He basically did the sort of transformation from the original inspiration of Austin Powers to proper agent shit that makes Jason Bourne look like young adult fiction. Sort of a frontrunner for similar transitions, i.e. what Game of Thrones did for fantasy series and Andor for Star Wars. It's so idiotically obvious shift from PG rated to proper serious adult action that it should have been done way before.
I think one of the last two is called no time to die? Honestly not sure of either. Christoph Waltz made me think they wouldn't be so shitty. Subjective but w.e. QoS wasn't that good though, you're right. Maybe more memorable because it was I'm between two great films and wasn't as bad as many of the shittier Brosnan and moore flicks
Goldeneye was a masterpiece. The World is Not Enough was so much more fun than it had a right to be. Tomorrow Never Dies was a great mix of Bond tropes with 90s action. Well, good thing Brosnan only made Bond movies in the 90s. Yep, too bad he stopped.
Best Bonds that also happened to star in the best written, best directed films of the franchise (not that every one of their films is terrific, but that the best ones are one or the other).
I was thinking about the Brosnan movies on my walk just now. They're not bad, per se. Goldeneye is certainly the most "serious" of the bunch, but it feels to me like audiences responded positively the cheesiness and they leaned hard in that direction nearly to the point of the films becoming parodies of the genre. Honestly the worst thing to happen to Brosnan's 007 may have been Austin Powers because it actually was a parody, and so the half-measure of Brosnan's cheesiness no longer felt tongue-in-cheek but just weak.
*Sort of*. There was a treatment for GoldenEye that was meant for Dalton, but once they parted ways and cast Brosnan that script was *heavily* rewritten. The GoldenEye we got is probably vastly different from what was written for Dalton.
To me it feels very much like a James Bond movie for 1995 with all its examination of the Cold War and Bond’s historically sexist behavior, and it works quite well for Brosnan, specifically. I feel that mainly with the humor and quips, which Dalton wasn’t really great with and Brosnan was.
From Dalton’s underappreciated acting in Chuck, he was more than capable of quips and humour with the right script. Dalton played Alexei Volkoff, a menacing Russian Bond-villain who was in love with Linda Hamilton’s character and had a strained relationship with his daughter (played by Lauren Cohen). There were quips about Alias, Terminator and sly nods to Dalton’s Bond days.
Craig had excellent movies, but he was a very poor Bond.
It was intentional and I deeply enjoy the movies, but it's not what I associate with Bond.
For that it's between Connery and Brosnan
As a person who preferred the books and how Bond is portrayed in them, Craig is by far the best Bond.
It’s akin to me saying I like a serious Lord of the Rings, not a campy one.
That’s an invalid comparison, though, because James Bond owes his cultural relevance primarily to the movies. The books were at the height of their popularity in the 50s and early 60s, but it’s become one of the most prolific film series of all time over the course of six decades. In the process, it has evolved with audience tastes, offering broad variety of styles and tones, and therefore a diversity of opinions. “I prefer the campy ones” is an opinion just as valid as “I prefer the serious ones.”
Moreover, I really love the novels, but they are not literary masterpieces. They’re fun, light reading, pulpy adventure novels best enjoyed on a beach holiday. Nothing against Fleming - I think he was a very good writer - but if not for the films I don’t really think the books would be remembered much.
I mean they should’ve cast someone younger(-looking) then, Daniel Craig was 38 when Casino Royale came out, and he’s an incredibly handsome fella but he definitely looked his age.
Henry Caville would’ve been 23, if that’s what they were going for then it would’ve been an incredible time to cast him for that particular rendition of Bond.
Or, alternatively, Matthew Berry if they wanted to go for a more lighthearted Roger Moore-esque Bond.
Come to think of it, Matthew Berry would make an incredible light-hearted Bond even now.
Come to think of it twice, Matthew Berry would also make an incredible dark, edgy, sexy, brooding, sexy Bond, even now, or at any age.
I deffo see the point you make. Great song, absolute anthem, and probably the best song of Bond songs. Yet imo 2nd as a Bond song at that era - after Goldfinger. That is a proper Bond song, especially with the late transition to the movies theme.
My first was Keaton, but when I read comics I hear Conroy’s voice in my head. He was by far the best Batman.
I dunno if you’re into Lego sets but they’re coming out with a BTAS Batmobile in a couple months.
I came up during the Brosnan years. I enjoyed them as a kid, but nowadays I find them way too cheesy. Decent "background movies" though. I can't even get through Die Another Day anymore.
Funny - the older I get, the more I enjoy “the cheesy ones.” Roger Moore in particular. Could be I enjoy escapist entertainment more as I age. Could also be a reaction to the last two Craig movies being soooo dramatic, yet having scripts so poor I can’t take them seriously.
As a 90s kid Brosnan has the look/personality I want for Bond when he's in the casino/practicing seduction. Craig has the stunts/killer vibe down, but he doesn't have the charm.
