Every James Bond Actor’s Final 007 Film, Ranked

No Time to Die brings the Daniel Craig era of James Bond to a dramatic close. Most critics and fans are in agreement that Craig has finished with one of his best Bond movies, something that cannot be said for all of the actors to have portrayed the world’s most famous spy. Over the years, the final outings of 007 actors have proved to be some of the most divisive films in the franchise.

It’s clear that whilst Craig is leaving on a high, the same cannot be said for every James Bond actor. Some of their final films in the franchise pale in comparison to some of the others.

6 Die Another Day (Pierce Brosnan)

Pierce Brosnan was a perfectly good James Bond. He had the look, the charm and the physical attributes. Unfortunately, he was not always given the best material to work with, and Die Another Day epitomizes that problem. A convoluted plot, dodgy CGI effects and some overly silly gadgets — the invisible car is a franchise lowlight — were widely panned by critics. That being said, the film was not a complete disaster. Brosnan still produced a fine performance as 007, plus Rosamund Pike was in good form as double agent Miranda Frost.

But the aforementioned issues, plus one of the worst among the 007 villains from Pierce Brosnan’s tenure, a largely superfluous Bond girl and an abundance of product placements meant that Die Another Day is not a film fondly remembered by most Bond fans.

5 Diamonds Are Forever (Sean Connery)

After retiring from the role in 1967, Sean Connery was persuaded to return four years later for one last outing as 007. Diamonds Are Forever was full of glamorous locations, crazy gadgets, and eccentric characters, but while some parts of the film proved successful, e.g., the oil rig finale and Blofeld’s clones, many of the sillier aspects of the film have received very negative reviews.

The villainous Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd are stereotypes that have not aged well, the film is a lot campier than Connery’s earlier outings and the diamond smuggling plot is one of the least engaging of the franchise. Throw in a completely forgettable Bond girl and a hammy take on Blofeld from Charles Gray, and the end result is a messy film. Connery still brings his trademark charisma and grit to the role, but this is not one of his finest outings as Bond.

4 A View To A Kill (Roger Moore)

At 58 years of age in this movie, Roger Moore remains the oldest actor to portray James Bond. Many critics felt that A View To A Kill suffered from Moore’s advancing years, and the action sequences were less than realistic looking. But the main problem with the film was that it was considerably more violent than Moore’s previous Bond movies. After years of relatively lighthearted Bond adventures, it was bizarre to see scenes of mass slaughter and violence.

However, there were many positive aspects to the film. Christopher Walken’s Max Zorin is one of the best villains from Roger Moore’s 007 movies, Patrick Macnee played one of the best “other” agents in the franchise and Duran Duran’s titular song is one of the most loved Bond theme songs of all. Even though Moore didn’t go out on a massive high, he did have a final film that is remembered fondly by many fans.

3 No Time To Die (Daniel Craig)

Some reviews have said it’s too long and there’s too much exposition in the middle hour, but overall this is a solid Bond film that satisfies fans of the franchise. Most critics have placed it firmly in the middle of the pack when it comes to Craig’s Bond films. That’s no mean feat considering that Skyfall and Casino Royale are two of the most acclaimed films in the entire series.

No Time to Die is helped by having high-caliber actors like Rami Malek and Lashana Lynch in key roles, whilst Craig still has more than enough charisma and charm to own the role.

2 Licence To Kill (Timothy Dalton)

The second and final Timothy Dalton film is one of the grittiest and darkest of the series. Bond is suspended from MI6 for the majority of the story and operates as a rogue agent trying to infiltrate a smuggling ring. Dalton’s portrayal of Bond will always have its critics — he was never as smooth as his rivals and his movies were in stark contrast to the slapstick nature of much of the Moore era. But while Licence to Kill was not a huge success at the time, contemporary appraisals of the film have been far more favorable.

Dalton’s acting is as convincing as any 007 actor and the story is a welcome change from some of the more formulaic Bond adventures. Not since the early days of Connery had a Bond film came as close to capturing the essence of Ian Fleming’s original Jame Bond novels. Timothy Dalton’s unmade fourth Bond movie might have ended his run on an even higher note, but it’s hard to imagine.

1 On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (George Lazenby)

Following in Sean Connery’s footsteps was an almost impossible task, but George Lazenby’s first and last Bond movie is now widely regarded as one of the high points of the franchise. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service features an engrossing plot, an iconic Bond girl, some incredible chases and a tragic ending. It all adds up to a film that filmmakers such as Christopher Nolan and Stephen Soderbergh regard as the best of all Bond films. At the time, Lazenby’s “vulnerable” take on Bond was criticized by fans familiar with Connery’s supremely confident version of the character. But hindsight has been very kind, an On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is now seen as a highlight of the franchise.