(I have not seen Spectre. I came to this watching a marathon of James Bond movies to prep for it.)
Exhibit A:
This is an extension of this theory that states that the name "James Bond" isn't a "code name," but the censored name of 007 from our perspective. Think of it as reading a classified MI6 file on each case, and the name "James Bond" is kind of like a place holder, like a "John Doe."
Well, James isn't the only MI6 employee that would need to keep their identity secret. M and Q have their codenames, but characters like "Felix Leiter" and "Moneypenny" could also be placeholder names for "CIA Ally" and "M's Assistant."
Exhibit B:
So with this in mind, there can be Bonds and Moneypennys that are different from each other in each film. Sean Connery passed the "Bond" role to George Lazenby, and Roger Moore filled in soon after, but watching the films it's pretty obvious that they're all playing the same "Bond." Lazenby recounts Connery adventures and marries Tracy, while Moore remembers Tracy. Meanwhile, Lois Maxwell remains as the actress for Moneypenny through all of their films.
Connery-Lazenby-Moore = Bond 1
Maxwell = Moneypenny 1
When Timothy Dalton showed up to play Bond, the character significantly aged backwards for the first time and all mentions of Tracy were gone. Pierce Brosnan is Dalton's age, so their Bonds can be the same guy too. Their Moneypennys (Caroline Bliss and Samantha Bond) are also the same age and can also be the same character.
Dalton-Brosnan = Bond 2
Bliss-Bond = Moneypenny 2
Daniel Craig, of course, would be Bond 3, with Naomie Harris being Moneypenny 3.
Judi Dench took over the "M" position in 1995. She is also the same age that Lois Maxwell (Moneypenny 1) would have been.
Exhibit C:
In Skyfall, it's revealed that M began work in Hong Kong as section chief to Raoul Silva in 1986, which just so happens to be the year after A View to a Kill released, the last appearance of both Bond 1 and Moneypenny 1.
Exhibit D:
After Lois Maxwell's death, Roger Moore claimed that he would've loved for her to been able to play M. Well, maybe her character did!
Conclusion:
After Bond 1's retirement, Moneypenny 1 grew tired of her position and accepted a promotion that took her to Hong Kong for a decade. Soon after, she was promoted to "M" and oversaw an already active Bond 2 before she ultimately saw the rise of Bond 3.
M mentions that she is a widow with children. Maybe she snagged Bond 1 after all?
EDIT: On second thought, kids with Bond 1 may have been unlikely due to her being in her 50s after View to a Kill. Maybe a previous marriage we never knew about? Or adoption?
EDIT 2: Re-watching "Casino Royale." Bond says he found M's real name and "had no idea it stood for..." before getting interrupted. IT STANDS FOR MONEYPENNY.

Introduction
I thought it would be fun to start some discussions from a family card game, Movie Talk, which I never got to play with my family. The forty-third card I pulled (less at random today) said:
“Several actors have had the chance to portray James Bond in the 007 films. They include Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig. Each actor has played Bond a bit differently.
Which is your favorite Bond actor? Which Bond film is your favorite?”
I felt like this question seemed appropriate with the dropping of the new No Time To Die trailer. I have loved James Bond for my whole life. I grew up watching the movies (mainly the Pierce Brosnan ones) and I would watch them on TV whenever they were on. I used to constantly quote Goldfinger, “She's covered in paint. Gold paint.” The Bond movies mean a lot to me because of how much I watched them as a kid. It’s near impossible for me to rank the Bond actors or Bond films, but I will try to do it in as short a way as possible.
Ultimately if I had to pick my favorite Bond actor and movie I would have to go with Daniel Craig and Casino Royale. Daniel Craig has really become James Bond to me and he works so well in the role. He’s suave, handsome, and there’s just something about him that just works. A lot of people didn’t like Spectre, and I still very much enjoyed it. For me, his run has been consistently entertaining and the ongoing story has been interesting to follow. As for Casino Royale, it has some of the best action in the Bond franchise, and it’s so well written that even a simple card game can be tense. There were a lot of action beats that on my first viewing had me on the edge of my seat.
As for the other Bonds, I’d have a hard time not mentioning them because of how much I love the movies. I won’t be ranking them, as I’ve already said my favorite, but I figured I’d say my favorite movie for each of them:
It’s hard to choose one that I love out of Sean Connery’s movies most. I love Dr. No and Goldfinger very much. However, I think You Only Live Twice is probably my favorite of his Bond movies. There are certainly aspects of it that haven’t aged well, but I absolutely love Donald Pleasance as Blofeld, and I wish he had returned at some point. The song for the movie by Nancy Sinatra is one of the best.
George Lazenby of course was only in one Bond film, but On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was almost the contender for my favorite Bond movie. While Lazenby isn’t my favorite Bond, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is a very close second for Bond Films. I have a special place in my heart for it. It shows Bond in a different light than we’re used to seeing, and the ending is one of the most heartbreaking scenes in a Bond movie.
My favorite Roger Moore movie is also his first Bond outing. Live and Let Die has my favorite Bond Girl, Solitaire. The movie is goofy at points, but I really don’t mind that. The closest I get to minding it is the obnoxious Sheriff J.W. Pepper (who I guess was so popular he made an appearance in The Man with the Golden Gun). And of course I can’t mention this movie without mentioning the title song, which has become iconic in its own right.
I think Timothy Dalton’s best Bond film is License to Kill. It’s what I’d call the darkest of the Bond movies, and sets itself apart that way. This movie is also one of my favorites.
Pierce Brosnan is the Bond that I grew up with. He’s certainly one of the campiest of the Bonds with all of the gadgets and cgi the movies threw at you, but he’ll always hold a special place in my heart. My favorite of his films is GoldenEye. It’s an easy pick for me. When I was a kid I loved Alan Cummings’s character (“I’m invincible!”) and Sean Bean as the main villain was an excellent choice.
This post is already way too long, but I also wanted to shout out Dame Judi Dench, who is my favorite M in the series. She’s great to watch throughout, and she develops a real softness over the course of the series for Bond, despite always being a powerful figure.
TLDR: Which is your favorite Bond actor? Which Bond film is your favorite?”
Previous Card

so i rewatched the Craig films this week and came up with a theory that reconciles all of the sins of SPECTRE in my head-canon.
here we go.
MULTI-BOND THEORY
before i begin i wanted to preface the Multiple Bond Theory. this posits that all Bond films are mostly interconnected, as "James Bond 007" is a code name passed down agent to agent over the years. if this were true, Sean Connery's Bond would have lived in the same universe as Daniel Craig's Bond. i'm not sure if the previous Bond films ever directly contradicted this theory, but i liked going with it in my head-canon.
PROBLEMS WITH SPECTRE
from Casino Royale to Skyfall, the Daniel Craig movies were a neat little trilogy. CR served as “Bond Begins”, opening with his first mission. Quantum was a direct continuation of CR, picking up moments after the last movie ended. Skyfall finally presented him with a formidable arch-nemesis. then at the end of it all, we finally see the classic Bond set up - he meets M in his office where Moneypenny sits at the secretary desk, the music swells, and we close with the classic gun barrel sequence.
the best thing about all of this was that it had no strings attached to the prior Bond movies. it could serve as a prequel for any generic Bond story (accepting that Judi Dench was fan-service casting, carrying on the tradition of Q). OR it could serve as a sequel under the Multi-Bond Theory, leaving Daniel Craig as the successor to Pierce Brosnan, and Judi Dench as the same M all along - which worked for me.
then they had to do SPECTRE and unravel it all. since SPECTRE introduced elements we've seen before, it definitively kills the Multi-Bond Theory. then there's general gripes other have mentioned: it overdid the old Bond tropes, something that the previous Craig movies used sparingly. the concept of Blofeld as Bond's brother was a step too far. the concept that all of the previous villains were connected seemed unnecessary. and Swann over Vesper? really? well, i guess.
KINCADE
going back to Skyfall, i learned of a rumor that the elderly Scottish man at Skyfall Manor (Kincade) was originally conceived to be played by Sean Connery. if they had done this, it would have stirred the Multi-Bond Theory in such a fun way. it could explain why Craig's Bond privately owns Connery's DB40 from Goldfinger. and in this universe, there would have been a scenario where a retired Sean Connery would have met and shared stories with a childhood Daniel Craig.
WHEN CRAIG DIED
so during the final battle at Skyfall, Bond falls into a frozen lake. we see him fight a guy underwater, and then light a flare to try and find an escape. however, no opening is visible and we never actually see him come out of the lake. instead, he just shows up at the last minute to save M, and then we cut to London with all of the set up stuff i talked about to close out the trilogy.
so my head-canon is that Daniel Craig died in that lake, and Silva won by killing M and himself in the church. that's where Skyfall really ended. everything we saw from the lake onwards are just a dying man's oxygen-deprived brain trying to reconcile what's happening to him. he's incorporating his past missions, his family history, and Connery's old Bond stories all into one "life flashing before your eyes" moment. that's why SPECTRE, unlike any Bond movie before, starts with the title card "THE DEAD ARE ALIVE". this is a dead man's fantasy.

During quarantine, I've had the opportunity to rewatch every movie in relatively short succession. I've seen them all 2-10 times and have been a lifelong Bond fan. I enjoy every Bond film, even the "bad" ones, but I wanted to try and rank them. I used a scoring system to help me, but ultimately went with my gut (e.g. License to Kill MUST be better than The World is Not Enough). I thought a tier system of ranking was useful, because it really is splitting hairs to rank some of these. Feel free to critique my ratings, my ratings weightings, and opinions!

You could say I have too much time on my hands
Tier 7: The Worst

Die Another Day: Best Sword Fight

- Why it's not irredeemable: For being the lowest ranked film on this list, it's not without its moments. Bond getting caught, tortured, then escaping from MI6 was interesting and novel. The ice hotel was neat, as well as the chase scene. I'll even defend the much maligned invisible car, as the Aston Martin Vanquish is quite a car.
- Why it's not higher: Personally, I think Halle Berry is a terrible Bond girl, alternating between damsel in distress and super woman as the plot demands it. Moreover, Graves and the plot in general is pretty cheesy and boring. Perhaps most damaging is the deadly serious tone of the movie, which doesn't even provide the fun and excitement Brosnan's films generally provide the viewer.
- Most under-appreciated part: The fencing scene is the best action scene of the entire movie. It's surprising it took Bond this long to fence, but seeing them go at it across the club was a blast.

Tier 6: Disappointing

Quantum of Solace: Best Car Chase

- Why it's this high: The action is quite good, likely meriting the distinction of the best car chase in the entire series (the pre-credits sequence). Mathis is a good ally and it is sad to see him go.
- Why it's not higher: My biggest beef with Craig's Bond films is that they are too serious, so when the plot and script isn't top-notch, the movie watching experience is just kind of dull. Quantum of Solace takes a bold risk in making the first Bond sequel, but unfortunately it's just not that good. Greene seems like a rather pathetic Bond villain, and his henchman (the worst in the series?) ends up in a neck-brace after getting tripped by Camilla. Also, the shaky cam is distracting and exhausting.
- Most under-appreciated part: I actually thing the theme song is pretty good! Maybe I'm just too much of a Jack White groupie, but I think it rocks.

Moonraker: Best Locales

- Why it's this high: I'm pleased to see Jaws making a return, as he is an amazing henchman. On that note, the pre-credits sequence with Bond and Jaws falling out of the plane is exhilarating. Holly Goodhead is a very good Bond girl, beautiful, smart, and competent. Roger Moore always does an excellent job playing the role with suavity and wit.
- Why it's not higher: Gosh it's cheesy. Particularly egregious is Jaws' love story. The theme song is terrible and Bond doesn't have any solid allies besides Goodhead and Jaws.
- Most under-appreciated part: They really go all out with the settings here. Obviously, space is pretty polarizing, but I think Bond clearly should go to space at SOME point during the series. In addition, Italy and Brazil were gorgeous views, while Drax's estate is magnificent.

Spectre: Best Shooting

- Why it's this high: Rewatching this for the second time, I realized Lea Seydoux does a good job as the Bond girl, and it's actually quite believable she and James could work out, as she is the daughter of an assassin and can understand him (as Blofeld points out). Seeing Bond show off his marksmanship was quite satisfying, especially that one long shot during the escape from Blofeld's compound. Bonus points for Bond's DB10 and resurrecting the DB5.
- Why it's not higher: The fatal flaw of this film is making Blofeld Bond's adopted brother. How did Bond not recognize him? How is Blofeld able to keep himself secret from British intelligence yet every criminal worth his salt knows of him? The worst part is that it actually cheapens the plot of the other Craig movies. I believe the Bond franchise should stay clear from sequels from here on out. Yes, they can weave a great story if done correctly, but it's so much more difficult to make great sequels (e.g. Star Wars only made two worthy sequels in seven tries) than to do one-offs. As usual for a Craig film, Bond has little charisma (save for his surprisingly good rapport with Moneypenny) and little in the way of jokes to lighten the mood.
- Most under-appreciated part: The train fight scene with Dave Bautista is great! Gosh it was awesome to see them go at it, break through walls, and a priceless expression on Bautista's face when he knows he's done. Bautista is the first decent henchman since the 90s, so glad to see the series go back to this staple.

The Man with the Golden Gun: Best Potential, Worst Execution

- Why it's this high: This Bond movie frustrates more than any other, as it has the potential to be an all-time great. Bond's debriefing starts off with promise, as it turns out the world's top assassin is gunning for Bond! For the first time in the series, Bond seems vulnerable! M makes a hilarious quip as to who would try to kill Bond ("jealous husbands ... the list is endless"). Furthermore, the legendary Christopher Lee is possible the best Bond villain, a rare peer of 007.
- Why it's not higher: Unfortunately, the movie opts to change course so that it's just Maud Adams trying to get Bond to kill Scaramanga. Goodnight is beautiful, but maybe the most inept Bond girl of all-time. They used a SLIDE WHISTLE, ruining one of the coolest Bond stunts ever (the car jump).
- Most under-appreciated part: Nick Nack is a splendid henchman, showing the role can be more than just a strongman.

