James Bond Collection Box Set

Your Best Guide to the James Bond Series

So, you'd like to watch all the James Bond movies but don't know where to start? Well, sit down, grab something to drink, and get ready for the most comprehensive guide for watching Agent 007.

James Bond was a Cold War character created by British writer Ian Fleming. Bond was a spy that worked for the British Secret Service and his fictitious missions were written about in books by Fleming. Throughout the movies based on Fleming's books the character has evolved immensely over a span of 40 years, 20 movies, and 5 Bond actors. 20 movies may seem like a lot, so you can just watch the best ones to get the most out of the 007 extravaganza. However, the best way, in my opinion, is to watch the movies in the order that they were made from Dr. No (1962) to Die Another Day (2002). This way you can see how the character has changed from actor to actor throughout the years. I watched the movies in a completely random order, and when I think about it, it really is not the best way to watch them.

Dr. No (1962)

The first 007 movie stars Scottish actor Sean Connery against S.P.E.C.T.R.E. agent Dr. No., who plans to destroy the U.S. space program. This is a classic Bond film and has a solid plot. Dr. No is one of Connery's better films, and it is surprisingly good as a first movie. There is a lot of action, but my only complaint is that Dr. No is not one of the best villains. Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress) is a great girl and makes up for it, though.

From Russia with Love (1963)

Considered by many to be the greatest and most definitive Bond film ever, From Russia With Love is definitely up there. Connery stars as Bond, who is ordered to obtain a Russian deciphering instrument in exchange for the defection of a Russian agent who had fallen in love with 007. Robert Shaw, as Red Grant, is one of the best villains ever, and the girl is super-hot. This Cold War thriller has the perfect combination of plot, romance, action, music, and also introduces Desmond Llewellyn as the lovable Major Boothroyd, or "Q", the technology wizard of MI6 that supplies 007 with gadgets in the rest of the Bond movies.

Goldfinger (1964)

One of the best 007 films (and probably the most famous), Goldfinger is a classic. This movie involves Bond investigating the plans of Goldfinger, who wants to wipe out the American economy by blowing up Ft. Knox. Goldfinger is an excellent opponent for Connery, and Oddjob is a great henchman. This movie has lots of girls, action, and a good plot. This movie introduces the Aston Martin DB5, the first 007 car with gadgets.

Thunderball (1965)

Out of the 6 movies that Connery did, I rank this one at #5. Why? Because it drags on too long. Don't get me wrong; it's still pretty good, but the plot is not well thought out and the underwater fight scenes, as interesting as they are, take way too long. I don't really like the villains, but Fiona Volpe is my favorite villainess. Bond is sent to find two atomic bombs in the Carribean that are being threatened to be deployed on a major world city.

You Only Live Twice (1967)

I thought Sean Connery should have stopped playing 007 after this one. You can tell he's starting to age a bit. However, the movie itself is memorable. I thought the plot was completely unrealistic, but the movie itself was one of the most creative. An American spacecraft disappears over the Sea of Japan, and Bond is sent to Japan to uncover a plot to start a Soviet-American space war. Tiger Tanaka was one of the best sidekicks, in my opinion, and the whole Asian locale was great, for a change. There were a lot of good gadgets in this movie, especially "Little Nellie". Donald Pleasance as S.P.E.C.T.R.E. mastermind Ernst Stavro Blofeld did a good job at being particularly evil.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

This was relatively unknown Australian actor George Lazenby's only Bond film, and many dislike him. However, I think this is one of the best Bond films because it has a completely different feel from the rest of the movies. Bond starts a complex relationship with Tracy di Vicenzo from pressure from her father in exchange for information on the whereabouts of Blofeld. The adventure leads Bond to the Swiss Alps where Blofeld is hypnotizing beautiful women to spread a plague across the world. The movie has two of the best Bond songs (the instrumental credits song, "OHMSS" which is the main theme in the movie, and "We Have All the Time in the World", sung by Louis Armstrong). OHMSS has some of the best scenery in any Bond film, also. It is very interesting to see how Lazenby portrays 007 as a toned-down, more hard-edged, and more emotional version of Bond. The movie is a true love story without destroying the classic Bond formula, and is less intent on gadgetry and gimmicks than plot. I think Diana Rigg is a wonderful Bond girl (although some might not think that if they haven't seen this movie). I really wish Lazenby had done at least one more film to see how he could have really developed the character, and I think I would have preferred him in Diamonds are Forever to see how the Bond story developed with Blofeld.

Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

This was Connery's last and worst performance of 007. This is also one of the worst James Bond films of all time. It would have made perfect sense to make this into a serious, dangerous film about Bond continuing his search for Blofeld except this time for a personal reason as well, with Lazenby instead of an old Connery. Instead we have the birth of the comical, slapstick Bond movies that the next actor, Roger Moore, would really take the initiative with. Diamonds are Forever is stupid and goofy. There is a terrible plot, a terrible locale (Las Vegas?!?! How is that exotic? It does have Amsterdam, though), and arguably some of the worst villains of all time. Blofeld is portrayed badly, and the two gay henchmen almost made me sick. The Bond girl was a bimbo, too. If you would like to see a cheesy Bond film with silly cop car chase sequences, go ahead, but frankly, this is not my cup of tea.

