Bond, James Bond. Yes, the MI6 agent who has been entertaining fans on the big screen for nearly 60 years. 25 different film that have been good, bad, and sometimes just plain silly. Six different actors who have all treated the role a little differently and made their version memorable in their own right, even if not all of their movies were necessarily top of the class. Not sure it’s very fair to attempt to rank movies that are 50-60 years apart in some cases. At a certain point, film has just developed so far. Bart Starr couldn’t time travel to a 2021 NFL field and hang with the defenses of today. The same goes for a Sean Connery James Bond film being watched right after a Daniel Craig version. With that in mind, I still attempted to give it a shot based on the quality and entertainment value for each film based on when it was released. Without further ado, here are my movie rankings for the man who prefers his cocktails shaken, but not stirred.
25. Die Another Day (2002)
There are a fair share of terrible 007 movies, but Die Another Day is King Shit when it comes to the Bond films you can flush down a toilet. This is the “Batman & Robin” of Bond movies.
24. Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
It almost feels like a disappointment that Diamonds Are Forever couldn’t claim “Worst Bond Movie”. Don’t get it twisted, this movie sucks. You want to watch Sean Connery seemingly mail in his last appearance as Bond? This is the one for you. Terrible special effects, even for the early 1970s. This feels like a movie franchise that had been gone for many years, but the studio pushes a TV movie version that absolutely bombs. The film offers more comedic value than anything. Yes, this is comically bad.
23. Live and Let Die (1973)
The best things to come from this movie? “Live and Let Die” by Wings as arguably the greatest Bond song of all time. The second? A free advertisement for tarot card readers. Beyond that, Bond’s adventure into New Orleans against the criminal underworld is just too bonkers to be taken seriously.
22. Octopussy (1983)
Roger Moore was a good Bond, but many of his movies are disappointing. Almost all start out quite good and Octopussy is no different. All this movie had to do was stay on cruise control, but then it adds circus assasins, Jamed Bond in “When Nature Calls”, and buzzsaw pulley weapons. Also, what Dad gives his daughter the nickname “Octopussy”?
21. A View to a Kill (1985)
What percentage of Tanya Roberts’ dialogue in this movie was “James!”? It’s gotta be 65% at the very least.
Not good, but I don’t think it’s as bad as I mentally expected going in when compared to the entire Bond catalogue. Christopher Walken is great although seems underutilized. The plot is terribly weak and even unnecessary in parts, but there have been other Bonds that have been far less entertaining.
20. You Only Live Twice (1967)
Ninjas, stealing shuttles from outer space, bullet shooting cigarettes, an arraigned marriage, and James Bond “Becoming Japanese”? Seriously, how were some of these decisions even allowed in 1967? 007 movies are always guaranteed some type of entertainment, but this is a little too crazy, even for a Bond film.
19. Moonraker (1979)
With the exception of some out of place attempts at corny comedy, this Bond is quite good for about the first three quarters. The fourth quarter unfortunately ends in absurdity. Word of advice: Unless it’s a Sci-fi film or movie based on true events, don’t do the “So and so goes to space” sequel.
18. For Your Eyes Only (1981)
About as mediocre as Bond can get. Most 007 films are memorable for either being great, having great scenes, being absolutely terrible, or have absurdly ridiculous scenes. For Your Eyes Only doesn’t really fall anywhere in those categories. The most memorable moments amount to this being the Bond that tries to convince you he could be an Olympic athlete. He battles foes while downhill skiing, on the hockey rink, and while scuba diving at the bottom of the ocean. Your Eyes Only also often feels like more of a group quest movie as opposed to the classic Bond vs villain formula.
17. The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
Why do so many Bond movies have to do something so out there? The flying car in this movie was that moment. Also, having the sheriff as a recurring character has to be on of the dumbest return character decisions of all time. Christopher Lee as hitman Francisco Scaramanga, the titular character, is a great character idea that could’ve created some Old West vibes, but ultimately feels underutilized. Regardless, this Bond may not be good, but I find it fun!
16. Quantum of Solace (2008)
Daniel Craig’s weakest 007 movie and the only one I’d probably skip if I come across it on the tube. It’s not as bad as I remembered when I saw it in the theater, but everything about the movie seems thin and doesn’t give the viewer a reason to be invested. The villain(s), the plot, and the rush to the ending all seem so careless. It’s not the worst Bond film, but it is one of the most forgettable.
15. The World Is Not Enough (1999)
“I thought Christmas only came once a year.” One of the greatest Bond lines of all time.
Has some of the Roger Moore-era ludicrousness and the plot is a bit much, but it’s still fairly enjoyable and not nearly as bad as others seem to think it is.
Denise Richards is one of the most attractive women to ever walk the Earth so she makes sense as a Bond girl, but she is not very convincing in her role as a nuclear physicist.
14. Dr. No (1962)
Up until this point, I would argue the previous 007 films are ones you can skip unless you are a completionist like myself. Dr. No feels like the first one in these rankings that I would recommend all Bond enthusiasts make sure to see mainly because it is the one that started the entire series. This movie is nearly 60 years old so of course it has its limitations, but you can see many of the themes that would be used in the Bond series for decades to come. Daniel Craig might have the highest hit rate of good movies in the series, but from the get go Sean Connery delivers the smooth charm that everyone associates with James Bond. To me, he will always be the visual depiction of Bond I imagine when hearing the magic words “Bond, James Bond”.
13. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
1st class in “shooting a gun while moving” movies. Seriously, people are shooting guns while skiing down the side of a mountain, bobsledding, and belly sliding on ice. George Lazenby is a good, albeit different from the calm and cool Connery. There are moments when Lazenby makes Bond feel more human. Bond’s relationship with Diana Rigg’s Tracy di Vicenzo did seem a bit forced. This also has one of the most emotional scenes in the character’s history.
12. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
The introduction to Richard Kiel’s Jaws, one of the most memorable Bond villains. Jaws plays the henchmen for Curd Jürgens, who plays Karl Stromberg, a scientist and businessman who wants to create World War III in order to decimate the world and create an underwater civilization. The villains are some of the better in 007, but their demise is underwhelming. This movie struggles with pacing like many of the early Bonds, but is the best Roger Moore 007 film. Barbara Bach who plays Anya Amasova, a KGB agent, is given more range than most actresses in these movies and it works.
11. The Living Daylights (1987)
Timothy Dalton feels like the black sheep of the 007 actors with all due respect to George Lazenby. Much like Daniel Craig would eventually, Dalton isn’t necessarily what you picture when thinking “Bond”. That being said, his two films are quite decent. The weaker of the two Dalton films, but has plenty of twists and turns to keep the viewer interested. It also presents a nice change of pace from the silly Moore films with a more serious tone.
10. Thunderball (1965)
Man, the pacing in this movie really gets screwed up at the end. A good Bond movie, with plenty of absurdities (opening jet pack scene, the massage bed stretch torture, ridiculously long underwater scuba battle, ship that seems to be going about 250 mph). Good movie for Bond women though, Claudine Auger and Luciana Paluzzi have to be in the top 5 power rankings.
9. Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Maybe it is the whole “you love the movies you loves as kid” thing, but I don’t understand the disdain for this particular Bond film. The using news media as a way to gain power is something that ages even better now. Jonathan Pryce is a memorable villain and Michelle Yeoh goes toe to toe with Pierce Brosnan in their shared scenes. Also liked the whole Nightcrawler-esque creating bad news for personal gain theme. Could’ve used more Teri Hatcher though.
8. From Russia with Love (1963)
Picks up in 2nd half. The introduction of the “Q” gadgets and the development of more thorough plots in the Bond series. This Bond formula continues to work. This one offers more of a spy/espionage feel than most 007 movies. Robert Shaw as Donald “Red” Grant is one of the more iconic villains and quite possible the initiator to the “muscle villains” that continued to be a trend for years to come.
7. Spectre (2015)
This ranking will certainly be controversial, but if you look at Spectre as more of a table setter for No Time To Die, you may not have the absurd expectations to follow up a movie like Skyfall. This is a solid 007 movie in the end. Sure, the dialogue is plenty thin and the Blofeld introduction/face to face with Bond ends up being quite underwhelming, but it’s still an enjoyable experience.
6. No Time To Die (2021)
Ultimately, a good conclusion to the Craig Bond films. Fast paced for a nearly 3 hour film. Daniel Craig creates a Bond that is vulnerable, something that is only also felt at this level in Skyfall or On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Some of the villain motivations lose me. The end of the best Bond era in my opinion. The next Bond has big shoes to fill.
5. License to Kill (1989)
Feels like the first real modern Bond film. Dalton still isn’t suave like other Bonds, but both of his films are on the better side of the Bond filmography. The simplistic plot of a hunt for revenge is a nice change. Some very beautiful set pieces with the Miami Vice vibes. A very young Benicio Del Toro in that setting just feels right.
Side Note: The 45 degree vehicle tilt has to be the most overused 007 stunt of all.
4. Goldeneye (1995)
Has it’s absurdities, particularly Famke Janssen’s murdering nymphomaniac which seems like an Austin Powers villain. The movie is one of the best 007 movies scene to scene though and Pierce Brosnan does a good job in his first swing at the famous role. Sean Bean also plays an equally skilled foe to 007 in the movie. This might have been my first viewing of Bean’s historic run of getting killed at on screen. Alan Cumming as the computer hacking, pen clicking Boris Grishenko is also a memorable character.
3. Goldfinger (1964)
The only Sean Connery 007 film that separates itself from the Spectre villains and Gert Fröbe creates one of Bond’s greatest foes in Auric Goldfinger. In my opinion, it ages better than all of the other early Bond experiences, with the exception of the Oddjob character and the uncomfortable advances on women that was common in many of the early films. By the end of this film you will wonder which is stronger: Oddjob’s bowler hat or Thor’s hammer.
2. Casino Royale (2006)
This one just felt different when it was released. As a kid who grew up in the Brosnan-era of Bond and watched plenty of Connery-era movies that his Dad enjoyed, it was a new experience to see a James Bond who was cool without the corny stuff. Daniel Craig instantly felt like a Bond that we hadn’t seen before and you actually believed could be an athlete. The poker scenes with the always great Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre were fantastic and Eva Green killed it as Vesper Lynd in what felt like a role that had more range than Bond girls of the past.
1. Skyfall (2012)
This isn’t just the best Bond movie, it is one of the best action/espionage movies of the 21st Century. Where Casino Royale was the best intro movie for a new Bond actor, Skyfall was the confirmation of Daniel Craig creating the best Bond movies of all time. Javier Bardem’s Raoul Silva may not be the greatest Bond villain, but he is one of the most memorable and I’d make the argument he could have been nominated for an Oscar. His rat story introduction is one of the most intense scenes in Bond movie history. There isn’t another 007 film that touches Skyfall.