Top 10 Best James Bond Movies
When it comes to iconic film franchises, few have had the staying power and global appeal of James Bond. Spanning more than six decades, these movies have become a massive part of popular culture, defining the spy genre with their blend of action, intrigue, and of course, the signature style that is unmistakably Bond. From the early days of Sean Connery's suave portrayal to the more recent, gritty approach taken by Daniel Craig, each actor has brought their own flavor to the role of 007, while still keeping the essence of the world's most famous secret agent.
This movie came out while fans were still used to seeing Pierce Brosnan as Bond, so rebooting a franchise with a fresh face wouldn't have been easy. I loved everything about this movie, and it totally beat all of Brosnan's Bond movies put together. What a way to make an entrance. The choice of car (Aston Martin DBS... just wow!), the first Bond to have had a body that actually turned heads, let alone the pressure to act well in one of the movie history's biggest franchises. This movie truly was and is the total package of all Bond movies. The thing that stood out for me was how realistic it was, not all gimmicky like the previous Bond movies.
Even though the Bond films are really good (especially Casino Royale), Goldfinger is full-on Bond. I mean, that golf game is fantastic. It sums up Bond and Goldfinger perfectly: Bond uses his mind and has patience, while Goldfinger cheats with confidence. The new Bond films are slowly becoming more like the Bourne franchise: action (well-directed action, that is) and humorless. Bond himself should be witty, and when it comes to Q telling him about the new gadgets, childish. I love Goldfinger so much, and many people nowadays never really watch the classics. They stick with the new ones.
Now don't get me wrong, the new ones are still class, besides Quantum. I just think that directors are falling further away from what Sean Connery was. I mean, he was BOND, just like Mel Gibson will always be Mad Max. I hope I don't get assassinated for this.
As brilliant as Casino Royale was, this movie just edges it out for the best. The acting was excellent across the board, and the directing was fantastic, especially with the visuals. The action is brilliant, very well shot and thought out, and the plot is quite well done, even with some conveniences with the villain.
Daniel has made 007 three-dimensional. It's gritty, tense, and full of non-stop action. Gone is the snobbish playboy (Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan) who would seem inept in going mano a mano. Craig's a scrapper and when he chases a villain, he does it with singular, focused, and ruthless intensity. The ending was a terrific surprise and the classic DB5 was used effectively. I can't wait for the next installment. Daniel Craig is 007.
This was, is, and will always be not only my favorite 007 movie but also my favorite movie of all time. GoldenEye is about two spies who were former friends and are now bitter enemies. The Bond girl actually had a major role, unlike the others, and the movie revived the 007 franchise. People thought that Bond was no longer good, but GoldenEye brought back the 007 greatness.
The fight between 007 and 006 was my favorite part of the movie. Two sworn enemies at each other's throats was just exceptional.
GoldenEye is probably tied with Goldfinger in second place in my opinion. Pierce Brosnan was a creative choice for Bond. The action was vicious and exciting. All of the characters were incredibly interesting because they had their own complexities and seemed like actual people. On top of that, Sean Bean is incredible as the villain because the audience understood perfectly why he did what he did, and you were invested in his character when he crossed pistols with James Bond at the climax of the film.
From Russia with Love is simply amazing for a Bond film. Even though it was made in the '60s, all the spy and humor elements that make Bond are present in this film. The girl he gets with is beautiful, even by today's standards. The plotline is believable. There are no giant lasers and invisible cars in this film. Sean Connery pulls off the character to perfection, and I believe this is his best film.
Also, Red Grant is cool as Bond's nemesis and definitely a worthy opponent, both physically and mentally. SPECTRE is also introduced in this movie, which begins the plotline for many subsequent Bond films later on. If you call yourself a Bond fan, this is a movie you must see.
Indeed, this is Roger Moore's best film in the role, easily! It has the best Bond girl, who helps James Bond and yet doesn't just sit around like most of the others, such as Agent X or Anya Amasova. Jaws is the most iconic sidekick ever! The fact that the fish-loving maniac Karl Stromberg has webbed hands is just amazing.
Bond is at his best when he is suave yet sophisticated, fun yet lethal, and by God, does Roger Moore do it! Absolutely fantastic, and it also has one of the best storylines of the series. We get to see more of where James Bond originated from the navy, which is not shown in many of the Sean Connery films! The film also features the most iconic car of the franchise: the Lotus!
Nobody does it better than Moore, and it doesn't get any better than this film!
Also, a quick note - For Your Eyes Only is a great movie with the added bonus of one certain Margaret Thatcher!
