My James Bond List - First to Worst - jmo
by witster18 | created - 05 Oct 2011 | updated - 14 Mar 2023 | PublicI'm including Never Say Never Again because Connery is undoubtedly the best Bond. I'm not including the Casino Royale spoof from the 70's! I listed them in my order BEFORE editing in the IMDB score.
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1. 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: 145,217 | Gross: $24.80M
It doesn't get any better than this for me. The story just keeps turning directions and the action doesn't stop. The fight on the train is perhaps the best moment in all of these films. Other than some small 70's editing and production value shortcomings(to be expected) - this film is pure fun. Danielle Bianchi is the best Bond girl(and possibly the hottest). The best pacing of all the bond films. 90/100
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: 202,386 | Gross: $51.08M
What makes this film so great is Connery. This film puts a smile on your face for 2 hours. Great Villians, great music, great movie. IMDB RAting = 7.9 89/100
3. 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: 693,976 | Gross: $167.45M
Welcome Back James! GREAT movie! Weakest points are the opening credit sequence and the ending, but the rest is nearly flawless. Nice to have a smart Bond girl for a change, and the prequel type story worked perfectly. The opening action sequence was exactly what we grew up with and thankfully saw it's grand return. Could have used more gadgets. IMDB RAting = 7.9 87/100
4. 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: 108,213 | Gross: $62.30M
I'm probably bias here as this came out right when I was 8 or 9 years old, and Bond was becoming my idol. This entry was just a lot of fun, and not as ridiculous as you might think compared all the Brosnan films. It was the Lotus Esprit's, the opening credits, and the fine pacing that set this one apart for me. IMDB RAting = 6.8 84/100
5. 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: 117,447 | Gross: $43.08M
Connery is so pompous here it's disgusting, and I love it. There are some 60's production pitfalls(oh those space scenes...ugh), but the finale is incredible. IMDB RAting = 6.9 82/100
6. 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: 116,177 | Gross: $46.80M
Most people have this well above For Your Eyes Only. Both good, but the snow scenes and the swiftly moving story put FYEO a notch ahead imo.. IMDB RAting = 7.1 81/100 both have great finales, but I like FYEO better.
7. 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: 730,606 | Gross: $304.36M
Not as good as Casino Royale, but much better than Quantum... continues to create Bond's backstory in terms of becoming the seasoned spy, and preludes/sets-up what could be a triumphant return to it's roots for the next Bond film. 80/100
8. 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: 115,382 | Gross: $35.38M
Stunning debut for Roger Moore. There is 45 minutes in the middle of this film that is pure adrenaline. Fantastic theme and opening credits. Probably the best pure action film of the whole lot. Underrated. IMDB RAting = 6.8 80/100
9. 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: 126,979 | Gross: $63.60M
The BEST of all of the opening credit sequences. Bar None. Great under-water filmmaking, and Connery was just starting to really embrace the role. This suffered because of Goldfingers success, but this one isn't far behind in terms of entertainment. IMDB RAting = 7.0 80/100
10. No Time to Die (2021)
PG-13 | 163 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond has left active service. His peace is short-lived when Felix Leiter, an old friend from the CIA, turns up asking for help, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.
Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga | Stars: Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux
Votes: 444,170 | Gross: $160.87M
11. 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: 105,756 | Gross: $51.19M
Terribly underrated here. Strong music. Change of pace(slower), and Dalton's Bond is nearly void of humor, but that doesn't mean this isn't a good movie, because IT IS. IMDB RAting = 6.7 74/100
12. 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: 179,265 | Gross: $16.07M
It's hard to rate this one objectively without receiving some flack for it. Connery is great and the script is pretty good, but it's production values are a bit too much to overcome. I'm gonna bump it up a couple of spots here from where it probably belongs just because it's earned it. IMDB RAting = 7.3(looks like you guys/gals did too) 72/100
I would kinda call this the 1962 version of Goldeneye; a stylish entry. Feels almost out of place; much like /\, OHMSS, and The Living Daylights.
