metalhead79
Neo Member
Pierce Brosnan or GTFO.
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Is there a consensus on who the best Bond is? Is it Daniel Craig?
- Thread starter enigmatic_alex44
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enigmatic_alex44
Whenever a game uses "middleware," I expect mediocrity. Just see how poor TLOU looks.
Wait what? Since when is Skyfall a hated film?
Good grief. Honestly, I think I like Skyfall just a little bit more than Casino Royale if I had to rank them. Skyfall is gorgeous to look at and Silva is a much better villain than the boring guy in Casino (CR's only real flaw imo).
Good grief. Honestly, I think I like Skyfall just a little bit more than Casino Royale if I had to rank them. Skyfall is gorgeous to look at and Silva is a much better villain than the boring guy in Casino (CR's only real flaw imo).
The English Conquistador
Member
Remember dude, this is GAF.
It's hard to really choose, they're all pretty different takes of the same character (Dalton and Craig's approach are fairly similar, though) and then you have to take in account the era and the style.
So it's a pretty personal choice. For me it's still Connery. Despite the fact that the Misogyny seriously makes me wince and he's a total debag, he could deliver lines and confidence like none of the others. His performance in Never Say Never Again (though not considered canon) kind of shows how much of a screen presence he had seeing as he makes that whole movie watchable (and a better version of Thunderball in my mind).
I grew up with Brosnan and he's also kind of dear to my heart in that respect even though he had some of the worst material to do it in.
I think most agree that Lazenby wasn't good. He just didn't bring anything to it. Still one of the best Bond movies, but it's that despite him. At the same time, you needed a blank slate like him to pull off that story, so he's ok as something in service of the storytelling I suppose, just not a definable Bond. If we're going by quality of Bond movies and not the actor, though, then he's damn good.
So it's a pretty personal choice. For me it's still Connery. Despite the fact that the Misogyny seriously makes me wince and he's a total debag, he could deliver lines and confidence like none of the others. His performance in Never Say Never Again (though not considered canon) kind of shows how much of a screen presence he had seeing as he makes that whole movie watchable (and a better version of Thunderball in my mind).
I grew up with Brosnan and he's also kind of dear to my heart in that respect even though he had some of the worst material to do it in.
I think most agree that Lazenby wasn't good. He just didn't bring anything to it. Still one of the best Bond movies, but it's that despite him. At the same time, you needed a blank slate like him to pull off that story, so he's ok as something in service of the storytelling I suppose, just not a definable Bond. If we're going by quality of Bond movies and not the actor, though, then he's damn good.
andythinkpad
Member
Craig Bond is too much like Putin for me sorry.
Icefire1424
Member
Took the words right out of my mouth.
Already stated to an extent, but every actor who played Bond had their own interpretation of the character, often dramatically different. I personally don't believe any of the actors that portrayed Bond did a bad job (with one exception), although I will say some interpretations were better than others.
My ranking and evaluation:
1) Connery: The original and the best. Had the benefit of portraying Bond in some of his most iconic roles, including Dr. No, From Russia With Love, and Goldfinger. Iconic. Let's assume "Never Say Never Again" never existed.
2) Craig: A completely different take on Bond than the others, most notably in the fact that Craig's Bond is fallible, and more "human". He isn't the suave agent the others have portrayed. He's inexperienced, he acts on emotion, he has distinct faults, and at times, he fails. Makes his character more compelling, more believable.
3) Dalton: A darker, grittier Bond. More prone to emotion than his predecessors, will seek vengeance. Cold. More representative of Ian Flemmings vision of James Bond than the others.
4) Brosnan: Suave. Debonair. Less focus on emotion, more on the witty retort. The ladies man. Portrayed Bond as the "cool" agent, and the most technologically adept of the bunch. Criticized, often unfairly due to the movies he was cast in. Goldeneye was his shining performance.
5) Lazenby: The "one off" Bond. Given Scottish heritage as an homage to Connery. Embraced the role, also portrayed Bond with more "human" emotions, although not to the extent as Craig. OHMSS could have easily failed as a Bond movie with a "one off" actor, but Lazenby maintained the franchise, and succeeded in giving the character his own flair.
6) Moore: While I wouldn't consider Moore's portrayal of Bond to be "bad", I would say it was a bit "bland". Moore did a good job, had some great moments, but played it a bit too "safe", not really evolving the character. Didn't help that he was the oldest to play Bond when he was cast for the role. Made for a few awkward romantic scenes later in his career. Had great chemistry with other actors in the franchise, Richard Kiel (Jaws) and Sheriff J.W. Pepper. Fun fact: Roger Moore has a phobia of guns. Interesting phobia for a guy who played James Bond.
