ROTTEN TOMATOES: Total Recall: James Bond Countdown -- Find Out Where Quantum of Solace Fits In!

Total Recall: James Bond Countdown -- Find Out Where Quantum of Solace Fits In!

by Tim Ryan

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50% More info...	21. The Man with the Golden Gun (50%) Roger Moore's second Bond film, The Man with the Golden Gun, was one of the series' lowest-grossing pictures, and reaffirmed suspicions that the franchise was going for a campier tone. The title character is Francisco Scaramanga (Christopher Lee), a renowned assassin with a distinctive sidearm; Bond tracks him to his hideout in Hong Kong, where he has designs on world domination. If the title is any indication, this is a wink-wink, nudge-nudge affair, with double-entendre-laden dialogue, a noteworthy lack of mechanics, and a villain that overshadows Bond. "The best Bonds," wrote Time Magazine's Jay Cocks, "were sly without quite getting silly. The best Bonds also had Sean Connery, whose absence is sorely felt here."

52% More info...	20. The World is Not Enough (52%) The World is Not Enough typifies one of the main problems with modern Bond: how does this iconic action hero stand out in the modern era? By going bigger and louder, and replacing the suave cool of the character with wall-to-wall effects and high-tech flash. In doing so, however, many felt like 007 got lost in the shuffle. In this, the worst-reviewed of the Pierce Brosnan Bonds, 007 must protect oil heiress Elektra King (Sophie Marceau) from Russian terrorist Renard (Robert Carlyle), an anarchist behind a complex scheme to upset the world's oil supply. The critical reaction to World was pretty lukewarm, with a number of critics suggesting that the Bond franchise was on its last legs; as Charles Taylor of Salon.com wrote, "Somewhere along the way the people behind the series stopped thinking of Bond movies as comic books for adults and began thinking of them as action movies."

56% More info...	19. Tomorrow Never Dies (56%) If GoldenEye looked like a bold new beginning for the Bond franchise, Tomorrow Never Dies found the series playing it safe again. True, Dies has its share of magnificent stunts, and Hong Kong action star Michelle Yeoh made for a welcome addition. However, it was more action-packed than character-driven, and generally generic. Jonathan Pryce plays an evil media mogul who wants to trigger global conflict to boost the ratings of his cable television channel; he's also shacking up with 007's ex (Teri Hatcher), so Bond's mission is hardly dispassionate. Loaded with product placement, Tomorrow Never Dies was hardly a bad action movie, but critics had come to expect more from a Bond flick. "Michelle Yeoh is a standout in an otherwise by-the-numbers entry in this not-so-gracefully ageing series," wrote Dan Jardine of Apollo Film Guide.

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(1-20 of 48 posts) | Reply

troyman21 writes:
on Nov 12 2008 06:01 PM

The list seems just right. I really can't complain about how everything is arranged...

(Reply to this)

Speaker for the Films writes:
on Nov 12 2008 06:28 PM

If we were to include Solace now, it would be number #10. I think that's pretty good(but let's hope for better!)

(Reply to this)

J S. writes:
on Nov 12 2008 06:32 PM

Die another Day rated higher than The World is not Enough and Tomorrow Never Dies? WTF? Oh well..

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Maet writes:
on Nov 12 2008 07:00 PM

Die Another Day was terrible. Both Tomorrow Never Dies and The World Is Not Enough deserve to be above Die Another Day (even if it's as simple as thrusting it to the bottom of the list).

This list goes to show that Bond movies are evaluated through a different standard. Using my previous example, Tomorrow Never Dies and The World Is Not Enough are superior action movies, but not superior Bond movies.

Also, On Her Majesty's Secret Service would've easily been number one if Sean Connery were Bond.

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dunross writes:
on Nov 12 2008 07:32 PM

Connery is the definitive Bond but some of the movies, Twice and Diamonds specifically, are way overrated. If anyone had starred in them, they would have been at the bottom. It is Connery bias if you will.

Brosnan's are broadly underrated. Tommorow is better than listed and Goldneye should be near the top.

Casino Royale will ultimately be seen as the best of this list with Russia closely on its heals.

(Reply to this)

jason h. writes:
on Nov 12 2008 07:49 PM

die another day deserves to be at the bottom of this list, just awful. what were they thinking?

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Brett M. writes:
on Nov 12 2008 07:51 PM

Tomorrow Never Dies should be right beneath Goldeneye at #9. Diamonds are Forever should be at the bottom. Other than that, the list is fine.

