IMDB rating: 7.3
Starring as Bond: Sean Connery (Score: 8 )
As the girl: Ursula Andress (Score: 7)
A modest budget of a mere $USD1.1m nonetheless created the perfect vehicle to launch the most successful film franchise of all time. This film certainly sets the scene for the series, containing everything that would come to be associated with the Bond film formula – the girls, the music, the tough guys, the bad guys, the flip one-liners (many repeated in every film) and the big climax.

Curiously, Dr No was almost not the first Bond film. Ian Fleming worked with producer Kevin McClory and one other writer to create a custom story and script for a first film, but then went off and published a book based on the script without the consent of the others. This led to a legal battle that lasted for years, though it did become the fourth Bond film “Thunderball”, and also the renegade “Never Say Never Again”.

Much has been said of the casting of Connery as Bond, but history has shown it to be inspired. In fact, in retrospect, just about every element of the film was inspired, creating the building blocks for all the films that followed.

Interesting bit of trivia: That iconic shot of Bond through the gun barrel was not of Connery. In the first three films the footage is of stuntman Bob Simmons.

IMDB rating: 7.5
Starring as Bond: Sean Connery (Score: 7)
The follow-up act of anything is always tough, but especially so for the second Bond film. Appropriately, the producers doubled the budget and, at the height of the cold war, brought in the Russians. It was rumoured that this story was chosen by the producers for the second film as a recent article had listed “From Russian With Love” as one of John F Kennedy’s favourite books. Ironically, it was the last movie that JFK ever saw, and the last Bond film Ian Fleming would see.

Both Connery and Lois Maxwell (Moneypenny) named this as their favourite Bond film. While not widely included in fan lists of top Bond films, its release broke several box office records and was generally considered at the time as responsible for launching the series (rather than Dr No).

Interesting trivia: Features the first Bond gadget (the trick attache case) and the first appearance of Desmond Llewelyn as “Q” (he would appear in 16 other Bond films).

IMDB rating: 7.8
Starring as Bond: Sean Connery (Score: 9)
As the girl: Honor Blackman (Score: 8 )
Title track: “Goldfinger” (Score: 8.5)
The yard stick by which all other James Bond films are measured. From the memorable theme song, to the gadget-ridden Aston Martin, the laser beam tracking toward Bond’s crown jewels to the final showdown in Fort Knox – everything about this movie worked (okay, except maybe for the cheesy fainting soldiers, and for the head of the statue that wasn’t quite heavy enough to break the arm it hit as it fell).

Curiously, this was the first time an Aston Martin appeared in a Bond film (the producers had tried in earlier films, but the car company wouldn’t cooperate), and it only appeared intermittently from then on, yet the DB5 is always seen as the definitive Bond car. It wasn’t really until ‘Die Another Day’ and then the Daniel Craig films that Aston Martin again became the spy’s vehicle of choice.

Goldfinger was the first Bond film to win an Oscar, taking out the Best Sound Effects award for Norman Wanstall in 1965.

It was a very high bar to set, and would be a long time before Bond could reach these heights again.

IMDB rating: 7
Starring as Bond: Sean Connery (Score: 7)
With a massive $(USD)9m budget – more than all the previous Bond films combined – the producers pulled out all stops for Bond’s fourth film. Because the Fleming book was the subject of legal action (see Dr No above), the producers had to pay producer Kevin McClory for the rights to film this story.

Thunderball also took Bond gadgets and twists to new levels. Surpassing the DB5 in Goldfinger was always going to be hard, but the jet pack (a real one, on loan from the US Air Force) and transforming ship (the biggest and most expensive prop of its day) go some way to topping it.

Thunderball won the second Bond Oscar, this time for Special Visual Effects for John Stears at the 1966 awards. It would be nearly forty years until Bond won another Oscar.

This is said to be the most successful of all Bond films, raking in more than Goldfinger and – when adjusted for inflation – more than any other Bond film.

IMDB rating: 6.9
Starring as Bond: Sean Connery (Score: 6)
Many prints of Thunderball said in their closing credits that “James Bond will return in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”, proving yet again that the best laid plans can often go astray. Increasing the budget to $(USD)9.5m didn’t pay off quite so well for the producers this time around, with You Only Live Twice taking only about two thirds as much at the box office. Much of that budget, more than $(USD)1m, was spent building the volcano set at Pinewood studios.

