James Bond: Ranked
by Rickting | created - 06 Jun 2014 | updated - 13 Sep 2017 | PublicJames Bond is one of the greatest cinematic icons ever. As a huge fan of the formula, I have ranked all 23 films from worst to best. Just because I'm fan, it doesn't mean I like them all and he's had a few duds. So, here's my ranking and by the way, don't worry as most of you will likely agree with most of these.
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1. Skyfall (2012)
PG-13 | 143 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond's loyalty to M is tested when her past comes back to haunt her. When MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.
Director: Sam Mendes | Stars: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Judi Dench
Votes: 730,855 | Gross: $304.36M
10/10 The Bond franchise couldn't have asked for a better anniversary. This film has everything and I mean everything: A great story, amazing action, beautiful cinematography, a smart script, Daniel Craig, Javier Barden, Judi Dench, Sam Mendes and a surprise emotional core. The best James Bond movie ever.
2. Goldfinger (1964)
PG | 110 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
While investigating a gold magnate's smuggling, James Bond uncovers a plot to contaminate the Fort Knox gold reserve.
Director: Guy Hamilton | Stars: Sean Connery, Gert Fröbe, Honor Blackman, Shirley Eaton
Votes: 202,480 | Gross: $51.08M
10/10 The best classic Bond film hands down. Sean Connery simply is Bond, the film is endlessly entertaining and has a brilliant script and truly electrifying action. Pure gold.
3. From Russia with Love (1963)
PG | 115 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond willingly falls into an assassination plot involving a naive Russian beauty in order to retrieve a Soviet encryption device that was stolen by S.P.E.C.T.R.E.
Director: Terence Young | Stars: Sean Connery, Robert Shaw, Lotte Lenya, Daniela Bianchi
Votes: 145,295 | Gross: $24.80M
9/10 Although it's a little slow to start, the suspenseful action sequences, terrific plot and great acting make this one of the very best Bond films and an awesome cold war thriller.
4. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
PG | 125 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond investigates the hijacking of British and Russian submarines carrying nuclear warheads, with the help of a K.G.B. agent whose lover he killed.
Director: Lewis Gilbert | Stars: Roger Moore, Barbara Bach, Curd Jürgens, Richard Kiel
Votes: 116,236 | Gross: $46.80M
9/10 The best Roger Moore film hands down. The excellent Bond girl, amazing gadgets, perfect style, awesome action and superb villains make this a relentless burst of escapist heaven you just don't want to end. It is ludicrous, but in a good way.
5. GoldenEye (1995)
PG-13 | 130 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
Years after a friend and fellow 00 agent is killed on a joint mission, a secret space based weapons program known as "GoldenEye" is stolen. James Bond is assigned to stop a Russian crime syndicate from using the weapon.
Director: Martin Campbell | Stars: Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Izabella Scorupco, Famke Janssen
Votes: 270,149 | Gross: $106.60M
9/10 Although it's a silly as ever, the great villains, Pierce Brosnan, amazing action sequences and memorable plot make this a golden moment in the Bond canon and the best of the Brosnan era.
6. You Only Live Twice (1967)
PG | 117 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond and the Japanese Secret Service must find and stop the true culprit of a series of space hijackings, before war is provoked between Russia and the United States.
Director: Lewis Gilbert | Stars: Sean Connery, Akiko Wakabayashi, Mie Hama, Tetsurô Tanba
Votes: 117,496 | Gross: $43.08M
9/10 Despite the messy story, this is yet another amazing Connery Bond film with dazzling action, fine direction, great characters and an irresistible sense of fun.
7. Casino Royale (2006)
PG-13 | 144 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
After earning 00 status and a licence to kill, secret agent James Bond sets out on his first mission as 007. Bond must defeat a private banker funding terrorists in a high-stakes game of poker at Casino Royale, Montenegro.
Director: Martin Campbell | Stars: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright
Votes: 694,325 | Gross: $167.45M
8/10 A haunting and intense reinvention of 007 with a great Daniel Craig performance, suspenseful action scenes and genuine emotional power. Please stop saying it's the best as it's also too long.
8. For Your Eyes Only (1981)
PG | 127 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
Secret service agent James Bond is assigned to find a missing British vessel equipped with a weapons encryption device and prevent it from falling into enemy hands.
