I appreciate all Bond fans and their ratings and viewpoints, keep up the good work. Here are my ratings if you are interested. A Films - Great films that I will watch anytime 1. The Spy who loved me- Moore at his finest, a great spy film with perfect pacing, just the right amount of comedy and Jaws. 2. From Russia With Love - Connery’s best film, probably the closest to an actual Fleming novel, beautifully paced, a true spy thriller film. 3. Skyfall - Sam Mendes purposefully tried to pull the franchise back from the disaster of QoS by brining in a more Connery/Fleming feel but with modern twists. It was nice to see Craig pull off a more faithful Fleming Bond. 4. No Time to Die - Great villain with an actual lair, modern plot, real stunt work without tons of CGI that have plagued several of Craig’s film. Again a Craig film that oozes Bond. 5. License to Kill - Dark, edgy, vindictive, and a great Bond girl. This is the revenge film that the franchise needed 6. Goldeneye - Iconic Bond with some of the greatest scenes, damn jump, tank chase, etc. Brosnan was awesome in it. 7. A View to a Kill - Bond is old, who cares, and the film itself is a gem and has some real nail-biting moments (elevator scene, finale). If you forgive Moore’s age this becomes a quintessential Bond film that is loads of fun to watch and harkens back to the FRWL era with the most amount of spying/espionage in any Bond film. 8. Live and Let Die - Proved Moore could be Bond with a great change of pace, it was funny, fast moving, had a great song, Solitaire was a great Bond girl and the awesome stunts (alligator run, boat chase) B Films - Very good films that I have no problem re-watching. 9. Thunderball - Connery’s best acted film, the plot was awesome, stunning locales and the underwater fight scenes were incredible. It was also a course correction to the campier GF. 10. The world is Not Enough - A corrective to TND that brought back a more Connery-esque style film with spy craft, double crosses, etc. Probably Brosnan's thinking man's film. 11. Dr. No - If released today it would be considered a art house flick. Shows how real spy/espionage was done. 12. Die Another Day - The first half of this movie is the best Bond movie ever made, it then has the purposeful tonal shift into sci-fi territory that doesn’t work for everyone but I really like they were comparing and contrasting the pre/post 9/11 world. They made a bet that technology was going to rule the day, something that was understandable 2-3 weeks after 9/11, that guess turned out wrong but this is still a kick ass movie with Bond turned up to a 11. 13. Octopussy - Campy but still enjoyable, the actual plot is one of the best of Bonds. 14. For Your Eyes Only - I enjoy trying to figure out who is the real villain was but it’s slower pacing brings this down into the B grade films but still a very solid entry. 15. Diamonds are Forever - Nails 1970 Las Vegas where the mob still controlled huge parts of it and how over the top Vegas actually was. The film also has the best dialogue of any Bond film making it fun to watch and Connery is back on his game, well rested and a twinkle in his eye again. The iconic elevator fight scene is one of the best in the series and Bond riding up on the outside of the elevator is another classic. 16. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service - Great story although it drags in the middle, awesome cinematography but unfortunately Lazenby’s acting drags it down to this position. 17. The Living Daylights - This has some great scenes but for some reason they don’t come together very well which is a shame. In this instance the parts were greater than the whole. 18. Goldfinger - The rape scene is cringe worthy, it’s a poorly paced film and Bond actually doesn’t do very much in it. Yes there are some iconic lines and the villain and henchman are top notch but what I mentioned above and the all of the edits from actors working in the US to those on the English Soundstage drops it down to this position. C Films - Average films that I don't go out of my way to re-watch 19. Casino Royale - OMG how I wanted to love this film, it has some great scenes and then some very poor scenes that drops it into the C category. Bond invading an embassy would have gotten him fired PERIOD. Who unveils a new airliner at 2 AM? And why claim it’s Miami when it’s clearly a European airport with European airliners and cars in the scene? Vesper was way too young (23) to hold such a high position. The Arron Sorkin like dialogue between Bond and Vesper was a letdown. The sinking building in Venice was groan worthy fake, I could go on and on but people seem to ignore all of the faults in this film so they can agree with everyone else that this is one of the best, I just don't see it. 20. Tomorrow Never Dies - A completely generic 1990 action film. It was well shot, acting was