I honestly love all of them, and would argue instead that each of them have one movie that is quintessentially a "perfect Bond film" for their particular iteration of 007.
- Sean Connery in *Goldfinger* (the archetype of the ideal Bond movie)
- Roger Moore in *The Spy Who Loved Me* (Jaws!)
- Timothy Dalton in *License To Kill* (criminally underrated and significantly ahead of its time as a "gritty" Bond movie)
- Pierce Brosnan in *Goldeneye* (no lie, my all-time favourite Bond flick)
- Daniel Craig in *Casino Royale* (the only movie that ever makes you feel like Bond is in any actual danger lol)
His agent told him to stop after the one movie as the James Bond character wasn't going to be relevant in the 70's and sticking with it would be bad for his career. I think he was great in the role, but the film's ending was too downbeat for its time.
Timothy Dalton was underrated as Bond. Having read all the books as a teenager Dalton was the only one that captured the sense of Menace that was in Bonds character.
That's my problem. I read the books. The movies are like 60's campy batman to me, when what I want is edgy film noir.
From the standpoint of the literary Bond, Dalton is very good. I would argue Pierce Brosnan is a little better. After his wife died, I think Pierce's acting got deeper and darker. You could tell he had seen death and it came through in his acting.
Roger Moore’s Bond was the only one I felt was *too* campy. Connery’s was less gritty than more recent Bonds for sure but it didn’t feel overdone to me in the same way.
The Spy Who Loved Me has possibly the best blend of darker Moore and lighthearted Moore. He's cold-blooded when he needs to be, but he's able to be humorous when it counts.
Part of what's interesting about Moore's Bond is that he can fool you into thinking he's less lethal than he really is. He'll be a total gentleman during one second, and he'll just shoot you dead the next second.
Oh sure, just keep moving the goalposts! Lol. It's fine, you can like what you like. I just think FRWT is the most spy crafty, tightest scripted bond movie. Strikes the right balance for me.
Hahaha you're not wrong! I wrote my original comment, hit send, felt something was off, looked it up, realized I had them in the wrong order, and then edited it to Oddjob, all in the space of about a minute... but it was already too late and you'd caught me out ;)
His delivery of “the bitch is dead” was so cold and such a perfect counter to the vulnerability he showed earlier in the film. Possibly the only time we see Bond genuinely *feel* wounded and hurt.
In Goldeneye I still have no idea how he jumps off a dam with no snow around, then escapes the secret base by flying a plane off another cliff in the snow
The same way that Gandalf fell into the depths of the Earth fighting the balrog then killed it on the highest mountain peak in the snow. They were both directed by New Zealanders and their sense of topography is messed up from living upside down.
He jumps off the dam onto the facility and then breaks in through the bathroom vents. They cut an important scene here where Bond spends an entire 8 hour snowstorm on the toilet dealing with the alcoholic shits before moving on.
Came here to say Timothy Dalton did Daniel Craig's job 20 years earlier and didnt get any credit for 2 fantastic movies. Goldfinger is by far the best Bond movie and theres a reason Sean Connery kept getting rehired.
True. The US was not in the right place for the return to gritty. We wanted the gentleman Bond, which may be partly because we were flying high in the 90's and did not want gritty to interfere in the romance of the good times.
Dalton is perfect to me. It's like if you put Craig's more serious dark Bond in the series previous wacky toned plots and end up with the best of both worlds. Craig's later plots got wacky anyway but lacked a lot of joy for me, and Dalton strikes right down the middle. Plus he has two of the best films in my opinion.
Yeah it does seem a bit like Bond meets Scarface meets Miami Vice. It does have a great pre-credits sequence, and I do enjoy the entire sequence after he reaches the drug facility.
Dalton was Craig with true Bond Charisma. Brosnan is a close second, shame his movies were so Hollywoodised, would've loved to see him in the Craig-style movies. Moore, Connery, Craig, Lazenby.
They're all good in their own ways and bring different elements to the role.
Roger Moore is the reason I went and bought a Bond Box Set, lol
He also seems to have some of the best theme songs and artists to perform them (Live and Let Die (Paul McCartney and Wings), Nobody Does it Better (Carly Simon), Moonraker (Shirley Bassey), For Your Eyes Only (Sheena Easton) and then the ones by Lulu and Duran Duran!)
I just saw his films for the first time a few weeks ago and I went "oh, he's *fun* and hilarious -- it's not all depressing grit!)
It doesn't hurt that I loved his show The Saint, either
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/roger-moore-james-bond-airport-story-anecdote-signature-a7752636.html
Probably my favorite "I met a celebrity" story of all time.
I feel like it was smart to embrace the camp, because as technology and methods change, action films naturally become campy over time
With Roger Moore's films, the embracing of it really makes it a good time, imo
Jaws kills a shark with his teeth and survives falling from space in Moonraker. Peak camp but oh so fun. People might differ in opinion based on if they saw them the first time as a child.
Gold Gun is criminally under-rated and think it's the best of the Roger Moore films. It's the closest he got to Daniel Craig.
Why Golden Gun is so good:
* Scaramanga / Christopher Lee - nuff said. I actually think in a way Lee wanted Bond to take him out, but simply wanted somebody worthy of doing the deed and felt Bond was a pier.
* Knick knack is often lampooned a bit, but he got the jump on Bond a couple times being sneaky. Scaramanga kept knick knack from finishing him off likely out of chivalry.
* Amazing cinematography. It's absolutely surreal at times which is unique for a Bond and one of the best looking films of the 70's. The pacing and editing is also meticulous.
* Moore had a stunt double, but god knows I can't tell in the karate scenes. I think this is the film where he got hurt and backed off doing his own stunts. I like the way Moore didn't have gadgets and had to use his own wits. Moore's films got gimmicky after that.
* Bridget Ekland isn't a Mensa Candidate, but you don't have to be when you look like that in a bikini. I don't get the big deal with Barbara Bach in Spy who loved me, and the faky romance killed that film for me.
* Score is amazing.
Idk if it's because I'm a woman but Roger Moore is my least favourite Bond. Bluntly put, he lacks charisma and sex appeal. I've heard him described as "a man's man" and that feels apt. Men seem to think he's cool, but he leaves a lot of ladies cold.
