A James Bond Review: A Journey

James Bond will always have a lasting impact on film culture. With its iconic intro illustrating the silhouette of the titular Bond walking across the screen as a gun barrel tracks his every stride, ready for the kill. Only for the masterful 007 to pull from his person, his very own smooth, black Walther PPK to hinder the perpetrator, nothing but scarlet blood dripping down a fuzzy screen. Most can recognize the phrase “Shaken, not stirred” uttered by the suave debonair that is Sean Connery, or if one is a fan of all that is Bond. Maybe they wished for an exact replica of the silver Aston Martin DB5 driven by Bond in Goldfinger. Some might desire to gallant with 007, as a beautiful, yet savvy, Bond Girl or as a siren to entrap him and kill him for SPECTRE, the terrorist organization after Bond.

During the Summer, my mother and I found ourselves driven to obsession by the Daniel Craig Bond movies, the British actor being one out of seven who have played the secret agent. Amongst the quiet hours of night, we could be found in amazement at the quick wit of sardonic British humor and the profound family of MI6 shared by Bond, Moneypenny, Q, M, and even the eclectic villains orbiting the franchise. Or the way the filmography falls deeply in love with the elegant and traditional environment of James Bond’s England, forming a lush and utterly beautiful film to watch. We could also be found crying at the struggles faced by Daniel Craig's Bond. Never have my eyes felt more underwater than when Bond sacrificed himself for who he loved and subsequent lighting a guiding will-o’-the-wisp for a new Bond to emerge, as is tradition.

Yet, the exploration of Bond began to tickle a certain curiosity in me. I have always had a love for the unlabored sophistication of Bond, no matter his era. Dreams lingered in my mind of Cuban cigarettes and aged wine, bespoke of suits, and legacy sports cars. When I decided to begin my journey through Bond by beginning at the first of the twenty-five movies, with Dr. No, I knew from there, my ability to turn back was forever gone from me. I finally understood, I would conquer Bond to its pinnacle. 

I would not consider Dr. No my favorite of the films I have watched. It has a multitude of issues, such as plot progression, unnecessary behaviors, and nullified thrills. Despite this. it was a good start in Jamaica, where the original Ian Fleming novels were written. I understood where the adaptation was planning on taking me, and I certainly liked it. But I must say that Goldfinger, the third of the films, has shown why it is the most beloved and highly rated of the Bond Films, as it is the exact opposite of my problems with Dr. No. 

This article was not only a review of the Bond Films, but an explanation to understand why I love them so much and my thought process in dissecting further films. Nonetheless, if all I have said entices you in anyway, then I think it would be most prudent to quickly watch the films from Connery to Craig, as James Bond is a busy man on a mission to save the world.