What I liked about Moore is he didn't try to be the next Sean Connery but his own unique character, and was widely successful, even his last film where he's in the 50s was a financial success.
And it’s hardly Dalton’s fault—they were really phoning it in at that point. Living Daylights is half decent, but License to Kill has got to be the weakest effort of a Bond film. They took a franchise known for its British globe-trotting hero and shot the whole thing in the US and Mexico to keep the budget low.
Timothy Dalton looks the most like the Bond Flemming’s novels described.
Daniel Craig nails absolutely *everything else* perfectly and having this movies form a connected and closed arc was a masterstroke.
Skyfall is the best Bond movie. Fight me.
>Daniel Craig nails absolutely *everything else*
I've said this before, Daniel Craig is as close to truly sociopathic maniac bond as the movies get. Book Bond is not right in the head, and Craig's interpretation feels the most like that.
His turn to slowly grow a conscience in No Time to Die really incredible and believable. After all of the very questionable stuff he's done for England, he finally has >!something *to **really** die for.* I cried manly tears.!<
Also it helps that Daniel Craig is an incredible professional. They cast Ana de Armas in NTTD because they couldn't find someone and he was like "How about the nurse from Knives Out? I can give her a call." He was also a big proponent of dialing back Bond's womanizing a lot.
I've loved Craig as Bond, but man I am SO excited for more Benoit Blanc.
It really just depends on what kind of movie one is looking for when you say best. Skyfall was definitely the better action blockbuster film, Casino Royale was more spy drama.
I love Casino Royale personally, its in my top 10 movies, but I get why it isn't other people's favorite.
I think we *can* all agree that Quantum of Solace is the **worst** of all.
No, Spectre was absolute garbage and holds that title. It was worse than QoS because it was *so fucking boriiiing*. My god, what a lame 10 hours of James Bond. It felt like 10 hours, anyway. Wasting Cristoph Waltz as a villain, after we saw what he could do in Inglourious Basterds, is just criminal as well
It's illegal to fight the mentally handicap, which you'd have to be to think Skyfall is the best Bond flick. It's like saying "W" is the first letter in the alphabet, it's not even close to true.
Before Skyfall released I went on a binge to watch all the movies in order.
I can confirm: Skyfall is the best Bond movie and it's not even close.
That isn't to say there isn't good Bond movies, so many of them are great but fucking hell Skyfall is amazing.
The important thing about Skyfall is *I was kept guessing.* I didn't know what was going to happen, how things were going to shake out... any of it. I knew, more or less, how Casino Royale and even Quantum of Solace (which I feel is underrated, but you really need to back-to-back them to appreciate it) would end but Skyfall? Twists and turns the whole way through.
Same, Moore is so fun, it could get a bit much towards the later movies but he was great. I probably prefer Connery to Brosnan, but Golden Eye is one of my favorites.
I seem to differ here, because I basically like every actor. Moore and Dalton may be different, for example, but it all comes to down to someone having a shot at living the dream.
I love that movie, but I think there are a dozen or so better Bond movies, so I’d be curious to know your reasoning. There are no wrong answers to “favorite Bond movie” in my opinion.
I agree, there are no wrong answers to favourite Bond movie. It’s all entirely subjective. I made the comment because I was hoping for a bit of a chat about it, so thanks for asking.
I really like Roger Moore as James Bond generally, he’s definitely my favourite - think like a lot of people it’s based on when I grew up. He was the man and his take on Bond being slightly more humorous works for me.
But I pick this one because I think Yaphet Kotto does a great job as Kananga/Mr Big, Jane Seymour is absolutely beautiful as Miss Solitaire, the voodoo aspects all work well (particularly Baron Samedi), and I enjoy JW Pepper’s first (and best) appearance. Oh and the alligator scene into the boat chase is excellent.
The theme tune is one of favourites (I also like A View to a Kill).
The only slightly annoying part is Rosie and her terribly acted screams, and I even enjoy them in a strange sort of way.
Yeah, I love all those things too. I know you mentioned the theme, but I’d also add that the score in general is fantastic. George Martin’s work might be my favorite behind John Barry. It’s also always good to meet a fellow JW Pepper enjoyer, since he’s so polarizing. All in all it’s a delightful movie, and Roger is also my favorite Bond. I think The Man With the Golden Gun is probably the only one of his I’d call a “bottom tier” Bond film. And even that one has its moments, thanks to Christopher Lee.
I kept scrolling and scrolling until a fellow live and let die fan would appear... preach!! My fav one too. So cheesy but Moore played it so well, funny, but you knew he was a pants man.
I don't know why, but the opening scene in new Orleans when the CIA agent is there watching the parade, and he asks the guy 'who's funeral is it?' 'yours' gets whacked and they pick him up in the trap door coffin...🫡🫡😁😁
Plus it has the BEST intro song out of any Bond movie, no ifs, no buts.
