Saturday, October 30, 2021

The Official James Bond Films--My Best To Worst (Part Four)

 






We're entering very mediocre territory here. The films are not the worst of the Bond series (at least from my perspective), but they have in common an overall inconsistent tone. 


16. THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
A sorely-needed change of lead actor highlights this film, with the younger, more serious Timothy Dalton replacing a past-his-prime Roger Moore. At this point in the series, an overall reboot was needed, but Dalton was placed in a typical Bond adventure that doesn't know whether to be hard-edged or silly. There are plenty of great action scenes here, a specialty of 1980s Bond director John Glen. 

17. OCTOPUSSY
After an attempt at toning the series down with FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, this is another wild 007 extravaganza with an India that feels like it comes from a 1940s Hollywood B movie, a troupe of circus girls who look like supermodels, and Bond disarming a nuclear bomb while dressed up as a clown. 

18. LIVE AND LET DIE
Roger Moore's 007 debut is now best remembered for its blaxplotation elements, which date the film badly. (Ironically, all the 1970s Bond films have aged far worse than the ones made the previous decade.) 

19. TOMORROW NEVER DIES
This is basically a remake of THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, which was a reworking of YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE. Jonathan Pryce as an evil media baron seems like a great idea, but he all but ruins the story. Michelle Yeoh is the best thing in the film. 

20. THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH
It has a fantastic pre-credits sequence, and having Sophie Marceau turning into the villain is unique idea, but this has way too many goofy elements. 

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