Live and Let Die (1973)

Although most people would probably disagree with me, I think Live and Let Die is one of the better and more innovative 007 movies. This was the first of English actor Roger Moore's 007 movies, who inroduced a lighter, more comical feel to James Bond without destroying the Bond sense. 007 is sent to investigate the deaths of three agents, and finds that Dr. Kananga is responsible and also plans to mass-produce heroin in the U.S. from a base on the small island of San Monique in the Caribbean. Jane Seymour is one of the best and most beautiful Bond girls, and was probably the most interesting and most unique, too. I love the villains (Baron Samedi, and Tee-Hee, to be precise) and this was the only Bond film which is shot in real African-American and Caribbean voodoo culture. The redneck cop, Sheriff J.W. Pepper, is great comic relief. This movie has exciting, non-stop action, and a great plot.

The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)

This is not Moore's greatest performance. The filmmakers shouldn't have shot a second film in East Asia. This was also one of the more goofy films. I didn't like Britt Ekland as a Bond girl. The only thing that this movie had was Christopher Lee as Scaramanga, the main villain. The ending was good, despite the unrealistic plot. 007 tracks down Scaramanga, who is searching for a device that will convert the sun's energy into a weapon.

The Spy who Loved Me (1977)

Roger Moore stars as Bond in this love/action story. Bond teams up with Any Amasova (Barbra Bach), Russia's best KGB agent to track down two missing American and Soviet nuclear submarines, and find that the man responsible, Karl Stromberg (Kurt Jurgen), has a submarine tracking device. They try to get hold of the device, and find that the submarines Stromberg stole will be used to destroy cities using the nuclear bombs on the submarines. This was my favorite Roger Moore film. The gadgets are awesome (especially the Lotus Esprit car), the music is funky, and the greatest and most famous Bond henchman of all time, Jaws, is played with great enthusiasm by Richard Kiel. The storyline is great for its time. The action is second to none, especially the opening sequence, and the locales are great, particularly Egypt. This is definitely one of the best, and a classic.

Moonraker (1979)

I've noticed this film has received a lot of criticism for its space theme, and how that takes away from the classic Bond style. Everybody seems to forget that that only the last thirty minutes or so are in space. Everywhere else is great - Venice, California, Rio (I especially liked the scene at the Igua u Falls). Besides, I personally think that it is kind of interesting for a change for Bond to go into outer space. Bond investigates into the disappearance of a Moonraker space shuttle, and uncovers a plot to wipe out humankind, and be replaced with "perfect" human specimens. The villain was a little boring, but this was made up for by the return of the infamous Jaws. The girl is good looking, too (Holly Goodhead, played by Lois Chiles). This is the last Bond to feature Bernard Lee as M, 007's boss.

For Your Eyes Only (1981)

Considered to be Moore's best Bond film, 007 searches for a piece of defense equipment (ATAC) on a sunken ship before Russia gets a hold of it, but encounters several obstacles along the way, including who the real villain is that is trying to get the ATAC. Based on a World War II thriller by Fleming, Moore does an excellent job of portraying Fleming's real Bond, who is more serious than the typical Moore film. For Your Eyes Only is less keen on gadgets and technology than plot and emotion. This film is more of an adventure than an action film. I don't think Carole Bouquet did anything special as a Bond girl, though. But the action is good, and keeps you on the edge of your seat right until the end. This is Moore at his best.

Octopussy (1983)

I didn't like Octopussy so much because Moore was getting a bit old, and the whole relationship between Bond and Octopussy was way too mushy to be a truly good romance story like OHMSS. India was a great locale, however, and the Acrostar stunt scene at the beginning was a good action sequence. The whole circus theme was stupid. The airplane stunt at the end was impressive, too. Bond discovers a plot to start World War III between the selling of a Faberge egg to a shifty Indian prince, and a fanatical Russian general. Robert Brown is the new M.

A View to a Kill (1985)

This was Roger Moore's last performance as 007. Despite how he was, I think this film is very underrated. Christopher Walken as Max Zorin is my favorite Bond villain of all time! He is so crafty, hilarious and evil, all at the same time. This story had one of the better plots. The main girl was very hot and screamed like no other, even though she seemed kind of sleepy. There were outstanding visual effects, and the excitement never died down. Bond is called again to investigate Max Zorin, who plans to destroy Silicon Valley to upset the microchip market. The title song, sung by Duran Duran, is one of my favorites and is very upbeat. This was Lois Maxwell's last film as M's secretary, Moneypenny.

