Welcome to the most important ranking you'll read all year. That's right—we're tackling every official James Bond film, from Sean Connery's suave debut to Daniel Craig's brooding finale.

This isn't just a list. This is a definitive ranking, backed by rigorous analysis, years of rewatches, and an unhealthy amount of martini consumption (shaken, not stirred, obviously).

The Criteria

Before you get mad at me in the comments (or via angry email to will@302digitaladvisory.com), let me explain how I'm ranking these:

Entertainment Value — Does it hold up on rewatch?
Bond Performance — How good is the lead actor?
Villain Quality — Great Bonds need great villains
Theme Song — If it doesn't slap, it loses points
Cultural Impact — Did it move the franchise forward?

Now, let's dive in.

#25: Die Another Day (2002)

Let's start with the worst. Die Another Day is what happens when you let a Bond film be directed by someone who thinks "invisible car" is a cool idea. Pierce Brosnan deserved better. We all deserved better.

Why it's last: CGI tsunami surfing. Madonna's cameo. Halle Berry's terrible dialogue. The entire third act.

One redeeming quality: The sword fight in the fencing club is actually pretty cool.

#24: Quantum of Solace (2008)

The forgotten Daniel Craig Bond. Quantum isn't terrible—it's just aggressively forgettable. It follows Casino Royale (one of the best) and falls flat.

Why it's here: Poorly edited action scenes. Weak villain. Zero chemistry with the Bond girl. It's the only Craig Bond I haven't rewatched.

Best part: The opera scene in Austria is legitimately beautiful.

The Middle Tier (Bonds #23-#13)

I'm going to breeze through the middle because this is already getting long.

A View to a Kill — Roger Moore is too old. Christopher Walken carries.
Moonraker — Space Bonds? Terrible. But Jaws is fun.
The Man with the Golden Gun — Christopher Lee is great. The plot is not.
Octopussy — Somehow both boring and ridiculous.
The Living Daylights — Timothy Dalton's underrated debut.
Diamonds Are Forever — Connery came back for a paycheck. You can tell.
Tomorrow Never Dies — Brosnan is good. Michelle Yeoh is better.
You Only Live Twice — The volcano lair is iconic. Everything else is mid.
Spectre — The one where Craig looked bored. Christoph Waltz wasted.
The World Is Not Enough — Denise Richards as a nuclear physicist. Enough said.
Live and Let Die — Paul McCartney saves it.

The Top Tier (Bonds #12-#1)

Now we're cooking. These are the films that define what Bond should be.

#12: The Spy Who Loved Me

Roger Moore's best. The Lotus submarine car. "Nobody does it better." Peak Bond camp done right.

#11: License to Kill

Timothy Dalton goes full revenge mode. Dark, gritty, and 20 years ahead of its time.

#10: Thunderball

Peak Connery swagger. Underwater fights. That jetpack opening.

#9: Dr. No

The one that started it all. Still holds up. Ursula Andress emerging from the ocean is cinema history.

#8: No Time to Die

Craig's send-off. Emotional, epic, and divisive (in a good way). The ending hit different.

#7: Skyfall

Skyfall is gorgeous. Roger Deakins' cinematography is art. Javier Bardem is terrifying. But the plot falls apart in the third act.

#6: GoldenEye

The first Bond I saw in theaters. Pierce Brosnan's debut. The tank chase through St. Petersburg. "For England, James?"

#5: From Russia with Love

Connery at his best. The Orient Express fight scene is brutal and timeless. Best Bond girl: Tatiana Romanova.

#4: Goldfinger

"No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die." Iconic villain. Iconic car. Iconic theme. This is the blueprint for every Bond that followed.

#3: On Her Majesty's Secret Service

George Lazenby gets unfairly slandered. OHMSS has the best action, best Bond girl (Diana Rigg), and the most emotional ending in franchise history. It's genuinely great.

#2: Casino Royale

Daniel Craig redefined Bond. The poker scenes. The parkour chase. Eva Green. That torture scene (you know the one). This is the modern standard.

#1: GoldenEye (Yes, Again)

I'm ranking GoldenEye #1, and I don't care if you disagree.

Here's why:

Pierce Brosnan is the perfect blend of Connery's cool and Moore's charm.
Sean Bean as the villain is top tier.
The N64 game cemented its legacy.
It brought Bond into the '90s without losing what made Bond great.
Famke Janssen crushing a guy with her thighs. Come on.

Casino Royale is objectively better filmmaking. But GoldenEye is the most fun Bond. And in a franchise about a British spy with a license to kill, fun wins.

Final Thoughts

If you disagree with this ranking, you're wrong. But I respect your wrongness.

Let me know your top 5 at will@302digitaladvisory.com. Or don't. I'll be over here watching GoldenEye again.

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Ranking Every James Bond Movie — A Definitive Guide