The Definitive Ranking of James Bond Movies From Worst to Best

10. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

George Lazenby is a name that’s often overlooked when it comes to Bond. That could be because he only appeared in one film or because he’s the only actor born outside the UK to be granted a license to kill. Either way, he was actually in one of the better Bond movies in the franchise. In it, Bond does battle once again with Blofeld, who is brainwashing women to spread bacteriological weapons across the globe. Odd plot aside, this film ranks so high, because it revealed Bond as a tragic hero for the first time and changed our perception of him forever. 

9. Thunderball

Some of the best Bond movies are the ones that kept it simple. Thunderball doesn’t feature killer satellites, colorful henchmen, or convoluted plans to take over the world. Instead, it sticks to the tried-and-true plot of the world being held hostage by a madman with nuclear weapons. Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi) happens to be SPECTRE’s number two in its extortion department, which puts him right in Bond’s crosshairs. Of course, Bond’s desire to stop Largo has nothing to do with the fact that he’s hiding out in the Bahamas surrounded by beautiful women in bikinis, right?

8. Dr. No

This is the film that started it all and after dozens of Bond movies, it’s still one of the best. Sean Connery stepped into the role of 007 as though it were a perfectly tailored suit and made audiences cheer as he arched an eyebrow and introduced himself as “Bond. James Bond.” Despite being put together with a shoe-string budget, it has all the tell-tale signs of the franchise with exotic locations, a worthy advisory, and beautiful women. While it might not be as grandiose as other Bond movies on this, it’s a damn good first outing.

7. The Spy Who Loved Me

Jaws is probably my second favorite character in the Bond franchise besides the super spy himself. So, when he first appeared in The Spy Who Loved Me, it instantly became one of my favorites (especially since Jaws actually fights several sharks in it). Personal bias aside, I’m confident in also calling it one of the best Bond movies of them all as well because Bond is forced to team up with a Russian agent who is just as good as he is. Of course, this agent also happens to be a beautiful woman, which means Bond simply HAS to seduce her as well. 

6. Goldeneye

The Bond franchise started to fizzle out towards the end of the 80s, but it was revitalized when Pierce Brosnan stepped into the role in 1995. It was a glorious return to form for 007 and spawned a video game that 90s kids are obsessed with to this day. Goldeneye introduced a new generation to the character thanks to its return to basics as he does battle with a former 00 agent gone rogue (Sean Bean). Despite following Brosnan Bond movies being some of the worst in the series, Goldeneye is universally beloved by fans and critics alike.