Diamonds Are Forever: Great Beginning and Ending, but Bad Everywhere Else

- Why it's this high: Is there another Bond with such a great contrast between the beginning/ending and everything in between? Connery shows his tough side, as he muscles his way through the pre-credits scene. Particularly good was the part where he seduces the woman, then uses her bikini top to choke her. At the end, Bond expertly uses his wine knowledge to detect something is amiss, then dispatches Kidd and Wint in style. Other cool scenes include Bond scaling the building to reach Blofeld and Bond driving the Mustang through the alley.
- Why it's not higher: This is one of the films that I find myself liking less and less over time. Vegas, and especially the space laboratory scene, just seem cheesy. Connery is officially too old at this point, and Jill St. John just isn't a very compelling Bond girl. I would've preferred to have seen more of Plenty O'Toole, but alas 'twas not meant to be. Leiter is uninspired as well. Having Bond go after Blofeld for the millionth time just seems tired at this point.
- Most under-appreciated part: Mr. Kidd and Wint are the creepiest henchmen in the Bond universe, but I'd argue they are some of the best. Their banter and creative modes of execution are quite chilling and thrilling.

A View to a Kill: Best Theme

- Why it's this high: Is it a hot take to not have View in the bottom five? Let me explain. I contend Duran Duran's theme is the very best. The ending fight scene on the Golden Gate Bridge is actually one of the most iconic ending set pieces in the series. The plot is stellar on paper, as the horse racing part was a very Bondian side story, and the idea of an attack on Silicon Valley actually seems even more plausible today.
- Why it's not higher: It's self-evident that Moore is way too old for the part. Some parts are just mind-blowingly ridiculous, such as the fire truck chase scene through San Francisco and the part where Stacey is caught unaware by a blimp behind her. Speaking of Stacey, she may be beautiful, but she spends most of the movie shrieking whenever something goes wrong.
- Most under-appreciated part: The scene with Bond and Ivanova is cool (I always like it when he interacts with other spies) and quite entertaining how he fools her with the cassettes.

Tier 5: Below Average

Octopussy: The Most Characteristically Roger Moore Bond Film

- Why it's this high: Maud Adams has great screen presence as Octopussy, and her Amazonian-like women are cool to watch fight. Bond's deft swipe of the egg was nicely done. On a related aside, I wish Bond films would emphasize Bond's intellect more, as it seems the 60s and 70s films would allow Bond to showcase his vast knowledge more frequently than he does today. Gobinda is a fierce henchman, while India in general is a cool location. The plot is realistic, yet grand (war-mongering Russian general tries to detonate a nuke to get NATO to turn on itself).
- Why it's not higher: This is the first Moore film where he simply was too old and shouldn't have been cast. Yes, it's too cheesy at times, most infamously during the Tarzan yell. Bond also doesn't use any cool vehicles.
- Most under-appreciated part: People tend to focus too much on Bond dressing as a clown, but the scene where Bond furiously tries to get to the bomb in time to defuse it is one of the tensest moments in the series. Moore's "Dammit there's a bomb in there!" really demonstrated the gravity of the situation (I get goosebumps during that part).

Tomorrow Never Dies: Most Tasteful Humor

- Why it's this high: Brosnan really settles into the role well here. He gives the most charismatic Bond performance in 15 years or so. His quip "I'm just here at Oxford, brushing up on a little Danish" is an all-time great Bond line. Teri Hatcher is stunning as Paris Carver, delivering a memorable performance with her limited screen time. The plot is original and ages well, highlighting the potential downsides of media power, while Carver is an above average villain.
- Why it's not higher: Wai Lin is good for action, but the chemistry between her and Bond is non-existent. By the end of the movie, Pryce just seem silly (especially the scene where he mocks Wai Lin's martial arts skills). There aren't any good Bond allies, as Jack Wade doesn't impress in his return to the franchise. In general though, the movie has few things terribly wrong with it, it just doesn't excel in many ways.
- Most under-appreciated part: Dr. Kaufman is hysterical. At first, I thought "this is weird," but by the end of the scene I'm cracking up. I genuinely wish they found someway to bring him back for World, but c'est la vie.

The World Is Not Enough: Less than the Sum of its Parts

- Why it's this high: According to my spreadsheet, this is a top 10 Bond film, while on my first watch on this film I thought it was bottom five. I think the truth is that it's somewhere in between. I like the settings, everything from the temporary MI-6 headquarters to Azerbaijan. Elektra is an all-time great Bond girl, with a nice plot twist and character arc. The glasses where Bond sees through women's clothing are hilarious. The sense of danger is strong, with everyone from Bond to M being in danger. The return of Zukovsky is a nice plus.
- Why it's not higher: I think two things really doom this film. First, Renard is totally wasted a henchman. The idea of him not feeling pain is a cool one, but he just seems boring and extraneous. I don't even think Carlyle acted poorly, he was just misused. Secondly, the ending (after Bond killing Elektra which is quite good) is rather terrible. The whole scene in the sub just isn't entertaining or engaging.
- Most under-appreciated part: I'm going to defend Denise Richards as Christmas Jones. Although no Ursula Andress, Richards is absolutely gorgeous and did not actively make Bond's mission more difficult, which is more than some Bond girls can say *cough Britt Ekland. In particular, I found her introductory scene to be quite memorable and convincing. Also, the Christmas quip at the end is quite cheeky.

Tier 4: Solid

The Living Daylights:

- Why it's this high: Dalton brings a breath of fresh air to the franchise here. His more serious take makes for interesting movies that seem more unique than most. I'm happy to see this subreddit appreciate Dalton more than the casual fun does, but I wouldn't go as far as the Dalton fanboys and say he's the best Bond or anything like that. I do wish he got the role sooner and did more films. Moving on to Daylights, it's got a good intro for Dalton and good plot in general. Surprisingly, Bond's fidelity doesn't bother me one bit, as it actually makes sense that Kara falls in love with James by the end, given all they've gone through.
- Why it's not higher: The biggest reason is that the villain is just terrible. Whitaker seems silly and pathetic, a terrible contrast to Dalton's serious nature. I think Whitaker might be the worst in the series, and a Bond movie can't be great without a good villain. Also, Dalton doesn't have much charm and is abysmal at one-liners, which, in my opinion, IS a facet of the perfect James Bond.
- Most under-appreciated part: The Aston Martin Vantage is a beautiful car, and the chase scene across the ice is great! It's both exciting and funny! Not sure why people don't talk about this chase scene and this car more; it's arguably the highlight of the movie for me.

Thunderball: The Most Beautiful

- Why it's this high: Thunderball used to be top five for me and here is why. The underwater scenes, the setting, the score, and the Bond girls are beautiful even to this day. Domino is excellent, while Volpe is a tour de force, oozing sexuality and danger. I think the underwater parts are interesting and novel, creating a staple of sorts for the franchise. The DB 5 is always welcome, and the jetpack use was quite cool for the time (and to some extent now).
- Why it's not higher: Some would say it's boring, while I would more generously admit the plot is slow. Furthermore, the theme song is all-time bad (apparently they could have used Johnny Cash!!!), and there is no great henchman for Bond to dispatch.
- Most under-appreciated part: Two plot ideas I liked a lot: Bond being injured and needing rehab, plus the part where all the 00s meet up and then are sent to the corners of the globe.

Never Say Never Again: Guilty Pleasure

- Why it's this high: Rewatching Never for the third time, I was struck by how fun this movie is. It's exciting, funny, and fast-paced. Basically, it's a more exciting version of Thunderball, with better pacing and better humor. I think Irvin Kershner did a great job managing this star studded cast. Carrera is a firecracker as Blush, Sydow is a convincing Blofeld, and Basinger is a classic Bond girl. Connery clearly has a blast returning to the role, doing a great job despite his advanced age. If anything, this one might not be ranked high enough.
- Why it's not higher: The music is terrible. Normally I don't notice these things, but one can't help but notice how dreadful this one is. The theme is awful as well. I'd argue this is the worst music of any Bond film.
- Most under-appreciated part: The humor! This is one of the funniest Bonds, as I found myself laughing out loud at various parts (e.g. Mr Bean!).

The Spy Who Loved Me: Best Intro

- Why it's this high: There's a lot to love about this one, so I get why this ranks highly for many. It is simply the best introduction, starting with Bond romancing a woman, followed by a skii chase, then jumping off the cliff and pulling the Union Jack parachute! The Lotus is a top 3 Bond car. Jaws is a superb henchman. Triple X was an excellent Bond girl, deadly, charming, and beautiful. Of course, Moore is charming and the locations are exotic (Egypt was a cool locale). If I had to pick one Moore movie for a newcomer to watch, it would be this one.
- Why it's not higher: The theme song is bad, and Stromberg is a below average villain. I also think the last 45 minutes or so of the movie kind of drags.
- Most under-appreciated part: The whole dynamic between Bond and Triple X is great. Whenever Bond movies show Bond squaring off against other spies (see View to a Kill, Goldeneye) it's just a pleasure to watch.

Live and Let Die: Most Suave

- Why it's this high: Roger Moore superbly carves out his own take on Bond in an excellent addition to the franchise. The boat chase is my favorite in the series, and Live and Let Die is my second favorite theme. Jane Seymour is a good Bond girl, while Tee Hee and Kananga are a solid villain/henchman duo. Unpopular opinion: I find J.W. Pepper to be hilarious.
- Why it's not higher: The introduction isn't very good, as Bond isn't even included! The second climax with the voodoo isn't great. Bond blowing up Kananga has aged terribly.
- Most under-appreciated part: When Bond is visited in his apartment by M and Moneypenny, Bond rushes to hide his girl from his coworkers. Finally, when they leave and he unzips the dress with his magnetic watch is one of the best uses of a Bond gadget in the series, showcasing why Moore might be the most charming Bond of them all.

You Only Live Twice: Best Blofeld

- Why it's this high: Just your classic, fun Sean Connery Bond movie. It was a great decision to send Bond to Japan for his first Asian visit, giving the movie a fresh feel. The ending set piece battle is potentially the best of this staple of 60s/70s Bonds. Tiger Tanaka is one of Bond's cooler allies. Pleasance killed it as Blofeld; when I think of Blofeld, I think of his take. In what could have been cheesy, he is actually somewhat frightening.
- Why it's not higher: The whole "we need to make you look Japanese" part seems both unrealistic (who is he really fooling?) plus surprisingly impotent coming from Tiger Tanaka who seems to be a competent and connected man otherwise. Honestly though, this movie doesn't have a major weakness.
- Most under-appreciated part: The fight scene with the guard in the executive's office is probably the best hand-to-hand fight in the series up until that point.

Tier 3: Excellent

Dr. No: The Most Spy-Like

- Why it's this high: Nearly 60 years later, this film is still a blast to watch, due in no small part to its focus on the little things of being a spy. I adore the scenes where Bond does the little things spies (presumably) do, such as putting a hair across the door, or showing Bond playing solitaire while waiting to spring his trap on Prof. Dent. I also enjoy the suspense of Bond sleuthing around the island, while he and the viewer are completely unaware of whom the villain is until quite late in the film. It's easy to take for granted now, but this film established so many series traditions that were ingenious. My personal favorite is Bond's introduction at the card table: "Bond .... James Bond."
- Why it's not higher: The film just doesn't have the payoff it deserves. Maybe it's just a result of the time and budget, but from the point Bond escapes on, it's just mediocre. Particularly egregious is the "fight" between Dr. No and Bond where No meets his demise.
- Most under-appreciated part: Ursula Andress was a surprisingly well developed Bond girl, with a shockingly violent backstory (she was raped!). Obviously, she is beautiful and the beach scene is iconic, but I was pleasantly surprised to conclude she is more than just eye candy.

License to Kill: The Grittiest

- Why it's this high: On my first watch, this was my least favorite Bond film, as I thought it was too dark and violent to befit 007. By my third time watching, I've decided it's actually one of the best. Fortunately, I don't have to go on my "Ackshually, Dalton did a good job" rant with this subreddit. I liked the wedding intro and the concept of a revenge arc for Leiter (although come on he should've been killed by a freaking shark). Also, Lamora and (especially) Bouvier are great Bond girls. Bouvier is both competent and beautiful, and it's great to see Bond choose her at the end.
- Why it's not higher: The theme song is atrocious, Dalton is so angry (dare I say charmless?) the whole time it's almost puzzling why Bouvier and Lamora fall for him, and Bond doesn't use any cool vehicles.
- Most under-appreciated part: Sanchez is actually a sneaky good Bond villain.

For Your Eyes Only: The Most Underrated

- Why it's this high: I think Moore is a bit underrated as Bond. Yes, he was too old towards the end and yes, his movies were at times too campy, but he himself played the role admirably. He was the most charming and witty of all the Bonds, so by the time he got his first relatively serious plot to work with, he hit it out of the park. Anyhow, the climactic mountaintop assault is one of my favorite Bond action climaxes. Columbo is one of the best Bond allies, and the plot twist where he turns out to be good and Kristatos bad was well-done.
- Why it's not higher: The intro is just silly. Bibi's romantic infatuation with Bond is just ...er... uncomfortable?
- Most under-appreciated part: The theme song is a banger. What a chorus!

Tier 2: Exceptional

Skyfall: The Sharpest Film (From Plot to Aesthetics)

- Why it's this high: One of the best plots of the entire series. The idea of an older Bond who had lost a step, along with making M the focus point of the movie, works very well. Seeing Bond's childhood home is also pretty cool. Bardem's take on Silva is delightful and a lot of fun to watch. Even the cinematography is a series peak, while Adele's them is excellent.
- Why it's not higher: One thing most Craig Bond films suffer from is the lack of a Bond-worthy henchman. Skyfall is no exception. More importantly, Bond girls are mostly irrelevant to the film. Yes, Severine is both beautiful and interesting, but she's scarcely twenty minutes of the film.
- Most under-appreciated part: Setting the new supporting characters up nicely. The Moneypenny backstory was well-done. Casting Ralph Fiennes as the new M is a great choice in of itself, but he also got a nice chuck of background story to help us going forward.

Casino Royale: The First Bond Film I'd Show a Series Newcomer

- Why it's this high: Craig's take on Bond feels like a breath of fresh air. In particular, his hand-to-hand combat scenes are so much better (and more believable) than any other Bond. The parkour chase scene is one of the best chase scenes in the series. Le Chifre is an excellent villain, but, more importantly, Vesper is an all-time great Bond girl. The conversation between Vesper and Bond on the train is probably the most interesting of any film. Bonus points for Jeffrey Wright as Leiter and the Aston Martin DBS.
- Why it's not higher: There are hardly any humorous parts or much charm displayed by Bond in general. More importantly, the movie should have just ended when Bond wakes up in rehab. The rest of the movie feels confused and superfluous.
- Most under-appreciated part: The decision to change from chemin de fer to poker makes for much better (and understandable!) cinema. The poker scenes are the best of Bond's many gambling scenes throughout the series.