For a movie made in a short amount of time with a small amount of money and an unknown and unproven actor 57 years ago, this movie is five times better than it has any right to be. Almost everything here is excellent: Connery's iconic and flawless performance as Bond, with an extreme assuredness about him. The well-done action, which actually aged well compared to most other flicks from the time. Joseph Wiseman's scary and somewhat mystical Dr. No. The smooth pacing, which makes a short film feel like no time at all. And the brilliant James Bond theme. This movie feels timeless.
This movie should have been bad. It was made in 1962 with no budget and little time to film. But they pulled it off, and it shows.
I love Live and Let Die because it takes on a slightly darker tone rather than just being campy fun. Instead of diamonds and Charles Gray, we've got voodoo, blaxploitation, drugs, and exotic locations. I think Live and Let Die should be at number 1.
This is the best James Bond film by far. It has the greatest boat chase ever in it as well, making it a must-see film. I liked the storyline of this film because I think setting things in tropical and exotic places are good ideas.
Who wouldn't love a movie where 007 is seen jumping over alligators while Paul McCartney plays in the background! In my opinion, it has the best Bond song ever (besides the original, of course).
If Connery had made this film, it wouldn't have been nearly as good. In the 1960s, Connery WAS Bond. After he left, the filmmakers faced a seemingly insurmountable task: convincing the public that Lazenby, a model with little acting experience, could fill Connery's shoes. Knowing that Lazenby didn't have the chops to carry the whole film, they ensured that the rest of the film - the script, the sets, the scenery, the supporting players - were stellar. Their anxiety over the film's success propelled the filmmakers to new creative heights. Without that spark, the film would have been lackluster.
My personal favorite out of the 24 Bond films is Licence to Kill. Timothy Dalton gives true character to Bond. His performance works well with the dark, gritty tone of the film. The end of the film, however, goes nuts. It features the greatest chase and action sequence in the entire series, involving big rigs loaded with cocaine.
The Bond villain, Sanchez, was also my favorite in the series. He wasn't some over-the-top supervillain but a realistic drug dealer who was brutal and remorseless. Overall, this is just my favorite Bond film, with my favorite Bond and villain in the series and action sequence. The revenge story is great, as is the overall movie. James Bond going rogue is a highlight.
The Newcomers
Great movie. This was also the first James Bond movie I ever watched, and I was definitely in for a surprise.
This one was so good. One of the best. What a way to end Daniel Craig's time as Bond.
I never liked the Daniel Craig James Bond movies. They felt just like other spy movies. However, this movie was a blast to watch. Finally, a real Daniel Craig James Bond movie. I liked everything about it. The only thing I kind of didn't like was the fight at the train. It was James Bond and the girl (I don't remember her name) versus Batista, which felt kind of unfair, 2 vs 1.
It's not a great Bond movie, but not a bad one either. It's a competent big-budget action movie with a ludicrous story and some good nostalgic moments. I hope the next Bond movie focuses less on big budgets and more on utilizing its potential.
This is my second favorite Bond film. Roger Moore was more believable as Bond. Carole Bouquet as Melina is one of the better Bond girls. The action scenes were solid, and the locations were glorious.
For Your Eyes Only is an enjoyable and satisfying movie for a more mature and straightforward Bond film.
I'm a fan of Moore portraying a serious Bond. It's definitely a step up from Moonraker. At the same time, I feel like it strips Bond of its traditions without finding something new and compelling to replace them.
As much as I love Casino Royale, Goldfinger, and most of the other Bond films, Thunderball has always been my favorite film out of the whole series. It seems to divide a lot of people, but for me, it has everything a Bond film should and is much better than many of the films that followed it. Unlike a lot of people, I really enjoyed the underwater scenes and found them well-filmed for their time and never found the film too long or 'boring'.
Another of Connery's better films, with a compelling plot and superior direction. The underwater scenes get a bit tedious, but Connery seems to be enjoying himself throughout.
This movie needs to be higher on the list. Dalton's hard-edged Bond was an incredibly refreshing take on the character after over a decade of Moore's "Lethal Comedian" approach. My personal favorite of the series for sure.
After a dozen Bond movies that pretty much have the same rich billionaire with a superweapon, this one is about a Soviet defection, weapons smuggling, a coup in Afghanistan, and a decoy sniper. Really original plot.
In my top 10 for sure. Very good plot and action. Dalton's performance in this movie forever transformed the franchise into the action-heavy and violent movies we'd see with Brosnan and Craig.