You Only Live Twice was the last Bond novel to be printed in Fleming’s lifetime. Ironically, this is the first Bond film to depart significantly from the book, a trend that was to continue in many subsequent movies where often the only nod to Fleming was the film title.

By this time Connery was tiring of the Bond character, and the experience of making this film didn’t help. He was hounded by photographers (even photographed on the toilet), addressed as “Mr Bond” during press conferences and interviews, and even harassed by the security guards meant to protect him from the crowds. It was half way through filming that he announced he wouldn’t make another Bond film, despite being contractually obligated to one more film after this one, creating quite a stir at the time.

Interesting trivia: Toyota didn’t make a convertible version of the 2000GT car that stars in this movie, but created one especially for this film when it was found that the tall Connery couldn’t fit into the coupe.

IMDB rating: 6.8
Starring as Bond: George Lazenby (Score: 6.5)
As the girl: Diana Rigg (Score: 7)
When Connery declined a generous $(USD)1m offer to return to the Bond role, the producers had a dilemma. Filling Sean Connery’s shoes as Bond was never going to be an easy task. In fact one feels that it wouldn’t have mattered who had been chosen, the size of the task and the pressure from Bond fans made failure almost inevitable. To be fair, Lazenby was probably a good choice. He had the looks, the build and was a reasonable actor who could handle the physical requirements of the role. But he wasn’t Connery, and the public made that clear.

With a budget several million dollars less than previous Bonds, the producers were hedging their bets. The lack of budget showed on screen, and again at the box office, where it made less than half the previous film. While it was still one of the highest grossing movies of 1970, it remains one of the worst performing Bonds of all time (even allowing for inflation).

There are stories that Lazenby didn’t endear himself to the producers, and also stories that he was not keen to play Bond (despite having been offered a seven picture deal and having signed a letter of intent to star in Diamonds are Forever). For whatever reason, the stars did not align, and Lazenby effectively returned to the obscurity from which he had risen.

Interesting trivia: The Fleming book You Only Live Twice is actually a sequel to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, yet the movies were made the other way around. Adam West, TV’s Batman, was actually offered the role of Bond for this film, but turned it down saying the role should be played by an englishman. Timothy Dalton was also offered the role, but turned it down believing himself to be too young (he was 25, Lazenby was 29).

IMDB rating: 6.7
Starring as Bond: Sean Connery (Score: 6.5)
Continuing to put up the modest $7(USD)m budget with which they’d made On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the producers weren’t taking too many chances. American actor John Gavin had actually been signed to the role, but at the eleventh hour Sean Connery – having been offered the unheard of sum of $(USD)1.25m and a two-picture deal – agreed to return to the role. (Gavin’s contract was paid out in full.)

Because of Connery’s fee, special effects and other production areas were cut back significantly. This extended to reshoots, creating one of the greatest continuity goofs in any film, not just Bond (I’m referring to the car driving through a narrow alley on two wheels, and then exiting on the two opposite wheels). To compensate, the eye candy quota was increased, and Jill St John spends most of her screen time in bikinis.

To further try to recreate the glory days of the Bond films, producers also brought back Shirley Bassey, who sang the landmark Goldfinger theme, to sing the title song. She was used again in Moonraker and remains the only person to perform more than one Bond song.

Starring as Bond: Roger Moore (Score: 7)
IMDB rating: 6.8
Roger Moore had long been on the producer’s radar as a potential Bond, even before his TV series, The Saint, in which he played a spy. So when Connery turned down the ridiculous sum of $(USD)5.5m to return to the role, and after testing many other actors, Moore was approached. Fittingly, Connery gave Moore his seal of approval, calling him “an ideal Bond”. At 45 when this film was made, Moore was the oldest actor to debut as Bond.

The producers again kept the budget at a modest $(USD)7m, and surprisingly this film made back much less than its predecessor. Learning from the mistakes of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, they and Moore made the savvy decision to make this Bond very different to Connery’s. Humour, action and stunts were all ramped up, and the boat chase remains one of the most original and memorable chase sequences ever filmed (even making it into the Guiness Book of Records, a feat that future Bond stunts would repeat).