Goldeneye: The Most Fun

- Why it's this high: Wow, rewatching Goldeneye I was struck by how entertaining the whole thing is. The opening jump is breath taking, the scene where Bond drives his evaluator around is hilarious, and Xenia Onatopp is a livewire. Sean Bean is a formidable villain as 006, and a great foil to James. Bond and Judi Dench's first scene together is amazing. Goldeneye feels like the first modern Bond, yet so true to the predecessors. Wade and especially Zukovsky are excellent allies.
- Why it's not higher: Simonova is a forgettable Bond girl. She's not annoying, unattractive, or acted poorly, but is just below average in most regards (looks, back story, chemistry with Bond, plot).
- Most under-appreciated part: the action is just so much better than any Bond before it

From Russia with Love: The Best Henchman (Red Grant)

- Why it's this high: Interesting settings, beautiful women, and an engaging story make this a classic. I'm not the first to point out that the scenes with Grant and Bond aboard the train are some of the best in the entire series. Grant is one of the few villains who feels like a match for 007. Furthermore, the addition of Desmond Llewyn as Q was crucial and Kerim Bey is one of the better Bond allies.
- Why it's not higher: The helicopter scene should've just been omitted, especially when combined with the subsequent boat chase. It's just awkward to watch.
- Most under-appreciated part: The gypsy scenes are quite exotic and entertaining.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service: The Most Heartfelt

- Why it's this high: James and Tracy's love story is charming, and when she dies at the end, this is the one and only time in the entire series where the viewer feels genuinely sad. Diana Rigg did an excellent job convincing the audience Bond could finally fall in love with one girl. The skiing scenes were beautifully filmed, and the score was exemplary. Personally, I quite liked Lazenby's take; however, some of his lines and jokes fall flat. To his credit, he looks and acts like Bond more than any other actor.
- Why it's not higher: Honestly, it does drag at times in the first half, plus there is no theme song!
- Most under-appreciated part: Bond's Aston Martin DBS is a beautiful car, combining 60's sports-car beauty with Aston Martin's elegance.

Tier 1: The Best

Goldfinger: The quintessential Bond

- Why it's this high: From the opening ("Positively shocking") to the seduction of Pussy Galore at the end, this film has it all. Goldfinger is an all time great villain, while Odd Job is an exceptional henchman. Connery delivers a master performance, and drives THE classic Bond Car, ejector seat included. The reason I put it #1 is not necessarily because it is the best film (although it is great), it checks all the boxes of what a perfect Bond film should do.
- Why it's not higher: I cannot think of any notable imperfections.
- Most under-appreciated part: The golf scene between Bond and Goldfinger is a delight to watch, demonstrating Bond's wits for the first and only time on the golf course.

Up until about two weeks ago, I had only seen three of the Daniel Craig Bond movies (CR, SF, SP) but since NTTD has been pushed back, and Quarantine has given me a lot more time of my hands, I figured I would watch the rest of the official series. It’s safe to say I am a Bond fan now :)

Casino Royale- I know recently it’s become the ‘cool’ thing to hate on Craig’s take as Bond, or his tenure as Bond or whatever people like to bitch about, but Casino Royale really reminds you why his Bond is so popular. A lot of entries in my top ten I could get sick of after awhile, but like GoldenEye, Casino Royale really only gets better on rewatch. Craig is fantastic as a young double O agent who is overly confident but at the same time charming as hell. The movie really strips away all of what we know of Bond completely by the end of the movie and leaves us with a hardened agent. I used to dislike the stuff with Vesper, but recently I’ve been able to really appreciate the value in her character. Le Chiffre is actually a villain you can understand, and every scene is masterfully done.
Licence To Kill- When talking about TLD, I was pretty much just gushing over Dalton, but the reason why is that everything that is set up in that movie, is paid off in LTK. While I would have loved a third Dalton movie, the two he is featured in really give a lot of closure to his character in my eyes. He’s introduced as this agent who is more of a reluctant hero, as he doesn’t like taking orders and is questioning his occupation as a killer. All of this comes to a head when his friends are maimed and killed, and he seeks revenge against a dangerous drug cartel. It almost makes Dalton’s Bond feel tragic in a way, like he’s destined to always be a killer. Not that this movie is completely depressing, it honestly has some of the best action in the series, and Sanchez is definitely the most underrated Bond Villain. Can’t get enough of Dalton’s Bond, but LTK, like Skyfall, just feels like an event in the series.
GoldenEye- Does anyone really dislike GoldenEye? I don’t think I’ve ever seen or met someone who doesn’t like this movie. Well it’s not really hard to see why, because as Bond was launched into the 90s, this soft reboot really took Bond in an incredibly exciting direction. The scale of this movie feels so much larger than anything else in the franchise and is always fun to watch. Brosnan feels so fresh and new, almost like a predecessor to Connery. He’s cool and confident, and his scene with M is one of my favorites. Could watch this movie at anytime and still love it.
Goldfinger- Maybe the most Iconic Bond movie, Goldfinger is just really entertaining but also groundbreaking for establishing the Bond formula. Goldfinger himself is easily Connery’s best villain, maybe just because he feels so determined and isn’t connected to SPECTRE or anything. Connery is amazing, the set pieces still hold up, and is just a fantastic film I’m it’s own right.
The Living Daylights- Timothy Dalton is without a doubt my favorite Bond. I find him to be a perfect amalgamation of all the Bonds. He’s got the ruthless cold demeanor of Craig, the sensitivities of Lazenby, he has no trouble finding humor in situations like Moore, he can easily charm a woman like Connery and he knows how to use a gadget from Q just like Brosnan. I know now Dalton is in no ways underrated, maybe only by the general public, but I’m really glad he’s getting a fair shake these days. While I prefer LTK, Daylights introduces us to Dalton’s fresh take and also includes my favorite Bond girl, simply because for once in the series, Bond actually seems to be in love. The only thing I could say against this movie is that the Villain is unfortunately very weak, but other than that, a great movie in the series.
Skyfall- Coming up on almost 25 movies in a franchise, Bond movies can often feel pretty disposable but Skyfall really feels like an event in the series. Coming 4 years after one of the worst movies in the franchise, the plot line questioning if Bond is up for his missions feels really relevant and actually attempts to explore the character. Despite the first act being a little slow moving, once the film introduces Silva, my favorite Bond villain, it really becomes something special. Judi Dench’s M delivering her testimony in court spliced with Silva wreaking havoc in London still gives me chills. Amazing visuals, a standout plot and Villain, and Craig at the absolute top of his game.
Live And Let Die- I feel like Moore’s first outing is one of the more underrated or at least under appreciated moments in the series. When I think of the Moore era, with all the quips and gadgets and camp, I immediately think of scenes from LALD. It’s also one of the weirder movies in the franchise, dealing with Voodoo and seemingly attempting a blaxploitation film. I love the villains, I love how weird it is, I love Solitaire who’s easily one of my favorite Bond girls. This is just a really easy to digest and entertaining movie to me.
Thunderball- One of my favorite parts of these movies is easily the stunts and action set pieces so it’s strange that that is my least favorite aspect of Thunderball. I’m sure they were impressive in 1965, but 55 years later I wouldn’t say it really holds up. That said, this is one of my favorite Connery performances. It’s just so entertaining watching him interact with the environments and the different characters and it’s clear that he’s having fun, so I always feel like I’m having fun when I watch this movie.
For Your Eyes Only- Considering Moore was relatively old to play Bond when he started his Tenure, five films in it really starts to become apparent. I’m someone who definitely prefers a younger Bond, but this is a rare occasion in the series where an older Bond actually fits in the story. This movie I find to be the most interesting Moore film and while its not high art or anything, it’s quite a contemplative moment for the Bond films.
From Russia With Love- I want to get the negatives out of the way in saying I really don’t like the first hour of this movie. Nothing stands out at all and I just find it a drag to sit through. That being said, and with this movie being in my top ten, it’s really a testament to how great the second half is. All the scenes on the train feel like classic old school Bond and it’s a shame nothing like this will probably ever be made in the series again. Very well done and exciting to watch.
The Man With The Golden Gun- Like I said earlier, even though he’s not my favorite Bond I can enjoy almost all of the Moore era movies. JW Pepper is one of the strangest decisions ever made for the series IMO and just on that, I can’t help but enjoy how stupid this movie is. I feel like it’s weakness is that it tries to be too much like LALD which is definitely better, but it’s still pretty enjoyable.
Octopussy- Is this a hot take to have Octopussy so high? I mean yeah the gorilla, Tarzan and clown scenes are admittedly stupid, is it really anymore stupid than anything else in the series? I don’t know, I think it’s kind of fun seeing Bond in these environments. The plot is decent, the villain is decent, the title is hilarious, I just enjoy this one for whatever reason.
The Spy Who Loved Me- While not my favorite Moore movie, it is easily one of the most iconic. Moore is at the top of his game despite an underwhelming main villain. Jaws is great, Bond is fun, and the girls are equally as enjoyable to watch. Definitely a crowd pleaser.
Dr. No- Similar to OHMSS, I don’t know how often I would rewatch this movie, but it definitely feels important as you watch it. Even though the franchise would improve beyond this point, it really is impressive how well everything was coordinated even from the start. Connery didn’t need any time to ease into the role and it shows. A really important and enjoyable movie.
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service- I’ll be completely honest, this has never been one of my favorites of the series but I do appreciate it for what it is. Great directing and lighting in this movie which I really appreciated, but what holds this one back so much for me is Lazenby’s performance. I know he has his fans, but I really just never see him as Bond, and since it’s a Bond movie, I really never feel the urge to rewatch this movie. I like the idea of a more sensitive Bond, and the closing scene is genuinely emotional, I just personally am not a big fan.
The World Is Not Enough- I’m glad people don’t look down on this movie as much anymore because to be honest it’s pretty fun to watch. I’d say the worst thing about it is it feels like one of the sillier Bond plots, but Brosnan is going for a more serious portrayal of the character. Both work on their own, but I think it would work better if they were both kept for other missions. Still, really good action, very entertaining, Brosnan is great, and I don’t care how bad she is in the movie, Denise Richards is hot as fuck.
Spectre- If this movie didn’t include all the ridiculous nonsense of Bond and Blofeld being brothers, and Blofeld being connected to all the other Craig movies, and maybe just everything including Blofeld, I could see this sitting comfortably a few spots up on this list. Because taking all that shit out, it’s pretty much a by-the-numbers Bond mission which it seems fans have been clamoring for for awhile now. Don’t hate this movie, Craig is still good, the action is fine, you can watch it. But definitely some terrible decisions in the script process.
A View To A Kill- Often regarded as Moore’s worst, sometimes even considered the franchise’s worst, but mostly just a guilty pleasure for me. As a fan of bad movies, I can’t really hate this film. It’s hilarious watching a near sixty James Bond trying to stop Christopher Walken from blowing up Silicon Valley. Just a really strange but fun to laugh at movie.
You Only Live Twice- Definitely the moment where the wheels started to come off for Connery, but has some enjoyable elements. Connery is still charming and the adventure is still there for the most part, it just doesn’t really stand out in the franchise.
Tomorrow Never Dies- While this isn’t the worst Brosnan Bond film, it is Brosnan’s worst performance as Bond if that makes sense. I think he’s a great Bond otherwise, but he’s probably the worst thing about this movie. He seems bored and like he’s about to fall asleep the whole movie. Only thing that keeps it from being a complete waste is a few standout action scenes especially the remote control car chase. Also Brosnan is legitimately good in his scene with Q.
Diamonds Are Forever- My most controversial take on the entire Bond series might be the fact that I don’t see Connery as the ideal Bond or the best to play the character or anything to that effect, but I’ll be the first to admit his run as Bond was definitely one of the most consistent. Unfortunately even for him, he got to the point where it was clear he was just showing up for a paycheck.
Moonraker- Most agree that Moore stuck around in the Bond role for far too long, but it’s odd how IMO, Moores worst comes directly in the center of his tenure. Not much else to say, except I was extremely bored throughout the duration of this movie. Moore doesn’t seem to care so why should I. Jaws coming back was ok and I kind of liked the scene on the ski lift or whatever that was, but really all you get from this outing is recycled set pieces from better Bond movies and a shameless rip off of Star Wars for the last 25 minutes. Eh.
Quantum Of Solace- It’s kinda weird how this movie brings absolutely nothing to the table, coming directly after one of the biggest breathes of air in the entire franchise. Just feels like the director heard that the Bond franchise was heading in a dark direction and decided to make the dullest action movie of all time. I’m all for experimentation in this series, but it not only doesn’t feel like a Bond film, it doesn’t feel like anything at all. Only reason it’s above DAD is because it didn’t necessarily put me in a bad mood (literally put me in no mood at all) and I think the Bond theme is pretty good. I have this as the worst Craig movie and not Spectre I guess just because even though Spectre has laughably bad writing, at least it has something to laugh at.
Die Another Day- Honestly even though I definitely prefer the grittier more modern approach to Bond, I can definitely get into a campy Bond movie and I actually quite enjoy most of the Roger Moore era. Unfortunately for the case of Brosnan’s final outing, this movie really just feels like it’s trying to be something it’s not and it’s pretty depressing. Maybe it’s because I watched it at 8AM but this is one of the only Bond movies that puts me in a bad mood.

If I seem overly critical, just keep in mind I pretty much at least enjoy everything from 19-1. Let me know what you think!