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Jimbo93 writes:
on Nov 12 2008 08:01 PM

I feel bad that I haven't seen any of the Connery Bond films (I know, I know), but I enjoy Brosnan a lot, and Goldeneye and World are 2 of my favorites. Casino Royale is also very good. I really want to see Dr. No, Secret Service, Russia, Goldfinger and the Dalton films.

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idratherbe8587 writes:
on Nov 12 2008 08:19 PM

I think it's strange to put Dr. No as #1. I think its good... but I don't think the franchise had evolved into its full potential yet. I would prefer Goldfinger in the top spot.

Also, Die Another Day and DIamonds Are Forever should be lower. Tomorrow Never Dies and On Her Majesty's Secret Service, higher.

But overall, its pretty accurate.

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sean k. writes:
on Nov 12 2008 08:20 PM

Honestly, Casino Royale is one of the three best Bond movies. It's significance to the series is on par with any other Bond film (if it wasn't a success, the series may have been done), it is an excellent film in its own right, and it seamlessly incorporates the rich Bond history with relevant personal and contemporary themes. Many of the other Bond films, though they may have higher ratings, simply do not hold up to re-examination. Casino should be higher.

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ledawg1138 writes:
on Nov 12 2008 09:00 PM

My favorite is Casino Royale. And I like From Russia with Love, but it's a little overated. Okay list.

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Paul C. writes:
on Nov 13 2008 12:29 AM

Live and Let Die below Diamonds? Moonraker so high? Goldeneye so low? Die Another Day so high? There are a few strange positions. It shows how reviews and opinions develop and change with time. If this list was redone now it would look very different. We need Ryan's list from Bonding with Bond!!!!!

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Max R. writes:
on Nov 13 2008 12:59 AM

Wat the hell is this list??!! Some kind of homage to Sean Connery? Don't get me wrong I think that Sean was 1 of the best to play 007 but lets be a lil more objective please!
How could they rate License to kill so highly? I slept everytime I tried to watch the movie for heaven's sake! Dalton in Living Daylights was much better License should be somewhere at the bottom.
And to yall who think Die Another Day aint so good. Please tell me which other Bond movie had Bond in such a tight corner? Die for me had the best of all that is Bond.
Bond movies are not just about the possible or even the plausible Bond movies are supposed to be so fantastic u hold breath throughout the movie.

(Reply to this)

Max R. writes:
on Nov 13 2008 01:00 AM

Wat the hell is this list??!! Some kind of homage to Sean Connery? Don't get me wrong I think that Sean was 1 of the best to play 007 but lets be a lil more objective please!
How could they rate License to kill so highly? I slept everytime I tried to watch the movie for heaven's sake! Dalton in Living Daylights was much better License should be somewhere at the bottom.
And to yall who think Die Another Day aint so good. Please tell me which other Bond movie had Bond in such a tight corner? Die for me had the best of all that is Bond.
Bond movies are not just about the possible or even the plausible Bond movies are supposed to be so fantastic u hold breath throughout the movie.

(Reply to this)

martinscorsese25 writes:
on Nov 13 2008 06:23 AM

3 of Moore's bond films is all at the bottom 4! HA!

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Shatter24 writes:
on Nov 13 2008 08:10 AM

A straight rotten tomato-meter isn't particularly fair. The Bond films of yesteryear had little competition, whereas today they have to compete with everything else. Connery's Bond films may have been great at their time according to critics, but to have the first four Connery films in the top 5 feels disengenious.

Also, there hasn't been enough time for Casino Royale's impact to fully sink in. Whether it will fall out of the top 5 or closer to number one will be determined after closer examination and after a few more years.

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Dark Knight jr. writes:
on Nov 13 2008 09:35 AM

Wow... I'm intrigued.

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tgibfo writes:
on Nov 13 2008 11:08 AM

Good list. And though I know it's all by Tomatometer, I'm appalled that DIE ANOTHER DAY wasn't LAST on the list. I enjoyed the original CASINO ROYALE more.

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John N. writes:
on Nov 13 2008 11:39 AM

In reply to this comment (#2126607)
I sincerely expected Die Another Day to be way down on the list but I guess having a villain with Diamonds in his face is bad *** enough to keep the film afloat.

(Reply to this)

Nielsen700 writes:
on Nov 13 2008 12:09 PM

GoldenEye was a little too high. BTW, I actually thought Die Another Day was the best Pierce Brosnan Bond.

(Reply to this)

21. The Man with the Golden Gun (50%)

20. The World is Not Enough (52%)

19. Tomorrow Never Dies (56%)

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