As fans are still waiting for the latest James Bond adventure, No Time to Die, to be released, many are looking back at the long-running franchise. Though there are many differing opinions of the movies, plenty of fans name Skyfall as the best of the bunch.
The third movie in Daniel Craig's run as Bond was seen as elevating the franchise beyond what it was known for. However, with more than twenty other movies to consider, Skyfall does have some stiff competition and there are more than a couple of other entries in the series that have brought Bond to new heights that deserve some love as well.
10 Skyfall: Re-establishing The Classics
After things got a little outlandish with previous Bond movies, the first Daniel Craig entries seemed to be determined to make the franchise more grounded going forward and dismissed some aspects fans had come to expect.
One of the charms of Skyfall is how it was able to maintain that grounded feel while beginning to bring back some of those nostalgic elements. The characters of Moneypenny and Q were introduced with appropriate updating and the movie even embraced gadgets in a way that made sense. It proved the movies could be taken seriously without ditching the fun of the past movies.
9 Alternative: Dr. No
When thinking of the best Bond movies, it's hard not to think about the one that started it all. Dr. No gave audiences a thrilling spy adventure while introducing James Bond, who would become one of the biggest cinematic icons of all time.
As with many of the past Bond movies, there are aspects that feel horribly dated. However, Sean Connery brings Bond to life in a way that mixes action hero, anti-hero, and a mischievous schoolboy. It's not hard to see how many still consider him the best Bond.
8 Skyfall: Sam Mendes
While the Bond franchise has often attracted journeymen directors and those familiar with the action genre, the choice of bringing Sam Mendes to helm Skyfall was a surprising and, in the end, inspired choice.
Mendes was already an Oscar-winning director for American Beauty, but nothing from his career indicated he would be fit for such a movie. However, partnered with legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, Mendes managed to make probably the most visually stunning Bond movie of all time. On top of that, he was well suited to the action sequences as well.
7 Alternative: On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
George Lazenby is certainly the most overlooked Bond from the franchise, having only appeared in one movie. But as time has gone on, that movie has risen in popularity among fans who now consider it a standout in the franchise.
Lazenby might have a different energy from Connery, but it works for this particular story. He is also joined by Dame Diana Rigg as one of the best Bond girls and Telly Savalas who makes a very compelling version of Blofeld. But it is the surprisingly grim ending that really makes a lasting impact.
6 Skyfall: M And Bond
While M, the no-nonsense boss of Bond, has always been a part of the series, the character really started to make an impression when Judi Dench took over the role. She brings grace and authority to the part that is perfect and Skyfall is one of the few times she was really made part of the story.
With M's ties to the villain of the movie, she is alongside Bond on this adventure. Even better, the movie takes time to explore the relationship between these two characters, showing that despite the occasional animosity, they have a deeper connection than they admit.
5 Alternative: The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
To date, Roger Moore has played Bond more than any other actor in the franchise, and there are some who think he is the embodiment of the character. While some of his entries in the franchise are among the most ridiculous, The Spy Who Loved Me remains impressive.
Similar to some other movies on the list, The Spy Who Loved Me was a return to form after the franchise had somewhat lost its way. It is filled with excellent action sequences, a memorable henchman with Jaws, and Moore's charming performance.
4 Skyfall: Javier Bardem As Silva
Having already won an Oscar for his chilling performance in No Country for Old Men, Javier Bardem was a big name to get as the next Bond villain. Not surprisingly, he was astounding in the role, making Silva what many fans consider to be the best Bond villains of all time.
The personal revenge motivation at the center of Silva's story is one of the more grounded approaches to Bond villains. On top of that, Bardem brings a seductive yet menacing energy to the role which adds an incredible spark to the movie.
3 Alternative: Goldeneye (1995)
Pierce Brosnan stepped into the role of Bond for the first time in Goldeneye and it proved to be a thrilling way of introducing himself. Immediately, Brosnan felt like he was born for this role, bringing elements of all the other actors who came before him while also making it his own.
The movie was also a big step up in terms of action, with set pieces that were bigger than anything the franchise had done previously. Add to the fact that the movie introduced Dench's version of M and Sean Bean as another excellent villain and it was the perfect movie to bring Bond into the 90s.
2 Skyfall: The Crack's In Bond's Armor
Every actor has brought a certain spark to the role of Bond to make him interesting, but there are limitations for the character. For many years, Bond was a product of his time; a dashing hero who effortlessly saved the day and got the girl without much attention paid to make him three-dimensional.
Skyfall was one of the first times a Bond movie had the courage to show Bond as a vulnerable character. He was a man perhaps past his prime, he is forced to confront his painful past, and he tearfully says goodbye to an old friend. It made the character more layered than he had ever been.
1 Alternative: Casino Royale (2006)
When the series started to enter more ridiculous areas with the last Brosnan movie, it was decided the franchise would be rebooted in the manner of Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins. Casino Royale would introduce a grittier and rougher 007 with Craig's first adventure in the role.
Given the fact that the main plot of the movie is centered around a card game, it's somewhat surprising that this is the most action-packed and exciting movie in the series. The grounded and dirty approach proved to be very successful and has likely changed the franchise going forward.
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