane chase, the boat chase and every scene with Jane Seymour
13. Skyfall: the first of the Mendes films it's a good film. I like Silva I like Mallory I think Craig is good over all the film is actually quite good I feel the locations are kind of bland but it's not a bad film by any stretch of the imagination.
Stand out scenes the pre title sequence, the casino scene, the emotional ending of the film and the London chase sequence.
14. Dr. No: Connery's first film is really good but a bit vanilla for me. The issue here is so many films did things well better then this film. Over all Connery gives an amazing performance (honestly only him and Craig get it perfect on their first go around) I feel the film is just well good but not great.
Stand out scenes Honey Rider coming out of the water the opening casino scene and the killing dent scene
15. Tomorrow Never dies: here is where we start to go toward the disappointing films. Overall the movie good but I feel Carver is just ok as a villain and the complete under using of Ricky Jay is extremly annoying. I like the films and Paris Carver is quite hot. I still don't get why Wai Lin slept with bond as it comes out of nowhere but meh.
Best scenes the car park chase the hotel sequence the stealth boat fight
16. Thunderball: apart from the garbage end fight scene the film is actually quite nice I like Connery here the villian is interesting the Bond girls are hot and the film is far more interesting the the bore fest of Goldfinger. Everyone seems to be giving it their all and the film feels well great
Best scenes sneaking around the mansion: the kiss kiss club, the PTS all fantastic
17. You only live twice: The film is good it's just Connery is bored stiff and the film suffers I can't believe I am saying this but I wish Lazenby had done three films instead of one... Over all though Tanaka is fun the locations are cool Charles Grey is memorable and interesting and over all the film is good for those scenes
Stand out scenes: the mission raid on the volcano lair, the PTS, and meeting Henderson/ sneaking around Osato chemicals.
18. Spectre: it's not a bad film (again even the film I put dead last I will be happy to watch should someone want to see it) it's just its a bit long and he Roger Moore jokes feel out of place in the dark and gritty film. In fact like Die Another day if I could change a few elements this film could be top ten (changing a few things more and it could even be number 1) but for where is now it's here
Stand out scenes: PTS the torture scene, the Spectre meeting scene.
19. The man with the golden gun: Christopher Lee is what makes this film work. The rest of the film around him and Roger Moore (who also is amazing) is either weak or just ok... Both Bond girls are just ok the added plot is kind of weak and contrived the film is just ok.
Stand out scenes the climax in Scarmanga's funhouse, the car chase and of course the dinner scene.
20. Goldfinger: sorry when I first saw this film I loved it at that point of course I was 13 now at 29 and each rewatching the film gets worse and worse. I love a slow boil thriller I do but this isn't even that it's a film that someone put the water on at 11 then put the water In the freezer for about 20 minutes only to re boil it again. The plot is weak and spread out with scenes of Goldfinger sleeping and well yeah. Like I said the iconic moments in the film (the PTS the end fight with odd job the laser scene) are all great and iconic its just the boring mess of a film around the iconic scenes just doesn't work.
Stand out scenes the PTS the laser scene the car chase around the factory the first sex scene with pussy and the end fight with odd job
21. Die another Day: much like Spectre if the end battle was like the book Moonraker and some of the jokes were taken out and Halle Berry either wasn't cast as Jinx or she was the traitor the film would be easily top ten but the climax is ridiculous the wave surfing scene is stupid and yeah what else can I say...
22. A view to a kill: had this been Dalton's first film this would of shot up to 15 Zorin is great the girls for the most part (Tanya Roberts voice has always annoyed me not here and in that 70's show) are good and the film is fun and entertaining I would love to of had Barry's excellent Snow Job played through out the snow board sequence but oh well
23. Diamonds are forever: even on my most recent viewing I don't like this film Connery is having fun but looks far to old. Grey is miscast as Blofeld. Jill st John starts off tough and interesting but gets the personality sucked out of her as the film goes on... I can't distinguish Plenty O'toole from a chair her performance is so wooden only two things save this film 1. The music and 2. Wint and Kidd
Stand out scenes every time Wint and Kidd are on screen they are so delightful, bond sneaking about outside the White House I guess the PTS
24. Moonraker: oh where do I begin... First I find the whole film a lazy retread of Spy who loved me including Holly Goodhead being a note for note copy of Barbra Bach (America and England were allies why the hell doesn't she trust him what did Felix tell her to mess with bond! And where is Leiter?) Corrine and the Latin American contact are also quite Bland. jaws should of stayed in one film Drax is duplicate of Stromberg but somehow dumber and more weak (yeah be a total prick to one of the best spies in the world I doubt he will get suspicious... Idiot) Moore is ok here but even he seems to be on auto pilot (with A view to a kill I feel he is trying here it's just him being smug) the score is a mess the direction is poor... It's just kind of bland all around
Stand out scenes the hunting scene the PTS and the fight with Chang in the glass warehouse.