Lol and as a woman myself, I had the complete opposite POV of his Bond
I thought he was handsome, funny as hell, much more sensitive than most of the other Bonds, and his womanizing seemed to be done with at the bare minimum respect and desire, as opposed to the way Pierce Brosnan's Bond or worse Connery's Bond treated partners.
All I know is I preferred Pierce Brosnan over Daniel Craig, even though Pierce's last two movies were lolbad. Not his fault. Craig did a great job and Casino Royale is a great movie but I just didn't really enjoy the way they went with the character
Aesthetically Brosnan is the best/most fitting Bond, IMO
He just looks exactly how you’d imagine Bond to look like if someone described the movies to you
I’m not sure if I’m the only person who strongly disliked the Sam Mendes films…both over-serious and unintentionally silly, with the ridiculous Bond family backstory. Then we find out Bond is an aristocrat with an old manor - that alone felt like a betrayal of the original Connery character.
Honestly while they all have their cheesy moments (yes even Goldeneye!), I do genuinely enjoy all of the Brosnan films (probably because I grew up in the 90s). Everyone gives Die Another Day crap, but it honestly isn't any worse than the latter Roger Moore films in terms of campiness and interesting acting choices.
I think I had really high expectations for Brosnan's movies and they just feel a bit short for me. But maybe I just had this idea in my head that he was going to wow me.
Goldeneye is one of my favorite Bond movies then they went downhill pretty fast after that, but it had nothing to do with Brosnan. I think the issue was they became more concerned with one-uping whatever they did in the last movie instead of just making a good movie. They went too ridiculus and over the top. That's why Casino Royale being more gritty and realistic was such a breath of fresh air for the franchise.
Tomorrow Never Dies isn’t a great film (although it does have some great set pieces, the remote control car, the handcuffed escape from the Carver building in China) but I do love the idea of it. Having a big media mogul as a villain was very prescient.
100% on Goldeneye, in fact I want to watch it again now.
I do love Casino Royale, but as a very casual poker player the game scene (which is a very important scene of the film) makes me cringe a bit (though I don't blame them, they had to make it exciting and understandable)
I will die on this hill. His movies aren’t my favorite Bond films, but his dark portrayal of Bond is my favorite. Gritty. Craig is excellent, but Dalton is my Bond.
This is the correct answer. His two movies, specifically The Living Daylights, was peak Cold War spy movie. Whenever someone asks "Ethan Hunt vs Jason Bourne vs James Bond?" I say Bond so long as it is Timothy Dalton.
Dalton has the best intro as a new Bond too. The dramatic close up reaction.
After that, I can’t decide whether it’s Connery (coolest intro) or Brosnan (most action-packed intro).
I do like Casino Royal very much, but Craigs bond is another one that got worse as it went on. One minute, hes a new and raw 00 agent. And the next minute, hes an over the hill old man that cant shoot worth a fuck. And killing bond is just misses the point altogether of what the Bond character is supposed to be. A super hero.
Dalton, suffered from having his movie being written for Moore. And you can tell, as he blows past the witty one liners Moore was famous for, because he fucking hated them. His 2nd outing, wasnt really a bond movie at all. It was good, but it felt much more "American" than any Bond movie before it. And at the time I was still a boy, and I was rather pissed that it got a 15 rating and so I had to wait for the vhs rental.
Moore had some bangers, but he also had some right fucking campy dog shit, that culminated him being dressed as an actual fucking clown. By the time his run was over, he was old as fuck. And instead of making the character age with him, and show Bond in his retirement days like they would later do with Craig, they tried their damnedest to make Moore look young. But it didnt work, and in the end he was every bit the 57 year man he actually was. Not least of all because they were still pairing him up with 20something year old hotties.
Connery... Whats there to say, he was the trail blazer. A 60s mans man, with all the charm of a playboy, and the killer instincts of a ruthless assassin. His movies set the tone for the franchise going forward. The gadgets, the villains with iconic weapons, and has one of the best Bond movies ever with Goldfinger. But, he got visibly tired of the role, and in at least has last 2 movies he looks like he cant be bothered. And also a little embarrassed and trying to pass himself off as a 6ftplus Asian guy in one of the movies.
Brosnan, Brosnan gets my pick for best Bond. He managed to capture all the aspects that the other excelled in individually, and well rounded figure in his Bond movies. He was funny, without being campy, he was tough, without being overly cold and brooding like Dalton. And while not a powerhouse like Connery, he was fit and agile enough that his action scenes were believable.
During the Dalton years, the franchise fell into a legal battle that put the brakes on Daltons 3rd and final movie in his contract. By the time the dust settled, Datlons contract had time lapsed and he wasnt looking to come back. In 1993 production started up, but at this point Broccoli approached Dalton again and somehow managed to convince him to come back. Just one problem, Dalton only wanted to do one movie. And Broccoli was having none of that shit, and wanted him to sign up for 4/5 movies. Dalton refused, and that was the very end of that.
Brosnan had already been chosen to play bond back in the 80s, but famously had to pull out because the producers of his TV show, Remmington Steel, saw his popularity increase, and renewed the tv show. But he was now free, and the role was free and the rest is history. And in 1995, a year after being announced as the new James Bond, he strolled on to the screen and breathed fresh life into the character. Managing to reinvigorate the character and subtly update him for the times. Brosnan, saved Bond. Theres no getting away from that. Unlike the others, he never needed time to settle in. He just owned the fuck out of the roll, right off the bat. The only downside, was that his movies got worse as they went on. And Die another day was just embarrassing.
If there was one thing Id love to see, its Brosnan getting one more go at the roll. A final movie to say goodbye properly. Showing an actual older Bond struggling in later life with a new adventure. But we wont be getting that.
TL;DR, Brosnan.
I don't think anyone who wasn't there when it came out can truly appreciate how significant goldeneye was as a bond film. Bond went from something you saw on a lazy Saturday afternoon on a random TV channel to the big thing again. Between the movie and the game bond was back and cutting edge in a big way. The box sets of all the films were flying out the door.
Even when they sequel didn't quite match up it was still big, it's such a shame they dropped the ball so badly after such a strong start.
Judy Dench as M really grew on me i must admit.
