278 replies to this topic

[double o ego]

This thread brings a pleasent smile to my face on the basis that so many people have so many varying views and opinions on these movies. I love how some can say AVTAK is the most overrated and someone else a couple posts down will say it's the most underrated. It really puts things into perspective, especially in the advent of QoS that has undeniably polarising views.

After much deliberation, it's almost hard for me to decide, especially when I consider most of the Bond films to be mediocre. That being said, I think CR is the most overrated Bond film by far. It's a great film but it's not the epic masterpiece that many people claim it to be and also, rather annoyingly,so many people who know nothing about Bond think they're an authority on the subject just because they enjoyed CR and they're not used to giving Bond any time of day and anything Bond-related they'll compare to CR.

As for underrated, I'd give it to either OHMSS, LALD or TLD. These 3 movies are easily the most underrated imo and I believe they deserve more credit.

[ChrissBond007]

Now we have QOS, and I think it's along with LTK the most overrated.

The most underated are OHMSS, TMWTGG , Goldeneye and TWINE

[Ultraussie (Jordan.adams)]

Overated:
Thunderball. Its boring, hasnt anyone notcied. The leangthy actionless lengths of nothing-ness, and the finale is underwater! UNDERWATER? Ive seen segments of The Abyss, and it looks like thres actually crashes and explosions, not just silent spearguns and a boat chase that has YEAH SURE special effects.
The PTS is good, with Bond fighting a Drag Queen, and a stuntman who HAD TO WEAR HIS HELMET on the jetpack.... Like, the reason that happened mate, is cos those jetpacks could only fly for 20-30 secs, so when 10 secs was up, a buzzer in the helmet went off, telling the guy to find a landing spot.

Underrated:
On Her Majesties Secret Service
Long title and premature actor beside, this is a good film. The ending, the attire Bond darily wears, The Proppeler Heads taking the themesong to the DJ table, the PTS with Bond's EPIC fight in the SURF, and Bond's best attempt at taking a swing at the LADIES!!!!!!!!
Oh, Telly Savaras was BEST BLOFELD EVER!!!!!
*does Guitar RIff from White Unicorn-Wolfmother EP Version*


Also the Soundtrack packs a punch, especilally the Bond Theme in the END CREDITS!!!
Shouldve been in the Gunbarrel mate!

[Quincy]

Overrated:
-GF
-GE
-TSWLM

Underrated:
-TLD
-LTK
-TND
-TWINE

Overated:
Thunderball. Its boring, hasnt anyone notcied.

Nope

[Judo chop]

In order to know whether a film is over/underrated, you have to know how they should be rated first. So... for everyone’s information, here are the correct ratings:

1 From Russia With Love
2 Thunderball
3 Casino Royale
4 Dr. No
5 On Her Majesty's Secret Service
6 Live and Let Die
7 Goldfinger
8 The Spy Who Loved Me
9 The Living Daylights
10 For Your Eyes Only
11 Moonraker
12 Goldeneye
13 Octopussy
14 Die Another Day
15 The Man with the Golden Gun
16 License to Kill
17 A View to a Kill
18 Tomorrow Never Dies
19 Diamonds are Forever
20 You Only Live Twice
21 The World is not Enough

Give me another few weeks to provide an accurate assessment on QOS.

[O.H.M.S.S.]

Overrated: Casino Royale (it is a fantastic Bond film, but it is not the best, as if people don't remember FRWL or GF)

Underrated: The Man with the Golden Gun & Licence to Kill.

Edited by O.H.M.S.S., 01 December 2008 - 05:06 PM.

[jaguar007]

This is what I find not on CBn, but just the public at large

most overreated: GoldenEye. There are actually people who think this is the best Bond movie ever. I say they need to seek psycholigical help.

Most Underrated: Tie for OHMSS and TLD. Both are two of the best Bond movies ever made, but because they didn't star Connery, Moore, Dalton or Craig they get ignored all too often.

[Judo chop]

Most Underrated: Tie for OHMSS and TLD. Both are two of the best Bond movies ever made, but because they didn't star Connery, Moore, Dalton or Craig they get ignored all too often.

But I would say the performance (or lack thereof, in the case of OHMSS) of the lead actor should weigh heavily on the film's rating.

OHMSS is a Bond masterpiece, but The Laze can't be ignored. He's great only for a few moments, poor often, and is otherwise only serviceable. The film is both positively and negatively charged, and so I'd say a fair rating is middle to upper-middle of the pack. Frankly, I think I rank it higher on my list than it actually deserves, as I've learned to do just what I said not to; ignore Lazenby's acting and focus on the look of the man.

[O.H.M.S.S.]

I thought Lazenby did a great job. OHMSS is my favourite Bond film.

[ChrissBond007]

most overreated: GoldenEye. There are actually people who think this is the best Bond movie ever. I say they need to seek psycholigical help.

Please respect people which love Goldeneye. I know the pycholigical help line isn't serious, but I'm just very suprised how many people seem to dislike the movie. It was my favourite for several years. But I agree with you about OHMSS, the most underrated one!

[Judo chop]

I thought Lazenby did a great job. OHMSS is my favourite Bond film.

And thus the reason why trying to estimate the most over/underrated films is a completely pointless exercise since.

As an aside, when people say "Lazenby did a great job..." I can't help but hear a patronizing tone, and the unspoken words following, "...for a guy who wasn't an actor stepping into such a high-pressure situation".

[O.H.M.S.S.]

I believe we saw that Lazenby could act in that last scene when (spoiler) Tracy died in his arms. It was a difficult scene, but he pulled it off.

