The best and worst James Bond movies: a ranked list

In celebration of the new Skyfall, we return to all 22 official James Bond films in search of the perfect spy cocktail, rating the best and worst Bond girls, 007 theme songs and leading actors with the licence to kill.

1
Casino Royale

Casino Royale

Casino Royale (2006)

There were plenty of howls of protest after Daniel Craig was announced as the newest Bond (“The name’s Bland, James Bland” blared the London Daily Mirror). But he quickly put the naysayers to rest with his enthrallingly feral take on the secret agent. This is a Bond for the modern era, even more deliciously drool-worthy than his leading ladies (he’s the lust object rising from the sea in a cheeky homage to Dr. No’s Ursula Andress) and emotionally jagged in ways that none of his predecessors ever approached. Several peak action scenes (a wowzer of an opening parkour foot chase), a terrific villain in Mads Mikkelsen’s terrorist banker Le Chiffre and poker games as suspenseful as any explosive set piece easily make this our overall favorite.

Theme song: The best Bond film unfortunately has one of the franchise’s more unmemorable theme songs, “You Know My Name,” sung by Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell­—a hard-rock shoutfest that inspires shoulder shrugging as opposed to head banging.
Martini rating:

The Bond girl: Intelligent, feisty Treasury agent Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) melts Bond’s cold heart, only to shatter his fragile soul.
Martini rating:

The killer moment: Bond orders a vodka martini. “Shaken or stirred?” His cool reply: “Do I look like I give a damn?”—Keith Uhlich

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  1. 22–16
  2. 15–9
  3. 8–2
  4. No. 1 with a bullet
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Comments & ratings

Rated as: 3/5 (3 ratings)
  • Casino Royale is the best Bond movie with also one of the best lines. While discussing accommodations and their cover stories..... Craig to Green: "Don't worry, you're not my type." Her response, "What, smart?" haha Now that is witty and a Bond girl for the new millennium. Also on the train, listen to how he pronounces his watch brand, Omega. And her response, "Gorgeous."

    Mud Fri May 10
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  • As a Bond fan I actually didn't like that many now that I look at the list. I agree about Casino Royale, it was fantastic from beginning to end. They managed to update fight and chase scenes. LOVED the opening chase scene on foot and the crumbling Venetian palace at the end. Craig was amazing. Quantum of Solace: WHO can be afraid of Bolivian dictators (except the Bolivian population)?? Skyfall could have been really, really good, but too long and with Javier Bardem playing something too close to Hannibal. Then Goldfinger and From Russia With Love and let's also save Dr. No. Incredibly enough, the worst Bond of all -George Lazenby -- came out in a film that was otherwise really good; Diana Rigg saved it. The Brosnan era, frankly none. Don't buy him for one second, I think he wears hair spray. Until Craig, Timothy Dalton was the only one who brought intensity and the pyschopath edge to the role, but the films look too dated. And Roger Moore really took it to clown territory. They should have burnt every copy of Moonraker and Octopussy. I have a fondness for Live and Let Die -- so 70s, great song, and though he was as expressive as a roast beef I guess I saw it young enough so that it stuck -- and same for The Man with a Golden Gun. Great villain, Scaramanga/Christopher Lee. The rest frankly would be at the bottom of the list...But, let's all agree to disagree.

    Cave Canem Thu May 9
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  • I totally find that casino royale is the best 007 movie!

    bob Sat Mar 30
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    Rated as: 4/5
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  • You have to update this list. Skyfall is the best Bond film of all time.... nothing even comes close. Actually, novelty and sentimentality aside, all the D. Craig Bonds are by far the best Bond films, if you are being serious about this (nothing against Connery, who is one of my mentors). QoS was the weakest of the three D. Craigs, but was still an amazing film. I disagree with everything else on this list however, other than Casino Royale. The rest of this list makes little if any sense to me. Has the writer of this article even seen the films? Oh well, different strokes I suppose.

    Pete Mon Feb 25
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  • The flint moves were better

    derrick Thu Feb 21
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    pq5n1gec Fri Dec 7 2012
    Rated as: 2/5
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  • i love this 007 jemes band move andthis site good move good site

    seyed Sat Nov 17 2012
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  • Okay, for whatever it's worth (not much), here's my ranking of the Bond films on a scale from 000 to 007: Dr. No - 004 - before the series hit its stride, but a great beginning. FRWL - 005 - even better, but not quite there. Goldfinger - 007 - just about perfect. Thunderball - 005 1/2 - very good but slow in parts. YOLT - 005 1/2 - Yes it's overblown, the plot is basically a series of "Kill Bond now!" scenes and SC looks bored, but the sets, the music and the locale make it a gem. OHMSS - 007 - Yes, GL is no SC, but in a way, he was just right for this particular film, far and away the most emotionally resonant of all 23. DAF - 004 - Routine story, non-threatening take on Blofeld, cheesy Vegas settings...and no mention of what went down in the film before! LALD - 002 - My personal least favorite thanks to bizarre voodoo villains and Smokey and the Bandit set pieces. TMWTGG - 003 - Marginally better. TSWLM - 006 - A near perfect Bond film. Moonraker - 005 - Sure, it's absurd at the end, but most everything leading up to the finale works very well. FYEO - 006 - Another expressionless lead actress, but a very well done back-to-basics entry in the series. Octopussy - 004 - Bland villains and clown suits - need I say more? AVTAK - 004 - Enlivened by a genuinely captivating bad guy but brought down by a weak leading lady and aging leading man. TLD - 005 - TD always made me uncomfortable in the role - too intense, even when trying for a light or romantic moment, but a good film nonetheless. LTK - 003 - A good film, but not a Bond film. Goldeneye - 006 - PB's best, though his always-trying-to-look-cool "Bond face" and heavy breathing delivery sometimes got annoying. TND - 005 1/2 - Solid all around. TWINE - 004 1/2 - Brought down by another centerfold-as-rocket-scientist leading lady (a la Tanya Roberts as a geologist in AVTAK). DAD - 005 - Yes, ridiculous gadgets and the awful CGI scene, but - unlike many of you - I like a dose of fantasy in my Bonds, which leads us to the DC era: CR - 005 1/2 - Exquisitely done (if a bit long), but even after seeing Skyfall the other day, I still can't quite buy DC as JB. He's a terrific actor, of course, and this may be more the storylines he's been given than him, but I've had it with intense, brooding, Batman-ish heroes of late; I miss the fun early Bonds of the past that had villains and sets you could never find in one of today's Jason Bourne movies. QOS - 003 - Instantly forgettable save one or two great scenes. Skyfall - 005 1/2 - Beautifully done and I certainly appreciate (a la OHMSS) any effort to give Bond more dimension such as a family back story, but another heavy, dark and downbeat entry in the series (plus I could have done without the Home Alone ending). Let me know what you think - thanks! Peter

    Peter Berk Thu Nov 15 2012
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  • Lots of negative comments made about Quantum of Solace, and while it wasn't nearly as good as Casino Royale it still beats any of the crap put out with Roger Moore or Pierce Brosnan.

    Eelnodrog Tue Nov 13 2012
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