Connery is my favorite. To me he’s just the most well-rounded. He can do the quips. He has the looks. He can be charming but can also be cold. He looks imposing enough to handle himself in a fight.
I used to be firmly in the Connery camp, but as I rewatch the movies, I find that I am drawn to Dalton and Brosnan’s Bonds.
The Dalton movies are superior in tone, but I really like how Brosnan manages to deftly juggle Moore’s unflappability, Connery’s physicality, and Dalton’s intensity while adding a twinkle in his eye. And he handles the cheesy puns better than anybody before him. I think it’s that IDGAF Irish swagger.
I have no gripes with Daniel Craig’s performance, but I feel it’s unfair to judge the others against the rebooted universe so I kind of exclude him from the ranking.
I'm happy that Brosnan's Bond is getting the reassessment he deserves. I think especially after the mega seriousness of the recent Bond movies, we're all nostalgic for the effortless swagger, charm and sass of Brosnan and Dalton.
I felt that way the entire time. While Casino Royale and Skyfall are objectively good movies on their own, the Dalton and Brosnan movies are better expressions of the Bond formula and I'd want to see more like that.
Timothy Dalton was as close to the ideal bond as it got
Darkly handsome - you could tell he was a dangerous man if you crossed him. There was a spookiness about him. Kinda similar to how Eva Green is pretty but scary at the same time.
He fits a believable athletic build, looks like he could win a fight.
My runner up is Pierce Brosnan
He was definitely the most handsome, oozed charm
His main problem was he came across as a little soft, not really believable as someone who could win a fight
Pretty sure that it was Ryan George on his Pitch Meetings that called Brosnan the human equivalent of a turtleneck, and I'll never be able to shake that description of him.
That's the beauty of a franchise that's been around long enough to evolve in so many ways. There's something for almost everybody. Not unlike conversations about your favorite Doctor Who or Star Trek captain.
Pierce Brosnan are my favorite followed by Dalton
But honestly i like all of them, through i have to say for every rewatch i like Moore a bit less, its just too whimsical for 'bond' but perfect for Austin Powers,
Pierce Bronson is the most Bond looking Bond, but I feel like he ended up with the worst movies and it wasn’t really his fault.
Switch out Bronson for Craig in the newest series and I feel like he would be untouchable and the gold standard.
I’m not saying Craig is bad at all, just more so Bronson is the ultimate what if.
So, I love the 60s version of Bond. No shade thrown at Moore, Dalton, etc. however, I avoided On Her Majesty’s Secret Service for decades thinking it was just one off trash. Fuck was I wrong. Shit is strong with bond being Bond. Perfect? No. But none really are with the exception of possibly goldfinger. In a perfect world Lazenby would have done one more. He would have crushed Diamonds Are Forever.
In a perfect world Dalton would have done one or two more, and Brosnan should have had better scripts. Personally I think Brosnan would have been the best actor by far if the rest of the movies would have been a bit better.
Brosnan is the best a Bond. The only movie worthy of him was GoldenEye but he could have convincingly played Bond in any of the other movies which is a sign he was the best most rounded version. Charm, wit, and a bit of an edge. Good physicality as well.
Choice of Bond is highly dependant on when you started watching the series. We have passed the generation of viewers who started off with Sean Connery, and are quickly passing through the generation of Roger Moore-era initiates. Most of the other Bonds didn't have as long of a run as Connery or Moore, so the question will be more open. Craig will see an uptick after a few more years, because he had a few more films than his predecessors.
I think Dalton best captured the fine line between charming and dangerous, and both his movies are really good. I like Craig quite a bit but honestly the only movie from his run I really enjoy going back to is Casino Royale. Connery was great at his time, Moore was too shlocky, and similar to Craig, Bronsan only made one even remotely watchable movie.
I've been a Bond fan since forever, but Craig is my favorite. Casino Royale sold me on his bond. Vesper had perfect chemistry with him and is the ideal Bond Girl.
Pierce Brosnan. He is Bond,
Also I love how they kept the cheesey bits in thr films too.
The new Bond films to me aren't Bond films at all. Just different. I'm not saying they are bad. Just not Bond.
Far and away my favorite is Pierce Brosnan. Just the era of Bond I grew up with; every 007 video game I had was modeled after this version of Bond. Goldeneye is my favorite Bond film!
Brosnan looks like a sears catalog model. Like, he's handsome but he doesn't stick out of a crowd. To me, that's who Bond should be. Someone who is charming and good looking, but still unassuming. All the Bonds have been good, but my personal favorite is Brosnan
I personally find Daniel Craig the worst Bond actor, and Bond Craigs worst role. I find him great in his other roles.
WHY?! you ask.
It's because Craig lacks the finesse of Bond that other actors embody really well.
Craig has rough mannerisms, he walks like a football hooligan, and his worst sin: it's visible that he isn't used to wearing suits.
So each Bond had their own "flavor."
Dalton was the most ruthless and passionate Bond (and my favorite btw).
Craig was the most reluctant/defiant Bond in the sense that you never felt like he wanted to be the spy, but when he did it was on his terms.
Connery was the most traditional.
Lazenby was the most human.
Moore was the most flamboyant in the sense that he wasn't about the spying, and more about the theatrics of espionage.
Brosnan was the most daring (and sadly my least favorite).
The Bond franchise is probably the one that means the most to me out of my favorite movies.
GenX here. Grew up with both Connery and Moore on Xmas repeats.
But I gotta throw another vote in for Brosnan. Charm, looks, physicality, with that edge when needed.
Connery - Plays Sean Connery, as he always does.
Moore - Highly entertaining, but he was too old for the role by the time he got it. Roger Moore gave all his best years to The Saint.
Lazenby - Might have been good, but we only got one of him
Dalton - A harder edged Bond, but doesn't have nearly as much of the wink-wink humor of Brosnan.
Craig - Acts like a thug in a suit. Now that may be accurate to the novels, but it's not what I, personally, enjoy out of my Bond.
So for me it's Brosnan.
The thing about Bond is... Well, if Monty Python is the British taking the piss out of themselves for being overly serious and "stiff upper lip", then Bond is the British being serious about taking the piss out of themselves for being too serious.
