Across 27 films and with seven actors portraying the 007 agent, James Bond has solidified itself as an iconic British film franchise since the 1960s but which one takes the top spot as the best Bond film?
As one of the most trusted film and TV review sites, Rotten Tomatoes is a go-to for those on the hunt to find the truth about how good a film really is by giving the power to the people.
Its ‘Tomatometer’ calculates an overall score based on film fans’ reviews, and this has helped them to rank all of the James Bond films in order, with the top spot having an impressive 99% score.
James Bond was first created in 1953 by Ian Fleming as a fictional British Secret Service agent, whose life and missions spanned 12 novels and two short stories. That was until 1962, when Flemming’s character took to the screen and changed the course of British film history with Dr No, the first Bond film, which still remains one of the best-reviewed of the 007 movies.
Since then, the franchise has risen to new heights, as viewers eagerly anticipate each new release and watch the international man of mystery travel the world, complete new missions, and wear new swanky suits. While the worst-reviewed film of the Bond franchise is the 1967 spoof Casino Royale, starring David Niven, taking the top spot is Goldfinger, released in 1964.
As the third instalment in the James Bond series, Goldfinger is still considered to be the best Bond film as voted for by viewers, with Sean Connery centre stage as the MI6 agent. After the success of the first two films, the budget was raised, combining that of the first two films, and Goldfinger went on to be the first big blockbuster Bond movie of many yet to come.
When writing about Goldfinger, A Rotten Tomatoes reviewer claimed: “The Bond film to which all others must be compared. The girls, the guns, the gadgets, the locations, the villains, the evil master plan… it may not have been the first Bond film, but it is, and likely always will be, the standard-bearer.”
Another review states: “Goldfinger hands down is one of the best in the entire series. It simply has everything great to offer: you have action, one-liners, a great villain, a memorable Bond girl and Sean Connery as Bond. Absolutely iconic.”
Climbing up the rankings, at number two in the list is the equally iconic From Russia With Love, the 1963 addition to the franchise and the second film to be released in the series. Also starring the original Bond, Sean Connery, this movie boasts an impressive 97% overall score for its “spectacular” scenes.
“Sean Connery will never truly be replaced as Bond,” a viewer wrote about the second-ranked film. They continued to say: “And, if ‘Dr No’ wasn’t enough proof of that, look no further than this funny, thrilling and sexy adventure.”
It’s not until we get to number four on the list that we start to see the modernised versions of Bond with our latest 007 at the forefront, Daniel Craig, with Casino Royale. As for the most recent addition to the story, the last release in 2021, No Time to Die, makes its way into the top 10, holding a firm number seven spot.
This film saw Daniel Craig in his final moments as Bond before passing on the baton to the next 007, who is yet to be revealed, and viewers had a lot to say on the matter. One review reads: “Daniel Craig’s final Bond is EVERYTHING we hoped for! Action, emotion, and a perfect goodbye to the 007 who redefined the role.
“The multiverse-level excitement of bringing his journey full circle with heart & high stakes. It’s not just about stopping the villain; it’s Bond facing his past & legacy. Craig is on fire, balancing grit & vulnerability like no other. We came for the action and stayed for the emotion. This film gave us closure & left us in awe. A proper farewell to a Bond we’ll never forget.”
If you’re feeling inspired to delve back into the Bond universe or just want to watch the number one film, Goldfinger is available to stream now on both ITVX and Amazon Prime.