Interesting trivia: Surprisingly, the change Bond fans complained about most was the absence of “Q” and actor Desmond Llewelyn. Producers were quick to bring him back for the next film. The book, conversely, was the first Bond book to mention Q branch.

IMDB rating: 6.7
Starring as Bond: Roger Moore (Score: 7)
With the Moore formula seemingly working, the producers confidently doubled the budget for their next outing. This has one of the most famous car stunts in all moviedom – the 360 degree corkscrew jump. Using computer software designed to study roll-over accidents, the experts designed a unique stunt. Shot in one take using eight cameras (they only had one shot) it remains a standout, and easily the highlight of this film (the flying car was a bit gimicky). Everything went downhill from there, especially the psychadelic overkill and the anticlimax.

Christopher Lee was Ian Fleming’s cousin, and was originally considered for the role of Dr No. It is fitting then that he should be the villain in the movie version of the final complete Bond novel written by Fleming (it was published posthumously). This respectful nod aside, the movie itself bears little resemblance to the book.

This was co-producer Harry Saltzman’s last Bond film. He sold his 50% interest to United Artists to alleviate some personal financial problems. His decision may have been influenced by this film’s poor box office takings (the USA receipts were less than double the cost of the film), which brought about a three year delay until the next film.

IMDB rating: 7.1
Starring as Bond: Roger Moore (Score: 7.5)
Fortunately for the franchise, this was exactly the shot in the arm the series needed. Upping the budget to a record $(USD)14m, Albert R Broccoli, now effectively the sole producer, pulled out all the stops. In the days before CGI, this film set the standard for the big set spectacular.

$(USD)1m of the huge budget was used to build an entire sound stage – Stage 007, at that time the largest in the world – to house the massive submarine dock set. The stage burned down in 1984. Designer Ken Adams also had the task of building a 70 foot model of the supertanker.

It also has the second most famous Bond car after the Aston Martin DB5 – the stunning white Lotus Espirit that saves Bond in a most unique way. Its appearance led to such a rush of orders for white Espirits that there was a three year waiting list.

I’m still in two minds about the character Jaws. He is one of the few elements in the film that actually came from the book (albeit somewhat exaggerated), and actor Richard Kiel was by all accounts a likeable gentle giant. The physically impossible chain crunching, however, is hard to swallow.

Interesting trivia: So removed is the film from the book, that this is generally considered the first Bond film with an original story. It is also the first Bond film that has a theme song with lyrics that don’t match the title of the film, and the first appearance in film of a jet-ski. Oh, all the pyramid shots are of models and one scene in which Moore appears isn’t actually the actor – it’s a life-size photograph.

IMDB rating: 6.2
Starring as Bond: Roger Moore (Score: 7)
James Bond meets Star Wars. The producers had been doing pre-production on For Your Eyes Only as the next Bond film, and the end credits of The Spy Who Loved Me declare as much. But then Star Wars (1977) was released. Its success led them to rethink their next project, and they rushed Moonraker into pre-production.

If The Spy Who Loved Me had a boosted budget, then Moonraker’s finances were on steroids, with a total budget more than twice that of the previous movie. It must have worked. Until Goldeneye, this was the highest grossing Bond film. Fans were pleased to see the return of Jaws (Albert Broccoli guessed that this would be the case and changed the ending of The Spy Who Loved Me so that he survived). In a nice nod to the previous movie, where a land vehicle operated in water (the Lotus), in this movie they created a water vehicle that operated on land (the gondola).

The movie continues with the formula for success created for Moore’s Bond – the humour, the big action sequences, the huge sets and the spy’s endless charm. Most of the interiors were shot in France, and the space station set remains the largest indoor set ever built in France.

Interesting trivia: With the exception of a handfull of brief close-ups, the entire free-fall fight-for-the-parachute sequence was filmed in actual freefall. It required 88 jumps and five weeks to film. Each freefall lasted between sixty and seventy seconds, yet on film the sequence lasts for over two minutes.

IMDB rating: 6.8
Starring as Bond: Roger Moore (Score: 7)
Albert Broccoli pared back the budget a little for this outing, but it still made a bucketload, falling just short of Moonraker’s record haul and saving United Artists in the process. Returning to Fleming’s work, this is the first Bond film to be based on one of the Bond short stories, rather than a novel. It also steals a number of sequences from other Bond books.