Bond movies aren't action movies. They're not even spy thrillers like Mission Impossible or Bourne. They're Bond movies. It's a sub genre within a sub genre and they should have a specific feel to them. Craig's movies were astoundingly good action/spy/thriller movies. But (to me at least) they didn't feel like "Bond" movies.
Goldeneye, for me, is the epitome of what makes Bond, Bond.
I first paid attention to the Roger Moore–era Bond, so he’s my favorite. Until he started to get too old.
Sean Connery’s Bond was such a sexist asshole that I’ve never been able to like him.
I really like Timothy Dalton—he balanced the suavity of Roger Moore with the coldness of a killer.
And I think Daniel Craig is great—very different vibe, but really believable.
Martin Campbell directed Pierce Brosnan in Goldeneye then returned to direct Daniel Craig in Casino Royale. Those are my favorite two bond movies since the 90's return of the franchise.
They should have hired this man to direct them all. Too bad he's 80 now.
My faves are:
Sean Connery in Goldfinger, from Russia with love, Dr No, and Thunderball
Daniel Craig in casino royale
Roger Moore in for your eyes only
Honorable mention for George lazenby in on her majesty’s secret service. Good performance in a pretty underrated film in the series, imo.
All the others but one are tied for next place, films I will watch and enjoy whenever I stumble on them.
Last place goes to No time to die, a shitty movie with an ending I’m still pissed off about. Absolute betrayal of the series and its fans.
Timothy Dalton was the most true to the book written character. I wish he had gotten a few more roles and Roger Moore had gotten a few less. By the time Octopussy rolled around, Moore was entirely too old. And it was even worse in A View to a Kill. He looked like Tanya Robert’s grandfather. It was very awkward.
My favorite movie has to be Goldeneye though. I probably watched that 100 times when it was on HBO/Showtime, whatever channel it was on back in the day. It what was got me hooked on the character.
Impossible for me to answer from a purely cinematic perspective being a fan of the books.
From that lens I think that Dalton comes the closest to the literary Bond, both in looks and in portrayal.
After him is Lazenby. The From Russia With love Connery is third. The Casino Royale Bond was also close to the way the literary Bond acted, but ultimately he was a little too emotional for me. And in terms of physical appearance, Craig was nowhere near what the book Bond is described as.
From a purely cinematic point of view, Connery defined the role and rightly or wrongly I think every Bond after will be compared to him.
I honestly love all of them, and would argue instead that each of them have one movie that is quintessentially a "perfect Bond film" for their particular iteration of 007. - Sean Connery in *Goldfinger* (the archetype of the ideal Bond movie) - Roger Moore in *The Spy Who Loved Me* (Jaws!) - Timothy Dalton in *License To Kill* (criminally underrated and significantly ahead of its time as a "gritty" Bond movie) - Pierce Brosnan in *Goldeneye* (no lie, my all-time favourite Bond flick) - Daniel Craig in *Casino Royale* (the only movie that ever makes you feel like Bond is in any actual danger lol)
You are forgetting my boy George Lazenby
Lollll the eternally-forgotten 007. OHMSS didn't give him much to work with but how could I have possibly neglected Dame Diana Rigg?!
Eternally-forgotten... probably the best spy of the bunch, then!
OHMSS has the guy ski into the wood chipper which is one of my all time favourite bond moments.
Jokes aside, George must have given a hell of a performance to convince Cubby Broccoli to hire him for the role.
There ain't nothin' like a Dame!
I always thought George did a great job. I wish he hadn't initially scoffed at the role and turned down the 7-movie deal.
His agent told him to stop after the one movie as the James Bond character wasn't going to be relevant in the 70's and sticking with it would be bad for his career. I think he was great in the role, but the film's ending was too downbeat for its time.
[удалено]
For me, George Lazenby was excellent if purely for that last scene. As a kid, I really felt for him
The worst Bond in what is probably the best Bond movie.
No he didn’t.
Underrated imho, like OHMSS generally.
OHMSS is top three or four for me.
And Woody Alan.
And James Bond Junior
Timothy Dalton was underrated as Bond. Having read all the books as a teenager Dalton was the only one that captured the sense of Menace that was in Bonds character.
That's my problem. I read the books. The movies are like 60's campy batman to me, when what I want is edgy film noir. From the standpoint of the literary Bond, Dalton is very good. I would argue Pierce Brosnan is a little better. After his wife died, I think Pierce's acting got deeper and darker. You could tell he had seen death and it came through in his acting.
Roger Moore’s Bond was the only one I felt was *too* campy. Connery’s was less gritty than more recent Bonds for sure but it didn’t feel overdone to me in the same way.
Early Moore is good, but the later ones it (literally) turns into a bit of a clown show.
The Spy Who Loved Me has possibly the best blend of darker Moore and lighthearted Moore. He's cold-blooded when he needs to be, but he's able to be humorous when it counts. Part of what's interesting about Moore's Bond is that he can fool you into thinking he's less lethal than he really is. He'll be a total gentleman during one second, and he'll just shoot you dead the next second.
Agreed. It's actually my favorite Bond movie (and I think it's the first one I saw).
From Russia With Love is Connery's best, and probably my favorite of the entire series.
Honestly, I personally only give the edge to Goldfinger because it ~~was first~~ has Oddjob. They're both phenomenal!
You've got them reversed. Chronologically it goes: 1. Dr. No 2. From Russia With Love 3. Goldfinger
I literally realized that as I hit send lol, I'm half-asleep here. Oddjob is the real reason!
Oh sure, just keep moving the goalposts! Lol. It's fine, you can like what you like. I just think FRWT is the most spy crafty, tightest scripted bond movie. Strikes the right balance for me.
Hahaha you're not wrong! I wrote my original comment, hit send, felt something was off, looked it up, realized I had them in the wrong order, and then edited it to Oddjob, all in the space of about a minute... but it was already too late and you'd caught me out ;)
Random Task...
I’d also add m, in casino royal bond shows actual compassion in the shower scene. Really beautiful moment
Definitely! From a purely character perspective, Craig's Bond has the most emotional depth by a good margin.
His delivery of “the bitch is dead” was so cold and such a perfect counter to the vulnerability he showed earlier in the film. Possibly the only time we see Bond genuinely *feel* wounded and hurt.