N/A) Niven: Don't get me started.
Icefire1424
Member
Oh, and to chime in on the worst of the franchise, gotta go with Die Another Day. I wouldn't even consider Skyfall to be among the "bad" movies. Had some bad moments yea, but wouldn't compare it to DaD, The World is Not Enough or a few others I would rank lower.
To Far Away Times
Member
Sean Connery is to James Bond what MJ is to basketball.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
More like Wilt Chamberlain, actually.
Being first doesn't make you the best, but people will cling to that narrative in a lot of different entertainment properties because it tends to support an air of authenticity that makes both the critic and the criticism seem that much more unassailable.
It has less to do with the actual merits of the man's performance as a performance and more to do with appealing to a sense of nostalgia that inherently suggests things were better in the old days, in ways modern audiences can't appreciate, and modern performers can't pull off.
Version 3.0
Member
I grew up with Moore, and saw a handful of his films before even knowing that Connery was Bond before him (crazy, right?). So Moore was Bond, to me. It was cemented by the time he ended his long run.
I wasn't too hot on the idea of switching guys, but it turns out I loved Timothy Dalton as Bond. He's still my favorite.
I thought Brosnan might surpass him, since I thought he was a perfect fit for the role. After seeing the films, though, I still liked Dalton better in the role.
Craig's not bad, but his films are, unfortunately.
So...Dalton, for me. Might be Connery if I'd seen more of his films, earlier. Obviously there's no consensus.
I wasn't too hot on the idea of switching guys, but it turns out I loved Timothy Dalton as Bond. He's still my favorite.
I thought Brosnan might surpass him, since I thought he was a perfect fit for the role. After seeing the films, though, I still liked Dalton better in the role.
Craig's not bad, but his films are, unfortunately.
So...Dalton, for me. Might be Connery if I'd seen more of his films, earlier. Obviously there's no consensus.
StalkerUKCG
Banned
Pierce is my fav.
Swaggest bond. NY personal fave.
VeryGooster
Banned
I guess if I never saw Die Another Day or Moonraker or Diamonds Are Forever I might think this? Probably not.
Rest
All these years later I still chuckle at what a fucking moron that guy is.
Except that that's bullshit. I don't think anyone will tell you that Daniel Craig hasn't been amazing as Bond, because he's one of the best actors around right now, probably one of the best in the history of movies. I think Craig is a better actor than Sean Connery, but Connery is still better as Bond.
Connery put on great performances as a character he hated (which I suppose Craig is now doing too) and established the blueprint of a timeless character. And you have to remember Connery wasn't first, Barry Nelson was. Nobody remembers him because he sucked ass and didn't establish Bond as a entertaining, likable, or memorable character. Connery did.
I will fight and kill anyone who says otherwise.
Unless they say the worst film is Quantum of Solace, which at least had the decency to be so forgettable that I can't remember anything about it. Hard to critically analyse what you can't remember.
AstroZombie
Banned
Connery by far. Craig started strong but all 3 followups to Casino Royal have missed the mark.
TheDinoman
Member
I like Craig, but Pierce Brosnan is always what I think of when I hear "James Bond".
Though that's mainly because of the N64 game by Rare, lol.
Though that's mainly because of the N64 game by Rare, lol.
Rest
All these years later I still chuckle at what a fucking moron that guy is.
Worst Bond films.
I haven't seen Specter, but Skyfall stopped being a bond movie about 20 or so minutes in, when the villain
shoots the girl.
Extra Sauce
Member
It's a shame he only got two movies and they weren't that great. Dude was the living embodiment of James Bond.
This.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
No it ain't. What about people's predilections to "hands down" or "without question and/or a doubt" proclaim something in as knee-jerk a manner as possible doesn't have roots in the sort of talking-points appeal to authority I outlined?
Some people likely do honestly believe Connery is the best Bond based solely on his performances in Dr. No, From Russia With Love, and Goldfinger. And they'd have good arguments for that too, and usually they give those arguments right up front as to how and why.
But when the large preponderance of "evidence" offered up is almost 100% tied straight back to the fact he was first, and that's basically all there is to it, then it makes a lot of sense to read it as basically just saying something to say it because it's easy credibility points without having to actually think about it.
