MOST UNDER RATED BOND FILMS

Bondlike

Ok people I am not ashamed to say it, I firmly believe, that, while not perfect in themselves OCTOPUSSY and DAD are underrated.

This, I believe, is especially true of Octopussy. Typically, we hear that TSWLM is Moore's best--I think Octopussy is right up there

As for DAD---Was it the best? Surely not. The CGI ruined it and it was, at times, over the top. But I think it was a nice tribute to all the previous films and we had the "coolest" Bond performance since Thunderball.

Dan Same

I definitely agree that OP is underrated, but then again, several of Moore's films are underrated IMO. As for DAD, I wouldn't call it underrated (I hated it), however I do agree that Brosnan's performance is pretty good (especially considering the dialogue and script he had to deal with.)

bacaret

I will give you op I think it one of Roger's best films another Moore film I like is Lald, Roger is young and looks great,Solitaire is a good Bond girl and although some of the voodoo scenes are a bit dated I like the villians and henchmen in the movie. I also think the boat chase and the double decker bus chase are two of the best in the series. Furthemore the music is the best or close to the best in the series.

As far as Dad is concerned FUGETABOUTIT!!!!!!

Bondlike

wow---i just dont get all the hate for DAD---yeah it was heavily based on DAF and the dialogue is cheesy--but what brosnan film didnt have cheesy dialogue? Only Goldenye was somewhat witty.
Im not saying it was great, I just think it was far superior to films like, say, AVTAK, LALD. Golden Gun, etc

Sweepy the Cat

Bondlike wrote:

Ok people I am not ashamed to say it, I firmly believe, that, while not perfect in themselves OCTOPUSSY and DAD are underrated.

This, I believe, is especially true of Octopussy. Typically, we hear that TSWLM is Moore's best--I think Octopussy is right up there

As for DAD---Was it the best? Surely not. The CGI ruined it and it was, at times, over the top. But I think it was a nice tribute to all the previous films and we had the "coolest" Bond performance since Thunderball.

I totally agree with OP but DAD!

The Dalton Bonds are also underrated along with TWINE which was a nice throwback to the older films with a more human Bond.

Brosnan_fan

First of all, Bondlike, this topic has been covered on this forum before (I'm sure a Mod will see this and re-direct to the appropriate thread), but anyway, the most under-rated Bond films IMO are:

-OP (my absolute favourite Bond)
-Both Dalton films (particularly LTK which I feel is very very good)
-LALD
-DAF

scurr01

The Living Daylights
and
On Her Majesty's Secret Service

bondaholic007

scurr01 wrote:

The Living Daylights
and
On Her Majesty's Secret Service

I agree {[]

ycpchief

OP...really?

You enjoyed Moore looking like he was 70 years old He looked older in this than in AVTAK.

Bond running around dressed as a clown X-( Can you get more un-Fleming than that?

Q flying around in a hot air balloon ;%

Bond swinging from a vine and yodeling like Tarzan ?:)

Bond the tiger tamer...SIT!

Bond floating around in a fake alligator and driving a plane that comes out of a horses ass

This movie made more of joke of it's main character than any other and that is unforgivable when it comes to Bond. I could give many more reasons why this movie is so bad but I won't waste my time.

Willie Garvin

I've never understood the level of hatred leveled at Die Another Day.I don't think it's a great film, but taken as the 20th James Bond film, released on the series' 40th Anniversary--and the 50th Anniversary of James Bond's first appearance in print--it's cleverly done.The general plot of DAD comes from Ian Fleming's Moonraker novel.And a story not unlike DAD has been told before and with success;for example, when Roger Moore was 007, it was set underwater and called The Spy Who Loved Me.(And as noted elsewhere, the concept of a space-based weapons system in the Moonraker novel was appropriated for Diamonds Are Forever movie(the DAF novel is about diamond smuggling and is not a SF story nor is it a sequel to OHMSS).)Additionally,this theme(with variations)also appeared in EON's version of Moonraker,which features--in my estimation--some of the brightest dialogue ever spoken by a James Bond villain.Conversely,DAD features some questionable but not entirely terrible one-liners.

