There are few names in action films as renowned or iconic as James Bond. Yet, even fans will tell you that this series has been quite the rollercoaster ride, full of ups and downs. With a rich film history covering close to six decades and Ian Fleming's book series spanning even longer than that, there are bound to be some adaptations that didn't quite land.
For as each Casino Royale, there seems to exist one or two more tepid films that aren't looked upon nearly as highly. It's understandable, as the suave, wise-cracking action hero premise is capable of thrilling, captivating romps, just as it's capable of bland, campy, or otherwise crude efforts. Daniel Craig's last performance as the British MI6 agent in the movie, No Time to Die, will mark the 25th film in the action franchise as a whole. So let's lock and load as we highlight the 10 worst received Bond films across its 60-year run, according to the ratings of IMDb.
Quantum Of Solace (2008) (6.6)
Director Marc Forster's Quantum of Solace certainly stands out in its uniquely grounded qualities. Yet, most of these distinctions were viewed in a negative light by fans, especially in contrast to the classic that preceded it, Casino Royale. For one, Daniel Craig's second appearance as James Bond marked a rare direct sequel or continuation to an already existing story.
This would be one thing if the story in question was strong enough to stand on its own. In addition to some particularly gritty cinematography and an overabundance of action, the film was mainly criticized for its bland plot. The focus on a Bolivian terrorist seeking control of their water supply may have been a bold shift to a more realistic direction, but it isn't exactly the most captivating.
Licence To Kill (1989) (6.6)
Actor Timothy Dalton's two efforts as 007 have certainly brought its share of fans, as he is regarded for bringing a more emotional, yet "cool" sensibility to the hero. Still, these films as a whole tended to fall flat for a good number of fans.
License to Kill's premise largely centers around a scorned James who seeks vengeance after being slighted by a drug lord. While this darker, more personal brand of Bond was a draw to some fans, the entertainment quality tended to suffer on of its subdued nature, simple focus, and more personal narrative.
Octopussy (1983) (6.6)
This '83 film starring Roger Moore, with its clown-themes and narrative involving a Faberge egg, doesn't exactly make for the most appealing concept. The prominent circus theme is perhaps emblematic of Octopussy as a whole.
The movie's odd premise, along with its cliches involving warhead-smuggling Soviets, makes for a fairly weak adaptation that didn't quite land for many more traditional Bond fans. The Moore films are often known for their more lighthearted humor and over-the-top traits, though this one borders on being a bit too silly.
Diamonds Are Forever (1971) (6.6)
It stands to reason that the original - and often considered the definitive - James Bond actor has seen his share of hits. Unfortunately, what would be his last role in a canonized Bond film turned out to be the most tepid. It seems that even the classic Sean Connery efforts aren't immune to succumbing to cliche and blandness, at least in the case of Guy Hamilton's Diamonds Are Forever.
What begins as a pursuit for a diamond smuggling ring escalates into the securing and disarmament of a satellite that can blow up nuclear missiles. It just never quite feels like there's much at stake in this rather bland and campy Bond adaptation.
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) (6.5)
In a sense, there's plenty to find entertaining about Pierce Brosnan's second effort as the MI6 agent. You've got some over-the-top action scenes, including a particularly thrilling car chase which Bond controls remotely as if it were a video game come to life. But on the whole, it's tough to overlook the tackiness and bombast, especially in comparison to Brosnan's Bond debut in GoldenEye.
It's ironic that this film came out the same year as the amusing Bond spoof, Austin Powers. After all, this film's premise involving a news organization literally creating its own tragedies to produce gripping headlines feels very Powers-esque ...
The World Is Not Enough (1999) (6.4)
The follow-up to Tomorrow Never Dies at least presents a more nuanced and captivating plot this time around, revolving around KGB terrorists and an insider threatening a nuclear strike. Still, the cheesiness is similarly prominent here, capped off by some cringy one-liners from Bond, along with Q's wacky new assistant played by John Cleese. This includes Brosnan's awkward recitation of the film title itself, which is clearly shoehorned into the movie.
There are some fun moments, including plenty of Michael Bay-style explosions and the return of GoldenEye favorite Valentin Zukovsky. Overall though, the final Bond film of the 20th century falls a bit flat.
A View To A Kill (1985) (6.4)
The Western world's accelerating shift to the information age during the 80s can certainly be seen in this Bond swan song for Roger Moore, 1985's A View to a Kill. The movie involves a millionaire industrialist by the name of Max Zorin who seeks to monopolize microchip technology, partly by planting bombs that threaten to take out Silicon Valley.
It has its thrilling moments, but the rather simple, standard plot didn't do much to captivate Bond fans, especially for what should have been a grand exit for 007 veteran Moore. Performances tend to range from over-the-top to forgettable, which isn't done any favors by the tepid writing throughout.
Moonraker (1979) (6.3)
By 1979, the excesses surrounding the long-running Bond franchise had become apparent and almost self-parodying. The silly notion of "Bond in space" and laser battles is usually all it takes for the collective eye-rolls to commence, even amongst the most devout of Roger Moore fans. The film comes across as a response to the then-new phenomenon Star Wars, rather than adhering to the classic Bond qualities it's renowned for.
Even the prominent showing of the classic Bond villain, the intimidating Jaws, isn't enough to redeem this celestially campy effort.
Never Say Never Again (1983) (6.2)
Like our previous entry, this '83 effort leans on a novelty for its intrigue - in this case, the return of Sean Connery as James Bond. Yet, the entertainment value tends to suffer as a result. This film exists as sort of an odd schism and considered to be non-canon, being an alternative take on the novel Thunderball, and being produced separately from defacto Bond studio Eon Productions. The title is a reference to Connery's proclamation that he would "never again" play the role of 007 following 71's Diamonds are Forever.
In one sense, the plot is classic James Bond - featuring crime syndicate SPECTRE and their plot to threaten the world with nuclear warheads. But fans and critics alike have regarded this as perhaps playing it too safe, being an uninteresting retreading of an already existing film, which tries to be both similar and unique.
Die Another Day (2002) (6.1)
Brosnan's final role as 007 is basically the series at its most blatantly campy and over-the-top. Elements include North Korean warlords, a giant Earth-scorching satellite, face-transforming tech, and a cloaking BMW. Much of the film revolves around a massive ice palace locale, which sets the scene for plenty of crazy ice-melting action. As you'd imagine from such concepts, the tacky levels reach a fever pitch almost to the point of being radioactive. This is coupled with some particularly cheesy one-liners by the likes of Q (John Cleese) and Bond himself, as well as his agent companion Jinx (Halle Berry).
Being the 20th movie in the series, Die Another Day attempts to offer a fun homage to the Bond franchise, but the end result is a bombastic romp that's far more style than substance.