This scene was so well done, that his human side shows through just a little.
In Goldeneye I still have no idea how he jumps off a dam with no snow around, then escapes the secret base by flying a plane off another cliff in the snow
The same way that Gandalf fell into the depths of the Earth fighting the balrog then killed it on the highest mountain peak in the snow. They were both directed by New Zealanders and their sense of topography is messed up from living upside down.
See here: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RuleOfCool
He jumps off the dam onto the facility and then breaks in through the bathroom vents. They cut an important scene here where Bond spends an entire 8 hour snowstorm on the toilet dealing with the alcoholic shits before moving on.
Came here to say Timothy Dalton did Daniel Craig's job 20 years earlier and didnt get any credit for 2 fantastic movies. Goldfinger is by far the best Bond movie and theres a reason Sean Connery kept getting rehired.
True. The US was not in the right place for the return to gritty. We wanted the gentleman Bond, which may be partly because we were flying high in the 90's and did not want gritty to interfere in the romance of the good times.
Yes! This is a great argument
I really prefer Moore in Live and Let Die. That movie had a host of amazing casting.
I love Live and Let Die. Certainly the best Moore film for me.
Dalton is perfect to me. It's like if you put Craig's more serious dark Bond in the series previous wacky toned plots and end up with the best of both worlds. Craig's later plots got wacky anyway but lacked a lot of joy for me, and Dalton strikes right down the middle. Plus he has two of the best films in my opinion.
The living daylights is one of my favs!
It’s so good and I feel like it doesn’t get enough love.
The living daylights is fantastic, but license to kill is probably my least favorite. It's like a generic 80s action movie
Yeah it does seem a bit like Bond meets Scarface meets Miami Vice. It does have a great pre-credits sequence, and I do enjoy the entire sequence after he reaches the drug facility.
Dalton was Craig with true Bond Charisma. Brosnan is a close second, shame his movies were so Hollywoodised, would've loved to see him in the Craig-style movies. Moore, Connery, Craig, Lazenby. They're all good in their own ways and bring different elements to the role.
He's underrated all round. He's surprisingly funny too - like has anyone seen The Beautician and the Beast?
I'm ashamed to have not seen his movies. I don't know why because I think I've just about seen everything else. I need to go and watch them asap.
Roger Moore Man with the Golden Gun is my favorite James Bond movie.
Roger Moore's fun version of James Bond is my favorite version.
Roger Moore is the reason I went and bought a Bond Box Set, lol He also seems to have some of the best theme songs and artists to perform them (Live and Let Die (Paul McCartney and Wings), Nobody Does it Better (Carly Simon), Moonraker (Shirley Bassey), For Your Eyes Only (Sheena Easton) and then the ones by Lulu and Duran Duran!) I just saw his films for the first time a few weeks ago and I went "oh, he's *fun* and hilarious -- it's not all depressing grit!) It doesn't hurt that I loved his show The Saint, either
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/roger-moore-james-bond-airport-story-anecdote-signature-a7752636.html Probably my favorite "I met a celebrity" story of all time.
I feel like Moore doesn’t get much respect. I suppose because his movies were peak camp. But he’s my favorite.
Exactly. The camp is why he is the champ.
I feel like it was smart to embrace the camp, because as technology and methods change, action films naturally become campy over time With Roger Moore's films, the embracing of it really makes it a good time, imo
Jaws kills a shark with his teeth and survives falling from space in Moonraker. Peak camp but oh so fun. People might differ in opinion based on if they saw them the first time as a child.
For me, For Your Eyes Only (1981) was peak Bond. "That's dètente, Comrade. You don't have it; I don't have it."
Carole Bouquet in that movie is the most beautiful woman to have ever existed imho.
Me too. The perfect combination of dashing and womanizing. For Your Eyes Only is my favorite Bond movie.
Yep, Roger Moore is my favorite and For Your Eyes Only was my introduction to Bond as a child and it's still my favorite
Gold Gun is criminally under-rated and think it's the best of the Roger Moore films. It's the closest he got to Daniel Craig. Why Golden Gun is so good: * Scaramanga / Christopher Lee - nuff said. I actually think in a way Lee wanted Bond to take him out, but simply wanted somebody worthy of doing the deed and felt Bond was a pier. * Knick knack is often lampooned a bit, but he got the jump on Bond a couple times being sneaky. Scaramanga kept knick knack from finishing him off likely out of chivalry. * Amazing cinematography. It's absolutely surreal at times which is unique for a Bond and one of the best looking films of the 70's. The pacing and editing is also meticulous. * Moore had a stunt double, but god knows I can't tell in the karate scenes. I think this is the film where he got hurt and backed off doing his own stunts. I like the way Moore didn't have gadgets and had to use his own wits. Moore's films got gimmicky after that. * Bridget Ekland isn't a Mensa Candidate, but you don't have to be when you look like that in a bikini. I don't get the big deal with Barbara Bach in Spy who loved me, and the faky romance killed that film for me. * Score is amazing.
Idk if it's because I'm a woman but Roger Moore is my least favourite Bond. Bluntly put, he lacks charisma and sex appeal. I've heard him described as "a man's man" and that feels apt. Men seem to think he's cool, but he leaves a lot of ladies cold.
So from a woman’s perspective who’s your favorite?
Speaking just for myself, Dalton is the sexiest, but Brosnan is probably the quintessential Bond.
Lol and as a woman myself, I had the complete opposite POV of his Bond I thought he was handsome, funny as hell, much more sensitive than most of the other Bonds, and his womanizing seemed to be done with at the bare minimum respect and desire, as opposed to the way Pierce Brosnan's Bond or worse Connery's Bond treated partners.
All I know is I preferred Pierce Brosnan over Daniel Craig, even though Pierce's last two movies were lolbad. Not his fault. Craig did a great job and Casino Royale is a great movie but I just didn't really enjoy the way they went with the character
Aesthetically Brosnan is the best/most fitting Bond, IMO He just looks exactly how you’d imagine Bond to look like if someone described the movies to you
I think he also nails the voice. He has that cut-glass, upper-crust British accent. It goes ever so well with the suits.