Perhaps some of the references to the many previous Bond films annoyed some Bond fans--if that's the case,then that's too bad:I quite liked seeing 007's rich history saluted.It's unlikely the average filmgoer would've noticed these easter eggs.Maybe Bond fans wanted another GoldenEye or another From Russia With Love or Thunderball.Maybe seeing Brosnan starring in what is, in general terms,a Roger Moore James Bond movie(with a few nods to Connery,Dalton and Lazenby's interpretations of 007),put some fans off. However,as the movie representing the James Bond Triple Anniversary,I think EON made the right decision by deciding to go with a big story that indirectly acknowledges some of the elements that had appeared throughout the series and in Ian Fleming's novels.There's even a veiled reference to Kingsley Amis's lone 007 novel.

Finally,I thought Toby Stevens was terrific as the foreign-born Gustav Graves(in reality Colonel Moon)posing as a pompous and effete nobleman.That said,I did NOT like Halle Berry's acting or the character she played.007 doesn't need a costar.I don't care for Madonna's theme song,either and thought Rosamund Pike was underused.Some of the CGI--notably in the pretitle sequence was dodgy.And the official DAD poster looked terrible-what DAD needed was one of those beautiful McGinnis/McCarthy oil paintings, like the ones that promoted Thunderball,You Only Live Twice,OHMSS and (ironically)Moonraker .Although there were few moments during DAD when Brosnan seemed a bit indifferent to what was going on,overall,I think he carried himself well in the kind of big,fantastic,and popular 007 movies Sir Roger Moore frequently starred in.

Prince Kamal Khan

Willie Garvin wrote:

I've never understood the level of hatred leveled at Die Another Day.I don't think it's a great film, but taken as the 20th James Bond film, released on the series' 40th Anniversary--and the 50th Anniversary of James Bond's first appearance in print--it's cleverly done.The general plot of DAD comes from Ian Fleming's Moonraker novel.And a story not unlike DAD has been told before and with success;for example, when Roger Moore was 007, it was set underwater and called The Spy Who Loved Me.(And as noted elsewhere, the concept of a space-based weapons system in the Moonraker novel was appropriated for Diamonds Are Forever movie(the DAF novel is about diamond smuggling and is not a SF story nor is it a sequel to OHMSS).)Additionally,this theme(with variations)also appeared in EON's version of Moonraker,which features--in my estimation--some of the brightest dialogue ever spoken by a James Bond villain.Conversely,DAD features some questionable but not entirely terrible one-liners.

Perhaps some of the references to the many previous Bond films annoyed some Bond fans--if that's the case,then that's too bad:I quite liked seeing 007's rich history saluted.It's unlikely the average filmgoer would've noticed these easter eggs.Maybe Bond fans wanted another GoldenEye or another From Russia With Love or Thunderball.Maybe seeing Brosnan starring in what is, in general terms,a Roger Moore James Bond movie(with a few nods to Connery,Dalton and Lazenby's interpretations of 007),put some fans off. However,as the movie representing the James Bond Triple Anniversary,I think EON made the right decision by deciding to go with a big story that indirectly acknowledges some of the elements that had appeared throughout the series and in Ian Fleming's novels.There's even a veiled reference to Kingsley Amis's lone 007 novel.

Finally,I thought Toby Stevens was terrific as the foreign-born Gustav Graves(in reality Colonel Moon)posing as a pompous and effete nobleman.That said,I did NOT like Halle Berry's acting or the character she played.007 doesn't need a costar.I don't care for Madonna's theme song,either and thought Rosamund Pike was underused.Some of the CGI--notably in the pretitle sequence was dodgy.And the official DAD poster looked terrible-what DAD needed was one of those beautiful McGinnis/McCarthy oil paintings, like the ones that promoted Thunderball,You Only Live Twice,OHMSS and (ironically)Moonraker .Although there were few moments during DAD when Brosnan seemed a bit indifferent to what was going on,overall,I think he carried himself well in the kind of big,fantastic,and popular 007 movies Sir Roger Moore frequently starred in.

Good post, W.G. ITA. Despite its blemishes(CGI, Madonna, too much Jinx and not enough Miranda, over-Bruckheimered finale), DAD is the most underrated Brosnan Bond film and the one of his I enjoyed the most. Had DAD's 2nd half matched the 1st half(which was the most entertaining Bond had been for me since TLD), I think it would be much more highly regarded.

Hmss.com has some good defenses of it-

http://www.hmss.com/films/survey/20dad.HTM

Tom Zielinski said "(when released) this is the best James Bond movie since 1969."

heartbroken_mr_drax

OP and LTK

Overrated: FRWL

Higgins

heartbroken_mr_drax wrote:

OP and LTK

Overrated: FRWL

{[] I have to agree entirely.
I never understood, why people praise TLD over LTK by the way.

