James Bond is among the longest-running movie franchises of all time. With the first film premiering in 1962, multiple actors have portrayed James Bond and became iconic in the role, from Sean Connery to Pierce Brosnan. When the newest Bond, Daniel Craig, took on the role, not everybody was excited about it, but Craig quickly excelled.
He's made 5 feature films in the role since 2006 and it's only now, 15 years after his first Bond film, that Daniel Craig has left the role that will subsequently go to someone else. But before that happens, all fans of the franchise can recall Craig's Bond movies, or perhaps watch them for the first time. Despite the initial reservations toward Craig's casting as James Bond, all of his films got a high rating online, and audiences have thoroughly enjoyed them.
5 Quantum Of Solace (2008): 6.6
The second Daniel Craig James Bond film didn't score such a high rating as many other James Bond movies, but it's still worth watching for all James Bond or Daniel Craig fans. This time, Bond is attempting to stop yet another villainous organization called Quantum and its leader Dominic Green, portrayed by Mathieu Amalric.
Some fans weren't so happy about the film, as it lacks some of the aspects and characters connected with the James Bond franchise. However, fans of the series will still discover several clever references to older films in Quantum of Solace.
An interesting fact about this film is that it's the first James Bond movie that acts a direct sequel to a previous movie. As a result, even though the audience can watch most James Bond movies in whatever order they wish, they may be a bit confused if they watch Quantum of Solace before Casino Royale.
4 Spectre (2015): 6.8
Uncovering the mystery of villainous organizations is always a source of joy in action movies. This film is no exception. James Bond once again has his hands full when M dies and her message brings him to Mexico City. From there on, things rapidly get more complicated.
The most impressive aspect of the film is the way it portrays James Bond as a sort of rebel who stands against his own organization. This angle brings a new sense of urgency into the film, since Bond can't rely on the assumption that everybody who supposedly works on the same side as he does is the good guy.
Spectre also gives the audience the opportunity to visit multiple fascinating places, such as Mexico City and Italy. Plus, Christoph Waltz is known for portraying villains, and he didn't disappoint in this film as its main antagonist.
3 No Time To Die (2021): 7.8
Everything ends eventually, and Daniel Craig's run as James Bond is no exception. In his final adventure as agent 007, Craig's Bond has retired and he's enjoying some peace and quiet. This doesn't last long, though. When an old friend from the CIA asks him for help, Bond throws himself back into action.
The film is an excellent way to say goodbye to Craig's Bond, as it gives him one last chance to shine in the role. At 163 minutes, it provides plenty of opportunities to enjoy Craig's performance.
What's more, the supporting cast — including famous names such as Ralph Fiennes, Ana de Armas, Rami Malek, Ben Whishaw, and many others — is unusually strong. Considerdering this, in conjunction with the impressive action scenes, audiences everywhere enjoyed No Time to Die.
2 Skyfall (2012): 7.8
Skyfall easily draws attention thanks to the song by Adele that adds a special atmosphere to the film. The track even won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song. However, that's not the only aspect of the film that captivated the audience.
Bond has been shot and pronounced dead, but whoever hurt him and stole the list of secret agents from the CIA is in for a big surprise. Once again, Bond gets to travel to fascinating locales in his effort to learn the truth and find the culprit. Javier Bardem shines as the film's antagonist, and gives a performance reminiscent, to a certain degree, of the film No Country for Old Men (2007) by the Coen brothers.
The film attempts to offer more realism than many action pieces. This decision seemed to sit well with the audience since it's one of Daniel Craig's highest-rated Bond films. Fans of Judi Dench's M will particularly enjoy this film, since she gets much more screen time than she had in previous movies.
1 Casino Royale (2006): 8.0
Many fans of the James Bond franchise were uncertain about Daniel Craig's casting, objecting that he looked different than James Bond traditionally does. However, as this film proved, James Bond's hair color doesn't matter. To this day, Casino Royale has the highest IMDb rating of all Craig's Bond movies. It was the ideal first movie for Craig as Bond, since it also tells the story of the start of Bond's career.
On his first mission, Bond and will have to stop a terrorist organization which is no easy task for someone who hasn't been doing this job for long. Craig's characterization of Bond differs him from the previous actors who portrayed the part — and the film also offered a very different Bond girl than the franchise's fans were accustomed to. Eva Green shines as Vesper, a woman as intelligent and dangerous as Bond, if not more.
Overall, Casino Royale is different than the older James Bond films, but that wasn't a bad thing. It clearly marked the start of a new era, one that both James Bond and Daniel Craig fans enjoyed.