The Iconic James Bond: A Legacy of Intrigue and Excitement
James Bond is one of the most recognizable characters in pop culture. You know him by name and number, you know his drink order by heart, and you might even have repurposed his famous quotes as your own when the moment calls for it. Since 1962, this British spy character created by Ian Fleming has captivated audiences across 27 films. From the first film, Dr. No, to the latest release, No Time to Die, in 2021, the James Bond series has played a significant role in cinema history.
While not every film in the franchise has been perfect, there are ten that deserve special recognition for being consistently incredible from start to finish. As we look forward to the next era of Bond (I’m personally excited about a potential casting of Jonathan Bailey in the role), here are ten high-octane 007 films that keep your heart pounding and adrenaline rushing with incredible action, devious villains, and sexy Bond girls.
‘The Living Daylights’ (1987)
Starting our list with a Timothy Dalton-led entry, The Living Daylights, Bond helps KGB officer Georgi Koskov defect, who reveals that the new KGB head, Leonid Pushkin, has implemented a policy of assassinating defectors. As 007 explores this new threat, he soon learns of a counterplot involving shady American arms dealer Brad Whitaker and a pair of Russian assassins. This film is an international extravaganza that is smartly paced, even with its heavy-handed Cold War-era diamond-for-drugs plotline. From desert to snow, the action keeps you on the edge, no matter where on Earth Bond is.
Although Dalton didn’t have the longest tenure comparatively, his interpretation of the debonair Bond is grossly underrated. Bringing an overall serious approach to the character, matching the tense plot, Dalton’s Bond marked a unique shift. It’s hard to accept change, but Dalton felt closer to Fleming’s image of the character. In The Living Daylights, all the classic Bond tropes are presented amongst the fabulous set pieces. Rather than undercutting the action with smarmy silliness, The Living Daylights maintains its darker tone.
‘Live and Let Die’ (1973)
When you start off with a Paul McCartney and Wings song, you know you’re about to be in good hands. Music aside, Live and Let Die is a dazzling Bond film. It features Roger Moore, who makes his debut in the role. Heading from New Orleans to the Caribbean, James Bond is assigned to investigate the deaths of three British agents. Trapped in a world of gangsters and voodoo, Bond pursues a drug lord named Mr. Big, who is actually the alter ego of Dr. Kananga, a corrupt Caribbean dictator who rules San Monique, an island where opium poppies are secretly farmed.
The Moore debut is a visual stunner despite being a bit more on the bizarre side. Falling into the Blaxploitation era of cinema at the time, Live and Let Die may illicit a certain reaction today, yet you’ll be thoroughly entertained. Still in the era of cheeky Bond, the film has everything you want and more. The wedding boat crashing scene is quite camp, and highlights that cheeky charm. Between a stunning Bond girl in Solitaire and a hook-handed henchman in Tee Hee, Live and Let Die is a wonderful start into the Moore reign.
‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ (1977)
Keeping it in the Roger Moore era, The Spy Who Loved Me gives us James Bond trying to prevent nuclear war. In this film, when British and Soviet submarines carrying nuclear warheads disappear, Bond teams up with a KGB agent, Anya Amasova, to stop a shipping magnate, Karl Stromberg, as he plans to start a new civilization underwater by destroying the world’s nuclear submarines.
Easily Moore’s best performance as Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me is an exceptional entry from start to finish. Who doesn’t love that showstopping ski chase sequence? And can we talk about the Lotus Esprit? It’s iconic! A submersible! It’s one of the best gadgets we’ve ever had. Needless to say, The Spy Who Loved Me is why we love James Bond films. From the title alone, we know that Bond will be engaging in work and pleasure, and who better to do that with than Bach’s stunning spy. From there, the action remains engaging, using a variety of terrain to achieve cinematic success.
‘GoldenEye’ (1995)
As to not necessarily date myself, my entry point into the James Bond world was thanks to the Nintendo 64 game GoldenEye. As the hottest game in school, the tie-in to the film helped introduce Fleming’s character to a brand-new generation. So, perhaps I have a soft spot for the Pierce Brosnan era of Bond, finding it difficult to see him as anything but. Even while he’s attempting to sing in Mamma Mia. Anyway, in Brosnan’s debut as the character, Bond is on a mission to stop a criminal syndicate from using a stolen satellite weapon known as “GoldenEye.”
Having fallen into the hands of Alec Trevelyan, aka Agent 006, only Bond has the power and knowledge to stop him from destroying the world. As Bond races to stop Trevelyan, he soon comes face to face with his ultimate ally, the insatiable Xenia Onatopp, who uses pleasure and seduction as her ultimate weapon. There’s non-stop action and stunts, including the infamous 007 bungee jump from the dam.