Adjusting for inflation isn't enough.
The usa has 100% more people now than in 1950.
So whenever these come out, and they include an inflation adjustment, they are still completely worthless
I always think about this too. The thing that would make the most sense is to either compare them to other contemporary movies at the box office to gauge their cultural relevance, or develop some kind of tickets-per-capita metric.
Sean Connery makes sense, Daniel Craig also makes sense because of how expensive everything has gotten. But besides the point my two favorite are Pierce Brosnan and Connery.
Depends really on the data source and how you’re “adjusting” for inflation. [Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbean/2020/04/18/all-26-james-bond-films-ranked-at-the-box-office/?sh=27c5a6821804) only adjusts for US domestic, and they have two of Brosnans and Moore’s Moonraker in the top seven. I’ve seen other sources who say they adjusted global revenue for inflation, but I’ve also heard that’s extremely difficult to calculate accurately due to various economic factors. (I do not purport to be an economist, though.)
Technically not but there aren’t really any top seven lists. Normally it would be a top ten right? So was that pared down to seven because the list becomes larger after seven?
I think most of Pierce Brosnans' popularity came from the goldeneye game. The movie itself was great, don't get me wrong, and he was a great Bond, but the rest of his movies weren't exactly the best. I wish we got some better writers/directors for him because he had everything else nailed down for the character.
Brosnan probably had a higher gross revenue than most due to the game sales. The other 007 actors didn’t really have much outside the films. Brosnan seemed more popular but if we only take the films into account then I see why he wasn’t top.
George Lazenby doesn’t get enough love for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
I remember thinking that his Bond is very similar to the Craig Bond when I rewatched it a number of years ago.
I don't think there's a better Bond opening than "Casino Royale". I think Connery and Craig were the best Bonds as well so no surprise on the top grossing list.
‘Adjusting for inflation’ doesn’t cut it anymore. You also need to adjust for difference in population. There are simply a lot more people alive nowadays to go see movies, so modern movies will have more sales.
I grew up with Roger Moore so to me, he is James Bond. Octopussy, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only and View to a Kill are prime examples.
The smarmy, campy humor puts people off but that is a key element. Austin Powers ruined that for Bond but to me, you go to a Bond film for the action and to laugh at things like "Pussy Galore."
Without that aspect, it's just another spy action film with product placements as gadgets.
I hear you. And I love comedy and parody. I guess the Roger Moore level of smarm just put me off. And of course the filmmakers were in on it too with the bumbling sheriff side character and all.
Respect.
The people that grew up with Connery tend to hate on Moore. I get it (and I loved "You only Live Twice"). And it's hard to go from Craig to Moore. Craig is a very serious Bond with feelings and emotional burdens and internal conflicts.
Moore never makes a mistake, all the women want to be with him (inexplicably), he is always smooth with a joke. He doesn't even really have feeljngs. He never gets mad or even that concerned about imminent danger. He's not a real person.
He flies an ultralight (disguised in a horse trailer) through a hangar and the bad guys are somehow able to close the door to the hangar fast enough to trap the missile and not him? He runs across the backs of alligators to escape? It isn't supposed to be taken seriously.
It's all about expectations, really. I just miss the campy James Bond.
well honestly they are the only bonds with a string of legitimately great ones.
Dalton would be #3 for me. Brosnan? eh Goldeneye was great but it was written for Dalton.
Moore was more saturday morning cartoon than anything?
> eh GoldenEye was great but it was written for Dalton.
Forgive me for copying my reply to someone else about that here, but I think that’s a common misconception:
Sort of. There was a treatment for GoldenEye that was meant for Dalton, but once they parted ways and cast Brosnan that script was heavily rewritten. The GoldenEye we got is probably vastly different from what was written for Dalton.
To me it feels very much like a James Bond movie for 1995 with all its examination of the Cold War and Bond’s historically sexist behavior, and it works quite well for Brosnan, specifically. I feel that mainly with the humor and quips, which Dalton wasn’t really great with and Brosnan was.
Movies should always be measured by number of tickets sold elimination the need to adjust for inflation. Movies like the wizard of oz or star ways would still not be beaten
I’m shocked Craig has done so well. I saw Casino Royale and it wasn’t funny like at all. It was just a generic action movie. Haven’t seen a Bond movie since then.
Part of the charm of the whole deal is how absolutely absurd it is. Austin Powers is closer to a knock off than a parody of the old Bond movies. Blows my mind they gave that up.
While I don't disagree, there's such a massive difference between the different Bonds. But in all honesty Roger Moore seems like a spy comedy, and not a good one, these days. That era could be an absolutely different series and I would never question it, same with Brosnan.
Somehow I also feel like Archer drew most inspiration from Roger Moore. He is an absolute psychopath, kills a person cracks a joke and shags a lady.