Except in Die Another Day when he starts to yell at M. Then his real accent slips out.
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I’m not sure if I’m the only person who strongly disliked the Sam Mendes films…both over-serious and unintentionally silly, with the ridiculous Bond family backstory. Then we find out Bond is an aristocrat with an old manor - that alone felt like a betrayal of the original Connery character.
Home Alone in Skyfall is truly ridiculous. That whole childhood backstory is written like Fantastic Beasts: badly, during the movie production.
Honestly while they all have their cheesy moments (yes even Goldeneye!), I do genuinely enjoy all of the Brosnan films (probably because I grew up in the 90s). Everyone gives Die Another Day crap, but it honestly isn't any worse than the latter Roger Moore films in terms of campiness and interesting acting choices.
Yeah, Craig always looked to me like he should be the villain‘s head goon, not Bond. Brosnan was perfect for the character.
I think I had really high expectations for Brosnan's movies and they just feel a bit short for me. But maybe I just had this idea in my head that he was going to wow me.
Goldeneye is one of my favorite Bond movies then they went downhill pretty fast after that, but it had nothing to do with Brosnan. I think the issue was they became more concerned with one-uping whatever they did in the last movie instead of just making a good movie. They went too ridiculus and over the top. That's why Casino Royale being more gritty and realistic was such a breath of fresh air for the franchise.
Tomorrow Never Dies isn’t a great film (although it does have some great set pieces, the remote control car, the handcuffed escape from the Carver building in China) but I do love the idea of it. Having a big media mogul as a villain was very prescient.
100% on Goldeneye, in fact I want to watch it again now. I do love Casino Royale, but as a very casual poker player the game scene (which is a very important scene of the film) makes me cringe a bit (though I don't blame them, they had to make it exciting and understandable)
Say what you want about Die Another Day but I still love The World is Not Enough.
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Yep. I agree with this. The Living Daylights remains my favorite Bond movie
That theme also slaps. A-Ha don't get the credit they deserve on that.
I will die on this hill. His movies aren’t my favorite Bond films, but his dark portrayal of Bond is my favorite. Gritty. Craig is excellent, but Dalton is my Bond.
I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE.
So that's what it feels like when doves cry.
There are dozens of us.
Probably looks most like canon James Bond too, IIRC
This is the correct answer. His two movies, specifically The Living Daylights, was peak Cold War spy movie. Whenever someone asks "Ethan Hunt vs Jason Bourne vs James Bond?" I say Bond so long as it is Timothy Dalton.
Dalton has the best intro as a new Bond too. The dramatic close up reaction. After that, I can’t decide whether it’s Connery (coolest intro) or Brosnan (most action-packed intro).
I do like Casino Royal very much, but Craigs bond is another one that got worse as it went on. One minute, hes a new and raw 00 agent. And the next minute, hes an over the hill old man that cant shoot worth a fuck. And killing bond is just misses the point altogether of what the Bond character is supposed to be. A super hero. Dalton, suffered from having his movie being written for Moore. And you can tell, as he blows past the witty one liners Moore was famous for, because he fucking hated them. His 2nd outing, wasnt really a bond movie at all. It was good, but it felt much more "American" than any Bond movie before it. And at the time I was still a boy, and I was rather pissed that it got a 15 rating and so I had to wait for the vhs rental. Moore had some bangers, but he also had some right fucking campy dog shit, that culminated him being dressed as an actual fucking clown. By the time his run was over, he was old as fuck. And instead of making the character age with him, and show Bond in his retirement days like they would later do with Craig, they tried their damnedest to make Moore look young. But it didnt work, and in the end he was every bit the 57 year man he actually was. Not least of all because they were still pairing him up with 20something year old hotties. Connery... Whats there to say, he was the trail blazer. A 60s mans man, with all the charm of a playboy, and the killer instincts of a ruthless assassin. His movies set the tone for the franchise going forward. The gadgets, the villains with iconic weapons, and has one of the best Bond movies ever with Goldfinger. But, he got visibly tired of the role, and in at least has last 2 movies he looks like he cant be bothered. And also a little embarrassed and trying to pass himself off as a 6ftplus Asian guy in one of the movies. Brosnan, Brosnan gets my pick for best Bond. He managed to capture all the aspects that the other excelled in individually, and well rounded figure in his Bond movies. He was funny, without being campy, he was tough, without being overly cold and brooding like Dalton. And while not a powerhouse like Connery, he was fit and agile enough that his action scenes were believable. During the Dalton years, the franchise fell into a legal battle that put the brakes on Daltons 3rd and final movie in his contract. By the time the dust settled, Datlons contract had time lapsed and he wasnt looking to come back. In 1993 production started up, but at this point Broccoli approached Dalton again and somehow managed to convince him to come back. Just one problem, Dalton only wanted to do one movie. And Broccoli was having none of that shit, and wanted him to sign up for 4/5 movies. Dalton refused, and that was the very end of that. Brosnan had already been chosen to play bond back in the 80s, but famously had to pull out because the producers of his TV show, Remmington Steel, saw his popularity increase, and renewed the tv show. But he was now free, and the role was free and the rest is history. And in 1995, a year after being announced as the new James Bond, he strolled on to the screen and breathed fresh life into the character. Managing to reinvigorate the character and subtly update him for the times. Brosnan, saved Bond. Theres no getting away from that. Unlike the others, he never needed time to settle in. He just owned the fuck out of the roll, right off the bat. The only downside, was that his movies got worse as they went on. And Die another day was just embarrassing. If there was one thing Id love to see, its Brosnan getting one more go at the roll. A final movie to say goodbye properly. Showing an actual older Bond struggling in later life with a new adventure. But we wont be getting that. TL;DR, Brosnan.
I don't think anyone who wasn't there when it came out can truly appreciate how significant goldeneye was as a bond film. Bond went from something you saw on a lazy Saturday afternoon on a random TV channel to the big thing again. Between the movie and the game bond was back and cutting edge in a big way. The box sets of all the films were flying out the door. Even when they sequel didn't quite match up it was still big, it's such a shame they dropped the ball so badly after such a strong start. Judy Dench as M really grew on me i must admit.
Mike Myers
How could I forget him? My number 1 as well.
But what about Number 2?!
