Your Top Six Most Underrated Bond Films

Helpful chap77Helpful chap77 Posts: 26MI6 Agent
edited October 2012 in The James Bond Films
I am curious as to what people think are the most underrated Bond films. I apologise if there's a topic like this already but I couldn't see one. My top underrated six are:

1. Thunderball

2. The World Is Not Enough

3. Octopussy 

4. A View To A Kill

5. Diamonds are Forever 

6. The Man With The Golden Gun

I was thinking of putting On Her Majesty's secret service on my list but that's a film that's actually high up on a little of people's lists now. I also considered putting Licence to Kill on my list, but it's a film that's aged well and gets more credit these days. For your eyes only is also one of my favorites but underrated? Well it's a top ten film and quite a few people seem to agree.

So what's your top six?
aaahhgh!...Thud..(sorts out tie) what a helpful chap
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Comments

  • JarvioJarvio EnglandPosts: 4,234MI6 Agent
    1 - AVTAK
    Stated my reasons many times before, but to sum up, just a great and entertaining film that gets far too much hate.

    2 - LALD
    It's not exactly disliked around here. But at the same time it's never too high on people's lists either. And well, it is my favourite bond film!

    3 - YOLT
    My second favourite connery film. Never understood the hate for this either.

    4 - OP
    Again, not exactly hated, but I love it more than most.

    5 - LTK
    See above.

    6 - Dr No
    A stretch putting this here, because I'd say it's a loved film overall. But it is my favourite connery film, which doesn't seem to be a very common opinion around here.
    1 - LALD, 2 - AVTAK, 3 - LTK, 4 - OP, 5 - NTTD, 6 - FYEO, 7 - SF, 8 - DN, 9 - DAF, 10 - TSWLM, 11 - OHMSS, 12 - TMWTGG, 13 - GE, 14 - MR, 15 - TLD, 16 - YOLT, 17 - GF, 18 - DAD, 19 - TWINE, 20 - SP, 21 - TND, 22 - FRWL, 23 - TB, 24 - CR, 25 - QOS

    1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby
  • HalconHalcon Zen TemplePosts: 486MI6 Agent
    1. Octopussy - very underrated

    2. Moonraker - pretend the movie ends right before they go up into space and it's a great film.

    3. QOS - better in its details then the sum of its parts.

    4. FYEO - never hear about it around here.
  • BIG TAMBIG TAM Wrexham, North Wales, UK.Posts: 773MI6 Agent
    Can I have seven?

    1. DIE ANOTHER DAY - Never fails to entertain me. I hear the arguments against it but have given up trying to work out why so many loathe it.
    2. DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER - Ditto
    3. THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN - Ditto
    4. MOONRAKER - Ditto
    5. QUANTUM OF SOLACE - Ditto apart from the editing style, but I take a deep breath & try to just accept it.
    6. OCTOPUSSY - Falls between two stools but I like the central nuclear armageddon storyline & the last act in Berlin is extremely well executed.
    7. FOR YOUR EYES ONLY - Seems to have been forgotten a bit, outranked by Dalton & Craig's serious turns. Moore gives his best 007 performance to my mind.
  • BlackleiterBlackleiter Washington, DCPosts: 5,615MI6 Agent
    YOLT - Great fun!
    LTK - Terrific "serious" Bond. Sanchez is one the better villains.
    TWINE - Brosnan's best performance as Bond, and Sophie Marceau's Elektra King is a memorably beautiful and complex Bond Girl.
    DAF - Connery's performance almost makes up for the silliness and Charles Gray's weak Blofeld.
    QOS - Could have been a lot better, but still worthy because of Craig.
    DAD - Come on, now - was it really THAT bad???
    "Felix Leiter, a brother from Langley."
  • chrisisallchrisisall Western Mass, USAPosts: 9,061MI6 Agent
    edited October 2012
    1. Thunderball- This movie get trashed regularly, and that's the single biggest surprise I had when I joind AJB! It was Connery when he still cared, the women are amazing, the movie LOOKS beautiful, the stakes are high, but not in the comic book range yet like in the following film, and the music is superb. A slow pace in spots and a couple of bad rear projections means you should dismiss it? I think not!