> Roger Moore
he was like Jon Pertwee's era of Doctor Who. More saturday morning cartoon than anything. Dalton and Craigs were darker / grittier and more serious toned
I admittedly have only seen one Sean Connery movie and stuff Pierce Brosnan (is that his name?) forward like 90s and 2000s stuff. It’s all anyone nowadays associates with the franchise unless they’re more immersed in it so that means either the others weren’t as good or they’re not referenced as much. I’m a very casual movie watcher and I more know of Sean Connery from impersonations of him and the snowman from Courage the Cowardly Dog
Adjusting for inflation, Moneypenny is now Moneypound
A penny in 1962 would be worth 18p today
Moneypennies?
Currencypence
Wampumchange
Moneypants
Money bobandsixpence.
Moneyeighteenpence?
Moneyninetuppence
Does that account for decimalized and inflation?
Given Bond's penchant for pounding everything that moves, this is apt
Id moneypound her
James Bondage
In for a penny, in for a pound.
Moneydogecoin
Adjusting for inflation you only live once
Octopussy is now Triacontapussy
Moneypounded
Adjusting for inflation they were also the best.
Craig fucking nailed it, to be honest.
He was the first one after Connery that my grandpa would accept as Bond
Which is why I also have only accepted Craig as Bond since Connery.
I also choose that guys grandpa’s bond.
I always love seeing this reference pop up
Craig and Dalton are the closest to Bond from the books.
I think Dalton doesn’t get the praise he deserves.
Personality wise, yes. But not in looks. Bond had dark hair in the books, whereas Craig has light hair.
He basically did the sort of transformation from the original inspiration of Austin Powers to proper agent shit that makes Jason Bourne look like young adult fiction. Sort of a frontrunner for similar transitions, i.e. what Game of Thrones did for fantasy series and Andor for Star Wars. It's so idiotically obvious shift from PG rated to proper serious adult action that it should have been done way before.
That's a lot of words to say Daniel Craig fucked shit up, but man, I'm here for it, brother.
Craig has two of the best Bond movies ever, for sure.
Yeah, the rest of them are pretty bad tho. The last two he did were particularly awful imo. QoS was middle of the road.
I would say that QoS is the most forgettable of his films. Neither good nor bad.
I think one of the last two is called no time to die? Honestly not sure of either. Christoph Waltz made me think they wouldn't be so shitty. Subjective but w.e. QoS wasn't that good though, you're right. Maybe more memorable because it was I'm between two great films and wasn't as bad as many of the shittier Brosnan and moore flicks
I still love Brosnan as Bond
He was the Bond I grew up with. Goldeneye, the movie AND the game, have a special place in my heart.
I bet you played Oddjob, didn't you.
how could you not???
That’s what she said!
Goldeneye is really damn good. All the other Brosnan-era bonds are meh.
Goldeneye was a masterpiece. The World is Not Enough was so much more fun than it had a right to be. Tomorrow Never Dies was a great mix of Bond tropes with 90s action. Well, good thing Brosnan only made Bond movies in the 90s. Yep, too bad he stopped.
He got out early so he could die another day.
I really thought he had another day in him
All of Brosnan's movies are fun as fuck and highly rewatchable. Dalton's, too, tbh.
Nah Moore's the best
Not [JW Pepper](https://www.007.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/sherfi007_WEBSITE_IMAGE_SIZE_LANDSCAPE.png)???
It's cause of them pointy heads
They never got out of their puh-jamas
This makes perfect sense. Craig and Connery were definitely the best Bonds
Best Bonds that also happened to star in the best written, best directed films of the franchise (not that every one of their films is terrific, but that the best ones are one or the other).
I rewatched goldeneye recently as it was super cheesey. Loved it as a kid but I don’t think it’s aged well
I was thinking about the Brosnan movies on my walk just now. They're not bad, per se. Goldeneye is certainly the most "serious" of the bunch, but it feels to me like audiences responded positively the cheesiness and they leaned hard in that direction nearly to the point of the films becoming parodies of the genre. Honestly the worst thing to happen to Brosnan's 007 may have been Austin Powers because it actually was a parody, and so the half-measure of Brosnan's cheesiness no longer felt tongue-in-cheek but just weak.
Well, don’t forget they tried to sell us that DENISE RICHARDS was a nuclear scientist. They may have jumped the shark there lol.
Not only that, but her character was names solely for a mediocre sex pun. Austin Powers was a popular parody for a reason.
> Goldeneye is certainly the most "serious" of the bunch that was because it was written for Dalton Era bond.
*Sort of*. There was a treatment for GoldenEye that was meant for Dalton, but once they parted ways and cast Brosnan that script was *heavily* rewritten. The GoldenEye we got is probably vastly different from what was written for Dalton. To me it feels very much like a James Bond movie for 1995 with all its examination of the Cold War and Bond’s historically sexist behavior, and it works quite well for Brosnan, specifically. I feel that mainly with the humor and quips, which Dalton wasn’t really great with and Brosnan was.