Mister White

I was very happy with DAD, because they finally used Ian Fleming's Moonraker story. It is one of my favorite JB books and I always thought it was very poorly served by the movie Moonraker.

Having said that, the first half of DAD is indeed a lot better than the second, allthough I also believe that the scene at Blades would have been better if they had stuck to a cardgame like in the book.

Imagine if that had been shot like the poker game in CR. That would have been a major improvement.

As for OP, well I have stated before that I am not really a large fan of Roger Moore's performance as JB. His performance is a bit over the top and more suitable to the Saint than Bond.

Octopussy is in my eyes the film where they finally acknowledge this. Yes, this Bond is more over the top and can sometimes be a bit silly. But by giving in to that it actually becomes a better movie. :007)

This time you get to laugh instead of cringe.

So yes, I actually like it!:D

And heartbroken_mr_drax, FRWL overrated? 8-)

Well, I guess everybody is entitled to their own opinion...:v

heartbroken_mr_drax

Mister White wrote:

And heartbroken_mr_drax, FRWL overrated? 8-)

Well, I guess everybody is entitled to their own opinion...:v

I think I'm like that because I didnt grow up with those ones, its a good movie, but I hardly watch it, and when I do its cause Im trying to understand why others rave about it so much. It has some brilliant parts that I love though.

Thunderpussy

Most Bonds have a moment or two that make you cringe,but then they are trying to cover a world market,Whats funny in asia might not be funny in europe etc.
OP is a good standard Bond film while DAD I see like a football match good first half but poor second.

Golrush007

I think LALD is one of the most underrated films. It is very near the top of my list of favourite Bond films, although I can understand why others don't like the film.

Reasons I like LALD:

- Roger Moore looks the part of Bond, and although his dress sense is a bit more 70s I like the look of Moore in this one.

- Jane Seymour's Solitaire is one of my favourite Bond women.

- Yaphet Kotto's Dr Kananga is a sinister, but charming villain and plays very well against Moore's Bond.

- Caribbean setting - always helps sell a Bond film IMO because of Fleming's links with the Caribbean.

- Cool music score by George Martin

- Humour is well balanced - even JW Pepper is bearable in this film. And, if you're in the right mood, his scenes are a great laugh.

Ilya Kuryakin

Overrated:

CASINO ROYALE

I sat though it a second time just recently and God, it's one hell of a po-faced tedious bore. 8-) Wretched stuff, even worse that TLD and most of Brosnan's Bonds.

Underrrated:

A VIEW TO A KILL

The wonderful Christopher Walken and a John Barry soundtrack to die for. No classic but way underrated. Barry's Bond atop The Golden Gate? Manifique! -{

Gothic ZM

The two Dalton films are definitely the most underrated to me. I thought he was a great Bond, and I thought his movies (both of them) were more enjoyable than pretty much all of Roger Moore's films and certainly Pierce Brosnan's.

And Casino Royale =/= Overrated at all....

Shatterhand67

I think OHMSS is the most underrated film in the series. If Connery had done it people would have it ranked as the best movie in the series. (I have it in my top three).

I thought DAD was a great movie for the first half. The second half got too weird for me so I don't have the movie ranked very high.

Now this will seem downright blasphemous to some but I think the most OVERRATED film in the series is Goldfinger.

Dan Same

Shatterhand67 wrote:

INow this will seem downright blasphemous to some but I think the most OVERRATED film in the series is Goldfinger.

Blasphemy! X-(

Colonel Shatner

Tomorrow Never Dies

Shady Tree

Both my favourite Bond films, DAF and LTK, are, or have been, underrated, although I believe LTK has enjoyed a much-deserved rehabilitation in the estimation of audiences in recent times.

To really enjoy DAF you have to 'get' Tom Mankiewicz's particular brand of 'almost funny', which I do.

They're very different sorts of Bond film but I love them both, a love which was recently reaffirmed by seeing both of them again in the cinema at the BFI.

Napoleon Plural

Ilya Kuryakin wrote:

Overrated:

CASINO ROYALE

I sat though it a second time just recently and God, it's one hell of a po-faced tedious bore. 8-) Wretched stuff, even worse that TLD and most of Brosnan's Bonds.

Underrrated:

A VIEW TO A KILL

The wonderful Christopher Walken and a John Barry soundtrack to die for. No classic but way underrated. Barry's Bond atop The Golden Gate? Manifique! -{

You're a man after my own heart! Welcome again to the site!

bigzilcho

Any YOLT fans out there?