The Living Daylights (1987)

The Living Daylights introduced Welsh Shakespearean actor Timothy Dalton as the new 007. In my opinion Dalton was the best Bond and was the closest portrayal to Fleming's character. He completely changed the way Moore had left Bond by approaching the role in a deadly and extremely serious manner. I think Dalton's personality was the most interesting and exciting, as he was not only lethal, but also still suave and charming. 007 is sent to assassinate General Pushkin (John Rhys-Davies) for a KGB murder campaign. However, General Koskov, a defecting KGB general, who persuades the British to kill Pushkin seems to be hiding the truth about the spy-murder campaign, and Bond uncovers a diamonds-for-opium plot. The car is one of the better ones in the series (Aston Martin V8). The plot and villains are both very solid and realistic (I love Andreas Wisniewski as Necros!), unlike many Bond films where the villains are just plain evil and all they want to do is destroy the universe and get a lot of money. The Bond girl, played by Maryam D'Abo, is a Russian virtuoso cellist, and she plays a unique role in the story. This film also introduces Caroline Bliss as the new Moneypenny. With its great story, The Living Daylights is the greatest Bond film ever.

License to Kill (1989)

Dalton's other Bond movie is also one of the best, and it's hard to say which of his two Bond films is better. I think this one was #2 because it was not really a typical Bond story (this was the first Bond film not to be based on one of Ian Fleming's original stories). This movie involves Bond resigning from the MI6 and seeking revenge against Latin American druglord Franz Sanchez (Robert Davi). Sanchez had decapitated Bond's close friend and CIA agent Felix Leiter (who was played by various people in seven Bond films, in this case David Hedison, who had also played Leiter in Live and Let Die) and murdered Leiter's bride. Davi is one of the best bad guys, and the film features two very sexy women. Dalton really brings out his emotions and fury in this flim, and there is a great plot, too. The only reason this could have been a Bond film was because Sanchez was a drug dealer, and so Bond is obligated to stop him from selling his products illegally as well as killing him. The South American locale was original too. I thought this was an original and inventive film since it wasn't a Fleming story. This film also notably ends John Barry's job as the music writer for the first sixteen Bond films, and without him, the music has gone downhill. What would have been even better was if this had been the last 007 movie ever, because Bond resigns and gets his revenge (how could he possibly get the job back?). But, as they say, "James Bond will return."

GoldenEye (1995)

Despite my protests against making more Bond films, I think the new Irish actor, Pierce Brosnan, does a superb job in GoldenEye. Brosnan issued forth a modern 007 that seemed more appropriate for modern times. Brosnan seems to have a combination of the dry Connery and the lethal Dalton, but he isn't as good as either of them. GoldenEye is definitely Brosnan's best. From here the movies have gone very downhill. This was the first 007 movie I saw as a kid, about six years ago and I was very impressed. This movie has one of the greatest plots ever, involving the recovery of a stolen Russians weapons system before it is used to destroy everything in London. This movie has THE most original and best villain, Alec Trevalyan (Sean Bean), a traitor to the MI6 (he was 006, one of Bond's colleagues and friends). Boris Grishenko (Alan Cumming) is a great henchman. The girls are good, and the action scenes are some of the best. The movie has a great score too (despite John Barry's departure), and the best opening scene. This movie introduces Judi Dench as the new female M, and is terrible. Samantha Bond is the new Moneypenny, and is better than her predecessor. GoldenEye is one of the most gripping 007 movies.

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

Many think this is Brosnan's best 007 film, but I think it's only in second place because the villain and the girls were both weak. This movie had the best car (BMW iL 750 sedan), but the story is lame. 007 goes on a mission to investigate a news media tyrant who plans to start World War III using his powerful media company. The Hong Kong locale is good, however, and the chase scenes are exciting.

The World is not Enough (1999)

I think if you want a Bond film with a lot of really exciting, fast-paced action, this is the film for you. However, there is a lousy plot, if any. Bond goes after a former KGB terrorist who plans to kidnap the daughter of a British industrialist that he killed who had planned to build a very powerful oil pipeline. To sum this movie up: non-existent plot, superlative action, mediocre women. I thought the villain was kind of dumb, though. This is the last film to feature Desmond Llewllyn as Q before he died. The chase scenes at the beginning on the Thames River and later on skiing in the snow were exceptional.

Die Another Day (2002)

The last Bond film to be made is also the worst. 007 is caught by the North Koreans! Since when does James Bond get caught?! There are way too many special effects in this film with all the computer technology nowadays. Next movie, tone it down a bit with all the computers. This movie also stole from many other Bond films, so the filmwriters are running out of ideas. John Cleese is horrible as the new Q. They need someone who is old, and tired, yet still lovable, and isn't a klutz. The plot is way too unrealistic to be a Bond film at all. Now that Pierce Brosnan has thrown in the towel, according to the news a few days ago, who knows what will happen?

Two other Bond movies that were made (but not MGM/UA) were Casino Royale (1967) and Never Say Never Again (1983). Casino Royale stars Peter Sellers and is worth watching to see how the classic Bond really started and evolved. It is also based on one of Ian Fleming's better novels. Never Say Never Again features Sean Connery as a very old 007 in this remake of Thunderball. It's worse than Die Another Day, but it's funny to see how bad it is. The music is terrible, and the movie is completely different from the MGM/UA films. The only good thing about this film is that Klaus Maria Brandauer was an awesome villain and Rowan Atkinson as the hilarious agent, Nigel Small-Faucet. Still, it's good to see for laughs!

All the Bond movies are good, so no matter how or which ones you watch, you'll be guaranteed to enjoy each one of them.