After the near fantasy of Moonraker, and the reliance of previous Moore films on gadgets and campy humour, these elements were minimised in this film. Producers decided to try for a more realistic Bond, and fans appreciated it.

There were many rumours floating around during preproduction that Roger Moore wouldn’t return, and many actors were tested as replacements. His contract with Eon ended with Moonraker, and he hadn’t yet re-signed. Given that Roger Moore was 54 when this film went into production, the rumours were understandable. Lynn-Holly Johnson, the actress who played aspiring skater Bibi Dahl, who apparently falls for Bond, was only 23 years of age during production. Moore’s age was starting to become a problem. (While flirting with Bond her character even says that Kristatos is much older than Bond – in fact actor Julian Glover is eight years younger.) Close to the start of production Moore signed a one-picture deal.

Interesting trivia: Countess Lisl was played by Australian actress Cassandra Harris who was married to Pierce Brosnan. During filming Brosnan was introduced to Broccoli, and the wheels of future Bonds were set in motion. Brosnan attended the Gala Charity Premiere with his wife.

IMDB rating: 6.5
Starring as Bond: Roger Moore (Score: 6.5)
The budget was cut back again, and yet Octopussy again made a bucketload for Bond. And yet again, there was doubt as to whether or not Moore would make it back as Bond. James Brolin was almost given the role, but when Moore offered to step in again at the last moment producers decided to go with him – knowing that this film would be competing with the Connery vehicle Never Say Never Again they felt more comfortable with a known Bond. Their decision was justified – Octopussy went on to make $(USD)187m worldwide, while Never Say Never Again made only $(USD)160m.

Despite this success, there remains a strong feeling among fans that by this point in the series the Moore Bond was becoming tired.

Interesting trivia: This is the first movie to include the MGM lion, following the merger of MGM and UA.

IMDB rating: 6.1
Starring as Bond: Sean Connery (Score: 7)
Not part of the “official” (that is, Eon) Bond series, this was very much a personal project of Kevin McClory’s, and to a lesser extent Connery’s. McClory still owned the rights to the ‘Thunderball’ story and characters, one of only two Fleming Bond books for which the Broccoli producers didn’t own the right screen rights (the other one being ‘Casino Royale’ which had been made as a comedy farce in 1967).

They threw everything they had at this production, including a $(USD)36m budget, about 25% more than the “official” Bond film that same year, Octopussy. Recreating the famous separating yacht, almost twenty years after the original, would not have been cheap.

At 52, Connery was probably beyond the ideal age to play a character that was still winning fistfights with younger, fitter men and wooing young, gorgeous women. Nevertheless there will be those that are happy to argue that Connery pulled it off in spades. And he was younger than Moore.

IMDB rating: 6.2
Starring as Bond: Roger Moore (Score: 6.5)
There was no hiding the fact that Roger Moore was now 57, and for his last Bond film the producers threw in only a modest (for the series) $(USD)30m. Even Moore felt that he was too old for the part (his hair had to be thickened on set each day) and he rates this as his least favourite Bond film. According to his autobiography he felt there was no chemistry between himself and love interest Tanya Roberts (who was 30 when the film was made) and there was a genuine dislike of Grace Jones. He also disliked the extra violence, like the machine-gunning scene.

Filming was delayed when the 007 stage at Pinewood burnt down, until it was rebuilt four months later.

Interesting trivia: Not only is this Moore’s last Bond film, but also Lois Maxwell’s who had played Moneypenny since the earliest films.

IMDB rating: 6.7
Starring as Bond: Timothy Dalton (Score: 7.5)
As the girl: Maryam d’Abo (Score: 7)
Time for another re-invention of the character. So many actors were considered for the famous role, and Pierce Brosnan was even given the script, but Broccoli eventually went back to one of his earlier picks, and someone he’d been trying to get into the role for some time – Timothy Dalton of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Dalton makes a great Bond. He has the looks and build, and was probably a better actor than any of the previous Bonds. It was also good to see producers returning to the Fleming books for inspiration, though this would be the last time (even the titles for the next 20 odd years were not from Fleming stories) until Daniel Craig’s Casino Royale.

With great action sequences, an epic setting, and one of the best Bond posters ever (for obvious reasons), this should have been a much bigger hit than it was.

Interesting trivia: Maryam d’Abo had previously tested for the role of Pola Ivanova in A View to a Kill, and for this film was originally hired only for the potential Bond actor screentests.

