The James Bond franchise is perhaps the most iconic in film history, as there isn’t another recurring series that has spanned for multiple decades without suffering a serious decline or period of inactivity. While some franchises have overstayed their welcome, alienating non-hardcore fans, the Bond franchise continuously allows new viewers to join in enjoying a new installment, as there is rarely enough connective tissue that would cause a significant barrier of entry. While it may only be completionist 007 fans that have watched every single installment in the franchise multiple times, viewers of different generations may have formed attachments to specific actors who played Bond. The debate of who the best Bond was is one that will never be solved, as viewers tend to be nostalgic for the actor that they first saw step into the role of 007.
The Bond films have certainly fluctuated in terms of quality, as like most franchises, it has its share of bad movies. While most Bond films have some redeeming values when it comes to the performances, production design, and visual style, some entries like Diamonds Are Forever, A View to a Kill, Die Another Day, or Quantum of Solace are simply dull, confusing, and uncomfortable to watch. However, the best installments in the Bond franchise easily rank among the greatest and most successful action films of their time, and hold up very well today as being representative of a very specific period in cinematic history. Here is the best movie from every actor that has played James Bond.
6
‘From Russia With Love’ (1963)
Actor: Sean Connery
Sean Connery is often referred to as the best Bond, and not just because he was the first to ever play the character on the big screen. Connery had a slick, effortless sense of charisma and intelligence that helped to create one of the greatest heroes in cinematic history; it’s a feat of acting that every single actor that was subsequently cast as Bond will inevitably be compared to. Dr. No was Connery’s first Bond film, and did a great job at introducing the mix of romanticism and adventure that would become essential to the saga’s formula. While his third film, Goldfinger, became iconic because of its fun one-liners and plethora of gadgets, Connery never appeared in a Bond film that was better written than From Russia With Love.
From Russia With Love is an excellent Cold War thriller that shows the suspense that emerged when two nations were on the verge of nuclear war. Although it helped to continue the story arc revolving around SPECTRE, the international criminal organization that served as a primary antagonist within all of Connery’s films, From Russia With Love felt very grounded and realistic. Given that much of the film is set within a series of confined locations, it’s easy to compare From Russia With Love to the great cinema of Alfred Hitchcock.
5
‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ (1969)
Actor: George Lazenby
George Lazenby only got one chance to play Bond, but thankfully On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is a masterpiece that has stood the test of time. While the Connery films had portrayed Bond as a nearly undefeatable hero who never seemed to show any doubt in the face of danger, Lazenby brought a sense of vulnerability to Bond, who begins to fall in love with the woman Tracy (Diana Rigg) over the course of an investigation into SPECTRE’s experiments that is held in the Swiss Alps. Although the Bond franchise’s relationship with women has been hotly debated ever since its inception, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service pulls off a genuinely effective romantic story, thanks in no small part to the terrific chemistry between Lazenby and Rigg.
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is the most stylistically unique entry in the franchise, as it incorporates moments of surrealism and existentialism that feel closer to an arthouse film than anything else. However, the more artful aspects of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service don’t mean that it lacks great action, as the now iconic ski chase scene is one of the best set pieces in the franchise’s history.
4
‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ (1977)
Actor: Roger Moore
Roger Moore is often cited as being the goofiest actor to play Bond, as his films tend to be far more comical than those featuring Connery. However, this reputation is mostly drawn from the last few films Moore appeared in, as his earlier work did include the same edginess that had made the original source material from Ian Fleming so iconic. Although Live and Let Die was a terrific introduction to Moore’s Bond that was scarier, weirder, and more sensual than any previous entry in the series, it was The Spy Who Loved Me that showed why he deserved to be recognized as one of the greatest Bonds in history.
The Spy Who Loved Me is actually a straightforward love story, as it follows Bond when he teams up with the Soviet Union spy known as “XXX” (Barbara Bach) in order to prevent a sinister conspiracy. Both characters are on equal footing, as they both have come to regret the insidious actions that they have committed in order to succeed in the role of spycraft; in one of the most shocking scenes in the entire franchise, Bond admits to being responsible for the death of XXX’s former lover. Despite wrestling with more complex psychological themes, The Spy Who Loved Me is still a very fun blockbuster that managed to avoid being completely ridiculous in the way that some of Moore’s subsequent efforts were guilty of.
3
‘Licence to Kill’ (1989)
Actor: Timothy Dalton
Timothy Dalton is easily the most underrated actor to ever play Bond, as he could have earned a much greater reputation if he had been given the opportunity to appear in more than two films. While his first film, The Living Daylights, was a solid introduction that helped embrace the modernity of the franchise, it did inherit some of the same goofiness that had plagued the last few installments featuring Moore. Thankfully, Dalton was given the opportunity to offer a far darker interpretation of the character in Licence to Kill, which is easily the darkest and most intense installment in the franchise ever.
Unlike other 007 films, Licence to a Kill is a brutal revenge thriller that follows Bond as he seeks vengeance for an attack made on his friend, even though it is not officially sanctioned by MI6. Seeing Bond devoid of his typical resources made for an interesting deviation from the formula, making it all the more disappointing that it would be the last time that Dalton would play the character.
2
‘GoldenEye’ (1995)
Actor: Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan helped to launch the Bond franchise into the modern age, as there had been a six year gap since Licence to Kill had underperformed in theaters. While there were concerns regarding whether a Bond film would be able to stand out amidst the many action films that were released in the 1990s, GoldenEye was the perfect reintroduction to the character, as it simply made 007 cool again. Although Brosnan was perhaps the most charismatic actor to play Bond since Connery, GoldenEye also benefited from the excellent direction of Martin Campbell, whose ability to create inventive set pieces has been unrivaled.
GoldenEye remixed and reintroduced core aspects of the Bond formula, as it managed to explore nuclear threats in a way that was not entirely linked to the Cold War. The introduction of Judi Dench as M proved to be a genius decision that gave Bond an interesting mentor, and Sean Bean’s role as the traitorous former MI6 agent, 006, proved to be one of the franchise’s best villains.
GoldenEye
- Release Date
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November 16, 1995
- Runtime
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130 minutes
1
‘Skyfall’ (2012)
Actor: Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig is the actor that has best represented the original source material, as Fleming always conceived of Bond as a dark, brooding character that deals with significant emotional issues. While Casino Royale offered the first true representation of Bond’s origin story, Skyfall was an epic blockbuster that showed why MI6 still matters in the modern age. While it incorporated new technologies, themes of technophobia, and insights about the recent political history of the United Kingdom, Skyfall also had many compelling ties to the history of the franchise that offered a welcome sense of nostalgia.
Skyfall was able to turn Bond into a vulnerable character who has to prove that he is still relevant in an era where espionage was under threat. While Craig gives what may be his deepest and most profound performance to date, he meets his match with Javier Bardem’s terrifying performance as Raoul Silva, a former espionage agent that turned into a terrorist. Sam Mendes, the Academy Award-winning director behind many masterful dramas, was able to add a sense of pathos that was unlike any other Bond film; Skyfall is also the best looking Bond film ever thanks to the amazing cinematography by the legend Roger Deakins.
Skyfall
- Release Date
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November 9, 2012
- Runtime
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143 minutes