It's not like Wilt Chamberlain wasn't a great player. So great they had to change rules for the man. He changed the way people thought about playing the game. As a comparison point, I think Connery=Chamberlain makes way more fuckin' sense than Connery=Jordan. It's not disrespectful. But it's actually taking into account what Connery did in the role and how he did it as opposed to simply saying "Of course he's the greatest, he's the first, and look how popular it was!"
And c'mon, nobody's fucking counting Barry Nelson for shit. That's just disingenuous.
Boombloxer
Member
Complete horseshit. Dalton was awful, Moore was worse, Lazenby forgettable.
This. He's tied for 2 in my book.
Connery
Brosnan/Craig
Cliff
Everyone else
I don't get it really, I always thought it was some dumb-ass backlash to a popular Bond movie. I've read the threads and usually just chuckle and close it.
Bruce Springsteen
Member
Craig is the best for me
GameAddict411
Member
Connery without a doubt.
Edit: Craig is my least favorite one. Don't like his cold acting.
Edit: Craig is my least favorite one. Don't like his cold acting.
Shpeshal Nick
aka Collingwood
Connery is "accepted" as the best Bond but it's actually Brosnan.
RowdyReverb
Member
Took the words out of my mouth. Your favorite Bond actor is going to be the man you feel best captures who you believe Bond to be.
Personally, I like humor in my Bond, so I like Moore and Brosnan best, but I can understand why people might like the more serious Bonds.
Also, a lot of it depends on which one you were initially exposed to.
Mortimer Brewster
Member
My ranking goes
1a) Connery
1b)Dalton
3) Craig
4) Lazenby
5) Moore
6) Woody Allen as Jimmy Bond
The Absolute worst Pierce Brosnan.
1a) Connery
1b)Dalton
3) Craig
4) Lazenby
5) Moore
6) Woody Allen as Jimmy Bond
The Absolute worst Pierce Brosnan.
BibiMaghoo
Member
Craig brings a darker tone to the role the others lacked completely. You can chalk this up to both the times and the movie plots themselves, but he still have a less caring attitude than the others, and for that I vote him. It's more realistic to have a tormented side when you kill a shit load of people and watch plenty you care for die horribly.
-shadow-
Member
I find them all really good depending on the movie. They all had their ups and downs (well with one exception for obvious reason). I can't pick the best, but I can state my personal films of each actor.
Though Craig started so ridiculously good and basically went sleeping through the entirety film and just didn't seem to give a single crap. Man his performance in that one was absolutely terrible...
Though Craig started so ridiculously good and basically went sleeping through the entirety film and just didn't seem to give a single crap. Man his performance in that one was absolutely terrible...
Netherscourge
Banned
1. Daniel Craig
2. Sean Connery
3. Timothy Dalton
4. Pierce Brosnan
5. Roger Moore
6. That other guy
OT: I thought the villains in Roger Moore's Bond movies were more fun an interesting than any of the other movies, although Odd Job get's an honorable mention.
2. Sean Connery
3. Timothy Dalton
4. Pierce Brosnan
5. Roger Moore
6. That other guy
OT: I thought the villains in Roger Moore's Bond movies were more fun an interesting than any of the other movies, although Odd Job get's an honorable mention.
Skellig Gra
Member
No, buts it's Pierce
Of the pre-Craig Bond films Die Another Day is easily my least favourite, but I watched it again a few weeks ago, for the first time since in the cinema at release, and was able to enjoy it. Decent film, which makes sense within itself.
I'll make one last comment on the subject then drop it to avoid derailing, because I'm not talking about Craig as a Bond I'm really talking about Sam Mendes being a terrible director, following a terrible script in which his character's motivations, dialogue and behaviour make absolutely no sense from one moment to the next.
No Bond film upto and including Die Another Day was as much of an incoherent mess as Skyfall was, then Spectre somehow managed to make even less sense moment to moment. It's like he was trying to make his films 2deep4U, but forgot to actually have a thread to tie all his shit together with.
Also, somehow beating Die Another Day for the 'Worst use of CGI in a Bond Film' award with those Komodo Dragons was just... it makes me sad to think about.
Dash_Riprock
Member
Someone clearly hasn't seen Die Another Day, OHMSS, or Moonraker (Or hell, any of Moore's later films).
Michael F. Assbender
Banned
It's Craig. Any other opinions are wrong.
Gully State
Member
It's a toss up between Idris Elba and Michael Fassbender
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