IMDB rating: 6.5
Starring as Bond: Timothy Dalton (Score: 7.5)
Bond takes a darker turn. While the scriptwriters for The Living Daylights, still under the impression that either Roger Moore or Pierce Brosnan would play Bond, kept some of the trademark humour in that movie, this one was written specifically with Dalton in mind.

Dalton and the producers had wanted to take Bond more seriously, make him tougher, and this was the result. Director John Glen considers it his best Bond, and fans agree that this was the most realistic of the series to that point, and it has probably stood the test of time more than many others.

Continuing their quest for bigger and bigger stunts, this film includes one of the most original – the first time an eighteen-wheeler had been skied, or driven on the wheels of just one side.

Squeezing an extra couple of million out of the purse for the budget, the producers had high hopes for this outing. Alas, and undeservedly, it was one of the worst box office performers of the series by percentage. In addition to (sadly) being Dalton’s last outing as Bond, it was also the last for director John Glen, writer Richard Maibaum (who died in 1991), title designer Maurice Binder (who also died in 1991), composer John Barry and legendary producer Albert R “Cubby” Broccoli.

It would be six years until the next Bond.

IMDB rating: 7.2
Starring as Bond: Pierce Brosnan (Score: 8.5)
As the girl: Izabella Scorupco (Score: 8 )
As the other girl: Famke Janssen (Score: 8 )
The producers had waited around ten years to get Pierce Brosnan into Bond’s shoes. It was worth the wait. Back in 1985 Brosnan would have been too young to play Bond, but by 1995 he had matured both physically and professionally and was well up to the task. He introduced a tougher, more physically able Bond. But with significant comedy skills, he helped to make the character likeable and watchable, reminiscent of the best of Connery without the campness of Moore.

If this was going to be a reboot with a difference, then the producers had to think big. First, they doubled the budget, up to a massive $(USD)58m. They rebuilt large parts of St Petersburg in the english countryside (Leavesden studios to be precise) for the tank chase. Best of all, though, they also brought in Izabella Scorupco and Famke Janssen, possibly two of the best Bond girls ever. Ever. Hmmmmmm.

Another notable cast change was the introduction of Judi Dench as M. This was universally hailed as a masterstroke, and Dench remained with the series until Skyfall, eighteen years later. In fact, Desmond Llewelyn as Q is the only recurring cast member from previous Bonds (Joe Don Baker had been a bad guy in The Living Daylights).

While I like the pre-credit sequence, and it sets up the main story very nicely, it still irks me. I mean, first, Bond bungee jumps down the wall of a very tall dam to land on the roof of a building. Then he enters the building and continues down. But then when he exits the building it is suddenly on the TOP of the mountains, not in the valley, with no room above it for a massive damn or the mountains that contain it.

Not only was this the first Bond film to be helmed by Albert Broccoli’s daughter, Barbara Broccoli (she had been involved in several previous films), but it was the last one viewed by the master producer before his death in 1996.

As a reboot, Goldeneye exceeded all expectations. Bond was back.

Interesting trivia: Has the most models and miniatures of any Bond film. Sean Bean had actually been tested for the role of Bond in The Living Daylights. He may not have got 007, but he got 006.

IMDB rating: 6.4
Starring as Bond: Pierce Brosnan (Score: 8 )
As the girl: Michelle Yeoh (Score: 7.5)
If doubling the budget worked for Goldeneye, then why wouldn’t it work again? So they did. Budget, $(USD)110m – twice that of Goldeneye and more than the first ten Bond films combined. For such a big budget, it ended up being one of the shortest Bond films.

This was going to be old school Bond, with big action sequences, huge sets, gadgets, world domination, tough-guy hero, and a fair bit of fun along the way. The arms sale opening sequence is one of the best Bond pre-credit sequences.

Many fans were a little put off by the use of BMWs as Bond cars, a change that came about due to a massive product placement deal that the producers couldn’t refuse. Perhaps the fans can take some comfort in the knowledge that 15 BMW 750s were destroyed making the film.

For the big stunt where Brosnan and Michelle Yeoh descend, handcuffed, to escape down the outside of Elliot Carver’s building, a seven story section of building was constructed and the actors safely lowered down it.