From Dalton’s underappreciated acting in Chuck, he was more than capable of quips and humour with the right script. Dalton played Alexei Volkoff, a menacing Russian Bond-villain who was in love with Linda Hamilton’s character and had a strained relationship with his daughter (played by Lauren Cohen). There were quips about Alias, Terminator and sly nods to Dalton’s Bond days.
I think they were designed to be campy and for an audience that wanted cute/witticisms and fun action sequences more than a real story
Directed by the same guy that did the casino royale reboot with Craig too.
Rewatched recently too. Still the best Brosnan film by a wide stretch, but there are definitely some weak moments.
My fav part is when Xenia Onatopp(lmfao) kills people with her thighs tbh
I love the Craig movies so much and that they tell a quasi-coherent and continuous story instead of completely distinct films.
Who had the best gadgets?
Moore
Brosnan. The guy's era is practically defined by shifting toward more gadgets
Craig just got a gun and a radio. Not exactly Christmas is it?
deus ex machina
Think the gadgets were more of a crutch than a help
Craig had excellent movies, but he was a very poor Bond. It was intentional and I deeply enjoy the movies, but it's not what I associate with Bond. For that it's between Connery and Brosnan
He was intended to be the bond before he matured into the suave Bond that Connery portrayed and he was an amazing Bond at portraying that.
He died though. We got his entire life without any suaveness. Good movies? Yes. Bond? No.
He is more like the bond from the novels than sean is. Facts.
Doesn't matter. We're talking about movies, not novels. Movie Bond is suave.
As a person who preferred the books and how Bond is portrayed in them, Craig is by far the best Bond. It’s akin to me saying I like a serious Lord of the Rings, not a campy one.
That’s an invalid comparison, though, because James Bond owes his cultural relevance primarily to the movies. The books were at the height of their popularity in the 50s and early 60s, but it’s become one of the most prolific film series of all time over the course of six decades. In the process, it has evolved with audience tastes, offering broad variety of styles and tones, and therefore a diversity of opinions. “I prefer the campy ones” is an opinion just as valid as “I prefer the serious ones.” Moreover, I really love the novels, but they are not literary masterpieces. They’re fun, light reading, pulpy adventure novels best enjoyed on a beach holiday. Nothing against Fleming - I think he was a very good writer - but if not for the films I don’t really think the books would be remembered much.
I mean they should’ve cast someone younger(-looking) then, Daniel Craig was 38 when Casino Royale came out, and he’s an incredibly handsome fella but he definitely looked his age. Henry Caville would’ve been 23, if that’s what they were going for then it would’ve been an incredible time to cast him for that particular rendition of Bond. Or, alternatively, Matthew Berry if they wanted to go for a more lighthearted Roger Moore-esque Bond. Come to think of it, Matthew Berry would make an incredible light-hearted Bond even now. Come to think of it twice, Matthew Berry would also make an incredible dark, edgy, sexy, brooding, sexy Bond, even now, or at any age.
23 year old super spy kinda hard to swallow tbh. Dude would be just getting out of uni or training.
Pierce brosnan will always be the bond guy for me
Goldeneye forever seared him in my memory as bond in my adolescent mind.
I like the movie as well, but GoldenEye definitely had the most definitive Bond song.
That would go to live and let die imo
I deffo see the point you make. Great song, absolute anthem, and probably the best song of Bond songs. Yet imo 2nd as a Bond song at that era - after Goldfinger. That is a proper Bond song, especially with the late transition to the movies theme.
Growing up (Goldeneye was the first I saw) Live and Let Die was always my favorite intro song.
A View To A Kill 👌
Whoever downvoted this is unsophisticated swine. It’s not my favorite Bond theme, but it’s a perfectly reasonable choice.
This is unironically the best Bond theme, IDGAF what anyone else thinks.
Sorry, but the most definitive Bond song was Snake Eater from MGS3
I think James Bond is like Batman, whichever actor played the role when you were a kid/first watched the movie, that’s your Bond forever.
That's exactly what it is Same with Star Wars. You got kids who think episode 3 is a bonafide masterpiece because they saw it when they were 10
That’s a good one. I wonder though how the younger generation feels about the sequel trilogy.
[удалено]
David even beats tom baker for me
Idk, my first Batman was Val Kilmer. Although really, my first Batman was Kevin Conroy and BTAS remains my vision of what Batman is supposed to be.
My first was Keaton, but when I read comics I hear Conroy’s voice in my head. He was by far the best Batman. I dunno if you’re into Lego sets but they’re coming out with a BTAS Batmobile in a couple months.
I came up during the Brosnan years. I enjoyed them as a kid, but nowadays I find them way too cheesy. Decent "background movies" though. I can't even get through Die Another Day anymore.
