The James Bond franchise has a long history including the latest installment, Skyfall seems to be widely seen as the best movie in the bunch. The third Daniel Craig outing was a massive hit and praised for its more mature take on the franchise.
However, with such a long-running franchise, there are more than a few other contenders for the best movie in the series. Some of these Bond movies were highly influential, others became more popular over time, and some were just thoroughly entertaining 007 adventures.
Updated on October 7th, 2021 by Colin McCormick: Nearly a decade after its release, Skyfall is still regarded by many as the greatest Bond movie to date. However, with No Time to Die finally hitting theaters after a long delay, fans have been eager to revisit the franchise and re-evaluate the various entries. Even now, there are still elements to Skyfall that impress while there are also other Bond movies that have perhaps been regarded more favorably over time. As a result, it is worth revisiting the debate of whether Skyfall remains the greatest James Bond adventure of all time.
Skyfall: Opening Action Sequence
It is always important for Bond movies to begin with a bang and Skyfall certainly delivers on that . The opening action sequence throws the audience right into the action as Bond attempts to retrieve sensitive materials from a mercenary.
The scene is filled with tensions and high stakes leading to an amazing action set-piece onboard a train. It kicks things off in such a thrilling way, putting the audience on the edge of their seats while also delivering a surprising conclusion that sets the movie up in an interesting way.
Alternate: You Only Live Twice
You Only Live Twice is most notable for being the first Bond movie to feature Blofeld as the primary villain. The iconic villain was given his first on-screen appearance with Donald Pleasence's creepy performance.
While Blofeld doesn't appear until the end of the movie, You Only Live Twice manages to deliver plenty of thrills in the meantime. This felt like the franchise was really starting to embrace the big-scale adventure, especially with the climactic battle inside a volcano lair.
Skyfall: The Title Song
Though most people go to Bond movies for the wild action sequences, the songs have always been a huge part of the franchise. Just as fans argue about which movie in the franchise is best, there are endless opinions about the theme songs. But there is no denying the Adele delivers a stunning title track.
It is a powerful and ominous tune that really builds a sense of foreboding to set the movie off. It is certainly the best of the Bond songs from the 21st century and is in the conversation as one of the greatest of all time.
Alternate: Goldfinger
Though Dr. No kicked off the Bond franchise, Goldfinger, the third movie in the series seemed to establish a lot of the tropes and style that the future movies would follow. As such, this thrill-ride of a movie feels like the most quintessential Bond movie.
The titular villain is one of the best in the series and his henchman Oddjob is equally memorable. As for Connery, he continues to play the role with effortless charm and really helped to make 007 such an iconic hero.
Skyfall: Re-establishing The Classics
After things got a little outlandish with previous Bond movies, the first Daniel Craig entries seemed to be determined to make the franchise more grounded going forward and dismissed some aspects fans had come to expect.
One of the charms of Skyfall is how it was able to maintain that grounded feel while beginning to bring back some of those nostalgic elements. The characters of Moneypenny and Q were introduced with appropriate updating and the movie even embraced gadgets in a way that made sense. It proved the movies could be taken seriously without ditching the fun of the past movies.
Alternative: Dr. No
When thinking of the best Bond movies, it's hard not to think about the one that started it all. Dr. No gave audiences a thrilling spy adventure while introducing James Bond, who would become one of the biggest cinematic icons of all time.
As with many of the past Bond movies, there are aspects that feel horribly dated. However, Sean Connery brings Bond to life in a way that mixes action hero, anti-hero, and a mischievous schoolboy. It's not hard to see how many still consider him the best Bond.
Skyfall: Sam Mendes
While the Bond franchise has often attracted journeymen directors and those familiar with the action genre, the choice of bringing Sam Mendes to helm Skyfall was a surprising and, in the end, inspired choice.
Mendes was already an Oscar-winning director for American Beauty, but nothing from his career indicated he would be fit for such a movie. However, partnered with legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, Mendes managed to make probably the most visually stunning Bond movie of all time. On top of that, he was well suited to the action sequences as well.
Alternative: On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
George Lazenby is certainly the most overlooked Bond from the franchise, having only appeared in one movie. But as time has gone on, that movie has risen in popularity among fans who now consider it a standout in the franchise.
Lazenby might have a different energy from Connery, but it works for this particular story. He is also ed by Dame Diana Rigg as one of the best Bond girls and Telly Savalas who makes a very compelling version of Blofeld. But it is the surprisingly grim ending that really makes a lasting impact.
Skyfall: M And Bond
While M, the no-nonsense boss of Bond, has always been a part of the series, the character really started to make an impression when Judi Dench took over the role. She brings grace and authority to the part that is perfect and Skyfall is one of the few times she was really made part of the story.
With M's ties to the villain of the movie, she is alongside Bond on this adventure. Even better, the movie takes time to explore the relationship between these two characters, showing that despite the occasional animosity, they have a deeper connection than they it.
Alternative: The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
To date, Roger Moore has played Bond more than any other actor in the franchise, and there are some who think he is the embodiment of the character. While some of his entries in the franchise are among the most ridiculous, The Spy Who Loved Me remains impressive.
Similar to some other movies on the list, The Spy Who Loved Me was a return to form after the franchise had somewhat lost its way. It is filled with excellent action sequences, a memorable henchman with Jaws, and Moore's charming performance.
