Robot Claw

Recently we watched the first twenty James Bond films. We watched them in order, almost one every day for a little over three weeks.

Of course we’ve seen them many, many times before (I even know some dialogue by heart) but it was fun watching them in the order they were released and seeing the connections between them.

While there’s no such thing as a bad James Bond film, some are better than others. Here’s part one of my twenty-word reviews of all twenty of them!

Dr. No (1962)
An iconic start with a good story and lovely scenic shots, but the villain is underutilized and the ending rushed.
Rating: 007 out of 10

From Russia With Love (1963)
Connery oozes confidence, the girl is charming, the gadgets are introduced and the story keeps your interest. Amongst the best.
Rating: 009 out of 10

Goldfinger (1964)
Good action scenes, elaborate sets and a memorable villain, but the girl is bland. Connery has become Bond by now.
Rating: 007 out of 10

Thunderball (1965)
Great underwater action and an iconic casino scene. Bond is fearless to the point of amused and Domino is cute.
Rating: 007 out of 10

You Only Live Twice (1967)
Casual racism notwithstanding; an enormously entertaining film. Highlights include wonderful period shots of 1960s-era Tokyo and an awesome villains lair.
Rating: 008 out of 10

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
Lazenby shines in a film that keeps plot in focus while still delivering action and humour. The best Bond film.
Rating: 0010 out of 10

Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
‘Bond in America’ features a tired Connery in a strangely surreal story that hardly feels like Bond. Weakest so far.
Rating: 005 out of 10

Live And Let Die (1973)
A new Bond brings us a great villain, insane gadgets, more comedy, supernatural elements and the prettiest Bond girl yet!
Rating: 008 out of 10

The Man With The Golden Gun (1974)
Christopher Lee is fantastic but the film misses more than it hits and has some truly regrettable inclusions. Largely forgettable.
Rating: 006 out of 10

The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
The precredit sequence is legendary and the theme song shines. Jaws, the underwater base and submarine car make this memorable.
Rating: 008 out of 10

A mostly good fifteen year run of films so far, but can the quality continue into the 1980s and 1990s? Stay tuned for part two…

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 20th, 2020 at 4:01 pm and is filed under Art, Movies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.