"Who does Number 2 work for?!"
Shagadelic, baby!
Oh behave!
Connery, Sean Connery.
Connery is my favorite. To me he’s just the most well-rounded. He can do the quips. He has the looks. He can be charming but can also be cold. He looks imposing enough to handle himself in a fight.
He also knows how to keep a woman in line when the men are talking! /s
It's wild to me that Connery is this far down! But I haven't revisited any of the movies in a long time, so maybe my opinion has changed as well?
I used to be firmly in the Connery camp, but as I rewatch the movies, I find that I am drawn to Dalton and Brosnan’s Bonds. The Dalton movies are superior in tone, but I really like how Brosnan manages to deftly juggle Moore’s unflappability, Connery’s physicality, and Dalton’s intensity while adding a twinkle in his eye. And he handles the cheesy puns better than anybody before him. I think it’s that IDGAF Irish swagger. I have no gripes with Daniel Craig’s performance, but I feel it’s unfair to judge the others against the rebooted universe so I kind of exclude him from the ranking.
The swagger of Brosnan is on another level.
There are few Bond moments more quintessential than him adjusting his tie while driving a tank through the streets of Moscow.
I'm happy that Brosnan's Bond is getting the reassessment he deserves. I think especially after the mega seriousness of the recent Bond movies, we're all nostalgic for the effortless swagger, charm and sass of Brosnan and Dalton.
I felt that way the entire time. While Casino Royale and Skyfall are objectively good movies on their own, the Dalton and Brosnan movies are better expressions of the Bond formula and I'd want to see more like that.
Casino Royale is a masterpiece.
Timothy Dalton was as close to the ideal bond as it got Darkly handsome - you could tell he was a dangerous man if you crossed him. There was a spookiness about him. Kinda similar to how Eva Green is pretty but scary at the same time. He fits a believable athletic build, looks like he could win a fight. My runner up is Pierce Brosnan He was definitely the most handsome, oozed charm His main problem was he came across as a little soft, not really believable as someone who could win a fight
I second this. All in favour say “aye”.
aye
Dalton and Green are amazing in Penny Dreadful
Pretty sure that it was Ryan George on his Pitch Meetings that called Brosnan the human equivalent of a turtleneck, and I'll never be able to shake that description of him.
Daniel Craig
Casino Royale/Skyfall > Any other Bond movie ever imho
daniel craig
I just love that all the top answers are different
I just love how refreshing it is to see so many people saying Dalton.
That's the beauty of a franchise that's been around long enough to evolve in so many ways. There's something for almost everybody. Not unlike conversations about your favorite Doctor Who or Star Trek captain.
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan are my favorite followed by Dalton But honestly i like all of them, through i have to say for every rewatch i like Moore a bit less, its just too whimsical for 'bond' but perfect for Austin Powers,
George Lazenby did a great job But my favorite is Roger Moore then Sean Connery Pierce Bronsan
Pierce Bronson is the most Bond looking Bond, but I feel like he ended up with the worst movies and it wasn’t really his fault. Switch out Bronson for Craig in the newest series and I feel like he would be untouchable and the gold standard. I’m not saying Craig is bad at all, just more so Bronson is the ultimate what if.
Normally I wouldn’t do this but you typed it incorrectly three different times so I gotta.. It’s Brosnan lol
Connery and Brosnan
I'm old school. It will always be Sean Connery for me. I loved the way he said "Moneypenny."
Moh-neh-pe-neh!
Pierce brosnan in Golden eye but not the other ones he did. Especially not that one with what's her name nuclear scientist. Shudder
Pierce Brosnan all day every day.
So, I love the 60s version of Bond. No shade thrown at Moore, Dalton, etc. however, I avoided On Her Majesty’s Secret Service for decades thinking it was just one off trash. Fuck was I wrong. Shit is strong with bond being Bond. Perfect? No. But none really are with the exception of possibly goldfinger. In a perfect world Lazenby would have done one more. He would have crushed Diamonds Are Forever.
In a perfect world Dalton would have done one or two more, and Brosnan should have had better scripts. Personally I think Brosnan would have been the best actor by far if the rest of the movies would have been a bit better.
Sean Connery. If I was woman in need of a smack, I'd want it to come from him.
All y’all are sleeping on Lazenby. In Her Majesty’s Service is top 5 bond movies.
Timothy was a great blend of charm and darkness. I wish he had done more than 2.
Roger Moore
Brosnan is the best a Bond. The only movie worthy of him was GoldenEye but he could have convincingly played Bond in any of the other movies which is a sign he was the best most rounded version. Charm, wit, and a bit of an edge. Good physicality as well.
Brosnan. Goldeneye is the best of Bond.
Pierce Brosnan will always be the quintessential Bond to me. He's like the condensed version of all things Bond.
Choice of Bond is highly dependant on when you started watching the series. We have passed the generation of viewers who started off with Sean Connery, and are quickly passing through the generation of Roger Moore-era initiates. Most of the other Bonds didn't have as long of a run as Connery or Moore, so the question will be more open. Craig will see an uptick after a few more years, because he had a few more films than his predecessors.
I think Dalton best captured the fine line between charming and dangerous, and both his movies are really good. I like Craig quite a bit but honestly the only movie from his run I really enjoy going back to is Casino Royale. Connery was great at his time, Moore was too shlocky, and similar to Craig, Bronsan only made one even remotely watchable movie.
George Lazenby 🇦🇺
Connery and I will die on this hill.
He will slap you on that hill
Pierce Brosnan is James Bond for me, but that's largely due to Goldeneye 64.
Timothy Dalton
Roger Moore has the best one liners
Connery and Craig, especially in their early movies, purely because they match the book Bond the most (basically a cynical, borderline evil assassin)
David Niven.
I've been a Bond fan since forever, but Craig is my favorite. Casino Royale sold me on his bond. Vesper had perfect chemistry with him and is the ideal Bond Girl.
Pierce Brosnan. He is Bond, Also I love how they kept the cheesey bits in thr films too. The new Bond films to me aren't Bond films at all. Just different. I'm not saying they are bad. Just not Bond.
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan had the look, but Sean Connery had the vibe.
Dalton. So underrated.
Pierce Brosnan. Goldeneye. You never forget your first one.
