James Bond Marathon: Wrap-up

My overall view of the James Bond films was that it got a bit formulaic after Goldfinger. I still think that's the case, but I have found they have still managed to have a lot of variety with this formula. Having said that, this null hypothesis does mean that I can find the more down-to-earth stories a very welcome break.

I think that the variety would stem from how distinct each version of Bond is. Sean Connery is great for setting up the groundwork, while Roger Moore was able to give the films a sense of fun and clever light-heartedness (for the most part). Meanwhile, I also enjoy the gritty realism brought to the table by Timothy Dalton and Daniel Craig. But while Dalton tries to maintain this within the formula, Craig more or less does as he pleases. Pierce Brosnan was able to balance the grittiness and light-heartedness, providing fun for all the family. I sometimes wonder what it might have been like if George Lazenby stayed in the role. He seems to be trying to emulate Connery, and didn't have enough time to truly grasp a character.

Anyway, I think I should include some kind of countdown of top 5 and bottom 5, so here goes:

The Tops:

5) The Spy Who Loved Me

4) The Living Daylights

3) For Your Eyes Only

2) GoldenEye

1) From Russia With Love

The Bottoms:

5) A View to a Kill

4) Diamonds are Forever

3) The Man with the Golden Gun

2) Moonraker

1) Die Another Day

I'll let you argue my decisions and plug in the gaps as you see fit.

As for the upcoming SPECTRE; I probably won't be able to see it right away, but when I do, you can expect me to do a post about it.

I hope you enjoyed these short reviews, and I'm sure I can think of something else to blog about if the fiction's slow. Until next time.