POSSIBLE SPOILERS
Many have been speculating exactly what Madeleine Swann’s secret is in No Time To Die. I wanted to make a post with all the concrete details the trailers and other official sources have given us.
First of all, we know that the Noh mask we see Safin wearing in the trailers has a significance to Madeleine as early as the Matera scenes, which will likely be the first in the film. She cries when she receives the box with the broken mask in it, the same mask we see Safin wear as he fires a gun at someone under the ice. This links her secret directly with Safin. What is interesting too is that in Noh theatre the main character often is a ghost. “Faces from my past return...”
Bond knows in Matera that Madeleine has some secret but he does not know what it is. She asks him “Why would I betray you?” in the DB5 as they are being chased in Matera. Even by the time they are in London at MI6 Blofeld taunts James with “When her secret finds its way out, it’ll be the death of you.” Bond by that point still does not know, but Madeleine, Safin, and Blofeld all know independently.
Madeleine in Spectre tells James that a man came to her home one night with the intention of killing her father but she killed him first. Her father of course was Mr. White, the man responsible for the deal that cost Vesper Lynd her life.
In the song trailer, some clever editing shows both Bond and Madeleine with notes. Bond stands before a tomb with a burning note that reads “Forgive Me.” I am aware of articles that talk about unofficial details regarding the tomb, but here I want to focus on official. The tomb, if in Matera and has an emotional significance to Bond, would have to be Vesper’s. She is the only one who could be buried in Italy, and it very well was likely James himself who buried her considering she was an orphan without any family. If the tomb sets off a chain of events that allows Bond to know that Madeleine has a secret, this must link Vesper, Mr. White, Madeleine, Safin, and Blofeld together.
Madeleine would have been 20 years old around the events of Casino Royale and was estranged from her father by this point. Vesper herself was 25 when she died. I think this precludes Madeleine’s secret from having anything to do with Vesper’s death. Also, in Spectre, Blofeld uses the tape of Mr. White’s suicide to torture Madeleine. If she was a part of SPECTRE, he would not have done so. Blofeld hated Mr. White because White was tired of Blofeld’s evil games.
The biggest question I still have is what is important enough to Bond to be “the death of him.” His relationships with Vesper and (Judi Dench’s) M, sure, but the man already has lost both of them. On top of that he is an orphan and his ancestral home was blown to pieces. Madeleine is the only thing he loves now.
So, from all evidence we have currently, we know why Madeleine’s secret likely isn’t:
• She did not help her father orchestrate Vesper’s betrayal to save Yusuf.
• She is not secretly a SPECTRE agent or the “real” head of SPECTRE.
What it likely could be:
• Madeleine and Safin are brother and sister. Mr. White’s children chose different paths, one becoming fully dedicated to crime and the other dedicated to living honorably. (Vesper?)
• Madeleine contributed to Safin’s science programs before the events of Spectre but did not know he was developing something malicious. She knows who the kidnapped scientist is and that is what links Bond, Felix, and Paloma together to find the scientist. (Vesper?)
The piece I cannot understand yet is Vesper.
If y’all would like to add anything, please feel free! This is all just what I have observed from watching each trailer too many times and analyzing it all. April 10 cannot come soon enough!

Over the last week I read Ian Flemings first James Bond novel Casino Royale for the first time and later re watched the movie. Here are some thoughts on both, including a comparison of similarities, differences and the over all enjoyment I get out of both of these pieces.
Technical aspects:
Casino Royale (novel, 1953), written by Ian Fleming [27 short chapters, around 250 pages, depending on edition]
Casino Royale (movie, 2006), directed by Martin Campbell [144 minute runtime]
Before diving into further comparisons, there are two obvious, but also significant differences between the movie and the novel. The first being the time it is set in, both are contemporary to their release date. Meaning the novel is set in the Cold War whereas the movie is set in the 21 century. Because of the resulting differences in international relations historically speaking, you could transfer it (but you don't have to) to the second difference. Flemings novel is a political espionage thriller, whereas Campbells movie re-boot is basically an action movie.
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Structure:
The over all plot of the movie is very similar, nearly identical to its source material.
James Bond, a fresh 00, is set in a high stakes Poker game against Le Chiffre, a desperate (& near bankrupt) banker working for terrorist organizations. Bonds allies are Mathis, Felix Leiter & Vesper Lynd. Bond wins the money, Vesper & him get captured, following the torture, Le Chiffre being interrupted/killed by a member of a mysterious organization. After Bond & Vesper seek a happy life, the latter is confronted with her "real" identity/past & kills herself, leaving Bond emotionally broken & eventually cold.
As said in my first paragraph, Flemings novel isn't an "action" novel. There is an early assassination/botched bomb attempt in the early chapters (similar to the airport sequence) but it's nowhere near as action heavy as the movie, which follows parkour chases, knife fights & bus/plane explosions, stairway fights & the closing crumbling house set piece.
Narratively Bond meets his allies way earlier, in the movie Vesper & Mathis are introduced around an hour in, whereas in the novel already in the first few chapters, Felix Leiter is introduced very late in the movie and only after Bond is struggling in the Poker game. The whole Dimitrious, Ellipse stuff isn't in the novel.
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Main characters:
- James Bond:
Bonds portrayal is very close to the novel. He's described as a very tough man, perfectly shown by Craigs physical appearance, his hard & masculine face & the early corporal fight scenes & chases. His attitude fits the source material. Bond is smart & charming, but he can switch of in any moment to being a ruthless killer.
- Vesper Lynd:
A big part of Vespers character in the novel is her beauty. There are long passages describing everything about her body & face. She certainly is beautiful in the movie, played by the gorgeous Eva Green. Yet in the movie she comes across as much more independent & aware. She's smart in the novel, but much more worthy in a psychological duel with Bond in the movie. In both the movie & novel she is a double agent, who got blackmailed & had to take this identity in order to save her boyfriend, but then fell in love with James.
- Le Chiffre:
Le Chiffre, in both movie & novel is a scary fucking dude. There still is something a bit charming about Mikkelsen presence though. He's described as considerably ugly in the novel, and basically as the epitome of evil. In the movie he comes across as more "human", desperation etc (make no mistake he's a vicious bastard, but he's not the devil).
- M:
The obvious difference is the gender swap in M. In the novel, Bond respects & in some way even fears M. The Bond/M relationship of Flemings books never really translated onto the bigger screen (it's tough to find someone intimidating against the charisma of Connery to be fair) so the change is an interesting touch. While he certainly respects Judi Denchs M, there is more slick and clever dialogue coming out of the conversations.
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The Poker Game:
The Poker game in the novel, as basically all of it, is set in France, whereas the movie jumps around Madagascar, the Bahamas, Venice & Montenegro, the latter being the setting of the poker game.
Also, in the novel they play Baccarat, which was very popular at that time, in the movie they play Texas Hold 'Em, which (surprise) was popular in that time. The game itself is similar structured, back and forth until Le Chiffre wins a big one and Bond is in huge desperation but comes back in the last round winning all of it (with the help of Felix Leiters money).
In both movie & novel, Le Chiffre tries to prevent/"attack" Bond during the last hand. In the movie he gets poisoned, which nearly causes him to pass out. In the novel, he is directly physically threatened by a bodyguard of the Le Chiffre with a gun under the table/chair.
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Remarkable similarities:
- Practically the entire torture scene is directly taken out of the source material. Bond gets stripped naked and tied up to a chair, then punched to the balls multiple times until the near pass out. Only difference is that in the movie Le Chiffre uses a rope, in the novel it is a carpet beater.
- Some dialogue & lines are extracted out of Flemings novel. Such as the VespeMartini order.
>Three measures of Gordons, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?
Or the iconic line.
>The bitch is dead.
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Other differences:
- The whole Mathis alleged double cross plot point only appears in the movie.
- Vespers double cross, signaled by her seeing the man with the eye patch is left to a good bye letter in the novel that Bond reads after she'd poisoned herself. In the movie, she gives the man with the eye patch the money briefcase and after the shoot out in Venice, she traps herself in the elevator and drowns in the crumbling house.
- In the books, the mysterious organization is SMERSH, a russian anti spy organization. In CR it is still unnamed, though in the later Craig films revealed to be SPECTRE.
- The book ends very depressing as her betrayal letter is the last thing. The movie ends on a higher note with Bond capturing Mr White & ending the movie in his iconic introduction lines.
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I have certainly missed a ton of differences of both, but I feel like I have done enough to highlight most of them. Here are some of my personal thoughts:
The novel:
I had a ton of fun reading it for the first time. It's certainly colder & much more serious than a lot of James Bond movies but I liked that it felt more grounded and had espionage instead of thrills. There is a lot of political subtext added by Ian Fleming that reflects on the cold war and on spy agents themselves. It also features some great insight on the Poker game as Bonds mind is on full display with mathematical & stochastically relevant information throughout every hand. I think it ends on a very depressing and sad note, setting the tone for the character to come.
The movie:
I have always considered Casino Royale to be one of my favorite movies of all time. I think it's head and shoulders above every other James Bond film and every time I watch it I discover new things I love about it. The way the movie starts, with the cold blooded double-O earning in a noir fashion, then goes over to the gorgeous credit sequence with so much ingenuity sprinkled across it, is amazing. I'm also amazed by the action the movie has. The Parkour chase has some terrific stunt work & innovation. Or the airplane sequence is packed with enormous tension and suspense. Or the closing Venice shoot out is packed with bad ass moments by Bond. A lot of my love for the movie also comes from the cast. It does contain my a.) favorite Felix Leiter (played by Jeffrey Wright), b.) favorite Bond girl (Vesper Lynd by Eva Green), c.) the best M (played by Judi Dench) and one of my favorite Bond villains (played by Mads Mikkelsen, who is as terrific as ever). Martin Campbell has rock solid directing, focussing on the great stuff of the source material and just like in GoldenEye knowing how to introduce a new Bond & a new way of Bond into the franchise. Daniel Craig is relentlessly amazing. He has the charms, he definitely has the looks, he is believable in the kills, he has a soul, he has a heart, he has emotion. Only Connery is better. The movie also looks gorgeous. Not only its vast settings of exotic locations, beautiful women, high class restaurants, cafes or hotels, pieces of clothing and so on, but also its sharp image and cinematography, by Phil Meheux is astounding. Despite being literally written by three people it also contains some ingenious dialogue. Especially the Bond/Vesper interactions flow so crisply and soft. It's a joy to watch every second of it and I could be talking about it for hours.

All in all, Casino Royale is a great novel and in my opinion, an even greater movie which is a faithful adaptation but also adds many layers and new things to it, knowing that it already is part of a 20+ movie series and therefore adding nostalgia, references or treating its timeless main characters legacy with honor and self reflection.
What do you think about Casino Royale, both the novel & the movie?

First off, I know, this is probably (maybe) the millionth time you guys have seen this (but not from me). And let me just say that I don't think it's a 9/10 or anything. When I say "underrated", I mean that it's better than its 60/100 reputation. I'd give it a 75/100, myself. Here's why:
Pros:

Lea Seydoux's Madeline Swann is the most effective Bond girl turn since Eva Green's Vesper Lynd - by far - and a great performance in its own right (okay, say what you want about Judi Dench's M, but come on). Any good Bond girl needs to be more than a mere damsel in distress or beauty queen. But in terms of series tradition, they DO need to be in distress - and being beautiful is also part of the job description. Seydoux brought a genuine feeling of emotional scarring to her character that made me believe her, and to sympathize with her, but also learn not to underestimate her. And she had great chemistry with Daniel Craig such that her carryover to Bond 25 has been a warmly greeted one. Did their romance happen a little too easily? Sure. But when your name is James Bond...how hard do you really have to work for it? Doesn't change the fact that Seydoux turned in a great performance in the series.
Craig finally got his 'memorable henchman' in Dave Bautista's Mr. Hinx, and their fight scene on the train echoed the rougher fight arrangement of From Russia With Love. Skyfall's Patrice may have been in a good role, but he was ultimately limited in how much of an impression he made and how many 'Bond villain henchman' boxes he checked. Bautista was a massive, cunning, interestingly gimmicked (metal thumbnails and twin-barrel sidearm) relic from a bygone Bond era that I think is one of the requirements in terms of really making Daniel Craig's tenure feel like it stands beside Sean Connery's and Roger Moore's (let me just go ahead and slight Lazenby, Dalton, and Brosnan here) in terms of cinematic spectacle.
Playing off of the above point, Spectre is such a retro Bond film that it feels like a 'greatest hits' with its villainous archetypes, set pieces, bad guy lairs, fight scenes, etc., it was a welcome trip down memory lane. Skyfall set up the possibility for a more 'Bond'y Daniel Craig Bond film, and Spectre paid it off. For better or worse (for better, in my eyes).
Production design. From the opening in Mexico City, to Hoyte van Hoytema's classy cinematography (it rivaled Deakins' work in Skyfall, IMO), to Rome, to the set pieces, to the costuming, it's a gorgeous film to look at. They spared no expense. Every hair was in place, every 'i' dotted, every 't' crossed, and combination of practical effects and stuntwork, on-location filming, and gorgeous cinematography made for some truly gripping moments.

But, again, I don't think it's a perfect film, above reproach, or Daniel Craig's best Bond film. Elements of it are my favorite in the series, but it's a bit of an uneven experience:
Cons:

Christoph Waltz's Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Unlike the majority, I actually do like Waltz's performance in this role. He was born to play a Bond villain, and maybe that's part of the issue with how he was received (because he didn't really live up to astronomical expectations), but I liked his work. And the previous 3 films really established 'personal' villains. The stories took them to personal places. So I understand the instinct here to do that...but what was the point of Blofeld and Bond sharing an origin and all that "cuckoo" stuff? I mean, I don't hate it, it didn't ruin it for me, but it's pointless. Blofeld didn't establish SPECTRE just to toy with James Bond. That's not my problem with it. The motivations for the previous films' plots are intact, and it's revealed that the financier behind all of them (and we knew that they all had financiers - or in the case of Silva highly suspected) was Blofeld and his SPECTRE organization, which he established for his own ideological reasons and personal gain. The personal history between him and Blofeld, that's why he killed his father, why the personal disdain between him and Bond. But that personal disdain amounts to nothing. The emotional angle of it is flat. It's almost irrelevant to the film, itself, where the plot is about the international 'Nine Eyes' surveillance/spy network and how this terrorist organization will benefit from it. It's solely about providing opportunity for exposition regarding Bond's characterization and for the vocal barbs between himself and Blofeld. And that's just not really enough...
Bond defeats Blofeld by shooting down his helicopter...with a sidearm. Okay, sure, if you place your rounds directly on the rotary mechanism, you'll plausibly break something. But who in the world can hit a helicopter at distance, speeding away, with a short-range weapon? I need more than that, guys. That's a stretch.
The number of twists and turns made it feel a bit long. The plot felt like it was over when Bond blew up Blofeld's base (also too easy). But then we have another half hour of film after that or so, give or take...