good but you could have Jean Claude Van Damme play Agent Brandon of the CIA and nothing would have changed. Great action film, poor and forgettable Bond film. On the plus side, I loved Dr. Kaufman scene and Q and Bond at the rental car counter scene. Negatives would be the overly long and fake looking action scenes with Bond in them, Elliot Carver was a terrible corniest villain that makes the film look like a parody, and Bond entering the stealth boat with a machine gun in each hand screams 1990 action flick like nothing else. 21. You only live twice - I remember watching this as a kid on TV and thinking that this is the corniest Bond film ever and Connery seemed bored and irritated in it. They turned Bond Japanese, made a slow boring commercial about come visit Japan, the head of the Japanese secret service has a slide to get into his office, little Nellie was silly and a volcano lair, holy crap you have an Austin Powers movie. 22. The Man with the Golden Gun - The world’s best assassin uses a midget to lure other assassins to his circus fun house to kill them. Oh and something about a laser. Christopher Lee, Moore and Herb V. were great in it but the script/plot was not the best. D Films - very rarely watch on their own. 23. Moonraker - A schizophrenic film, it has some of the darkest scenes of any Moore film (a lady is hunted down and killed by dogs) with some of the corniest/cheesiest parts. It’s part Noir Thriller mixed with a sophomoric comedy making it the Norbit of Bond Films. 24. Spectre - Slow to the point of being boring, no Bond film should ever be boring. Not a fan off all the fake CGI stunt scenes and of course it literally copied a parody film. Bond is now making a parody of a parody, this is a joke. F Films - Only watch when I am doing a whole series re-watch and even then it takes 2-3 days to get through. 25. Quantum of Solace - From the seizure inducing Frenetic editing to cover up the hundreds of goofs, to a boring villain with the lowest stake plot, to all of the fake CGI stunts and a hotel fight scene that was copied from Bourne (they had 2 unit directors from Bourne directing the action sequences.) This film is not a Bond film at all, it fails in quality, action, plot, villain and it copies almost everything from other movies who have done it better and before. Bond should be leading the pack not following from behind.
interesting review comments agree with most except DAF is awful a D or even F film, Moonraker is vey enjoyable a B film and NTTD is so deeply flawed at best a D film
I said it before and I'll say it again. A View to a Kill is NOT a bad movie!
Great review of the Bond Films.
My top 3 in no particular order:
Skyfall
Moonraker
The Spy Who Loved Me.
Hyped to see this video
Wow I'm surprised spectre is so high I only seen twice but each time I find it forgettable
0 knowledge
I appreciate all Bond fans and their ratings and viewpoints, keep up the good work. Here are my ratings if you are interested.
A Films - Great films that I will watch anytime
1. The Spy who loved me- Moore at his finest, a great spy film with perfect pacing, just the right amount of comedy and Jaws.
2. From Russia With Love - Connery’s best film, probably the closest to an actual Fleming novel, beautifully paced, a true spy thriller film.
3. Skyfall - Sam Mendes purposefully tried to pull the franchise back from the disaster of QoS by brining in a more Connery/Fleming feel but with modern twists. It was nice to see Craig pull off a more faithful Fleming Bond.
4. No Time to Die - Great villain with an actual lair, modern plot, real stunt work without tons of CGI that have plagued several of Craig’s film. Again a Craig film that oozes Bond.
5. License to Kill - Dark, edgy, vindictive, and a great Bond girl. This is the revenge film that the franchise needed
6. Goldeneye - Iconic Bond with some of the greatest scenes, damn jump, tank chase, etc. Brosnan was awesome in it.
7. A View to a Kill - Bond is old, who cares, and the film itself is a gem and has some real nail-biting moments (elevator scene, finale). If you forgive Moore’s age this becomes a quintessential Bond film that is loads of fun to watch and harkens back to the FRWL era with the most amount of spying/espionage in any Bond film.
8. Live and Let Die - Proved Moore could be Bond with a great change of pace, it was funny, fast moving, had a great song, Solitaire was a great Bond girl and the awesome stunts (alligator run, boat chase)
B Films - Very good films that I have no problem re-watching.
9. Thunderball - Connery’s best acted film, the plot was awesome, stunning locales and the underwater fight scenes were incredible. It was also a course correction to the campier GF.
10. The world is Not Enough - A corrective to TND that brought back a more Connery-esque style film with spy craft, double crosses, etc. Probably Brosnan's thinking man's film.