‘From Russia With Love’ (1963)
Scratch what I just said about beginning a run as James Bond for this entry, and let’s pretend Dr. No only set us up for the brilliance that came next: From Russia With Love. In the second installment, Sean Connery’s Bond is battling the secret crime syndicate Spectre. Russians Rosa Klebb and Kronsteen are out to take control of the Lektor, an encryption device. They call upon the ravishing Tatiana to lure Bond into helping them. Willingly traveling to Istanbul to meet with Tatiana, 007 must rely on his wits to escape a series of deadly encounters, including the assassin Red Grant.
This was an espionage film as it was meant to be done. Truly the first thrilling film from start to finish, From Russia With Love truly jump-started the intrigue of where Bond can and will go. The action in the film is phenomenal. Bond’s brawl with Red Grant aboard the Orient Express is mind-blowingly brilliant.
‘Licence to Kill’ (1989)
Perhaps one of the most recognizable names of any James Bond titles, Licence to Kill was Dalton’s second and last time in the tux. Taking on a daring adventure, this film follows Bond as he goes rogue to hunt down drug lord Franz Sanchez after he brutally attacks CIA agent Felix Leiter and murders him and his wife after their wedding. Being stripped of his “license to kill” by MI6, Bond infiltrates Sanchez’s organization with the help of CIA pilot Pam Bouvier to exact revenge.
A film focused on revenge, Licence to Kill is an action thriller that seemed closer to the latter Connery films. The stakes are higher than ever simply because he is without the shield of MI6, but that only elevates how extraordinary an agent he is. One of the most violent Bond films, Licence to Kill, may have been a reaction to the decade of explosive R-rated action films.
‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ (1969)
We all adore 007, but I’ll go out on a limb here and credit Diana Rigg as to why On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is a remarkable film. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is a unique entry in many respects. It’s the first and only appearance by George Lazenby as 007 and the only time Bond has ever been married. Kudos to you, Contessa Teresa di Vincenzo (Rigg), for earning that coveted title!
In On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Bond is pursuing Ernst Stavro Blofeld as he meets and falls in love with Tracy. Bond goes undercover at Blofeld’s Swiss Alps clinic, which is a front for a plan to hold the world for ransom by using brainwashed “angels of death” to unleash a deadly virus that would destroy the world’s food supply. Emotionally tinged and brilliantly performed, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is one of the best.
‘Goldfinger’ (1964)
Perhaps the most recognizable film in the classic age of James Bond, Goldfinger is what really put the franchise on the map. James Bond comes face to face with one of the most notorious villains of all time, Auric Goldfinger. As he sets out to investigate the gold magnate who plans to contaminate the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Bond must outwit and outsmart his enemy from cashing out with his devious scheme.
Filled with gadgets and cars, and lots of beautiful women, Goldfinger sets up where you can expect the franchise to go. It’s going to be over-the-top, and you’re going to be mesmerized by it. And it all begins with Bond emerging from the water, unzipping from his wetsuit into a crisp dinner jacket.
‘Casino Royale’ (2006)
It took us a while to reach the Daniel Craig era of Bond, but his films are in the top spots because, well, if you’re looking for exceptional action and extraordinary filmmaking, the 21st-century advancements are in full force once Craig donned the tux. It’s time we dive into and reclaim Casino Royale. For his debut, after diving into the Bond origin story, Bond is sent to Madagascar, where he discovers a link to Le Chiffre, a financier of terrorist organizations.
Learning that he is to raise money in a high-stakes poker game, Bond heads to Montenegro as he sets out to bankrupt him at the poker table. As he sets out to defeat his new enemy, he falls in love with Vesper Lynd, a British Treasury agent, who becomes entangled in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game.
‘Skyfall’ (2012)
I promise you, my obsession with Bond songs is not why I think certain films are incredible from start to finish, but again, you can hear Adele in the title of Skyfall. There’s a reason why the song won the Academy Award. Anyway, now to the film. In Skyfall, after an assignment goes terribly wrong, Bond’s loyalty to M is tested when a terrorist attack on MI6 forces him to track down a villain from M’s past, determined to destroy everything they hold dear.
With MI6 compromised inside and out, Bond is aided by a field agent, Eve Moneypenny, as he follows a trail to one of the most vile villains, Raoul Silva, who is dead set on settling an age-old score. 50 years after the first film, the franchise found literal perfection. The old-fashioned secret agent world is turned on its head by the threat of Silva, who is portrayed with ferocity by Bardem. He’s ruthless and intense in a way we’ve never seen before. As the story unfolds, Bond must face the reality of MI6 and what it truly means to him. Is it worth fighting for?
Skyfall is a wonderful epic. It’s brought into the modern age with technology while still maintaining its integrity of the past. From a visual perspective, this film is a spectacle. Its large-scale grandeur is a thrill to watch. The film also introduces Ben Wishaw’s Q, the MI6 quartermaster, who is quite brilliant in the role. He deserves a spin-off, right? Sam Mendes does the unthinkable and defies 50 years of history with this sexy, riveting, dangerous thriller.