    2. The World Is Not Enough- Pierce at his best, Elektra King rocks, great overall adult tone.

    3. Octopussy- Actually an excellent cold war thriller, great villains too. 

    4. Quantum Of Solace- Okay, shakey cam & narrative issues, but it's Craig, and it's not stupid, isn't that enough?

    5. Diamonds are Forever- Funniest dialogue of the series, gotta love Wint & Kidd! 

    6. The Man With The Golden Gun- You all no likey the bizarre Bond in the bunch? *cue slide whistle*
    Dalton & Connery rule. Brozz was cool.
    #1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
  • BlackleiterBlackleiter Washington, DCPosts: 5,615MI6 Agent
    I see we have very similar views with respect to DAF, TWINE and QOS. Smart man! :))
    chrisisall wrote:
    1. Thunderball- This movie get trashed regularly, and that's the single biggest surprise I had when I joind AJB! It was Connery when he still cared, the women are amazing, the movie LOOKS beautiful, the stakes are high, but not in the comic book range yet like in the following film, and the music is superb. A slow pace in spots an a couple of bad rear projections means you should dismiss it? I think not!

    2. The World Is Not Enough- Pierce at his best, Elektra King rocks, great overall adult tone.

    3. Octopussy- Actually an excellent cold war thriller, great villains too. 

    4. Quantum Of Solace- Okay, shakey cam & narrative issues, but it's Craig, and it's not stupid, isn't that enough?

    5. Diamonds are Forever- Funniest dialogue of the series, gotta love Wint & Kidd! 

    6. The Man With The Golden Gun- You all no likey the bizarre Bond in the bunch? *cue slide whistle*
    "Felix Leiter, a brother from Langley."
  • DutchfingerDutchfinger Holland With LovePosts: 1,240MI6 Agent
    Another intresting thread, lets see now...

    1. License to Kill. Though, at this forum it doesn't seem to be underrated as much as it is in general. (which I am very happy about, as most members know, this happens to be my personal favorite Bond movie, and I think I explained countless times why. :) )

    2. The man with the Golden Gun, sure it has never been as grand as Goldfinger and Thunderball, and it always gets ranked at the bottom, but this movie has always entertained me from start to finish. And seriously, Roger Moore locking up Goodnight in the closet to shagg Scaramanga's girl, and later tell her 'don't worry darling, you're time will come :)'... come on! That's plainly hilarious!!

    3. Moonraker. Though not one of my personal favorites as well, I do think it is a fun movie. The PTS has some sentimental value to me, as I remember that being my first James Bond expierence. It has silly moments, but I am entertained when watching it.

    4. You Only Live Twice. This movie does seem to be ranked pretty low quite a lot of times. Though, not as low as DAD, MR and TMWTGG. I think this movie is PURE entertainment. 60'ies fantasy at it's finest. A villian in a hollow volcano, CLASSIC! The little nelly is awesome, and Connery being bored doesn't bother me as much as others I guess...


    I think those are about it for the underrated one's. I think DAF and DAD kind of deserve to be ranked quite low.
    Better known as DutchBondFan on YouTube. My 007 movie reviews: Recapping 007
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  • James SuzukiJames Suzuki New ZealandPosts: 2,406MI6 Agent
    Okay, in no real order...

    AVTAK-Yes Jarvio, I enjoy this film. Ignoring Stacey, this film had a great villian, the best score ever in a Bond Film IMHO and I thought at the end it was almost like a cue to the audence that Moore's tenor was over.

    LTK-Dalton at his best, great villian once again, and it's a bit different this time round here.

    QOS-Great action, Craig acted well, and the shaky cam didn't bother me.

    TND-Superb action, I didn't mind Stamper or Carver, great car chase and loved the Paris/Bond scenes

    FYEO-My personal favourite Bond film, Moore shows in this film that he CAN act, great scenes and Melina havelock is my fav Bond girl.

    Moonraker-Jaws is back, great pre-title, great fun and Moore is AWESOME
    “The scent and smoke and sweat of a casino are nauseating at three in the morning. "
    -Casino Royale, Ian Fleming
  • Le SamouraiLe Samourai Honolulu, HIPosts: 573MI6 Agent
    In no particular order...

    TB: My favorite Connery Bond film. I just like the whole vibe of the movie, and the cinematography is great.

    OP: My favorite Moore Bond film. Sure, he's showing his age, but he seems so self-assured at this point. Some great scenes, too: the backgammon game, the bomb at the circus, the auction. Plus, I've liked Louis Jourdan since he played Dracula on the BBC.

    LTK: Blew me away when I saw it. I'm a big Dalton fan, and I was surprised by how Fleming-inspired this one was.

    TND: I thought Brosnan seemed way more confident as Bond here than in GE. Yes, it's mostly an action movie, but it's a good action movie.

    TWINE: My favorite Brosnan Bond film. I think this film is way darker and more complex than people give it credit for, and Brosnan really seems to finally settle into the role.