So those are my thoughts. I think Spectre is a pretty good movie, and an even better Bond film. I'd rank it:

Casino Royale - 90/100
Skyfall - 88/100
Spectre - 75/100
Quantum of Solace - 65/100

Alright. Now, I realize what I'm about to endeavor is an absolutely absurd task that has very little point, but it's where my mind always goes when I listen to the movie theme songs (which I do a lot because I have one of the Theme Song CDs). So let's to this.
I always wonder who is actually singing the song in relation to the movie it represents. The songs range pretty wildly with regards to their relevance to the films, so I thought I'd break them down one by one. Can't wait to hear y'all rip my musings to shreds. Let's start.
Dr. No: Original James Bond Theme song, so this one doesn't really count. I assume this is just what James is muttering to himself all the time when he's driving fast cars, jumping away from explosions, or calmly checking his hotel room for bugs.
From Russia With Love: This is one of the songs that seems to have absolutely no relevance whatsoever to its movie. It's just about some dude who regrets breaking up with a girl that he left in order to travel the world, so he's decided to return to her. Therefore, allow me to posit this: this is the story of some dude on the same train as James and Tatiana.
Goldfinger: This song is pretty straight forward. It's sung by a third person narrator, who is talking about the main villain, Auric Goldfinger.
Thunderball: This one's also sung by a third person narrator, but (in my opinion) it's a bit more ambiguous as to whether they're singing about James Bond or the main villain, Emilio Largo. The general tone of the song seems to be pretty dark, so I initially leaned towards Largo. But I think I'm actually going to land on it being about James himself. I decided this because I believe James to be a pretty cold dude who will definitely "break any heart without regret". Really the clencher line though was "his fight goes on and on and on." That's gotta be my boy, James.
You Only Live Twice: This one is similar to From Russia with Love, in that it seems to have almost no relevance to the movie. "One life for yourself and one for your dreams"? That has nothing to do with how the movie (or novel!) got its title. Plus, James definitely never "drifted through the years" where "life seems tame". I guess the most sense makes for it to be sung by (or at least TO) Kissy Suzuki. She was merely Tanaka's assistant until she met James and then fell in love. A bit of a stretch? Sure, but if that offends you then I have no idea why you're reading this post.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service: I'm focusing on the Louis Armstrong song for this one. I'm definitely going to claim this one as being sung by James himself. He has decided to quit MI6 and is planning on settling down with Tracey. For once in his life (at least since Vesper, if you're talking about the novels) he believes that he doesn't need anything in his life besides the woman next to him. Great stuff, until, ya know, she dies.
Diamonds are Forever: I see this one as Tiffany Case singing. She starts out the movie getting by on her own through her position within a diamond smuggling venture. She even (if I recall correctly, I actually hate this movie) considers abandoning/betraying James, so it makes sense for her to be claiming that she doesn't need men. Plus, I believe she's been hurt in the past by a man? Is that true? Either in the movie or the book I think it is... Anywho, I actually think this particular song gets much more beautiful if viewed form the perspective of self delusion.
Live and Let Die: This one has got to be sung to James. I don't remember exactly when his parents died, but I'm assuming the "when you were young..." portion of the song must have been focused on his more innocent youth before he was orphaned. Now he's "got a job to do" though in this "ever changing world." He's "got a job to do" so he's definitely become disillusioned enough to abandon his youthful desires to "live and let live."
The Man with the Golden Gun: Super easy. It's sung by a third person narrator about the main villain, Francisco Scaramanga. This one his hilariously on the nose, offering us such lines as "love is required whenever he's hired."
The Spy who Loved Me: Titled, Nobody Does it Better, I'm going to go off the deep end here. I don't believe this song really fits the tone for Anya Amasova. I'm going to claim that this is ACTUALLY sung by the bond girl in the NOVEL, Vivienne Michel. She was simply a young woman who was trying to squeeze in some self care when her BnB gets taken over by some criminals. Luckily this mysterious spy serendipitously swoops in and the saves the day. She never learns his name (if I remember correctly) which fits in perfectly with the main hook "The Spy Who Loved Me" and she even has to warned away from thinking too highly of James at the end of the novel by a well meaning police officer which fits in perfectly with "Why'd you have to be so good?". Guys. I know this novel gets a bad rap because of how wildly different it is from Fleming's other books, but it's my absolute favorite of the bunch.
Moonraker: Lol. Okay, let's do this. I don't see this one as fitting the voice for Bond or Goodhead. It seems very dreamy and longing for that someone who seems just out of reach, gentle, but unattainable. The repeated comparison to "just like the Moonraker" implies that our speaker must be very familiar with Drax. My decision? This is Dolly singing about the love of her life, Jaws. I mean c'mon, she even makes a point to sing about how she's "seen [his] smile in a thousand dreams." Gotta be Dolly. Not really much room for debate.
Gotta be honest here guys, I'm floundering a bit with the Roger Moore movies because they're definitely my least favorite of the bunch. But let's keep going.
For Your Eyes Only: This one definitely has to be sung by Bibi Dahl. Anyone who truly believes James is the kind of person to sing the line "maybe I'm an open book because I know you're mine" to has got to be an incredibly naive person.
Octopussy: Titled, All Time High, is definitely sung by the titular jewel smuggler herself. A woman of great power, I can definitely see her merely looking for a "sweet distraction for an hour or two," but, alas, they all fall for James.
A View to a Kill: Alright, so this one's tough. The song uses both the "you" and "we" pronoun, so it can't be a third person narrator. I'm going to go ahead and say this one has to be Max Zorin. He's the one who'd be making plans over seas, trying to make the whole Earth open wide. It seems he's commiserating with James because he believes they both deeply desire May Day's "fatal kiss". Plus, if anyone is going to ask anyone to "dance into the fire" it's gotta be a character played by Christopher Walken. Guys, what is this song?
The Living Daylights: I'm going to go with Kara Milovy for this one. The "driver" she's talking to has got to be James because the speaker seems scared about where they're going (their "nerves are showing"). But by the end of the song (and movie!) the speaker seems to be handling herself quite well, having learned that "living's in the way we die." Maybe a bit of a stretch, but again, why are you criticizing and how did you make it this far?
License to Kill: I mean...hate to say this, but this seems a whole lot like it's James Bond talking here. The person flat out states that they have a "license to kill." So I guess we've got some precedent for a female James Bond! But wait right there. He's not singing to Pam Bouvier. Oh no. He's singing to Felix Leiter. And someone does "make a move on" him, too. Both literally and figuratively. And you better believe Bond is there to remedy the situation. (Plus that particular Felix Leiter actor HAD "[tried] to run away"! He couldn't escape the Bond franchise though, since he came back and reprised his role from before!)
Goldeneye: This one's gotta be a duet sung by Alec Trevelyan and Xenia Onatopp. Xenia is obviously the one who's using a "bitter kiss to bring him to his knees". Alec has to be the one who "watched [him] from the shadows as a child". I don't remember if they were childhood friends or not, but they definitely were friends in their professional childhoods. Plus James bond "left [him] behind", but Alec turns that around on him so that "time is not on [his] side." This one's too perfect, so I'm not really accepting criticism here.
Tomorrow Never Dies: This is one of my favorite songs of the bunch. It's definitely sung by Paris Carver. I mean the song STARTS with "Darling I'm killed." Too perfect. Plus, despite being in love with James and wants there to be "no more goodbyes," she's definitely completely over the lifestyle of "martinis, girls, and guns." Guys....I legitimately love this song. No irony. Sheryl Crowe killed it.
The World is Not Enough: Elektra King, for sure. The lyrics are so skillfully manipulative. It's a toss up as to whether she's singing to James or to Renard, though. It's kind of a moot point though; she played the hell out of both of them. I know this movie isn't really people's favorite, but I think Elektra is just so bad ass, and Sophie Marceau absolutely killed that role. She was fantastic. Denise who? I don't know what you're talking about...
Die Another Day: Alright, so from a musical standpoint, I don't actually hate this song. I think it's pretty neat, in fact. But the lyrics are pretty tough to work with. Does it actually say "Sigmund Freud analyze this"? Hm. Well I will say this: I think it REALLY works well with the scene it's laid over. The line "I'm going to close my body now" is pretty cool and pretty perfect for James' situation, where he's literally trying to battle against toxins and chemistry. Not to mention how great the main hook "I guess I'll die another day" is such a blase way of responding to torture that it's got to come from Brosnan's Bond. So yeah, let's go with Bond singing this one.
Caasino Royale: Titled, You Know My Name, Chris Cornell absolutely slayed it. This one is pretty much the perfect "from James Bond's perspective" song. I also love that there is not only a strong "speaker", but also a "spoken to". James is staring across the hold 'em table, still reeling from the newness of the disillusionment having come from taking two lives, challening Le Chiffre to blink first. God damn. Anyone wanna watch this movie real quick?
Quantum of Solace: Titled Another Way to Die. I know this movie and this song gets a lot of flack. I see this one as being sung by Camille Montes, a woman wit ha vendetta against the main villain, Dominic Greene. The woman has been abused and is in for some deep revenge. She matches Bond's cynicism and disillusionment perfectly. She totally knows "the player With the slick Trigger finger For her majesty" because she is him. Everything in life is just "another way to die" that she's going to avoid until she gets what's owed to her.
Skyfall: Dame Judi Dench's ode, so she's the one singing it. This is the end for my personal favorite M, and (Even though Skyfall wasn't necessarily my favorite movie) the death certainly left its mark on me. And, hell yeah, she and James stood "tall and face[d] it all together". Plus Bond never took her heart...at least not in a romantic way, ya know? Whatever, just give this one to me and the Dame.
Spectre: Titled Writing on the Wall. Love the song, but unfortunately the movie doesn't really fulfill what the song sets up. But here's what I think. This is definitely James talking to Blofeld. This villain is different from the others. "This is something [James has] gotta face." Obviously, the song sounds romantic, as the speaker claims "for you I have to risk it all." But it's not because he loves the person he's talking to; instead, James has to risk vulnerability again to show that Blofeld doesn't have the control over James's life that he claims he has.
Welp. That's it. That's all of them. That's what I'm thinking every time I listen to any of those songs. I don't love every movie - in fact, I really despise a few of them. But damn, I absolutely love the body of music this series has given us. Thoughts?

There are spoilers in the plot and/or cast description. You are warned.

Disclaimer: This is a discussion thread. Any comments which show that the user has neither seen nor intends to see the movie will be removed
Synopsis: A cryptic message from Bond's past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organisation. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind Spectre.
Director: Sam Mendes
Writers: John Logan, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade
Cast:

Daniel Craig as James Bond
Christoph Waltz as Franz Oberhauser / Ernst Stavro Blofeld
Léa Seydoux as Dr. Madeleine Swann
Ben Whishaw as Q
Naomie Harris as Eve Moneypenny
Dave Bautista as Mr. Hinx
Monica Bellucci as Lucia Sciarra
Ralph Fiennes as Gareth Mallory
Andrew Scott as Max Denbigh
Rory Kinnear as Bill Tanner
Jesper Christensen as Mr. White
Alessandro Cremona as Marco Sciarra
Judi Dench as M

Rottentomatoes Score: 65%
Metacritic Score: 63/100
After Credits Scene?: No, but "James Bond Will Return" is written at the end.