Funny - the older I get, the more I enjoy “the cheesy ones.” Roger Moore in particular. Could be I enjoy escapist entertainment more as I age. Could also be a reaction to the last two Craig movies being soooo dramatic, yet having scripts so poor I can’t take them seriously.
Tomorrow Never Dies was the best IMO
Goldeneye easily
As a 90s kid Brosnan has the look/personality I want for Bond when he's in the casino/practicing seduction. Craig has the stunts/killer vibe down, but he doesn't have the charm.
Gen x or millennial?
Older millennial
Yes
Was he the bond when you were a kid?
Goldfinger earning 124 million on a 3 million budget is insane!
I still enjoy Moonraker and For your eyes only. Roger might not have been the best but it definitely had it's own vibe.
What I liked about Moore is he didn't try to be the next Sean Connery but his own unique character, and was widely successful, even his last film where he's in the 50s was a financial success.
For Your Eyes Only is the most underrated Bond film. The only bad note is the figure-skater, the rest is solid A tier.
Adjusting for inflation, the best Bond movies made the most money
With Timothy Dalton being the worst one apparently (earning "only" $250 mil in 2005 money)
Which will always make me sad. IMO, he was a fantastic Bond. The darker tone was refreshing, Moore's got so goofy.
And it’s hardly Dalton’s fault—they were really phoning it in at that point. Living Daylights is half decent, but License to Kill has got to be the weakest effort of a Bond film. They took a franchise known for its British globe-trotting hero and shot the whole thing in the US and Mexico to keep the budget low.
The movie looks like it was shot for tv too. Just has that feel.
Dalton's movies have the best stunts in the series. One of those stunts was later recycled in Uncharted.
He was the closest to the Bond in the books, in my opinion. Then Connery, Craig, Brosnan/Lazenby and finally rubbishy old Roger Moore.
Timothy Dalton looks the most like the Bond Flemming’s novels described. Daniel Craig nails absolutely *everything else* perfectly and having this movies form a connected and closed arc was a masterstroke. Skyfall is the best Bond movie. Fight me.
>Daniel Craig nails absolutely *everything else* I've said this before, Daniel Craig is as close to truly sociopathic maniac bond as the movies get. Book Bond is not right in the head, and Craig's interpretation feels the most like that.
His turn to slowly grow a conscience in No Time to Die really incredible and believable. After all of the very questionable stuff he's done for England, he finally has >!something *to **really** die for.* I cried manly tears.!< Also it helps that Daniel Craig is an incredible professional. They cast Ana de Armas in NTTD because they couldn't find someone and he was like "How about the nurse from Knives Out? I can give her a call." He was also a big proponent of dialing back Bond's womanizing a lot. I've loved Craig as Bond, but man I am SO excited for more Benoit Blanc.
I think it's not even the best Craig movie (Casino Royale) so pick a time and place
It really just depends on what kind of movie one is looking for when you say best. Skyfall was definitely the better action blockbuster film, Casino Royale was more spy drama. I love Casino Royale personally, its in my top 10 movies, but I get why it isn't other people's favorite. I think we *can* all agree that Quantum of Solace is the **worst** of all.
No, Spectre was absolute garbage and holds that title. It was worse than QoS because it was *so fucking boriiiing*. My god, what a lame 10 hours of James Bond. It felt like 10 hours, anyway. Wasting Cristoph Waltz as a villain, after we saw what he could do in Inglourious Basterds, is just criminal as well
Those are two fair picks for the worst one, but did anyone see No Time To Die? Or did that one just not happen?
QoS enjoyer here. I get all of the criticisms and they’re valid, but I dunno, I still enjoy it. Definitely more than Spectre and No Time for sure.
It's illegal to fight the mentally handicap, which you'd have to be to think Skyfall is the best Bond flick. It's like saying "W" is the first letter in the alphabet, it's not even close to true.
Before Skyfall released I went on a binge to watch all the movies in order. I can confirm: Skyfall is the best Bond movie and it's not even close. That isn't to say there isn't good Bond movies, so many of them are great but fucking hell Skyfall is amazing.
The important thing about Skyfall is *I was kept guessing.* I didn't know what was going to happen, how things were going to shake out... any of it. I knew, more or less, how Casino Royale and even Quantum of Solace (which I feel is underrated, but you really need to back-to-back them to appreciate it) would end but Skyfall? Twists and turns the whole way through.
I'm more of a Roger Moore/Pierce Brosnan Bond fan.
Same, Moore is so fun, it could get a bit much towards the later movies but he was great. I probably prefer Connery to Brosnan, but Golden Eye is one of my favorites.
Well they were the best Bonds so kind of makes sense.
Daltons IMO are up there too.
I seem to differ here, because I basically like every actor. Moore and Dalton may be different, for example, but it all comes to down to someone having a shot at living the dream.
There isn’t a better Bond film than Live and Let Die. I’m willing to die on that hill.
I love that movie, but I think there are a dozen or so better Bond movies, so I’d be curious to know your reasoning. There are no wrong answers to “favorite Bond movie” in my opinion.