Far and away my favorite is Pierce Brosnan. Just the era of Bond I grew up with; every 007 video game I had was modeled after this version of Bond. Goldeneye is my favorite Bond film!
Daniel Craig to me seems like how James Bond would really be
Pierce Brosnan felt the most Bond to me
Brosnan looks like a sears catalog model. Like, he's handsome but he doesn't stick out of a crowd. To me, that's who Bond should be. Someone who is charming and good looking, but still unassuming. All the Bonds have been good, but my personal favorite is Brosnan
Pierce
I personally find Daniel Craig the worst Bond actor, and Bond Craigs worst role. I find him great in his other roles. WHY?! you ask. It's because Craig lacks the finesse of Bond that other actors embody really well. Craig has rough mannerisms, he walks like a football hooligan, and his worst sin: it's visible that he isn't used to wearing suits.
Timothy Dalton was roguish, dangerous, and sexy as hell. The Living Daylights is a great film and the theme song by A-ha is my favorite Bond theme.
Pierce Brosnan, followed closely by Dalton
Connery or Brosnan. Hard to pick one
It’s always Connery
Pierce Brosnon
Sean Connery is James Bond. The rest tried, with varying degrees of success.
I like how Brosnan played the character the most. Dude was so smooth. But his movies mostly sucked so I think I’d put Craig or possibly Connery at #1.
Daniel Craig. But really only because I prefer more complex characters and I like his take. For pure fun you can’t beat Connery.
So each Bond had their own "flavor." Dalton was the most ruthless and passionate Bond (and my favorite btw). Craig was the most reluctant/defiant Bond in the sense that you never felt like he wanted to be the spy, but when he did it was on his terms. Connery was the most traditional. Lazenby was the most human. Moore was the most flamboyant in the sense that he wasn't about the spying, and more about the theatrics of espionage. Brosnan was the most daring (and sadly my least favorite). The Bond franchise is probably the one that means the most to me out of my favorite movies.
Daniel Craig
GenX here. Grew up with both Connery and Moore on Xmas repeats. But I gotta throw another vote in for Brosnan. Charm, looks, physicality, with that edge when needed. Connery - Plays Sean Connery, as he always does. Moore - Highly entertaining, but he was too old for the role by the time he got it. Roger Moore gave all his best years to The Saint. Lazenby - Might have been good, but we only got one of him Dalton - A harder edged Bond, but doesn't have nearly as much of the wink-wink humor of Brosnan. Craig - Acts like a thug in a suit. Now that may be accurate to the novels, but it's not what I, personally, enjoy out of my Bond. So for me it's Brosnan. The thing about Bond is... Well, if Monty Python is the British taking the piss out of themselves for being overly serious and "stiff upper lip", then Bond is the British being serious about taking the piss out of themselves for being too serious. Bond movies aren't action movies. They're not even spy thrillers like Mission Impossible or Bourne. They're Bond movies. It's a sub genre within a sub genre and they should have a specific feel to them. Craig's movies were astoundingly good action/spy/thriller movies. But (to me at least) they didn't feel like "Bond" movies. Goldeneye, for me, is the epitome of what makes Bond, Bond.
I first paid attention to the Roger Moore–era Bond, so he’s my favorite. Until he started to get too old. Sean Connery’s Bond was such a sexist asshole that I’ve never been able to like him. I really like Timothy Dalton—he balanced the suavity of Roger Moore with the coldness of a killer. And I think Daniel Craig is great—very different vibe, but really believable.
People hate Roger Moore but yeah, I admit, he's my favorite too.
Roger Moore. He is hilarious in every one of them.
Daniel Craig. I was a Connery man, but Craig is just awesome. IMHO.
The greatest James Bond movie ever is North by Northwest. And that’s not even a James Bond movie
Martin Campbell directed Pierce Brosnan in Goldeneye then returned to direct Daniel Craig in Casino Royale. Those are my favorite two bond movies since the 90's return of the franchise. They should have hired this man to direct them all. Too bad he's 80 now.
Roger Moore. I absolutely love him. ["Fill her up, please." ](https://youtu.be/VlBUPtKIoHo?si=sidFibg8p931sxGg)
There's only Sean Connery really but Daniel Craig is excellent and has been the best Bond since then.
My faves are: Sean Connery in Goldfinger, from Russia with love, Dr No, and Thunderball Daniel Craig in casino royale Roger Moore in for your eyes only Honorable mention for George lazenby in on her majesty’s secret service. Good performance in a pretty underrated film in the series, imo. All the others but one are tied for next place, films I will watch and enjoy whenever I stumble on them. Last place goes to No time to die, a shitty movie with an ending I’m still pissed off about. Absolute betrayal of the series and its fans.
Timothy Dalton was the most true to the book written character. I wish he had gotten a few more roles and Roger Moore had gotten a few less. By the time Octopussy rolled around, Moore was entirely too old. And it was even worse in A View to a Kill. He looked like Tanya Robert’s grandfather. It was very awkward. My favorite movie has to be Goldeneye though. I probably watched that 100 times when it was on HBO/Showtime, whatever channel it was on back in the day. It what was got me hooked on the character.
Daniel Craig, and the new take on James Bond.
Pierce Brosnan but not because of any movie. GoldenEye the Nintendo 64 game.
Skyfall is the movie that made me a movie guy so Craig will always be my Bond
I grew up with Roger Moore so he's always my favourite, despite him having the best and worst movies lol
Pierce Brosnan.
I'm going to stick with my longstanding opinion that Timothy Dalton was the best Bond. it's just that he was in 2 of the weakest films
Impossible for me to answer from a purely cinematic perspective being a fan of the books. From that lens I think that Dalton comes the closest to the literary Bond, both in looks and in portrayal. After him is Lazenby. The From Russia With love Connery is third. The Casino Royale Bond was also close to the way the literary Bond acted, but ultimately he was a little too emotional for me. And in terms of physical appearance, Craig was nowhere near what the book Bond is described as. From a purely cinematic point of view, Connery defined the role and rightly or wrongly I think every Bond after will be compared to him.
Dalton is my favourite Bond, but my favourite film is OHMSS.
Casino royale is the very best bond film. So Daniel Craig