I was watching SPECTRE the other day for the first time in a while. I felt like the film had potential to be an amazing film but some decisions were made along the way that derailed it somewhat. So I thought about how I would have changed the film to hopefully improve it:
A couple of assumptions and key ideas that I'm trying to go for here
1- A lot of people have complained about the Craig films being too "personal" and that they wish we could just see his Bond on a regular mission, so I will try to make this as much of a "regular mission" as possible
2- No Bond-Blofeld sibling rivalry, no Oberhauser red herring
3- We still want to establish SPECTRE and Blofeld and tie all the Craig films together and set up No Time to Die
So with that in mind...
- The pre-title sequence happens as in the film we got, but after the titles it's shown that Ralph Fiennes' M gave Bond the mission to prevent Sciarra from blowing up the stadium. Bond could still be berated by M but rather for his methods (blowing up an entire building block rather than quietly taking Sciarra out)
- If they really wanted to include Judi Dench's message, it could come in the form of Fiennes' M showing Bond the video that Dench's M made for Fiennes' M (instead of for Bond) as part of their "transition". M shows Bond the message and instructs Bond to go to Italy to attend Sciarra's funeral. No artifacts from Skyfall scene.
- Bond goes to Italy, same beats play out as in the film we got, he meets Lucia, pumps her for information, leaves her with Felix goes off to the SPECTRE meeting, hears of the Pale King. Blofeld calls out Bond (just for intruding, no cuckoo). We don't see Blofeld's face (not important yet since Bond and Blofeld are no longer siblings). Bond escapes, car chase with Hinx plays out like in the movie we got but Bond only asks Moneypenny to look up the Pale King since he still doesn't know who Blofeld is and there's no Oberhauser.
- Bond goes to Austria to meet Mr. White. Now I have a lot of problems with this scene. Mr. White's trying to protect his daughter yet he still tells Bond where to find her even when he knows SPECTRE "is everywhere" (there's a security camera in the room for crying out loud!). Not to mention how it comes into play later when Blofeld plays the video to Madeleine and Bond for some reason aggressively tries to prevent Madeleine from seeing the video even though she already knows her father killed himself. How I would do it is: Bond finds White, who's hiding out in a house with no TVs/Cameras/Technology, he's a lot weaker than in the film we got, unable to walk, barely able to talk. They still have the conversation about how he's been poisoned and White reveals he has a daughter and tells Bond to find her and find Le'American. However, White says he's been wanting to kill himself with his gun but has been too weak to pull the trigger and asks Bond to kill him. Bond obliges after promising White he'd look for Madeleine and leaves, then we can see that there's a tiny camera hidden in the house and we see a SPECTRE employee watching it from their headquarters, or even C himself from his headquarters.
- Speaking of C, the whole C vs M conflict is still there. C wants to "bring British Intelligence out of the dark ages" with his drones and to shut down MI6, M gives the talk about a license NOT to kill. The Nine Eyes thing doesn't make much sense (the movie never really explained what SPECTRE would do with the information they got), so let's just focus on the bureaucratic conflict of C trying to take over MI6 and bring it down, allowing C (who is still working for SPECTRE) to infiltrate higher levels to government.
- Bond finds Madeleine, tells her that her father is dead but lies to her, telling her that he killed himself. Escape from the clinic plays out like in the movie but no need for Q to be there. Bond can just show Madeleine the ring he got from Sciarra and she tells him about SPECTRE. They head off to Morocco, fight off Mr. Hinx but don't sleep together after (In the film we got, them sleeping together became more of a comedic moment which totally goes against their attempt to establish Madeleine as a genuine love interest), or at least leave it vague like Bond and Moneypenny's shaving scene in Skyfall.
- They arrive at Blofeld's lair. The meteor room scene can be used to properly introduce Blofeld by first having the cat step into from the darkness into the light next to to meteor, then we hear "James Bond...Allow me to introduce myself" (Blofeld walks into the light) "I am Ernst Starvo Blofeld" (to reference Blofeld's introduction in You Only Live Twice).
- Blofeld takes Bond and Madeleine around and ultimately shows the video of Bond killing Mr. White (so now it makes sense why Bond doesn't want Madeline to see the video). Madeleine freaks out at Bond, calls Bond a liar, says she'll never forgive him and Bond gets knocked out by Blofeld's guard.
- Bond wakes up strapped to the chair with Blofeld's head drill thing, but instead of just erasing his memory, Blofeld says he will reprogram Bond's head and brainwash him into killing M when he returns to England (echoing the novel the Man with the Golden Gun), which will prove how unreliable field agents are and allow C to take over British Intelligence and shut down MI6. Bond uses his explosive watch to escape the chair, rescue Madeleine and they fight their way out.
- Madeline thanks Bond for saving her but is still too upset that he lied to her, so they separate before leaving Morocco (there's no reason for her to come all the way back with him to London just to leave him), Bond goes back to London.
There's a lot of stuff that I didn't like about the London portion of the film, the main ones being (1) M, Q, Moneypenny going to confront C- felt more like Mission Impossible when you have "the team" out in the field too (2) Blofeld taunting Bond to "finish" him, very un-Blofeld like and doesn't achieve anything (except to make Madeleine not like Bond?)... not sure if there's much I can do to fix it without I'll give it a go:
- Bond reports to M at the safehouse, M sends Bond to C's office to confront him. The part where C tries to shoot but his gun is empty works more with Bond than M since it echos the pre-titles in Casino Royale. C then orders drones to come in and attack Bond (and taunts Bond about how he's useless compared to the drones of the future). Q (working from the safehouse) hacks into the drones and disables them. Maybe Bond can make some kind of comment about how technology can help but someone still needs to pull the trigger (like what he said to Q in Skyfall). Bond fights C and kills him. With his dying breath, C tells Bond that SPECTRE plans to blow up the MI6 building so even if he dies, MI6 will still meet its end.
- Bond goes to the MI6 building, meets Blofeld (with no scar yet) who reveals to Bond that he plans to make the MI6 explosion look like a suicide bombing by Madeleine (as he shows security footage of Madeleine strapped to a bomb somewhere in the MI6 building). This achieves 4 goals :
(1) Make MI6 look even more inept after suffering yet another attack after Silva's (and if we really want to tie the films together, Blofeld can say that Silva operated on his own but had financial and intelligence backing from SPECTRE).
(2) Once MI6 is shut down, SPECTRE-infiltrated Joint Intelligence Service will have access to all of MI6's information, including the list of all their undercover agents that Silva was initially after in Skyfall. Blofeld could say something like "(Silva) had a good idea but became distracted with his personal vendetta against your late M".
(3) Making the explosion look like a suicide attack by Madeleine will make it look as if she had infiltrated MI6 by getting close to Bond, as shown by them having a holiday in Morocco, yet another reason why field agents are unreliable.
(4) The attack will put the blame on QUANTUM, which is a sub-branch of SPECTRE that SPECTRE had been trying to get rid of, because SPECTRE feels QUANTUM has become too "soft" and has been funneling money and resources away from their main operations (echoing Le Chiffre and Greene). Also ties in with why they wanted Mr. White dead.
- Blofeld flies away in the helicopter, Bond finds Madeleine, frees her and escapes the exploding MI6. They go after Blofeld's helicopter but it seems like the helicopter is getting further and further away (and no Bond can't just shoot it down with a bullet)... until C's drones, reprogrammed by Q, crashes into the helicopter's blade, bringing it down onto a bridge. Bond follows Blofeld onto the bridge and pulls his gun out. Blofeld does NOT taunt Bond to kill him. Instead the Helicopter pilot's door opens and out steps Hinx, with a metallic neck brace (I miss the old Bond films where the henchman pops up at the end to fight Bond one last time). During Bond's fight with Hinx, Blofeld starts to run. Madeleine tries to stop him and during the scuffle she gives Blofeld the scar (sets up how he would want revenge from her in the next film). However, Blofeld ultimately escapes.
- Bond finally gets the upper hand on Hinx. Madeleine finds a gun and is about to shoot Hinx but Bond tells her not to, that he only kills when it's necessary, and they need to take Hinx into questioning to find out more about Blofeld and SPECTRE - this demonstrates M's point about a license to kill also being a license NOT to kill, makes Madeline understand that Bond only killed her father because he asked him to and she forgives him, also brings the idea of Bond seeing "the big picture" from Casino Royale full circle.
- Bond and Madeleine walk off as M and the police surround Hinx. We should get some kind of scene here to make it clear that Bond is willing to give up his life as an assassin to be with her, and to atone for killing her father. Madeleine says that as a psychologist, the best way to overcome trauma and grief is to start over and get away. Bond suggests going to Jamaica. We can just end there or have the scene of them driving off in the DB5 too.

Don't know if anybody else had this idea but despite being in different decades and time periods. Could you try and put the events of all the James bond movies in one chronological order. My order would probably be: Casino Royale- obviously Followed by Quantum of Solace Then GoldenEye, TND WNE, AND DAD since they all have Judi Dench. Then Skyfall and Specrtre since they are back to back in a way and introduce male M. Then Sean Connery Era Dr.No, frwl,gf,tb,yolt,ohmss, and daf, since they can continue after specter. Then maybe Fyeo to end the spectre saga. Then you can just do all the remaing Roger Moore films and Timothy Dalton to end it with license to kill since he got his license revoked! Just an idea. Any thoughts?

There are spoilers in the plot and/or cast description. You are warned.

Disclaimer: This is a discussion thread. Any comments which show that the user has neither seen nor intends to see the movie will be removed
Synopsis: A cryptic message from Bond's past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organisation. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind Spectre.
Director: Sam Mendes
Writers: John Logan, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade
Cast:

Daniel Craig as James Bond
Christoph Waltz as Franz Oberhauser / Ernst Stavro Blofeld
Léa Seydoux as Dr. Madeleine Swann
Ben Whishaw as Q
Naomie Harris as Eve Moneypenny
Dave Bautista as Mr. Hinx
Monica Bellucci as Lucia Sciarra
Ralph Fiennes as Gareth Mallory
Andrew Scott as Max Denbigh
Rory Kinnear as Bill Tanner
Jesper Christensen as Mr. White
Alessandro Cremona as Marco Sciarra
Judi Dench as M

Rottentomatoes Score: 78%
Metacritic Score: 69/100
After Credits Scene?: No, but "James Bond Will Return" is written at the end.

I just watched Spectre and it occurred to me that the film can make sense of the entire franchise. Firstly the following contains spoilers for Spectre and a number of other James Bond films. Also I'm writing this on my phone, so sorry in advance for any typos. Ok, here it goes..
Daniel Craig's Bond is the only "real" Bond, through his run of 4 films we watch him gain his 00 status, and uncover a global terrorist network led by Blofeld. He is then captured by Blofeld who straps him to a chair and drills holes into his head causing brain damage then death. What we see for the rest of the film is the fantasy of Bond's dying mind, and all other Bond films are his same damaged brain making sense of his memories.
A couple of points I think back up the theory.
When Q gives Bond the exploding watch he uses to escape, Bond asks what it does and Q replies that it "tells the time, and also has a loud alarm" the audience assumes he's dropping a hint but this is only because we're used to bond having gadgets. The most advanced gadget Q has given him up to this point is the location tracker in Skyfall. I think Q was telling the truth, it is just a watch with a loud alarm, but Bond fantasises it's an exploding watch that saves him. (more on bonds fantasy gadgets later)
The rest of Spectre is also quite dreamlike, especially the sequence in Thames house where he saves the girl and takes a multi story leap to land in a conveniently placed net.
At the end of the film Bond drives off into the sunset in the classic Aston Martin, now restored to its former glory, only a week or so since he saw it as a shell in Q's workshop.
At this point Bond is slipping closer to death and his brain's fantasies become more extreme, he has also suffered damage to his brain which causes him to no longer recognise faces properly. (Blofeld mentions this is the part of the brain hes trying to damage) he sees himself going on all manner of fantastical missions, and although the archetypes and names of the people around him stay the same their faces change.
Bond imagines himself as a sixties spy with a classic car, Money-Penny and Mallory style M are there but they no longer look the same, Q makes appearances too but is now an old man who provides Bond with gadgets. His American CIA friend Felix, even the way Bond imagines his own appearance changes, looking like Sean Connery, or Roger Moore, or any of the other across who have inhabited the role over the years.
Bond's brain also uses the places from his recent adventures to create these new missions for himself so we get to see familiar settings (snowy mountain top lairs, exotic beaches) and motifs (being strapped into a chair and tortured)
This also explains why the level of technology isn't consistent, at some points space travel is possible, Pierce Brosnan's invisible car etc. And how Judy Dench's M could know two different James Bond's with the same family history, but one was newly qualified.
What do you think?

Hey folks! While this is the last of the film reviews for the James Bond franchise, I will be posting a series recap in the near future that will include some fun stuff like my subjective ranking of the films (as opposed to these which I have tried to keep relatively objective), the Bond actors, the villains, and the Bond girls. Until then, please enjoy my review of Spectre!

SPECTRE (2015)

Overall Impression (No spoilers)

I’ll begin with my overview for those that just want a quick summary without getting into potential spoilers.

Let it be known up front that Spectre is not a bad film. It is technically proficient in nearly every way, it has moments of amusing dialogue, and it knows all the right beats that it needs to hit when it comes to the action sequences. That said, it film will undoubtedly go down as the biggest wastes of potential in the entire 007 franchise. Spectre sets up several fantastic storylines and characters, including covert Illuminati-esque organizations, worldwide surveillance, a brilliant psychologist with a tortured past, and of course the exceptional Christoph Waltz. And sadly the film squanders each and every one of them. These fascinating storylines are set up and more or less abandoned almost instantly. New and exotic locations are rushed through in an effort to simply get to the next one — which is ultimately rushed through in order to get to the next one, and so on. And sadly, Waltz is criminally underused. Every last ounce of charisma is zapped from him. It’s not that he’s just cold, quiet, and sinister or brooding and subtle. On the contrary, Waltz is just flat out dull. He is among the most boring Bond characters of all time — a fact that is doubly as frustrating considering we know what he is capable of.

All in all, this is a film that works to ensure that a sufficient number of the traditional Bond traditions are fulfilled and does so dutifully. It even manages to recover Bond’s MIA humorous side. But sadly this is not enough to redeem an at-times-exciting but ultimately hollow and frustrating Spectre.

Story (SPOILERS)

Daniel Craig has had the unique experience of being the first actor to cover such ground as Bond's initiation into the 00 program, his lust for revenge (I'm not going to count the opening of Diamonds Are Forever because frankly that sequence should never be recounted for any reason, period), his loyalty toward his superiors, and so on. Most notably, we've received a healthy dose of James Bond: The Human Being. Casino Royale was a triumph in its ability to show that 007 can have intellectual and emotional conversations that are relatable and meaningful.

Unfortunately, in a world where the origin story has become a convenient route to explore human emotion, the writers (Purvis, Wade, and Logan return, alongside newcomer Butterworth) seem hellbent on scraping that barrel clean. The ten minute discussion between Bond and Vesper on the train in Casino was all I ever needed to know about James Bond and his history. I was rather dismayed when Skyfall felt the need to bring us to his childhood home and, needless to say, I was further disappointed when Spectre decided to take it a step further. The latest film in the 007 franchise inadvertently pays homage to the very series that had satirized the Bond series to begin with (is that confusing enough for you?) by pulling a Goldmember and revealing that James himself shares a childhood history with this newfound archenemy. That's right. Spectre stoops down to the same plot line that every soap opera inevitably hits at some point.

If Spectre is guilty of anything, it is of squandering an immense amount of potential. I positively love the idea of 007 uncovering something as unnerving as a mysterious organization in the vein of the Illuminati. To see such an eerie concept played out right, you need look no further than a film like Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut. Rather than drawing out this realization out, instilling a sense of paranoia, and making our skin crawl, Bond simply drops in on the meeting after a little bit of recon and then things get all action-y. Thus there is no unnerving moment of frightened when we see just how far reaching this organization really is. There has been no greater point of frustration with Bond fans than the wasted potential of Christoph Waltz. The man who exploded onto the scene in 2009, winning Oscars for consecutive appearances in Tarantino films falls flat on his face here. There is no charisma, there is no intimidation, there is no creepiness, there is nothing. It pains me greatly to say this since I thought I had died and gone to heaven when it was first announced that he would be playing a Bond villain… but Christoph Waltz's Blofeld is one of the most dull Bond villains of all time.

Sadly the film does the exact same for its leading lady, Lea Seydoux. Presenting the audience with another independent and interesting female character, the film ultimately lets her fizzle out by restraining her to the familiar trappings of the tag-along-girlfriend-turned-damsel-in-distress. More than that, however, I was most frustrated by the lack of usage of her psychological background. This is a woman who has presumably studied the intricacies of the human psyche and here she is, paired with a paid assassin with a horrific past. And we get nothing from that. Instead, we get one of the most perplexing confessions of love between two people who met... like... two days prior?

Now it's not all bad. Spectre does has many things that diehard Bond fans will thoroughly enjoy (because let's be honest, Spectre is not by any stretch of the imagination the first Bond film to have a weak story). Dave Bautista's Mr. Hinx is a perfect throwback to the old OddJob style henchmen. The snowcapped mountainside chase scene and train fight scene fit perfectly into the 007 mold. Craig even managed to get a touch of humor back. Watching a drunken Bond playfully interrogating a mouse had to be one of the most memorable scenes from the series.

Look and Sound

While the story is underwhelming in just about every way, the visuals are in the same ballpark as the rest of Craig's outings. While not reaching the astonishing heights set by Casino or Skyfall, the cinematography, production design, and stunts are all still among the best in the series.