11. Dr. No - If released today it would be considered a art house flick. Shows how real spy/espionage was done.
12. Die Another Day - The first half of this movie is the best Bond movie ever made, it then has the purposeful tonal shift into sci-fi territory that doesn’t work for everyone but I really like they were comparing and contrasting the pre/post 9/11 world. They made a bet that technology was going to rule the day, something that was understandable 2-3 weeks after 9/11, that guess turned out wrong but this is still a kick ass movie with Bond turned up to a 11.
13. Octopussy - Campy but still enjoyable, the actual plot is one of the best of Bonds.
14. For Your Eyes Only - I enjoy trying to figure out who is the real villain was but it’s slower pacing brings this down into the B grade films but still a very solid entry.
15. Diamonds are Forever - Nails 1970 Las Vegas where the mob still controlled huge parts of it and how over the top Vegas actually was. The film also has the best dialogue of any Bond film making it fun to watch and Connery is back on his game, well rested and a twinkle in his eye again. The iconic elevator fight scene is one of the best in the series and Bond riding up on the outside of the elevator is another classic.
16. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service - Great story although it drags in the middle, awesome cinematography but unfortunately Lazenby’s acting drags it down to this position.
17. The Living Daylights - This has some great scenes but for some reason they don’t come together very well which is a shame. In this instance the parts were greater than the whole.
18. Goldfinger - The rape scene is cringe worthy, it’s a poorly paced film and Bond actually doesn’t do very much in it. Yes there are some iconic lines and the villain and henchman are top notch but what I mentioned above and the all of the edits from actors working in the US to those on the English Soundstage drops it down to this position.
C Films - Average films that I don't go out of my way to re-watch
19. Casino Royale - OMG how I wanted to love this film, it has some great scenes and then some very poor scenes that drops it into the C category. Bond invading an embassy would have gotten him fired PERIOD. Who unveils a new airliner at 2 AM? And why claim it’s Miami when it’s clearly a European airport with European airliners and cars in the scene? Vesper was way too young (23) to hold such a high position. The Arron Sorkin like dialogue between Bond and Vesper was a letdown. The sinking building in Venice was groan worthy fake, I could go on and on but people seem to ignore all of the faults in this film so they can agree with everyone else that this is one of the best, I just don't see it.
20. Tomorrow Never Dies - A completely generic 1990 action film. It was well shot, acting was good but you could have Jean Claude Van Damme play Agent Brandon of the CIA and nothing would have changed. Great action film, poor and forgettable Bond film. On the plus side, I loved Dr. Kaufman scene and Q and Bond at the rental car counter scene. Negatives would be the overly long and fake looking action scenes with Bond in them, Elliot Carver was a terrible corniest villain that makes the film look like a parody, and Bond entering the stealth boat with a machine gun in each hand screams 1990 action flick like nothing else.
21. You only live twice - I remember watching this as a kid on TV and thinking that this is the corniest Bond film ever and Connery seemed bored and irritated in it. They turned Bond Japanese, made a slow boring commercial about come visit Japan, the head of the Japanese secret service has a slide to get into his office, little Nellie was silly and a volcano lair, holy crap you have an Austin Powers movie.
22. The Man with the Golden Gun - The world’s best assassin uses a midget to lure other assassins to his circus fun house to kill them. Oh and something about a laser. Christopher Lee, Moore and Herb V. were great in it but the script/plot was not the best.
D Films - very rarely watch on their own.
23. Moonraker - A schizophrenic film, it has some of the darkest scenes of any Moore film (a lady is hunted down and killed by dogs) with some of the corniest/cheesiest parts. It’s part Noir Thriller mixed with a sophomoric comedy making it the Norbit of Bond Films.
24. Spectre - Slow to the point of being boring, no Bond film should ever be boring. Not a fan off all the fake CGI stunt scenes and of course it literally copied a parody film. Bond is now making a parody of a parody, this is a joke.
F Films - Only watch when I am doing a whole series re-watch and even then it takes 2-3 days to get through.
25. Quantum of Solace - From the seizure inducing Frenetic editing to cover up the hundreds of goofs, to a boring villain with the lowest stake plot, to all of the fake CGI stunts and a hotel fight scene that was copied from Bourne (they had 2 unit directors from Bourne directing the action sequences.) This film is not a Bond film at all, it fails in quality, action, plot, villain and it copies almost everything from other movies who have done it better and before. Bond should be leading the pack not following from behind.
interesting review comments agree with most except DAF is awful a D or even F film, Moonraker is vey enjoyable a B film and NTTD is so deeply flawed at best a D film