    QoS: Lots of underappreciated emotional depth, such as Bond's scenes with Camille and the death of Mathis. As for the much hated editing and filming style... I had no problem with it at all. Has my favorite Bond car chase. And I loved the theme song.
    —Le Samourai

    A Gent in Training.... A blog about my continuing efforts to be improve myself, be a better person, and lead a good life. It incorporates such far flung topics as fitness, self defense, music, style, food and drink, and personal philosophy.
    Agent In Training
  • moonraker84moonraker84 Posts: 48MI6 Agent
    edited October 2012
    In no order 6 Bond films i really enjoy that dont seem to be top of many lists are

    Live And Let Die
    Moonraker
    A View To A Kill
    You Only Live Twice
    Octopussy
    The Man With The Golden Gun

    I was unsure wether to put For Your Eyes Only, or Daltons two, though a lot of people seem to like those so left them off.
  • Moore ThanMoore Than EnglandPosts: 3,173MI6 Agent
    In no order 6 Bond films i really enjoy that dont seem to be top of many lists are

    Live And Let Die
    Moonraker
    A View To A Kill
    You Only Live Twice
    Octopussy
    The Man With The Golden Gun

    SNAP! Those are the same six I choose and they never fail to entertain me.

    Live And Let Die. I enjoy the whole blaxploitation/voodoo theme, a great bunch of characters, and I especially enjoy the crocodile farm and the boat chase.

    Moonraker. Great sets, locations, and a superb score from John Barry. Some witty and memorable dialogue, plus great scenes like the centrifuge, pheasant shoot and Corinne Dufour's demise.

    A View To A Kill. One of the best villains, one of the best endings to a Bond film. Memorable characters such as Sir Godfrey Tibbett, May Day, and Pola Ivanova.

    You Only Live Twice. I particularly enjoy Bond's burial at sea, the Japanese characters and settings, but the real highlight is John Barry's superb score.

    Octopussy. Some of the best action scenes in the entire series, the sequence from when Bond poses as a circus worker right through to the defusing of the bomb at the circus is high class. There is also some great scenes like the backgammon.

    The Man With The Golden Gun. Great locations. A very good villain. I like the fact that he is the one with the gadgets, the golden gun, the flying car. The highlight of the film is the scenes featuring Bond and Scaramanga together.
    Moore Not Less 4371 posts (2002 - 2007) Moore Than (2012 - 2016)
  • Agent82Agent82 Posts: 65MI6 Agent
    1. The Man With The Golden Gun - This is marred by a few cheeky plot devices (third nipple, tiny henchman), but I like the dynamic between Bond and Scaramenga.

    2. QoS - The biggest problem with QoS is that it came on the heels of CR. Impossible expectations. I like the intensity of Craig and the final scene in this one - to me, that was when Craig became Bond.

    3. TWINE - Actually better than GE if you ask me.

    4. Thunderball - This one rates really highly on my list. It has great Bond girls, the DB5, and some fun moments.

    5. YOLT - This one is seriously affected by the Bond turns Asian transformation, but otherwise this one is good stuff and offers a bit of a change of pace from most of the other films.

    6. The Spy Who Loved Me - Despite the cheesy porno-music soundtrack (IMO), this is one of Moore's best.
  • moonraker84moonraker84 Posts: 48MI6 Agent
    Agent82 wrote:
    6. The Spy Who Loved Me - Despite the cheesy porno-music soundtrack (IMO), this is one of Moore's best.
    This is my fave Bond film though i wouldnt call it underated, this is often on the high end of lists and often considered Moores best.
  • Signed_By_RogerMooreSigned_By_RogerMoore Posts: 10MI6 Agent
    Octopussy - Absolutely terrific in every single way, I cannot believe people underrate it. Moore was perfect, the PTS was amazing, as was the plot, villains, Bond girl and everything else! The whole Germany sequence is so tense and brilliantly done, its amazing.

    Diamonds are Forever - Sean Connery gives his best 007 and looks amazing (haters are gonna hate) in this brilliant diamond of a film.

    Moonraker - Roger Moore on top form again with great locations and plot, Bond is on top form, with only Dr Goodhead and Jaws letting the side down. But don't let that detract you

    A View To A Kill - Stacey sutton is awful. But everything else is great. Moore was perhaps too old but it's a brutal and tough film, quite dark.

    Licence To Kill - Daniel Craig must watch this and cry! This is how to be gritty and on the edge and still be Bond! Sanchez is memorable and one of the best villains.

