The James Bond franchise has made a considerable evolution in the 21st century, as it is no longer the single most dominant action franchise. While Bond was pretty much unassailable for the first few decades of his existence, the series began to face steeper competition in the new century, in which other action sagas like Bourne, Mission: Impossible, The Fast and the Furious, and various superhero movies grew more popular. Inevitably, Bond had to reinvent himself in order to prove that he was no longer a product of the past. The fact that the series is still able to capture such excitement is proof once more than “nobody does it better.”
The 21st century saw the disappointing conclusion to Pierce Brosnan’s run as Bond, but it also saw an exciting new face with Daniel Craig taking over. Craig proved to be a Bond who was closest in line with the darker conception of the character imagined by Ian Fleming, but he also retained some of the old-fashioned charisma that made Sean Connery so synonymous with the part. There is certainly a high bar for whoever ends up taking over the role next, be it Tom Holland, Jacob Elordi, Jack Lowden, or someone else. Here is every 21st century James Bond film, ranked by entertainment value.
6
‘Die Another Day’ (2002)
Pierce Brosnan, as James Bond, rides a snowmobile in Die Another Day.Image via MGM
Die Another Day isn’t even really worth watching as a guilty pleasure because of how grossly it misunderstands Bond as a franchise. While there are other “bad” Bond films like Moonraker and A View To A Kill that are unintentionally hilarious because of how campy they are, Die Another Day features so many inexplicable gadgets and fantastical ideas that it almost feels like a work of science fiction with no basis in reality. Roger Moore may have done some ridiculous things as Bond, but he never had a stunt as wacky as Bond sailing onto the shores of North Korea like he does within the first few minutes of Die Another Day.
What’s most disappointing about Die Another Day is its wasted potential, as there is no good reason that great actresses like Halle Berry and Rosamund Pike should be given such underwritten roles. The film is so bad that there’s been a movement asking for Brosnan to reprise his role as an older version of Bond so that he can finally give his iteration of the character the proper sendoff that he deserves.
5
‘Quantum of Solace’ (2008)
Daniel Craig as James Bond in Quantum of SolaceImage via Sony Pictures Releasing
Quantum of Solace is easily the most disappointing film in the Bond franchise based on what a steep decline in quality it was when compared to its predecessor. Most of the film’s issues can be traced to the nature of its production; since it was being filmed in the midst of the WGA strike, Quantum of Solace had to be reconvened constantly as Craig and director Marc Forster tried to come up with new ideas.
There’s so much action in Quantum of Solace that it begins to feel weightless, as Craig’s Bond turns into a ruthless killing machine that doesn’t ever seem to emote. It didn’t help that the exploration of the QUANTUM organization felt half-hearted, as it was clearly just another attempt to revitalize SPECTRE. However, the one bright part of Quantum of Solace is a great performance by Judi Dench, who seems to be the only one who understands what the tone of the film should be.
4
‘Spectre’ (2015)
Daniel Craig (James Bond) and Lea Seydoux (Madeleine Swann) in standing on train tracks in ‘Spectre’.Image via Sony Pictures Releasing
Spectre is a pretty underrated Bond film that deserves a lot more credit than it was given. While the reveal of Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) and his connection to Bond’s childhood is somewhat mismanaged, Spectre is one of the best-looking films in the series based on the amazing filmmaking of Sam Mendes. It also helps that Craig and Lea Seydoux have excellent chemistry, which explains why she is one of the few Bond girls to stick around for multiple installments.
Spectre is worth revisiting because it embraced the ensemble-nature of the modern Bond series by giving juicer roles to Mallory (Ralph Fiennes), Q (Ben Whishaw), Moneypenny (Naomi Harris), and Tanner (Rory Kinnear). It also was able to find a clever way to offer political commentary on the Orwellian nightmare of the surveillance state in a post-Edward Snowden world, which has somehow become even more relevant a decade later when artificial intelligence has become so embraced. Although there’s a few clunky moments (and a truly god-awful theme song from Sam Smith), Spectre fluctuates between grimness and goofiness in a way that feels unprecedented from the series.