A personal favorite of mine. This was actually the first movie written for Brosnan, as GoldenEye was intended for Dalton.
This movie was pretty good. I think the movie was made good with a good plot and second half.
It's a really good mindless action flick.
Completely underrated. It had a good storyline. Nothing was wrong with it (maybe just the villain). Roger Moore was great, and for those interested in the chases, it featured a good plane chase. What more could one want?
Easily in my top 5. Great action scenes, lots of creative humor, and Moore is at his most funny and charming.
Fantastic movie! Shot in the world's most beautiful heritage city of Udaipur, also known as the City of Lakes.
Loved it! This was my second favorite James Bond movie. I loved the character that played Jaws. Loved how he was a bad guy who turned good at the end. The girl that he falls in love with was so cute, and their scene together was the cutest.
I actually enjoyed the third act because it was something different. However, the first two acts were basically just an inferior copy of The Spy Who Loved Me. This movie is a prime example of how Bond movies follow a predictable formula.
I played Moonraker on James Bond 007 Legends, and you wouldn't believe how cool it is. Plus, I like Jaws and his girlfriend. Roger Moore is the funniest actor in James Bond history!
In many ways, this is the definitive Bond film. It features a volcano missile control base and a monorail for the antagonist's escape. Not to mention, the ninja scene inspired virtually every Austin Powers film.
This movie just has a colorful, rich, hypnotic feel. Really colorful, lush visuals. Lots of great atmosphere. Love the sound. It's a great classic Connery.
This one is rated 5 stars in Daily Mirror's TV magazine when it's on TV, so it's really good.
My all-time favorite Bond movie with my favorite Bond actor.
This film is similar to Goldeneye as it has a great story and all the Bond elements, but this time it's specifically written for Pierce Brosnan.
In this film, Pierce delivers his best performance, exuding the right confidence and looking his best.
Love this movie. It has a great story, a great twist, a great Bond girl in Sophie Marceau, and Pierce Brosnan's best and most confident performance as James Bond.
The best reason I have to put The World Is Not Enough on this list is that Elektra King is the best Bond girl ever, and Pierce Brosnan is one of my favorite James Bond actors ever.
This is my personal favorite James Bond film. Sir Christopher Lee as Francisco Scaramanga was a fantastic Bond villain.
#17!? This one is easily the best Roger Moore movie and should be MUCH higher.
This is the weirdest James Bond movie to date, but that doesn't mean it's bad. It's the last Roger Moore movie. Yes, he looks and is too old for the role, but I still enjoy this movie the most of the Roger Moore James Bond movies. It features good action.
Christopher Walken and Grace Jones are some of the best James Bond antagonists ever. Tanya Roberts is an okay James Bond girl. If you can look past the music at the opening scene, it's a pretty good opening.
It probably would have been a great Bond movie had it come 10 years earlier, but by '85, both Moore, the corny humor, and the Goldfinger formula were all showing their age.
What destroys Quantum of Solace for me is not the script, but the execution. I mean, the set pieces for MI6 are bland, ugly, and dull. The editing makes each shot last no more than six frames because the camera is constantly moving around. The title cards are tacky and unnecessary. But if you skip all of that, it's actually not that bad. I think Greene's motive of creating a drought in Bolivia and boosting the prices of water supplies is very creative. Sure, it's not as inventive as some of the other storylines in Bond films, but it works well for this one.
Nowhere near as good as other Bond movies such as You Only Live Twice or On Her Majesty's Secret Service, but this is still a stellar movie with great action. It deserves way more credit. I would not put this in the top 5 Bond movies, but definitely in the top 10!
I thought it was kind of good. It was a bit silly that he "killed" Blofeld in the first act when we should have known that 'Blofeld can't go out like that!' But other than that, I thought it was kind of good.
It's more lighthearted and does not take itself as seriously as Connery's other films, but it is a lot of fun and still far superior to most of the Roger Moore movies that followed.
Underrated! Loved this movie! It's not perfect, obviously, but definitely very enjoyable.
Awesome movie with tons of action and girls. Just what you expect from a James Bond movie. Pierce Brosnan is the best James Bond.
Die Another Day isn't too bad until the scene in which Bond surfs on a wave. Then it takes a turn for the worst.
Why are Live and Let Die and Casino Royale (1967) ahead of this? The villains are so good, and the action is super.
This is a classic. It's more true to the book than the 2006 version.
I think that Peter Lorre plays the best Bond villain, apart from Donald Pleasence as Blofeld.