The James Bond canon has reached the end of Daniel Craig’s run- he will most definitely not be back. So where does Spectre fall on the spectrum? What are there greatest films featuring the suave British spy? Which films should never have been made?
The Duds: #24 through #17 — There’s a whole lot of Roger Moore here.
#24 Die Another Day (2002)
Unbelievably, there was once talk of a spin-off with Halle Berry’s Jinx as the lead.
#23 The World Is Not Enough (1999)
A terrible film leaves the audience struggling with Stockholm Syndrome.
#22 A View To A Kill (1985)
Christopher Walken and Grace Jones use microchips to mess with Silicon Valley, and an aging Roger Moore.
#21 The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
#20 You Only Live Twice (1967)
#19 Thunderball (1965)
#18 Moonraker (1979)
The Star Wars effect.
#17 Spectre (2015)
Go watch one of the top ten again instead… and wait for Redbox.
The “They Tried Hard” Group: #16 through #9 – If Someone Had Only Cared More
#16 From Russia With Love (1963)
#15 Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Pierce Brosnan chases the evil Jonathan Pryce and the beautiful Teri Hatcher. Unfortunately, Hatcher plays Pryce’s wife…
#14 Quantum of Solace (2008)
#13 License To Kill (1989)
Drug lord Franz Sanchez maims Bond’s friend Felix Leiter and kills Leiter’s new bride. Bond ignores Bond and goes rogue.
#12 The Man With The Golden Gun (1974)
Christopher Lee’s Scaramanga makes for a most formidable Bond opponent.
#10 Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
The funniest Bond ever?
#9 Live and Let Die (1973)
Sean Connery, Jane Seymour and Rosie Carver mix it up here, with voodoo and New York City.
The Studs: #8 through #1 – They Nailed It With Story & Style
#8 The Living Daylights (1987)
Smersh lives, Bond rides a cello case in the snow. Timothy Dalton wasn’t a bad Bond, despite what you might’ve heard.
#7 Octopussy (1983)
My favorite Roger Moore film, Bond chases Maud Adams and Faberge eggs.
#6 Goldeneye (1995)
Pierce Brosnan’s best, as it’s Sean Bean’s world.
#5 Dr. No (1962)
The first of what would be many, Sean Connery delivered the goods.
#4 On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
George Lazenby’s one and only shot at 007, he portrayed a more human, more broken version of the character than either Sean Connery or Roger Moore. The modern-day contributors certainly viewed this one when crafting the crumbled soul of Daniel Craig’s spy.
#3 Skyfall (2012)
Javier Bardem might be bigger than Daniel Craig. But nothing is bigger than Bond’s mommy issues.
#2 Goldfinger (1964)
Until Daniel Craig took the series to a whole new level, Sean Connery’s seminal portrayal was top dog. This one has the best lines — ever.
#1 Casino Royale (2006)
From the opening chase atop the construction site to the game of cat-and-mouse in the hotel. Bond’s anger, hurt, and violence are ratcheted up in a moving film that was merely the beginning. Could Bond love and hate at the same time?
For more on Bond, check out the entries in the Spiritual Development of Bond.
Or check out Steve Norton’s review of Spectre!
I think Quantum of Solace was worse than Spectre because boring is a greater sin for a movie than a hodgepodge but maybe I need to watch QOS again.
Spectre was really bad. QoS was good at the beginning and the end, but lame in the middle. I’m still wishing there had been more Dave Bautista in Spectre… which is sad.
Fair enough.
I like you guy(s) but this is all wrong! Any Brosnan Bond is better than a Moore Bond. You Only Live Twice and Thunderball worse than Moonraker (which you acknowledge was a commercial reaction to Star Wars)? Live and Let Die (OK, it’s a good theme song) and Diamonds Are Forever in the top ten? (Should the “funniest Bond make the top 10?) Come on…!
I’d say Never Say Never Again was better than Thunderball (hence it’s lower standing) but we were only going “canonical.” I think the top 8 and the bottom 5 are the most sure – it’s the middle eleven I won’t quibble over. But those last few Brosnans? Terrible!
I just don’t like the cartoonish Bond that Roger Moore developed.
I’m not sure you’ll like Spectre then…
I’ll let you know.