13. 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: 99,337 | Gross: $22.80M
Underrated. Not that this film is all that good, but it IS a VERY important film in the series. It's subplots would be used as a template for the rest of the series. IMDB RAting = 6.8 72/100
14. 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: 114,047 | Gross: $43.82M
IMDB RAting = 6.7 69/100
15. 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: 112,881 | Gross: $67.90M
Amazing soundtrack, but this one is one of the slower paced Moore releases. The storyline and pacing is more on the lines of the Timothy Dalton films. A bit overrated in most Bond circles IMO. IMDB RAting = 6.5 68/100
16. 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: 108,705 | Gross: $70.31M
IMO this is an over-criticized Bond. The Production values are actually pretty good for 1979, and aside from the Tom & Jerry'esque decision to make Bond and Jaws friends, it's actually pretty solid. Everyone know the early Fred Quimby and Chuck Jones stuff rules. This might have been the first Bond I ever watched. IMDB RAting = 6.1 64/100
17. 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: 209,868 | Gross: $126.94M
I dug the opening credits, and the films first half is pretty good. the last half is pretty bad, and Denise Richards line deliverance(I know what you're thinking - not important rt?) is awful. The worst acting in the series by far. Sohpie Marceau is gorgeous and she did an alright job acting. There are some good action sequences, but Robert Carlyle's villian fits in the A-Typical silly Brosnan Villians(save Sean Bean).... don't know if i've ever seen a bond flick fall apart as bad late as this one does. IMDB RAting = 6.3 57/100
18. 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: 270,056 | Gross: $106.60M
Sean Bean is great, but some of the rest of the acting is a bit forced(including Brosnan who's trying really hard here). The film has style and some decent action sequences, but in the end, I'm a bit surprised with how high I'm rating this one. Weak ending. Many think this is top 5, but I cannot understand that at all. This is all atyle and no substance. No coincidence it's sitting right next to Quantum of Solace. IMDB RAting = 7.1 63/100
19. 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: 470,450 | Gross: $168.37M
The opening credit sequence and song show the series' progression. Good acting, great action-packed ending, but the whole story in the end is a big fat thud. IMDB RAting = 6.8 59/100
20. 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: 112,987 | Gross: $20.97M
Overall, a lack-luster entry to the series. The spy versus spy ending on the island really saves this from being near the bottom of the list. Some great stunts are ruined by some terrible music and sound effects, and the opening credit sequence is a little cheesy. Christopher Lee and Maude Adams give steady performances; that helps too. 56.5/100 IMDB RAting = 6.6
21. 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: 204,559 | Gross: $125.33M
Some good one liners, hot babes, and good action sequences cannot make up for what is a really dull plot and cowardly villian. IMDB RAting = 6.4 59/100
22. 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: 111,988 | Gross: $34.67M
License to kill is a boring, stale Bond flick. Some consider this the worst of all the Bond films. I wouldn't go that far, but it's definitely one of the worst. Past the opening sequences, it does not even feel like a Bond flick. IMDB Rating = 6.5 54/100
23. 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: 465,831 | Gross: $200.07M
24. Never Say Never Again (1983)
PG | 134 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
A S.P.E.C.T.R.E. agent has stolen two American nuclear warheads, and James Bond must find their targets before they are detonated.
Director: Irvin Kershner | Stars: Sean Connery, Kim Basinger, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Max von Sydow
Votes: 73,080 | Gross: $55.50M
Connery's farewell tour, a remake of 1965's "Thunderball", is also the lowest rated Connery Bond film. The modern battle for world domination is a bit cheesy, and not being able to use some of the copyrighted UA/Fleming stylistic-Bond-mainstays hurts - as does a lack of under-water action. Thunderball is a far superior film.
IMDB RAting = 6.1 55/100
I think this film is ranked about where it should be on IMDB, but IMO the next three films are terribly overrated on this site.
25. 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: 104,806 | Gross: $50.33M
Duran Duran gives us one of the best Bond themes of all, but that's a good time to cut this one off. The music throughout, especially the entire opening credits and action sequence save this underwhelming Bond flick.
IMDB RAting = 6.1 52/100
At 6.1 I would put this right there with Take Me Home Tonight(6.5), and a couple of other films as one of the most overrated pieces of crap on IMDB.
26. 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: 229,020 | Gross: $160.94M
Madonna's theme song is the worst of all the Bond themes, and a terribly unrealistic, poorly acted, and overdrawn climax make this the worst Bond film. IMDB RAting = 6.0 50/100
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