Thomas Newman's score was decent. I appreciate the increase in usage of the Bond theme, however it did, at times, feel like he was leaning on it rather heavily. Unfortunately this is all overshadowed by the fact that Sam Smith's "Writing's on the Wall" has got to be one of the worst songs ever recorded for a 007 film. I mean… it's not as bad as those lousy '80s ballads during the Moore years, nor is it as bad as Madonna's… well whatever that was for Die Another Day, but it's right down there. The song is dull and Smith's vocals feel entirely out of place when compared to the best singers of the series. This is all especially frustrating as we come off of Adele's performance in Skyfall, which I believe to be one of the best of the franchise.

Callbacks, Recurrences, and Tropes

One of the immediately noticeable returns to tradition is the opening gun barrel scene, which has been restored to the beginning of the film. This transitions into a cold open, title sequence, and theme song, per usual.

As Spectre is very much a continuation of Daniel Craig's story, there are many (heavy-handed) recurring narrative threads and characters. Ralph Fiennes returns as M; Naomi Harris, Ben Whishaw, and Rory Kinnear all return as Moneypenny, Q, and Chief of Staff Bill Tanner, respectively; Jesper Christiansen reprises his role as Mr. White after an absence in Skyfall. There are numerous references to previous villains and events in Craig's canon. Judi Dench makes a cameo in a recording as M and there are plenty of images and references to Le Chiffre, Dominic Greene, and Raoul Silva.

Spectre ratchets up the gadgets a bit, though we're still quite a ways away from where the series once was. On top of that, we also have a car chase, train fight, and countdown. Bond also has opportunities to utter both of his iconic phrases.

Quick Hits

Category	Score	Note
Writing	5	The surveillance angle is topical, but needed to be fleshed out further. Blofeld was completely underwritten and never felt truly menacing.
Directing	7	Brilliant behind the camera but failed at pulling the best from his actors.
Acting	7	Craig was good but not nearly as lively as he was way back in Casino. Fiennes, Whishaw, and Harris all did well. Waltz was severely disappointing.
Cinematography	9	Hoytema did a spectacular job, crafting a couple of scenes that I suspect will land among the most iconic of the series.
Production Design	9	Some fantastic sets that were very reminiscent of the old Ken Adam school of thought.
Score	6	An okay score that relied heavily on the 007 theme. Points dramatically lost on account of Smith's "Writing's on the Wall".
Editing	7	Each location is raced through so quickly that the film doesn't feel as long as its 2.5 hr runtime, however we don't sit in any one place long enough to appreciate them.
Effects	8	Great effect work (though I did find myself pulled out of the helicopter scene on certain green screen shots) with some of the best stunts we've seen to date.
Costumes	9	Marvelous blend of retro and modern.
Personal Score	6

Score - 73 / 100

Film	Score
Casino Royale	94
GoldenEye	86
Skyfall	86
Goldfinger	85
On Her Majesty's Secret Service	82
The Spy Who Loved Me	80
The World is Not Enough	79
From Russia With Love	76
The Living Daylights	75
You Only Live Twice	73
Spectre	73
License to Kill	72
Dr. No	70
The Man with the Golden Gun	68
Quantum of Solace	68
Tomorrow Never Dies	68
Live and Let Die	66
Thunderball	61
A View to a Kill	59
Moonraker	59
For Your Eyes Only	55
Octopussy	48
Diamonds Are Forever	37
Die Another Day	30

So what do you folks think? How does Spectre fare in your opinion?

Hey folks! I'm planning on watching all 23 of the James Bond films between now and the release of Spectre in November. 007 films have always been my guilty pleasure and I thought it might be worth trying to have a more analytical discussion about them. If you all are interested, I'll be posting one of these discussions/reviews every 2 weeks. So here goes!

QUANTUM OF SOLACE (2008)

Story

Following the enormous critical success of Casino Royale, Daniel Craig's second out, Quantum of Solace, had high expectations. James Bond endured his first major test as an MI6 agent and lost the woman he loved in the process. The potential for character exploration was ripe for the picking. Unfortunately QoS was stunted by the 2007-2008 Writers strike. Writers Michael G. Wilson, Neal Purvis, and Robert Wade had the general outline laid out, however the meat of the characters was left to director Marc Forster and even Daniel Craig to craft. This left both frustrated and befuddled.

QoS is not a terrible film by any means. In fact, it truly is a shame that the character profiles are so severely lacking because the plot is actually decent. Once again the series leans toward real life villainy. No moon lasers here. Dominic Greene is about the most average Bond baddie you can imagine. For better or for worse, QoS intended to offer chilling tale of a villain who acts in shady political dealings rather than through force or threat of world annihilation. It was also the intent of the production to create an enemy that was surprisingly grey in a world of black and white bad guys. Greene's ultimate goal is political domination through acts of outwardly caring environmentalism. It's unique but ultimately no more than a decent starting point. In the end, Greene isn't crazy enough, strong enough, or truly evil enough to really be all that memorable.

The writing suffers severely from its patchwork creation. For some reason that I still cannot quite peg, I find it incredibly difficult to follow along with the plot and I’m not sure why. When I read a description of it, it all makes sense. But somehow the way it all unfolds is cloudy. Some critics applauded the film for not spoon feeding the audience the plot from scene to scene, however I feel that it simply becomes too subtle. The dialogue is not concise enough; too much is left to be inferred. One of the biggest issues I have with the film is in the characters’ motivations. It becomes too unclear as to whether Bond is chasing after Greene, Mr. White, or trying to avenge Vesper — and how any or all of those things are interrelated. When M calls Bond’s integrity into question, there isn’t a large enough point made of the fact that his desire to avenge Vesper is overlapping with MI6's goals or in what way those feelings might conflicting with the mission. You just sort of always vaguely know he’s moping about something and that he’s in trouble with MI6 though it’s never quite clear enough why.

Speaking of Vesper, I have conflicting feelings about the women of QoS and how Bond relates to them. I’ve always been able to justify (admittedly weakly) that Bond regularly sleeps with so many women on the grounds of "for Queen and Country." This theme is even addressed directly in a few of the older films. What I don’t get is how the writers (be they Wilson, 007 regulars Purvis and Wade, Forster, or Craig) justify Bond sleeping with Agent Fields so soon after losing Vesper — on his revenge mission no less. She was not an enemy that needed to be pacified nor a pawn with vital information. She was an MI6 agent who was already accepting of Bond’s efforts to delay his forced return to London. Now aside from Fields, QoS actually has one of the more unique female characters. Camille Montes has the rare distinction of being the only primary Bond Girl that 007 does not sleep with. In fact, one could argue that QoS is more her film than his. She sets out on a revenge mission of her own and it just so happens that Bond’s mission overlaps with hers.

In fact, for perhaps the first time in the franchise, Bond is the one who screws up his female companion’s mission. In a moment of what 007 believes to be heroism, he “rescues” Camille just as she is about to assassinate a Bolivian politician who raped and murdered her family. He doesn’t realize this until late into the film. The two share a rather touching scene in which she reveals this to him. The regret is palpable in Craig’s tone and in his eyes as he realizes he personally spoiled this woman’s life-long opportunity to avenge her loved ones. Olga Kurylenko has her own moment to shine at the end of the film when Camille and Bond find themselves seemingly trapped in a flaming building that is ready to collapse. The sheer terror in her eyes as Bond holds her tightly is beautifully portrayed.

Look and Sound

I am just going to jump straight to QoS’s primary issue: Editing. I do not know in what world the director, editors, or producers thought that this style of editing would be exhilarating, technically praiseworthy, or even remotely tolerable, but it is none of those things. The film starts with a gorgeous sweeping shot of a lakefront bluff. From there, the film dives into the mind-numbing editorial pace that includes moments of an astounding 3-4 shots PER SECOND. Shots are often measured in seconds per shot. Not the other way around. It is entirely unwatchable. The rest of the film is cut as a normal film ought to be, however the moment any action breaks out (car chase, foot chase, gun battle), the editors, Matt Chesse (World War Z, The Gift) and Richard Pearson (Iron Man 2) revert back to this horrendous cacophony of visual purée.

This treatment completely removes the audience’s ability to gain a sense of geography or register the passage of time. I get what they were going for. Forster explained that his intent was to dramatically cut down on what had become an ever-increasing runtimes with the Bond series. He wanted QoS to kick off like a bullet being shot from a gun. Sure, they accomplish that task with ease, however what good does it do when watching it play out is like watching the visual interpretation of a migraine? So many beautiful composed shots and wonderfully choreographed stunts are lost in the unstructured nonsense.

One thing that QoS has going for it is a killer sound mix. The audio will frequently drop out to solo one character’s dialogue or to focus on one particular sound effect. This is done multiple times and succeeds most admirably when this effect is placed atop the aforementioned action mush. David Arnold’s score also flourishes in this film. Apparently Forster is more of an audio driven direction than a visual one. His decision to bring Arnold into the production almost from the get-go (as opposed to recent films in which Arnold was rushed into the studio on the backend of post-production) allowed the composer to develop a score that plays beautifully with the visuals. The use of the Vesper theme from Casino Royale is a lovely touch in a film that otherwise feels like it has very little in common with any previous 007 film.

I am a huge fan of MK12’s opening title design. The surreal style is a wonderful return to previous title designer Daniel Kleinman’s earlier work with GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, and The World is Not Enough. The song that accompanies these titles is not generally believes to be one of the stronger themes, however I must say that I actually dig it quite a bit. Another Way to Die is Jack White and Alicia Key’s entry into the 007 theme song canon. It’s catchy and vibrant, though I do agree with the masses that it probably would have been better served if White had stuck to instrumentals and Keys had taken on the vocals herself.

On the whole, I also really dug the production design. In the wake of longtime designer Peter Lamont's retirement, Dennis Glassner was hired to take his place. Glassner's philosophy was modern with a touch of nostalgia. There are a handful of locations that were specifically designed to mimic the old school Ken Adam style of set design. So naturally I'm a bit of a sucker for it.

Callbacks, Recurrences, and Tropes

As QoS is considered to be a direct sequel, it's no surprise that this film has a higher number of recurring characters than usual. As per usual, Judi Dench reprises her role as M, continuing to solidify her already incredible legacy in Bond film lore. Felix makes a return with Jeffrey Wright returning once more. Believe it or not, this marks the very first time in 22 films that the same actor makes back to back appearances as the CIA agent. Giancarlo Giannini returns as René Mathis and Jesper Christensen returns as Mr. White. Rory Kinnear debuts as Chief of Staff Bill Tanner. This is a character, who works closely with M at MI6, has a few small appearances in a handful of films starting in 1974 with The Man with the Golden Gun.

The standard title sequence and theme song make an appearance, as discussed above, however the gun barrel that typically precedes it was moved to the end of the film in this case. The idea was that it was meant to be a bit of a book end, implying that the Vespegrief storyline was now wrapped up and Bond is ready to move on.

Apart from that, the film doesn't showcase any of the regular traditions or tropes. There are no card games, no ski chases, no bomb/missile related countdowns. No train fights, no "shaken, not stirred" martinis (though he does imbibe a few Vesper Martinis), and no "Bond. James Bond."

QoS does offer one particularly noticeable callback to a prior film. Agent Fields is murdered in her hotel room in the precise position and manner in which Jill Masterson was killed in Goldfinger. Except instead of being covered in gold Fields is covered in oil -- a statement from the filmmakers on the value of oil versus gold in today's economy.

Overall Impression

All in all, Quantum of Solace is a fairly mediocre film. It has its moments of beauty and excitement but in the end, it feels a bit hollow -- or at least somewhat un-Bond-like. The occasionally shaky camera and insane editing, when coupled with Craig's continued tendency for raw, visceral, hand-to-hand combat, QoS tends to get the frequent criticism of being more like a Jason Bourne film than a James Bond film.

With action scenes that are borderline unwatchable and an overly convoluted script, QoS is a decent but all together middling entry into the iconic franchise.

Quick Hits

Category	Score	Note
Writing	5.5	There's a decent plot in here somewhere but it's buried amongst mediocre dialogue.
Directing	5	At times, Forster's indie persona is a charming twist on the familiar 007 film. Mostly it isn't.
Acting	7.5	Craig and Dench are wonderful once more. Craig is done no services by the script. Kurylenko is wonderful. Amalric is so-so.
Cinematography	7	Any appreciation for well composed shots is rendered useless by the editing.
Production Design	9	Gassner pays homage to Ken Adam wonderfully.
Score	8	More integrated into the narrative than recent films.
Editing	3	While much of the film works fine, the action scenes are impossible to digest.
Effects	8	Some fantastic stunts, decent visual compositing, but the design VFX (i.e. every single computer interface) are overdone.
Costumes	9	Bond looking fly as hell once more.
Personal Score	6

Score - 68 / 100

Film	Score
Casino Royale	94
GoldenEye	86
Goldfinger	85
On Her Majesty's Secret Service	82
The Spy Who Loved Me	80
The World is Not Enough	79
From Russia With Love	76
The Living Daylights	75
You Only Live Twice	73
License to Kill	72
Dr. No	70
The Man with the Golden Gun	68
Quantum of Solace	68
Tomorrow Never Dies	68
Live and Let Die	66
Thunderball	61
A View to a Kill	59
Moonraker	59
For Your Eyes Only	55
Octopussy	48
Diamonds Are Forever	37
Die Another Day	30

Bonus Category!

So for each movie my wife and I will be enjoying a spirit or cocktail that relates to the film. Bond enjoys a little post-car-chase whiskey at the beginning of the film so we do too!

• 1 glass whiskey
• Ice (if desired)

So what do you folks think? How does Quantum of Solace fare in your opinion?

Hey folks! I'm planning on watching all 23 of the James Bond films between now and the release of Spectre in November. 007 films have always been my guilty pleasure and I thought it might be worth trying to have a more analytical discussion about them. If you all are interested, I'll be posting one of these discussions/reviews every 2 weeks. So here goes!

CASINO ROYALE (2006)

Story

It’s often said that Bond films are made and broken by their villains. I say that this is a fine metric for all pre-Craig entries. Don’t get me wrong. Le Chiffre is perhaps one of my favorite Bond villains and I’ll get into that shortly, however this film isn’t dictated by the quality of the villain as he is overshadowed by a far more fulfilling character. We finally have our first film that is truly about James Bond.