The least respected Bond film of the '60's is still, hands down, one of the greatest movies of its kind ever made.

What movie is that? Pure popcorn entertainment.

Sure, the film is lightweight and over-the-top and not particularly Fleming but it is stlll a sensational Bond movie.

Bond in Japan, hollow volcanoes and ninjas! What more do you want?

YOLT reminds me of what Orson Welles said when arriving in Hollywood:"Its the greatest toy train set a boy could ever have."

YOLT for me captures the sense of wonderment that the series has lacked recently.

I like my Bond to be tough and gritty but I long for the days of YOLT/TSWLM. A period where pirahnas were household pets and Hans is left holding the self-destruct key.


"Welcome to Japan, Mr. Bond."

Barry Nelson

bigzilcho I agree completly, and second your comment that the films recently have lacked that sense of wonderment. The recent films have been like a lot of other action films that are released everyyear. What should seperate Bond from the others is the escapism fantasy element. Like you, I like my Bond tough, but I do miss some of the over the top elements we use to see, like the volcano, fighting gypsy women, piz gloria and evil meglamaniacs intent on world destruction/domination.

As for the most underrated Bond film, I think it is License to Kill. LTK has some great action scenes, great villian, great female lead, a fantastic final battle with the villian and a romantic ending to the film. LTK is one of my favorites.

Higgins

bigzilcho wrote:

Any YOLT fans out there?

The least respected Bond film of the '60's is still, hands down, one of the greatest movies of its kind ever made.

What movie is that? Pure popcorn entertainment.

Sure, the film is lightweight and over-the-top and not particularly Fleming but it is stlll a sensational Bond movie.

Bond in Japan, hollow volcanoes and ninjas! What more do you want?

YOLT reminds me of what Orson Welles said when arriving in Hollywood:"Its the greatest toy train set a boy could ever have."


YOLT for me captures the sense of wonderment that the series has lacked recently.

I like my Bond to be tough and gritty but I long for the days of YOLT/TSWLM. A period where pirahnas were household pets and Hans is left holding the self-destruct key.


"Welcome to Japan, Mr. Bond."

count me in with the YOLT fanclub!

I have been travelling most of the locations there in Japan and am always amazed how "exotic" Japan has been in these days.
The set with the volcano is simply stunning, especially when seeing all these facts in the footage. I admit, that things have been done bigger and better later on, but in 1967, it has been a spectacular movie!

I also think, that clothing-wise YOLT is a true masterpiece, Connery's suits and shoes, Kissys blue dress and last but not least, Q's shorts

I know, that SC sleepwalks thru the movie but I will always have a soft spot for it.

Hardyboy

YOLT is one of my guilty pleasures. Despite its nonsensical plot, Connery's worst performance as Bond, and Donald Pleasence's wandered-off-the-Hammer-lot Blofeld, it's never boring; add to that a wonderful John Barry score, fantastic Ken Adam designs, and Freddie Young's beautiful photography, and YOLT isn't a bad way to kill two hours.

Loeffelholz

I've always liked YOLT.

Little Nellie. Bond fighting High Chief Maivea (sp?) with a sofa. The PTS. The theme song, one of the best ever. The long-lens chase at the docks (a Lewis Gilbert classic). The hollowed-out volcano. The tiny little fire coming out of the rockets as they're launched from there.

Say no more.

:007)

_{P.S. Re: the current Bonds...I wonder why they're so slagged off...the OTT (wonderment) stuff will return plenty soon, I think---perhaps as early as #23...}

Dan Same

YOLT is a terrific film. I think it suffers because it came after TB, which in terms of adventure Bonds was superior, and came before OHMSS. Connery's performance was also very disappointing. But he was still amazing, the fight/chase scene at the start were superb, as were a few of the other fight scenes; the magnetic picking up of the car was really cool; Helga Brandt was phenomenally sexy; :x some of the dialogue was really good (I liked the lines relating to Japanese women and male/female relations); the hollowed-out volcano was awesome and the film was, for the most part, quite fun. Shame it's going to be eliminated pretty soon in the elimination game.

Napoleon Plural

Yep, I'm a fan. The Oriental thing makes Bond a duck out of water ('very best duck!') and helps mollify the arrogance that had crept into the part. However, the lack of Cold War vibe or Russians, or Bond character introspection, help sink this for others.