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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63% More info...	15. Live and Let Die (63%) Live and Let Die got the Roger Moore period off to a decent, if patchy, start. Released during the Blaxploitation craze, Live and Let Die's plot involves a scheme by the head of a fictional Caribbean country flooding the U.S. with free heroin in order to increase its user base; in order to save the day, Bond must avoid Voodoo curses and a swamp full of alligators. Die gets bonus points for its killer Paul McCartney theme tune, but is docked a couple notches due to the fact that all the bad guys are black. It also showed that the post-Connery films would be less concerned with quasi-realism, favoring a broader, jokier tone. "It can't quite muster an explosive third act to match previous jaunts, but Moore had got his feet under the table," wrote Ian Nathan in Empire Magazine.

66% More info...	14. Diamonds are Forever (66%) Sean Connery declared he'd never play James Bond again after Diamonds are Forever, and though he'd eventually go back on his word, there's a sense of weariness in the film that leads one to believe the star was ready to move on. This time, 007 is tasked with breaking up an international ring of diamond smugglers -- masterminded by Bond's arch nemesis Blofeld -- with designs on using the stones for a satellite that will destroy the nuclear arsenals of world powers. There's also a plot to craft masks that are exact replicas of human faces, and plenty of intrigue in Vegas. Critics felt Diamonds are Forever was largely a derivative affair, but still pretty entertaining nonetheless: "Arguably the least memorable Bond film, it's still exhilarating fare and good to see Connery in the role one more time," wrote Danny Graydon of the BBC. It also has a stellar Shirley Bassey title tune that was deftly sampled by Kanye West for his "Diamonds from Sierra Leone."

66% More info...	13. Quantum of Solace (66%) After brilliantly rebooting the 007 franchise with 2006's Casino Ryale, it isn't a total surprise that the follow-up didn't quite match expectations. However, anticipation was sky high, and critics felt that, despite some deficiencies, Quantum of Solace is a solid action flick with an excellent performance from Craig. Picking up immediately where its predecessor left off, QoS finds 007 on the trail of the nefarious Quantum organization, while heartsick at the death of his beloved Vesper Lynd. However, during his travels, he crosses paths with Camille Montes (Olga Kurylenko), who also has vengeance on the brain. Pundits find it to be an exciting, action-packed yarn -- though some found it to be less Bond-like than they would have hoped. "Thanks to Craig's ruthless performance, Quantum is still better than all but a few of the Bond offerings of the last 30 years," wrote Christopher Orr of The New Republic.

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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.

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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 kostreet 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)

15. Live and Let Die (63%)

14. Diamonds are Forever (66%)

13. Quantum of Solace (66%)

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