……………………………………………………….

Top Ten James Bond Films

James Bond has never been one of my favorite franchises as it’s so uneven in quality. It has twenty four movies so far and literally half of them are either weak or downright mediocre. But those in the first half of the ranking are rather solid and some are even very strong. My personal favorite Bond is Sean Connery and his movies are usually the best which is going to be evidenced by my list, but Daniel Craig’s movies are the second best for sure. Pierce Brosnan and Roger Moore also got some solid ones with the other Bonds being pretty weak. So without further ado, here are ten best Bond films in my honest opinion.

10. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

George Lazenby only got one movie which is this very weird departure for the franchise. Here Bond is more emotional and less arrogant which did not work well for the film, but at least it did offer us some moving scenes. The action in the Swiss alps and the scenery are also solid.

8. No Time to Die

This was the last Daniel Craig Bond movie and the only one that actually killed off the character. I would appreciate that death more had he been killed by a better villain, but Rami Malek’s Safin was too bland and annoying. The movie’s somber tone and overlong runtime made it tough to sit through in its second act. However, the opening two sequences are thrilling and gorgeously filmed, the locations were splendid and Craig was terrific as usual in the role. It’s a chaotic final installment, but one that has some truly spectacular high points.

8. Live and Let Die

This somewhat crazy and very much different voodoo and tribe Bond movie does feel silly at times and is filled with forgettable characters, but it features very strong action scenes and a great use of its Caribbean location leading to a very entertaining, brisk entry.

7. Goldfinger

The acting is very good in Goldfinger as is the fun and amusing humor and the ending, but still I was immensely disappointed with this flick as it is never up to par with its much better predecessors leading to one pretty overrated Bond entry.

6. Goldeneye

Goldeneye does feel overly extended in its runtime and not particularly well crafted in terms of storytelling, but still it’s the first pretty good film on this list mostly thanks to its terrific, menacing villain and Pierce Brosnan’s very strong and charismatic first turn in the role.

5. The Spy Who Loved Me

This movie is by far one of the most purely enjoyable and entertaining, if again silly Bond flicks. Roger Moore is pretty good here as he has always been one rather solid Bond, the Bond girl is also very good, the locations are great and the action sequences are so well executed. One of the highlights also includes its titular song which is highly memorable and in my opinion the very best Bond number out there.

4. Skyfall

I really admired this film. Yet again it has too many characters and it’s simply too long and badly paced. However, Skyfall features a memorable opening number, impressive cinematography, memorable action scenes, a very good villain played by Javier Bardem and terrific direction from Sam Mendes. The highlight of course is Judi Dench’s M who’s simply a beautifully developed, terrific character and her death was just heartbreaking to witness.

3. Casino Royale

The first Bond film starring Daniel Craig also remains the best. He in particular is so good here and has never been as good later on unfortunately. This entry is the most different and refreshing in the entire franchise as it literally changed everything up. It was darker, at times too dark, and although lacking in humor, the emphasis on character study for the protagonist, objectification of Bond and his inexperience really made this film admirably authentic.

2. Dr. No

The episodic, almost comic-book style of storytelling and a terrific performance from Sean Connery who remains the best, most entertaining and charming Bond ever fuel Dr. No which is the first and the second best entry in the franchise. I particularly loved its use of locations, its fun score and good humor and character interactions. The adventurous instead of action-packed approach was also a huge deciding factor for my high placing of it on the list.

1. From Russia with Love

None of the Bond movies are great and certainly this one features too much action and some not great choices. However, From Russia with Love is as good as a Bond movie can get as it has plenty of iconic franchise’s elements going for it. The humor is playful and a lot of fun, the locations are superb and so well utilized and once again Connery is terrific in the main role. But the biggest reason why this is the very best Bond film lies in its undeniable entertainment value, amazing, iconic set pieces and wonderfully executed action sequences.

Honorable Mentions:

Tomorrow Never Dies – This one is admittedly very silly in its plotting, but Michelle Yeoh is such a memorable Bond girl while she and Pierce Brosnan share such a great chemistry together.

Spectre – Yes, I’ve only got one honorable mention having in mind that the rest of the movies are either weak or mediocre. Spectre, however, is pretty solid thanks to its solid, memorable story and good characterization. It would have gotten on the list had it not been for surprisingly much weaker acting than usual and an unnecessary backstory for the main character.