    Die Another Day - Any list that has Quantum of Solace above it must be under-rating other bond films!
  • 7700777007 Posts: 502MI6 Agent
    Octopussy
    QOS
    LALD
    TB
    NSNA :))
  • chrisisallchrisisall Western Mass, USAPosts: 9,061MI6 Agent
    77007 wrote:
    NSNA :))
    I agree. Three Martinis (or six beers) and it's pretty great! :v
    Dalton & Connery rule. Brozz was cool.
    #1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,238MI6 Agent
    I agree with most of these choices, in particular AVTAK, YOLT, LALD, OP and TWINE. I think Dr No tends to be underrated these days for some reason. Oh, I think DAF might be the most underrated, it's terrific fun.
    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • Agent007jamestAgent007jamest usaPosts: 163MI6 Agent
    edited October 2012
    TLD
    LTK
    Daltons Bond was ahead of his time. His grittier style would have worked perfectly in present time.

    QOS
    IMHO better than any of RM or PB Bonds

    NSNA
    Though it missed the EON touches the best Bond since DAF & a fond farewell to SC

    DAF
    SC seems to be having fun in his final "official" outing and that is why it works. Unfortunately EON thought it worked so well we would have nothing but comedy for the next 2 decades :s

    *in no particular order. but if I had to choose I feel QOS is the most underrated & one of my favorites.
  • Agent82Agent82 Posts: 65MI6 Agent
    I think Dr No tends to be underrated these days for some reason.

    I agree about Dr. No, for some reason it is really overshadowed by Goldfinger in particular. Dr. No is really a kind of litmus by which all other Bond's are judged, for me. It's like the raw, no gadgets Bond doing what he does best. It seems like the initial scene where Connery says "Bond, James Bond" is more famous than the movie itself. Which is understandable, because it was such a great delivery of the line.
  • JarvioJarvio EnglandPosts: 4,234MI6 Agent
    Yep. For me, DN absolutely poos all over GF (As in it's much, much better than it)
    1 - LALD, 2 - AVTAK, 3 - LTK, 4 - OP, 5 - NTTD, 6 - FYEO, 7 - SF, 8 - DN, 9 - DAF, 10 - TSWLM, 11 - OHMSS, 12 - TMWTGG, 13 - GE, 14 - MR, 15 - TLD, 16 - YOLT, 17 - GF, 18 - DAD, 19 - TWINE, 20 - SP, 21 - TND, 22 - FRWL, 23 - TB, 24 - CR, 25 - QOS

    1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby
  • jasper_lamar_crabbjasper_lamar_crabb Posts: 169MI6 Agent
    I can't offer six titles but there's no doubt Quantum of Solace is much better than its detractors claim, and to be brutally honest anyone who thinks it's the worst Bond film is foolish at best.

    I find TMWTGG to be unfairly picked on from time to time. Moore is great fun to watch as usual and there are lots of funny one-liners.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I'm one of the Fools, Do I get a Hat or anything. :D
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Agent007jamestAgent007jamest usaPosts: 163MI6 Agent
    Jarvio wrote:
    Yep. For me, DN absolutely poos all over GF (As in it's much, much better than it)
    poos all over it? arent you the one that started the Jill Masterson death poo thread. I am noticing a trend :))
  • JarvioJarvio EnglandPosts: 4,234MI6 Agent
    Jarvio wrote:
    Yep. For me, DN absolutely poos all over GF (As in it's much, much better than it)
    poos all over it? arent you the one that started the Jill Masterson death poo thread. I am noticing a trend :))

    You caught me! :))
    1 - LALD, 2 - AVTAK, 3 - LTK, 4 - OP, 5 - NTTD, 6 - FYEO, 7 - SF, 8 - DN, 9 - DAF, 10 - TSWLM, 11 - OHMSS, 12 - TMWTGG, 13 - GE, 14 - MR, 15 - TLD, 16 - YOLT, 17 - GF, 18 - DAD, 19 - TWINE, 20 - SP, 21 - TND, 22 - FRWL, 23 - TB, 24 - CR, 25 - QOS

    1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Lets Scat over this, Shall we. :v
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Sorry, I meant Skate over this. :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Helpful chap77Helpful chap77 Posts: 26MI6 Agent
    Sorry, I meant Skate over this. :))

    I take it you don't like the thread then?
    aaahhgh!...Thud..(sorts out tie) what a helpful chap
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I just wish they'd get to the Bottom of it. ;)
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Mr BeechMr Beech Florida, USAPosts: 1,749MI6 Agent
    I don't have 6 prepared, but I just watched Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace again.

    I definitely think Quantum of Solace is underrated.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Western Mass, USAPosts: 9,061MI6 Agent
    Mr Beech wrote:
    I definitely think Quantum of Solace is underrated.
    Absolutely. Even taking away the factor of the writer's strike, it's a fine film IMO. Craig made it work.
    Dalton & Connery rule. Brozz was cool.
    #1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
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