James Bond - Overall Ranking

Originally, I revisited the James Bond movies simply because I wanted to see them all finally. Then I decided to write about each Bond actor’s set of movies because it seemed silly to watch that many movies and only write Letterboxd entries for them. After ranking the movies of each Bond actor, I figured I also needed to rank the movies altogether. Since I’ve already written as extensively as I plan to about the films of Connery, Lazenby, Moore, Dalton, Brosnan, and Craig, this list will be very sparse, only one or two sentences per entry. This ranking isn’t about which film is objectively best; it’s about my personal favorites, and which ones I consider rewatchable. Also, I am counting Never Say Never Again in the list; it may not be canon in the proper series, but I still consider it a Bond movie since Connery was in it (I don’t count the original Casino Royale because that was more like Austin Powers than James Bond). With that out of the way, here is my ranking of the Bond franchise.

1. Casino Royale

The only Bond movie I watch at least once a year; just a perfect introduction to my favorite Bond.

2. Skyfall

A very close second; the most straightforward and enjoyable of the Craig Bonds.

3. GoldenEye

This is a total nostalgia pick partially because of the game, but I truly love this one to this day.

4. From Russia with Love

If I’m watching Connery as Bond, this is my pick; and the locations are amazing in this one.

5. Spectre

This will raise some eyebrows, but I thoroughly enjoy Craig’s Bond getting his first traditional (and slightly goofy) outing as Bond with the gadgets and all the side character mainstays.

6. Goldfinger

The best music in the series, and that’s saying something.

7. No Time to Die

It’s a bit messy as it feels like two different types of Bond movies combined (the serious first three Craig movies combined with the sillier Spectre), but I like both types, so it worked for me.

8. You Only Live Twice

This is the type of Bond movie that Austin Powers was spoofing, and for good reason: it’s silly and awesome.

9. The Living Daylights

The original serious Bond.

10. The Spy Who Loved Me

I am admittedly not a fan of Moore, but this is the closest he came to making a classic Bond.

11. Licence to Kill

The original pissed off Bond.

12. Die Another Day

I originally hated this one, but I’ve come to appreciate the total insanity of it.

13. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

Lazenby is all right, and I dig how serious they went with the ending.

14. Tomorrow Never Dies

It has everything a great Bond movie should, but something doesn’t click; it does feature a perfectly hateable villain, though.

15. Dr. No

Yeah, it’s the original, but I’ve seen it twice and never want to see it again.

16. Moonraker

My expectations were in the gutter for this one, but I was surprised at how traditional this one was despite the space gimmick.

17. A View to a Kill

Moore is far too old at this point, but Walken is a lot of fun in this, especially when he comes unhinged at the end.

18. The World Is Not Enough

This one has its moments actionwise, and Brosnan was great in all of his appearances, but this one was just a bit boring.

19. Octopussy

This is one of the goofier ones as it has Bond literally dressed up as a clown at one point.

20. For Your Eyes Only

This is when Moore’s age started to get to me.

21. Quantum of Solace

I’ve actually come around on this one a bit, but I still find it such a missed opportunity that it lands near the bottom for me; if the action wasn’t so Bourne-inspired, maybe I would have liked it more.

22. Live and Let Die

Moore started off with two gimmicky entries; I like this one slightly more than the other one because I like New Orleans.

23. Diamonds Are Forever

Connery as Bond in Vegas should have been amazing, but it was a bit boring as the Blofeld stuff was wearing thin at this point.

24. The Man with the Golden Gun

They brought back the stupid sheriff from Live and Let Die; that alone puts this near the bottom for me.

25. Never Say Never Again

A remake of Thunderball, which is the only Bond movie I flat out hate; this one is only above the original because they replaced one of the insufferable underwater scenes with an ‘80s requisite nonsense video game scene.

26. Thunderball 

The underwater stuff is just so damn boring.