3
‘No Time To Die’ (2021)
Daniel Craig as James Bond and Ana de Armas as Paloma in No Time to Die.From MGM and Eon’s No Time to Die.
No Time To Die is one of the boldest entries in the series, and not just for the controversial ending that divided some fans. No Time To Die was the first Bond film since On Her Majesty’s Secret Service to examine Bond’s mortality and consider what his purpose was outside of serving his country, as he was teased with the potential of a normal life. Craig’s performance is remarkable, as it was clear that the dynamic he shared with Seydoux was intended to be a real romance, and not just another example of womanizing. Rami Malek also gives a surprisingly understated, creepy performance that proves once again that the best villains are those that actually believe themselves to be heroes.
No Time To Die is worth considering in the same category as other “wrap up” franchise films like Avengers: Endgame, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- Part 2; while it would be hard to argue that it is is the deepest or best made installment in the series, it serves as a heartfelt, non-cynical love letter to an interaction of the character that has existed for fifteen years. Even if it gets a little schmaltzy at times and runs a bit too long, none of the flaws in No Time To Die feel like anything but an attempt to pay homage to the character’s amazing history. One of the reasons that the next Bond film has taken so long to reach fruition is that No Time To Die is simply a tough film to top.
2
‘Casino Royale’ (2006)
Image via Sony Pictures Releasing
Casino Royale would be considered a classic even if it had nothing to do with the rest of the Bond franchise, even though it’s among the closest to the original novels that the series had ever gotten. In adapting the first book in the series, Martin Campbell showed how Bond truly became a cynical, womanizing killer, and how his early idealism and willingness to fall in love lead him down a darker path. Although there were some early doubters about Craig’s abilities to capture the essence of the character, he silenced all doubters with a humane, emotional performance that ranks among the best in the series’ history. Even if he was a Bond who could get wounded, Craig also felt like a version of the character who would have no issues using his license to kill.
Casino Royale is a profound and engaging love story thanks to the unmatchable presence of Vesper Lyn (Eva Green), but it’s also a ruthless action film that showed that the Bond series had learned all the right lessons from the gritty style introduced by The Bourne Identity. Mads Mikkelsen proved to be one of the best and most chilling villains in the franchise’s history, specifically due to a brutal torture scene that easily ranks among the most disturbing moments ever included in a PG-13 film. Although it’s often an emotionally devastating film that forces viewers to reconsider the ways in which they had perceived the entire franchise, it’s also filled with momentum and hasn’t aged a day; it might also be the single best poker film since Rounders.
1
‘Skyfall’ (2012)
Ben Whishaw and Daniel Craig sitting at the National Gallery next to each other and talking about something they’re looking at in front of themImage via EON
Skyfall is a brilliant character study about what Bond represents as an institution that also considers the events that lead him to be a patriot and hero. Although Casino Royale examined how he became a comfortable killer and regular bachelor, Skyfall suggested that the tragic events in Bond’s life lead him to become someone with an innate sense of right and wrong, even if his country didn’t always serve him. By introducing Bond into a modern world where government overreach and cybercrimes had simply become a facet of reality, Skyfall made the argument that an old-fashioned program like the “00” agents were still needed.
Skyfall is one of the most breaktaking and visceral films in the series thanks to the great Roger Deakins, who crafted an immersive noir thriller in which every frame could look like a painting. The film was also successful in introducing one of the rare villains who actually challenged Bond on an intellectual level, as Javier Bardem’s Raoul Silva is a former MI6 agent who chose to employ his own means of justice instead of following orders. The fact that Skyfall was able to open with one of cinema’s most breathless train chases and end with a tear-jerking moment between Dench and Craig is a testament to what an incomparable achievement it was.
Skyfall
Release Date
November 9, 2012
Runtime
143 minutes
Writers
Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, John Logan, Ian Fleming