Director: John Glen | Stars: Roger Moore, Carole Bouquet, Topol, Lynn-Holly Johnson
Votes: 108,259 | Gross: $62.30M
8/10 Although it's pretty by the numbers, the pleasing lack of self parody, fun action scenes and sense of serious tension make this one of the best Roger Moore films.
9. The World Is Not Enough (1999)
PG-13 | 128 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond uncovers a nuclear plot while protecting an oil heiress from her former kidnapper, an international terrorist who can't feel pain.
Director: Michael Apted | Stars: Pierce Brosnan, Sophie Marceau, Robert Carlyle, Denise Richards
Votes: 209,928 | Gross: $126.94M
8/10 While the jokes fall flat and this is the one with Dr Christmas Jones (AKA the Jar Jar Binks of the James Bond franchise), the great villains, gob smacking action scenes and reasonably interesting storyline make this the most underrated Bond film.
10. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
PG | 142 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
British agent James Bond goes undercover to pursue the villainous Ernst Stavro Blofeld, who is planning to hold the world to ransom.
Director: Peter R. Hunt | Stars: George Lazenby, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas, Gabriele Ferzetti
Votes: 99,398 | Gross: $22.80M
8/10 George Lazenby is groan inducing, and the film is too long and slow but the amazing action sequences, emotional power and the greatest Bond girl of all time make this excellent if not majestic.
11. Dr. No (1962)
PG | 110 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
A resourceful British government agent seeks answers in a case involving the disappearance of a colleague and the disruption of the American space program.
Director: Terence Young | Stars: Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Bernard Lee, Joseph Wiseman
Votes: 179,333 | Gross: $16.07M
7/10 While far from the best in the series with it's slow pace, the fun action scenes, amazing sense of escapism and Sean Connery make this the fine start the franchise needed. Say yes to this one.
12. Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
PG-13 | 119 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond sets out to stop a media mogul's plan to induce war between China and the UK in order to obtain exclusive global media coverage.
Director: Roger Spottiswoode | Stars: Pierce Brosnan, Jonathan Pryce, Michelle Yeoh, Teri Hatcher
Votes: 204,630 | Gross: $125.33M
7/10 Yes it's the one where Bond fights some ridiculously un-menacing fictional Rupert Murdoch with a load of preposterous gadgets but at least it's fun and entertaining.
13. Live and Let Die (1973)
PG | 121 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond is sent to stop a diabolically brilliant heroin magnate armed with a complex organisation and a reliable psychic tarot card reader.
Director: Guy Hamilton | Stars: Roger Moore, Yaphet Kotto, Jane Seymour, Clifton James
Votes: 115,429 | Gross: $35.38M
7/10 Although the villains (Boring!), finale (Despite that immortal one liner), Bond girls (Groan) and pacing leave a little to be desired, this is an interesting and unique Bond film with some great stunts.
14. Spectre (I) (2015)
PG-13 | 148 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
A cryptic message from James Bond's past sends him on a trail to uncover the existence of a sinister organisation named SPECTRE. With a new threat dawning, Bond learns the terrible truth about the author of all his pain in his most recent missions.
Director: Sam Mendes | Stars: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes
Votes: 466,014 | Gross: $200.07M
7/10 Not the worst Bond movie, but one of the most disappointing. Spectre compensates for its mishandling of its villains, an often soulless script and a noticeable loss of momentum in the second half with a host of strong performances, some cracking action scenes and a general sense of fun, escapist Bond charm.
15. Licence to Kill (1989)
PG-13 | 133 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
A vengeful James Bond goes rogue to infiltrate and take down the organization of a drug lord who has murdered his friend's new wife and left him near death.
Director: John Glen | Stars: Timothy Dalton, Robert Davi, Carey Lowell, Talisa Soto
Votes: 112,033 | Gross: $34.67M
6/10 It's way too dark and is often boring, but with the genuinely good action scenes and intensity, mixed with some of the gadgets and escapism, it's less likely to alienate casual viewers than normal.
16. Thunderball (1965)
PG | 130 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond heads to the Bahamas to recover two nuclear warheads stolen by S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Agent Emilio Largo in an international extortion scheme.
