The 1987 actioner is a sweeping epic that takes in concerts in Czechoslovakia, backroom deals in Tangiers, and all-out assault in Afghanistan.Ĭentring around a KGB policy to eliminate all enemy spies in their midst, The Living Daylights soon puts Bond in the crosshairs in a classic Cold War thriller that ushers in a new era for 007. If you skip over this on Bond marathons, you’re missing out. The Living Daylights is one of James Bond’s best entries – and, incredibly, one of its most forgotten.
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No is the first (and last) word on why the series remains such an endearing classic.
The formula is, more or less, perfected here: tense sitdowns with the villain, an over-the-top lair, Bond making goo-goo eyes at anything with a pulse, and a final showdown against a ticking clock all feature here. No’s clutches, but any rewatch will surprise on the basis of how much the film gets right first time round. The action may stutter by the time Bond and Honey Ryder stumble up a beach and towards Dr.
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It helps that the rest of the movie is of a similarly high standard. Then, the iconic words that would immortalise the character in cinematic folklore: “Bond. It’s peak Bond: Connery, cigarette hanging from his lips, is in total control of the scene as Monty Norman’s iconic score begins to bubble up. His introduction scene has, arguably, never been bettered. The debut of Ian Fleming’s James Bond character was no sure thing back in 1962 but, in one swift stroke, Sean Connery’s swaggering secret agent laid to rest any doubters and set about providing the overawing blueprint for all that would come after. The next James Bond’s mission? Follow that. But it just about works – and is always entertaining.ĭaniel Craig’s legacy won’t be defined by No Time to Die alone, but we’re glad his Bond got a proper sendoff: an indulgent, epic affair that highlights the best and worst of Craig’s run – all while leaving us a little teary-eyed once the credits roll. It leaves Safin feeling severely undercooked and too many questions being asked as the movie hurtles towards the emotional gut-punch of a final act. In truth, No Time to Die attempts too much: Blofeld, SPECTRE, Bond’s personal life, and a new 007 are all crammed into Craig’s swan song.
From there, Bond is on the trail of a new supervillain (Safin, played by Rami Malek) after an off-the-books weapon is swiped from a covert MI6 lab. The pre-credits Siena sequence is an undoubted highlight, wedding the deeply personal touch of Craig’s era with the sort of physical set-pieces that – even in the age of green screens – still manage to wow on the big screen. While it doesn’t clear that impossibly high bar throughout the entirety of its bumper 163 minute runtime, it certainly bids farewell to Daniel Craig’s 007 with all the style and, crucially, substance we’ve come to expect from the long-serving Bond actor. If No Time to Die had maintained the punchy, globetrotting pace of its first 90 minutes then it’d likely be a shoe-in for one of the best Bond movies ever made. It may not be to everyone’s tastes, but this is a side to the character that still today feels just as grimly violent and necessary as it did back in the 1980s. The end result may be hard to swallow: this is a great action movie first and merely a good James Bond movie second.
It all culminates in a scorching set-piece as Bond tears after Sanchez in the desert – and the franchise’s most satisfying Big Bad death. Standout moments include Benicio del Toro’s Dario being given a one-way trip to the morgue via a shredder, and a particularly ghoulish demise for a businessman in a decompression tube. The one-liners are (mostly) out and, in its place, a force of nature that envelopes anyone foolish enough to get in Bond’s way. But after drug kingpin Franz Sanchez strikes back by feeding his ally Felix Leiter to sharks, 007 retaliates in shocking fashion. Outside of Tracy’s death in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Bond usually keeps his emotions in check. You didn’t expect to see Timothy Dalton clawing at the top 10, did you? The last of the Bond actors to feature for the first time in this list, Dalton commandeered an era where 007 showcased a nastier edge than ever before – and was often a one-man wrecking ball.Īmid the explosions and action, it helps that Licence to Kill is a deeply personal story.