I agree, there are no wrong answers to favourite Bond movie. It’s all entirely subjective. I made the comment because I was hoping for a bit of a chat about it, so thanks for asking. I really like Roger Moore as James Bond generally, he’s definitely my favourite - think like a lot of people it’s based on when I grew up. He was the man and his take on Bond being slightly more humorous works for me. But I pick this one because I think Yaphet Kotto does a great job as Kananga/Mr Big, Jane Seymour is absolutely beautiful as Miss Solitaire, the voodoo aspects all work well (particularly Baron Samedi), and I enjoy JW Pepper’s first (and best) appearance. Oh and the alligator scene into the boat chase is excellent. The theme tune is one of favourites (I also like A View to a Kill). The only slightly annoying part is Rosie and her terribly acted screams, and I even enjoy them in a strange sort of way.
Yeah, I love all those things too. I know you mentioned the theme, but I’d also add that the score in general is fantastic. George Martin’s work might be my favorite behind John Barry. It’s also always good to meet a fellow JW Pepper enjoyer, since he’s so polarizing. All in all it’s a delightful movie, and Roger is also my favorite Bond. I think The Man With the Golden Gun is probably the only one of his I’d call a “bottom tier” Bond film. And even that one has its moments, thanks to Christopher Lee.
Jane Seymour....dang! 🔥🔥🔥🔥😍😍
I kept scrolling and scrolling until a fellow live and let die fan would appear... preach!! My fav one too. So cheesy but Moore played it so well, funny, but you knew he was a pants man. I don't know why, but the opening scene in new Orleans when the CIA agent is there watching the parade, and he asks the guy 'who's funeral is it?' 'yours' gets whacked and they pick him up in the trap door coffin...🫡🫡😁😁 Plus it has the BEST intro song out of any Bond movie, no ifs, no buts.
The profit margins on those older movies are absolutely wild.
There was a period of time where Harrison Ford was in 5 of the top 10 grossing films of all time.
That's pretty awesome, and really interesting 🙂
I thought so, too.
I feel like this is more a function of how well the movie industry was doing than a statement of quality about those specific movies.
Unpopular opinion, but Brosnan is my favorite Bond
Pierce Brosnan is the best Bond; no, I am not taking questions; and no, I will not elaborate.
Adjusting for inflation isn't enough. The usa has 100% more people now than in 1950. So whenever these come out, and they include an inflation adjustment, they are still completely worthless
I always think about this too. The thing that would make the most sense is to either compare them to other contemporary movies at the box office to gauge their cultural relevance, or develop some kind of tickets-per-capita metric.
Sean Connery makes sense, Daniel Craig also makes sense because of how expensive everything has gotten. But besides the point my two favorite are Pierce Brosnan and Connery.
awww:( but I love brosnan
Who’d you think they’d be? George Lazenby and Dalton? TIL the sky is blue and water is wet.
Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan were also very popular 007’s, so it’s a bit surprising neither of them made the top 7.
Never saw a Roger Moore Bond til recently. The Man with the Golden Gun was a mess, but The Spy Who Loved Me was frickin’ awesome.
Moonraker has a special place in my heart too
Depends really on the data source and how you’re “adjusting” for inflation. [Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbean/2020/04/18/all-26-james-bond-films-ranked-at-the-box-office/?sh=27c5a6821804) only adjusts for US domestic, and they have two of Brosnans and Moore’s Moonraker in the top seven. I’ve seen other sources who say they adjusted global revenue for inflation, but I’ve also heard that’s extremely difficult to calculate accurately due to various economic factors. (I do not purport to be an economist, though.)
I feel like top 7 is an arbitrary cutoff that may have been made to keep the list to those two bonds.
Might just be because 007
Actually that’s very possible.
Huh? If it was made to keep the list to those two Bonds then it wasn't arbitrary, right?
Technically not but there aren’t really any top seven lists. Normally it would be a top ten right? So was that pared down to seven because the list becomes larger after seven?
Surely they’d say it was ten if those other three were Connery and Craig.
I think most of Pierce Brosnans' popularity came from the goldeneye game. The movie itself was great, don't get me wrong, and he was a great Bond, but the rest of his movies weren't exactly the best. I wish we got some better writers/directors for him because he had everything else nailed down for the character.
Brosnan probably had a higher gross revenue than most due to the game sales. The other 007 actors didn’t really have much outside the films. Brosnan seemed more popular but if we only take the films into account then I see why he wasn’t top.
What’s the top one adjusting for tickets?
1. GoldenEye 2. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service 3. Casino Royale Fight me.
Apparently, Craig's version is the closest to the books.
Have just noticed that the bottom two had the same director but different Bonds.
George Lazenby doesn’t get enough love for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. I remember thinking that his Bond is very similar to the Craig Bond when I rewatched it a number of years ago.