Director: Terence Young | Stars: Sean Connery, Claudine Auger, Adolfo Celi, Luciana Paluzzi
Votes: 127,042 | Gross: $63.60M
6/10 Despite Connery, the action, the escapism and the villains, don't be fooled by the hype. With it's overload of underwater set pieces, stock characters and lack of memorable moments it's OK and nothing more.
17. Quantum of Solace (2008)
PG-13 | 106 min | Action, Adventure, Mystery
James Bond descends into mystery as he tries to stop a mysterious organisation from eliminating a country's most valuable resource.
Director: Marc Forster | Stars: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Judi Dench
Votes: 470,632 | Gross: $168.37M
5/10 Just look at it as an epilogue to CR and as a cinematic revenge thriller showcasing Bond's darker and more human side and you won't be too disappointed.
18. The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
PG | 125 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond is targeted by the world's most expensive assassin, while he attempts to recover sensitive solar cell technology that is being sold to the highest bidder.
Director: Guy Hamilton | Stars: Roger Moore, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland, Maud Adams
Votes: 113,034 | Gross: $20.97M
5/10 Despite some entertaining moments and Christopher Lee, where's the memorable moments? Where's the gadgets? Where's a remote decent finale? Where's the excitement? Move along, nothing to see here.
19. Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
PG | 120 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
A diamond smuggling investigation leads James Bond to Las Vegas where he uncovers an evil plot involving a rich business tycoon.
Director: Guy Hamilton | Stars: Sean Connery, Jill St. John, Charles Gray, Lana Wood
Votes: 114,100 | Gross: $43.82M
4/10 Connery goes the motions in this occasionally fun but mostly ludicrous and uninspired bore. So does almost everyone else, including the writer and director.
20. Octopussy (1983)
PG | 131 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
A fake Fabergé egg recovered from the body of a fellow agent leads James Bond to uncover a jewel smuggling operation led by the mysterious Octopussy, and a plot to blow up a NATO air base.
Director: John Glen | Stars: Roger Moore, Maud Adams, Louis Jourdan, Kristina Wayborn
Votes: 112,943 | Gross: $67.90M
4/10 Apart from some good moments, jarring tonal shifts, a whole load of silliness, boring acting and a lack of tension most of the time make this is a forgettable piece of formula. Yeah, the Roger Moore era really was a bit rubbish.
21. The Living Daylights (1987)
PG | 130 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond is sent to investigate a KGB policy to kill all enemy spies, and uncovers an arms deal that potentially has major global ramifications.
Director: John Glen | Stars: Timothy Dalton, Maryam d'Abo, Jeroen Krabbé, Joe Don Baker
Votes: 105,802 | Gross: $51.19M
4/10 The Twilight of the James Bond films. Despite Dalton doing his best and some tense moments, the action, writing, direction, characters and performances are never anything more than OK and it's soulless, bland and 2 dimensional.
22. Die Another Day (2002)
PG-13 | 133 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond is sent to investigate the connection between a North Korean terrorist and a diamond mogul, who is funding the development of an international space weapon.
Director: Lee Tamahori | Stars: Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Rosamund Pike, Toby Stephens
Votes: 229,097 | Gross: $160.94M
3/10 You knew this was coming. Despite some good elements, we have to get through all of that awful CGI, a terrible villain and wooden dialogue. No gadget could have saved Bond from this disaster.
23. Moonraker (1979)
PG | 126 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
James Bond investigates the mid-air theft of a space shuttle, and discovers a plot to commit global genocide.
Director: Lewis Gilbert | Stars: Roger Moore, Lois Chiles, Michael Lonsdale, Richard Kiel
Votes: 108,749 | Gross: $70.31M
3/10 A laughably un-thrilling, overly comic and badly acted science fiction comedy flop instead of a Bond movie, this is merely self parody. Eject this one into space.
24. A View to a Kill (1985)
PG | 131 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
The recovery of a microchip from the body of a fellow British secret agent leads James Bond to a mad industrialist scheming to cause massive destruction.
Director: John Glen | Stars: Roger Moore, Christopher Walken, Tanya Roberts, Grace Jones
Votes: 104,851 | Gross: $50.33M
3/10 This lazy, irritating and badly acted Bond bomb is the worst Bond film ever. Remember the car crash in Casino Royale? That represents this movie.
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