One of the biggest and best of the Bond films, it is a fitting memorial to producer Albert Broccoli, to whom it is dedicated. While it made a packet at the box office, its earning capacity was no doubt impaired by opening in the same week as Titanic. It is probably for that reason alone that it is the only one of the four Brosnan Bond films that didn’t win its US opening week.

Interesting trivia: The motorcycle jump over the helicopter wasn’t quite as dangerous as it looked. The helicopter shell the stuntman jumped over had no working rotors, and spinning rotor blades were added in digitally later.

IMDB rating: 6.3
Starring as Bond: Pierce Brosnan (Score: 8 )
As the girl: Sophie Marceau (Score: 8 )
One of my favourite Bond films. The producers chose not to double the budget again, but it was still a very healthy $(USD)135m. Another wise investment, with this movie becoming the highest grossing Bond film to that time.

The pre-title sequence is a favourite among fans and is the longest in the entire series. It has everything – gadgets, big stunts and action, a touch of humour and a memorable climax.

This is the first Bond film to have a female main villain (there had been plenty of female cronies before, right back to Pussy Galore), so for that reason it is also the first Bond film in which Bond beds the main villain and the first Bond film in which he kills the leading Bond girl. Sophie Marceau was an absolutely perfect choice for the role – beautiful, glamorous and every inch a Bond girl, but also a brilliant actor able to carry off every nuance required to make her character believable at every point in the story.

Much has been said of Denise Richards’ character Dr Christmas Jones, most of it not very supportive. Suffice to say, the character is a reasonably standard, perhaps even better than average Bond girl (not as good as Pussy Galore or Natalya Simonova, but not as bad as Stacey Sutton or Tiffany Case), and Richards does a good enough job of it.

After appearing as Q in 17 Bond films over 36 years, this is Desmond Llewelyn’s last appearance. Expecting him to retire, producers gave him a moving and fitting final exit. After the film opened, Llewelyn announced that he was interested in appearing in just one more. Unfortunately, he was killed in a car accident shortly afterward. The DVD release is dedicated to him.

IMDB ratingL 6.0
Starring as Bond: Pierce Brosnan (Score: 6.5)
An unfortunate way for Brosnan to end his Bond days, and proof of the old Hollywood adage that a massive budget ($USD142m in this case, $USD120m of which came from product placement and merchandising deals) does not guarantee a good film. It was nice to see so many nods to Fleming and earlier Bonds, and they certainly brought a smile to many Bond fans, but they were not enough to save this train wreck.

You’d think the warning bells would have started when someone suggested an invisible car … Seriously guys, it was a gadget much too far, and the absolutely lame technical explanation of how it is supposed to work is patently ridiculous and unworkable. Even Roger Moore thought it so laughable that he felt compelled to lambast it publicly. The ice lake car chase was a nice idea that included several nifty stunts, but then it also descended into lameness. Kite surfing in impossible conditions, bringing Halle Berry back to life after she had clearly drowned and been dead too long, and then the final fight in the disintegrating plane is so unreal (that is, could not happen in real life) that it discredits the whole film.

On the plus side, Halle Berry, the first Academy Award winning Bond girl, recreating Ursula Andress’ walk out of the water, the return of Aston Martin, and Brosnan picking up the original bird-watching book by James Bond that gave the character the name in the first place, (just two of many such nods) were nice little touches to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the film series and the fiftieth anniversary of the books. Rosamund Pike was an excellent addition to the gallery of Bond girls (Madonna was not). The pre-credit sequence is also one of the better ones, as with all the Brosnan Bond films.

The movie, despite all its flaws, was still a hit. Go figure.

IMDB rating: 7.9
Starring as Bond: Daniel Craig (Score: 8.5)
As the girl: Eva Green (Score 7.5)
The prospect of another new Bond instantly meant this was a project that could kill off the franchise forever. There was a lot of pressure on the producers, and, of course, on Daniel Craig. The premise they chose in these circumstances was therefore surprisingly risky/courageous – even though they had introduced Dame Judy Dench as an M new to the job some four films and eleven years earlier, here they spun that around and made M the veteran promoting Bond from a reckless agent to 00 status. In the context of Casino Royale, which was the first James Bond book, it makes some sense. However it did inspire Bond enthusiasts to develop an interesting theory that helps to bind the entire Bond canon together nicely – that is, that “James Bond 007” is just another Mi6 designation, like “M” or “Q”, that can be assigned to a series of agents, and that it is not the same Individual and that is not his real name. Novel idea.