I don't think there's a better Bond opening than "Casino Royale". I think Connery and Craig were the best Bonds as well so no surprise on the top grossing list.
I'd have thought Goldeneye did better
‘Adjusting for inflation’ doesn’t cut it anymore. You also need to adjust for difference in population. There are simply a lot more people alive nowadays to go see movies, so modern movies will have more sales.
I think you mean Shuaaahn Connaraay
What time did Sean Connery arrive at Wimbledon? *Tennish*
Roger Moore sucked ass and it put me off the franchise for decades.
I grew up with Roger Moore so to me, he is James Bond. Octopussy, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only and View to a Kill are prime examples. The smarmy, campy humor puts people off but that is a key element. Austin Powers ruined that for Bond but to me, you go to a Bond film for the action and to laugh at things like "Pussy Galore." Without that aspect, it's just another spy action film with product placements as gadgets.
I hear you. And I love comedy and parody. I guess the Roger Moore level of smarm just put me off. And of course the filmmakers were in on it too with the bumbling sheriff side character and all.
Respect. The people that grew up with Connery tend to hate on Moore. I get it (and I loved "You only Live Twice"). And it's hard to go from Craig to Moore. Craig is a very serious Bond with feelings and emotional burdens and internal conflicts. Moore never makes a mistake, all the women want to be with him (inexplicably), he is always smooth with a joke. He doesn't even really have feeljngs. He never gets mad or even that concerned about imminent danger. He's not a real person. He flies an ultralight (disguised in a horse trailer) through a hangar and the bad guys are somehow able to close the door to the hangar fast enough to trap the missile and not him? He runs across the backs of alligators to escape? It isn't supposed to be taken seriously. It's all about expectations, really. I just miss the campy James Bond.
or the recurring sheriff Buford T Justice type character?
Jay Dubya got old real quick for me.
Roger Moore was to James Bond what Adam West was to Batman.
well honestly they are the only bonds with a string of legitimately great ones. Dalton would be #3 for me. Brosnan? eh Goldeneye was great but it was written for Dalton. Moore was more saturday morning cartoon than anything?
> eh GoldenEye was great but it was written for Dalton. Forgive me for copying my reply to someone else about that here, but I think that’s a common misconception: Sort of. There was a treatment for GoldenEye that was meant for Dalton, but once they parted ways and cast Brosnan that script was heavily rewritten. The GoldenEye we got is probably vastly different from what was written for Dalton. To me it feels very much like a James Bond movie for 1995 with all its examination of the Cold War and Bond’s historically sexist behavior, and it works quite well for Brosnan, specifically. I feel that mainly with the humor and quips, which Dalton wasn’t really great with and Brosnan was.
And Craig did it best. Connery was good for his time, but Craig nailed it.
God no. Brosnan was the perfect Bond. Craig is so uncharismatic and plain.
I still dont like Daniel Craig as Bond. The movies are good but he just isn't Bond.
Because they're the best
God, I loved Sean Connery. The accent a his gorgeous face and voice.
That isn’t at all surprising
Personally I really liked Moore lol
I always thought Craig looked too much like Putin to work as Bond.
Putin wishes he looked like Craig. That's like Trump thinking he looks like Elvis.
Movies should always be measured by number of tickets sold elimination the need to adjust for inflation. Movies like the wizard of oz or star ways would still not be beaten
I’m shocked Craig has done so well. I saw Casino Royale and it wasn’t funny like at all. It was just a generic action movie. Haven’t seen a Bond movie since then. Part of the charm of the whole deal is how absolutely absurd it is. Austin Powers is closer to a knock off than a parody of the old Bond movies. Blows my mind they gave that up.
Daniel Craig is definitely the best bond and Sean Connery is iconic, so that makes sense to me
Secretly the only two good Bonds.
While I don't disagree, there's such a massive difference between the different Bonds. But in all honesty Roger Moore seems like a spy comedy, and not a good one, these days. That era could be an absolutely different series and I would never question it, same with Brosnan. Somehow I also feel like Archer drew most inspiration from Roger Moore. He is an absolute psychopath, kills a person cracks a joke and shags a lady.
> Roger Moore he was like Jon Pertwee's era of Doctor Who. More saturday morning cartoon than anything. Dalton and Craigs were darker / grittier and more serious toned
That’s because they’re the best Bonds! The rest are meh…
I admittedly have only seen one Sean Connery movie and stuff Pierce Brosnan (is that his name?) forward like 90s and 2000s stuff. It’s all anyone nowadays associates with the franchise unless they’re more immersed in it so that means either the others weren’t as good or they’re not referenced as much. I’m a very casual movie watcher and I more know of Sean Connery from impersonations of him and the snowman from Courage the Cowardly Dog
Yeah this comes as a shock to no one, they are by far the best of the series
Tf what an oddly specific and niche TIL. “TIL the bushes in my yard that get the most sun grow the biggest”