For the first time in the illustrious 44 year history of the franchise, we get a film that honors James Bond as a three-dimensional character. The role is juicy and Craig delivers spectacularly. The film dives deep, deep into the psyche of a spy — of a killer. I revel in the pointed exchanges between Bond and M. It is a pleasure to watch Bond arrogantly defend his actions. He is smug, self-righteous, and (to his superiors and peers) frustratingly correct more often than not. The caustic sparing between Bond and Vesper Lynd in their first meeting on the train even takes the title of greatest dialogue sequence away from Pierce’s Bond vs. Dench’s M in GoldenEye. It’s intelligent, it’s hysterical, and it’s real. It’s everything that a conversation between a top-tier, egotistical field agent and an aggressively ambitious agency accountant would be.

And speaking of Vesper, there is no doubt that she is the greatest of all of Bond’s female cohorts. Obviously with 20 films to choose from, there are no shortage of female characters to consider. Pussy Galore is first competent female character who isn’t being played by forces out of her control. She’s completely dismissed for being a lesbian and taken advantage of in a terribly unsexy love scene. Tracy Bond is a fiercely independent and upstanding young woman. But ultimately she is restricted by her role as the obedient daughter. Anya Amasova is the first truly self-reliant, professional female. Even her character's integrity is completely undone as the writers go for a cheap sex scene at the end of the film. None of this applies to Vesper. She is self-sufficient. She is clever. She is human. The scene in which Bond comforts her in the shower following his visceral killing of a couple of thugs is one of the most striking and easily the most touching scenes in the entire series.

Finally, as I mentioned before, Le Chiffre is one of my favorite villains. He is a welcome breath of fresh air in a series that had clumsily escalated to the point of villains wearing cheap Ironman knock off suits shooting lasers from the moon. Le Chiffre is a mathematical wizard who enjoys embezzling the money of his criminal clientele. Best of all, the entire plot of Casino revolves around Le Chiffre’s necessity to recollect $100 million of his clients’ funds that he lost betting the wrong way on a stock shortage. This sets up a fantastic dynamic between hero and villain. Unlike Everything that Le Chiffre does, he does out of fear and desperation. As the veil thins and the stakes raise, his actions become increasingly wretched, eventually concluding in a skin-crawling torture scene.

Look and Sound

Plain and simple, Casino Royale is the sexiest looking Bond film yet. Even the stylized scenes (the cold open and it’s accompanying flashback) are positively stunning. Daniel Craig’s introduction isn’t one of flash and spectacle. He doesn’t get a big Hollywood close up. His first lines are as dry in content as they are in delivery. The first time we see him, he is sitting in the far corner of a dark office. All we see is his face, unmoving and small in the film’s frame, his body obscured in noir-like darkness. Mads Mikkelsen's already superb performance is also greatly enhanced by top tier lighting.

When the frame moves, the direction is just as immaculate as when it is still. The camera motion invokes a high level of energy during a series of perfectly choreographed, photographed, and executed action scenes. The stunt work and effect work is above and beyond any heretofore seen 007 footage. The parkour chase scene and airport chase scene are two of the most exhilarating sequences the franchise has to offer.

David Arnold’s score is above average, though ultimately it doesn’t stand out too far from its contemporary film scores. That said, my absolute favorite music decision is that of the delayed gratification of the James Bond theme. It is absent throughout the entire score until the final seconds in which the familiar tune slowly and smirkingly edges in as our protagonist saunters into frame to utter the ever-iconic line, “Bond… James Bond.”

Chris Cornell’s “You Know My Name” is solid though I wouldn’t rank it terribly high in the annals of Bond Song history. The accompanying credit sequence on the other hand is quite possibly my favorite. Title designer Daniel Kleinman dispenses with the standard 3D abstractions in favor of flat colors and 2D design.

Casino marks the final Bond film in which Peter Lamont acted as Production Designer. His mark on the series is as notable as his predecessor, Ken Adam. Where Adam emphasized the stylized mid-century modern world of Connery's Bond, Lamont took the world in a decidedly new direction. Beginning in 1981 on the production of For Your Eyes Only, Lamont aimed to produce a world that felt tangible, modern, and realistic. In this final film, his efforts reach their zenith. When paired with the positively stunning lighting from cinematographer, Phil Méheux, the combination is a world that requires no suspension of disbelief.

Callbacks, Recurrences, and Tropes

From the first frame, things have changed. Immediately following the MGM lion’s roar, we find ourselves at the snowy exterior of a foreign government building. No gun barrel sequence here. The scene plays out with Bond discussing his first ever kill as a government agent. During the conversation, we flashback to the fight. It climaxes with Bond’s nemesis springing back to life and aiming a gun at 007. The POV snaps into the barrel of the gun as Bond reacts, shooting the would-be killer in the familiar manner of the traditional gun barrel shot.

Casino Royale is the first film of the series not to include either Moneypenny or a Quartermaster. While Dr. No didn’t include a character by the name of Q, it did have Major Boothroyd, MI6’s armorer. Incidentally, Q is referred to as Major Boothroyd in The Spy Who Loved Me. It's a bit confusing but the moral of the story is that there is no gadget master in Casino Royale. With that is the absence of the traditional gadgetry as we’ve come to expect. One of the few prop callbacks is the return of the iconic 1964 Aston Martin DB5. The DB5 makes its fifth showing in the series, following appearances in Goldfinger, Thunderball, GoldenEye, and a brief cameo in Tomorrow Never Dies. In one of the wiser casting decisions, Judy Dench was asked to return as M. She provides a pleasant bridge in the casting change between Brosnan and Craig.

Casino also marks the return of CIA Agent Felix Leiter — this time portrayed by Jeffrey Wright. It shouldn’t come as a surprise by this point that Wright’s portrayal of Leiter is also undoubtedly the best of the series. Gone is the portrayal of Americans as cowboys and the rednecks. That’s not to say that the character isn’t without his Americanisms. I do get a chuckle every time Bond asks Leiter what will become of the poker game winnings if Bond beats Le Chiffre. Leiter response with a toothy grin, “does it look like we need the money?”

Casino even handles one of the more preposterous 007 traditions in spectacular fashion. It would seem entirely out of place for a character to have a name like Pussy Galore or Xenia Onatopp. The gag still makes an appearance, however. When briefing Vesper on their upcoming mission, Bond playfully informs her that her undercover alias is Stephanie Broadchest (and that she’s just going to have to trust him on this one).

Finally, even Bond’s signature drink order is adjusted to reflect the new character’s coarse nature. After being denied reentry into the poker tournament, Bond orders a drink while he stews over his course of action. He then responds to the bartender’s “shaken or stirred” inquiry by snapping, “does it look like I give a damn?”

Overall Impression

Spectacular. Visually stunning. Emotionally gripping. Engaging, exhilarating, electrifying. The strongest and most unique entry thus far. Technically proficient in every way with writing that is entirely without equal. Every facet from the cinematography to the costuming appears to be fully thought out and executed in with the utmost care and proficiency. I suppose it’s a bit of a faux pas to refer to another review in your own review but Roger Ebert said it best when he explained that as the years went on, he was becoming less convinced that he would ever need to see another James Bond film until he saw Casino Royale.

Quick Hits

Category	Score	Note
Writing	9.5	Top notch. Sharp, smart, funny.
Directing	10	Gorgeous framing, excellent camera moves, pulled some fantastic acting from his cast.
Acting	9	As true to real witnessing real life as you’re going to get in a Bond film.
Cinematography	10	Even for a non-Bond film it’s still positively breathtaking.
Production Design	10	Peter Lamont continues to deliver.
Score	8.5	Rock solid without being exceptional.
Editing	9	Fantastic pacing. Never feels slow or dull.
Effects	9.5	Stunts and effects are mind blowing.
Costumes	10	Watching Daniel Craig evolve into the Bond that we know and love is a spectacular moment.
Personal Score	9.5

Score - 95 / 100

Film	Score
Casino Royale	95
GoldenEye	86
Goldfinger	85
On Her Majesty's Secret Service	82
The Spy Who Loved Me	80
The World is Not Enough	79
From Russia With Love	76
The Living Daylights	75
You Only Live Twice	73
License to Kill	72
Dr. No	70
The Man with the Golden Gun	68
Tomorrow Never Dies	68
Live and Let Die	66
Thunderball	61
A View to a Kill	59
Moonraker	59
For Your Eyes Only	55
Octopussy	48
Diamonds Are Forever	37
Die Another Day	30

Bonus Category!

So for each movie my wife and I will be enjoying a spirit or cocktail that relates to the film. This was the easiest cocktail choice yet. Bond hands us the drink on a silver platter by actually listing out the exact ingredients and measurements for the Vesper Martini. It is as follows

• 3 measures Gordon's Gin
• 1 measure vodka
• 1/2 measure Cocchi Americano vermouth (Bond asks for Kina Lillet which has been discontinued so the internet suggested Cocchi as a "perfect substitute")
• garnish with a slice of lemon

Shake well over ice until cold. Garnish with a thin slice of lemon rind.

So what do you folks think? How does Casino Royale fare in your opinion?

So far, in the EON James Bond movies, 6 different actors have portrayed James Bond. I will abbreviate them by their initials. (SC Bond=Sean Connery Bond).
Since Skyfall and Spectre have called into question the idea that all James Bonds are different agents with the same codename, I propose that Sean Connery is actually Andrew Bond, who becomes the first agent codenamed James Bond, and names his son James after he retires. There are only 2 other James Bonds and they are the result of agents being altered with plastic surgery.
Daniel Craig Bond
Casino Royale shows us DC Bond first gaining his status as a double O agent at which point he becomes the new James Bond. However, in Skyfall and Spectre, we see that DC Bond is actually named James Bond and belongs to the Bond family estate.
Andrew Bond
At this point, I propose that. SC Bond, the "original" James Bond, is actually Andrew Bond, and is the father of DC Bond. After Andrew Bond retires, he lives his life at the Bond family estate and names his son James in honor of the agents continuing his legacy. This explains why DC Bond is in possession of SC Bond's Aston Martin. Andrew Bond is established to have died in a climbing accident sometime before 1995. James Bond was then orphaned and raised by Hannes Oberhauer until Oberhauer dies at the hands of Franz, and James then joins MI6.
George Lazenby and Roger Moore
After You Only Live Twice, SC Bond is deemed too old and is replaced by GL Bond. During his mission, GL Bond loses his wife to Blofeld and is deemed psychologically unfit for duty. SC Bond is recalled into service to finish the job of defeating Spectre, which he does in Diamonds are Forever. During this time, GL Bond is psychologically reconditioned, and given plastic surgery in order to turn him into RM Bond.
This explains why out of all the Bonds, RM Bond is the only one actually seen mourning the loss of his wife in For Your Eyes Only.
Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan
After A View to a Kill, RM/GL Bond is deemed too old and is replaced by TD Bond. In License to Kill, TD Bond's friend Felix is nearly killed, so TD Bond goes in direct violation of MI6 and pursues and kills the man responsible. After this, he is deemed psychologically unfit and like GL Bond, goes through psychological reconditioning and plastic surgery, turning him into PB Bond. Right around this time, the original M retires, and is replaced by the Judi Dench M.
PB Bond then goes on several successful subsequent missions until after Die Another Day, he too is deemed too old and retires.
tl;dr SC Bond is actually Andrew Bond, father of DC Bond who is actually named James Bond. GL Bond was surgically altered to become RM Bond, and TD Bond was surgically altered to become PB Bond.

Curious to get other thoughts on this.
I am a huge fan of the James Bond films (have seen all of them) but I feel like the most recent M:I films are overall better than the Daniel Craig Bond films.
M:I has

Cooler tech
More impressive stunts (climbing tallest building in the world, holding onto the side of a plane, insane motorcycle chases)
Better theme song (Bond's theme is still cool but the M:I theme song is more suspenseful/dramatic and lends itself better to action sequences)
Teamwork. Ethan Hunt is usually in the lead but I do like how in M:I, especially Ghost Protocol, it was more even with the characters. Brad Bird gave each character their own cool scenes to show their skills and personalities, which is also what he did with The Incredibles. James Bond is inherently a lone wolf, so I can't blame the people at Eon for this, but I do think it's more interesting.
More interesting female characters. As said in the previous point, this is not really the fault of the people behind it because that's just what Bond has been. But now that Judi Dench is no longer a part of the series, the only women are Bond girls.
A better Q. Benji is a better Q than the actual Q. He has more personality and I enjoy seeing him on screen. Ben Whishaw seems like a decent actor in other roles but I just don't like him as Q. I don't know why they didn't just keep John Cleese, he was a wonderful follow up to Desmond Llewellyn and if they were able to keep Judi Dench then they could have kept him. Plus the writing of the character sucks, the best tech he can produce is some pistol with a fingerprint scanner and a Spectre spoilers.

I guess we could also compare film by film since they released around the same time.

Casino Royale vs. MI3. This is tough, but personally I think MI3 was more entertaining. Casino Royale was definitely a good movie that gave analysis on the character, but I feel like MI3 was a better Bond film. Both are really good though.
MI3 vs. QoS. Easy. QoS was lame, the bad guy's plan was stealing water. MI3 wins.
Ghost Protocol vs. Skyfall. Both are neck and neck on Rotten Tomatoes, but I think Ghost Protocol is better for a lot of the reasons I stated above. I honestly didn't like Skyfall, the writing was bad and the only things I thought were good were the cinematography and the Adele song. But then again, do the Bond movies really need good cinematography? I mean they're action movies, not arthouse flicks, I feel like the focus should be elsewhere. My main problem with Skyfall is that it just kinda made all the characters lame. Bond just failed his missions over and over, and Silva pretty much won. M made countless bad judgment calls, Q's tech was boring, and the new Moneypenny kinda sucks imo. Every Moneypenny after Lois Maxwell sucked, none were half as charming and flirtatious as she was. She was like the cool teacher you had a crush on when you were six. Plus, Bond sleeping with a former child prostitute was just fucked up, man.
Spectre vs. Rogue Nation. Unpopular opinion I guess but I actually enjoyed Spectre. Yeah it had issues but it was a fun, Connery throwback spy romp. I did have issues with the writing though. Rogue Nation was good but I was disappointed that Jeremy Renner's character got reduced so much. I feel like, even though I enjoyed Spectre, Rogue Nation was objectively better on a technical level simply for its stunts.

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