Martin Campbell – who directed the Brosnan reboot Goldeneye – was brought back to direct the Craig reboot. His chosen style, especially for the opening sequences, definitely contributed to the success of this film.

Every one of the $(USD)150m spent on this film is up there on the screen. The film is gritty, real and the action sequences fantastic. The free-running chase sequence at the start of the film introduces Craig’s relentless, more brutal, more physical Bond in the most stunning way. It also walks away as the longest of all the Bond films.

Eva Green makes a great Bond girl, and helps to bring some humanity to the series. As Vesper Lynd, the first movie Bond girl based on a Fleming Bond character for many years, she shines. She is sharp, beautiful, vulnerable and – we discover – slightly broken. In fact, this is the first Bond film to be based on a Fleming book (and remarkably loyally) since Moonraker, some 27 years earlier.

Much has been said of Daniel Craig’s choice as the new Bond. Curiously, the debate was not over his acting skills (which were demonstrably considerable) or his credibility as an action star (which was demonstrably considerable), but over his hair. We know Fleming wrote that Bond had black hair, and we know that Daniel Craig is blonde. Get over it. For my money he was exactly the Bond the series needed, and his work in this film was outstanding.

The movie also introduced a shadowy crime syndicate called ‘Quantum’, reminiscent of the earlier SMERSH and SPECTRE (which producers do not own the rights to) organisations. This group is also a plot device in the second Craig film, which is a direct sequel to this one, and was intended to be an ongoing foe for the new Bond – but it is not mentioned at all in Skyfall.

Casino Royale received nine BAFTA Award nominations – the most ever for a Bond movie. These included Best British Film and Best Actor in a Leading Role – the first time a Bond actor had been nominated, and a shining endorsement for the choice of Daniel Craig. Unfortunately, the movie lost out to The Last King of Scotland, and Daniel Craig lost out to Forest Whitaker from the same film. Eva Green, however, did win the Rising Star award, beating out Emily Blunt (who would go on to a brilliant career) and Naomie Harris, who would join the Bond series as the new Moneypenny in Skyfall.

All the gambles paid off. It was, financially, the most successful Bond film to that time, and gave the series the serious shot in the arm that it needed. Bond’s future was assured.

Interesting trivia: Daniel Craig is the first actor to play Bond who was born (1968) after the movie series began (1962). He was also the youngest actor to play Bond (38) since George Lazenby.

IMDB rating: 6.7
Starring as Bond: Daniel Craig (Score: 8 )
It very nearly didn’t work, and it very nearly destroyed Craig’s future as Bond. Craig risked his own life many times doing most of his own stunts, but one wonders why when the awful shaky-cam shooting and fast editing in the action sequences makes it almost impossible to see what is happening. Pity really, as director Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball) was apparently recommended to the producers by Daniel Craig.

It nearly broke the bank too, with a budget of a whopping $(USD)200m (in some sources, the budget is quoted as $(USD225m). Daniel Craig’s paycheck was double that of Casino Royale.

It was a pity that Gemma Arterton’s character, Fields, dies in this one, even though it is pleasantly reminiscent of the girl’s death in Goldfinger. She might have made an interesting returning character.

This is the first Bond film to be a direct sequel to its predecessor, with action beginning on almost the day after the end of Casino Royale. That also explains why Moneypenny and Q don’t appear in this one – they weren’t in Casino Royale (they weren’t in the Fleming book of that name either), so there was no place for them in the sequel. Olga Kurylenko, one of the few highlights of the movie, is the first Ukrainian Bond girl, and also one of the very few that Bond doesn’t even try to bed.

Don’t get me wrong – Daniel Craig is still fantastic as Bond, when we get a chance to see him, and the story is classic Bond, but the director and producers let him down somewhat on this one.

Interesting bit of trivia: At 106 minutes, this is the shortest of all Bond films.

(IMDB rating: 7.8)
Starring as Bond: Daniel Craig (Score: 8.5)
Thank god for Skyfall. It was an exceptionally savvy move on the part of the producers to bring in Oscar winning director Sam Mendes to make a mature, moving reinvigoration of the series. Mendes brings a welcome intelligence to the series, which suits both Craig and Dench admirably. Adelle’s theme song is one of the strongest of recent films, and should rank among the best of the franchise.

Sources vary on the budget for this film, ranging from $(USD)150m to $(USD)200m. For my money, they managed to get much more for their money here than they did for the even more costly Quantum of Solace. Much has already been said of Javier Bardem’s brilliant performance as the villain Silva. He’s certainly one of the best Bond villains in decades.

SPOILER ALERT: Perhaps the most startling change in this movie is that Bond fails. Twice. In the opening sequence, his mission is a failure, and this is the set-up for the rest of the movie. But even in his main mission, while he finally kills the bad guy he fails miserably in his job of protecting M. Now while many other movies in the series see Bond hitting a hurdle or having a temporary set-back, he always comes through in the end. Alas, for M, not in Skyfall.

There is one scene I don’t like at all. Our bad girl redeems herself by getting Bond in front of the bad guy. But then Bond allows her to be killed. Knowing the rescue choppers are only minutes away, he stands by and watches as the bad guy shoots her in a mindless game. Moments later Bond dispatches all the henchmen to save his own skin and capture the bad guy. Why didn’t he do that two minutes earlier and save the girl too? It’s poor form for Bond, and it was a waste of the talents of Bérénice Marlohe, who could have offered the film so much more.

Skyfall broke the forty year Oscar drought for Bond, taking out Best Original Song and Best Sound Editing at the 2013 awards.

Note for Daniel Craig: You look better when you pout less. No need to purse the lips so much.

(IMDB rating: 7.1)
Starring as Bond: Daniel Craig (Score: 8.5)
As the girl: Léa Seydoux (Score: 7.5)

If Skyfall was big, Spectre is massive. Hence the huge budget of $(USD)245m (rumoured to have blown out to a staggering $(USD)350m). The opening sequence begins with an enormous single shot (which, with editing, is probably several shots) wandering through a crowd of thousands down streets and into a hotel. Then it gets big, as the crowd grows into the tens of thousands and a helicopter threatens to rain down on them. I’m not sure Sam Smith’s theme song will end up ranking with some of the big ones, but it was serviceable.

Christoph Waltz makes an excellent villain, possibly his best bad guy since Inglorious Basterds. I’m in two minds, however, about whether or not the Blofeld character has been changed too much from his traditional Ian Fleming depiction. SPOILER ALERT: I’m not so sure that making Blofeld and Bond childhood friends (with Blofeld under a different name), with Bond stealing Blofeld’s father’s affections which then leads to Blofeld’s psychosis, is such a great move. Everything that has happened in the previous three films is Blofeld getting back at Bond for stealing his father’s love? Seems a bit rich to me. And now that includes manipulating multiple countries to hand over their intelligence services to him (through the annoying and unbelievable C, or Max Denbigh)? A hard sell. All the world’s woes are because of the child Bond? That’s a bridge too far.

The action sequences are top shelf, if perhaps sometimes a little contrived. The plane/car chase in the snow is excellent, and the car chase in Rome is exciting as well as amusing, and ends beautifully. The fight in the train seemed a little over the top, though it also ended well. Q’s role was expanded, and that worked well. M and Moneypenny were also given key roles to play, though they may have been a little underused. Léa Seydoux makes an excellent addition to the cast, about as far from the airhead Bond girls of some previous films as it is possible to get.

Monica Bellucci, while absolutely brilliant as always, was criminally underused, onscreen for about five minutes in total. What a waste.

SPECTRE is not as good as Skyfall, and arguably not even as good as Casino Royale, but it is better than Quantum of Solace, and – if considered just on its own – it is a brilliant, action-packed, intelligent and moving thriller. Skyfall was always going to be a tough act to follow, and perhaps expectations for this film may therefore have been too high.

Will Daniel Craig be back? Who knows. My bet is ‘probably’, with Craig’s recent quotes against the idea just part of the usual salary negotiations. SPECTRE certainly leaves the door open, and it is certainly one of the top five Bond films since Goldfinger.

Interesting trivia: The longest Bond film of all at 2hrs 28mins (Pierce Brosnan has commented that he considers it far too long). The Aston Martin DB10 used in this film is a prototype vehicle developed for the film – it is not intended to go into production.