As for the overrated/underrated statement, I agree with you.

[Judo chop]

I believe we saw that Lazenby could act in that last scene when (spoiler) Tracy died in his arms. It was a difficult scene, but he pulled it off.

Oh, no doubt there are flashes of competence, and even one of excellence ("something more sociable to do)". But it's not enough to call it a good performance.

Again, IMO.

[NotAnAcronym]

Overrated: You only live twice. It's nothing but boring and dull. In retrospective, it's merely a dress rehearsal for The Spy Who Loved Me and that Austin Powers movie - and both were way better.

Underrated: The Man With The Golden Gun. Most people don't seem to like it, yet it has a great story, a great villain, a great henchman, a great Maude Adams and Roger at his best. And if you ignore that horrible "whoop" sound, it also has one of the greatest stunts.

[dee-bee-five]

Updated:

If, by underrated, we mean that the producers are casting pearls before swine, it would now appear that the magnificent Quantum of Solace is the most underrated Bond film. At least by some...

I thought Lazenby did a great job. OHMSS is my favourite Bond film.

And thus the reason why trying to estimate the most over/underrated films is a completely pointless exercise since.

As an aside, when people say "Lazenby did a great job..." I can't help but hear a patronizing tone, and the unspoken words following, "...for a guy who wasn't an actor stepping into such a high-pressure situation".

I have to disagree. While we're on the subject of things being underrated, I've always felt that Lazenby's performance in OHMSS is one of the most wilfully underrated performances in cinema history. That might sound like hyperbole but, actually, I believe it. Craig might have done OHMSS better but, d'you know what, I'm not sure any of the others would have matched Lazenby's raw, sincere performance; the film is a masterpiece of the franchise and, in my opinion, it is so because of Lazenby, not in spite of him.

[SecretAgentFan]

Overrated: Thunderball. (could be much shorter, the end battle is too slow)

Underrated: A View To A Kill. (yes, I know, I have been putting that film at the bottom of my list. But re-watching it again I found it quite entertaining despite its obvious flaws. And it actually tried to be as down-to-earth as possible during that times. In fact, after MR every Moore Bond was striving for reality, more than people gave him credit for.)

[dee-bee-five]

Overrated: Thunderball. (could be much shorter, the end battle is too slow)

Underrated: A View To A Kill. (yes, I know, I have been putting that film at the bottom of my list. But re-watching it again I found it quite entertaining despite its obvious flaws. And it actually tried to be as down-to-earth as possible during that times. In fact, after MR every Moore Bond was striving for reality, more than people gave him credit for.)

It's funny, I watched AVTAK on my iPod on a long train journey this week. Hadn't seen it for a while and I was surprised by how much more sprightly it felt than I've always thought.

[SecretAgentFan]

Overrated: Thunderball. (could be much shorter, the end battle is too slow)

Underrated: A View To A Kill. (yes, I know, I have been putting that film at the bottom of my list. But re-watching it again I found it quite entertaining despite its obvious flaws. And it actually tried to be as down-to-earth as possible during that times. In fact, after MR every Moore Bond was striving for reality, more than people gave him credit for.)

It's funny, I watched AVTAK on my iPod on a long train journey this week. Hadn't seen it for a while and I was surprised by how much more sprightly it felt than I've always thought.

On your... iPod?

The widescreen compositions must have looked very impressive.

[dee-bee-five]

Overrated: Thunderball. (could be much shorter, the end battle is too slow)

Underrated: A View To A Kill. (yes, I know, I have been putting that film at the bottom of my list. But re-watching it again I found it quite entertaining despite its obvious flaws. And it actually tried to be as down-to-earth as possible during that times. In fact, after MR every Moore Bond was striving for reality, more than people gave him credit for.)

It's funny, I watched AVTAK on my iPod on a long train journey this week. Hadn't seen it for a while and I was surprised by how much more sprightly it felt than I've always thought.

On your... iPod?

The widescreen compositions must have looked very impressive.

I have all the Bond films (plus loads of others) on my iPods Classic and Touch (apart from QoS, of couse). It's not the ideal way to watch them, but it beats the hell out of getting bored on my frequent long train journeys.

Mind you, I might invest in some of these new Vusix iWear Video Glasses; you plug in your iPod and watch it through the glasses which simulate looking at a 62" TV screen from 9' away (according to the marketing, anyway). Of course, you look like a dork wearing them...

[vednam]

Most Overrated: Casino Royale and Goldfinger

Casino Royale is an excellent movie, but I just don't understand why so many people think it's head and shoulders above anything we've seen since Connery was in his prime. Also, I really could have done without the whole "Bond begins" premise. I enjoyed watching Daniel Craig, but he looked too old to be a rookie Bond. After I saw it, I felt like I had watched a really good movie, but not a really good Bond movie.

Goldfinger lacks the globetrotting and action I want in a Bond film. It is boring at times. I don't like Pussy Galore as much as most do either. FRWL was FAR superior to GF.



Most Underrated: The Living Daylights, The World is Not Enough, Die Another Day


TLD is a masterpiece. It is exactly what I want out of a Bond movie. Dalton is suave, romantic, intense, and enigmatic as Bond. The score is INCREDIBLE. Necros is one of the best henchmen in the series. People complain about the villains, but I thought Koskov was decent (and I really liked the humor he brought to the table). Certainly, he is no less charismatic that some other villains that people seem to love (like Le Chiffre).


TWINE has an excellent, unconventional, layered plot with a very human touch. Zukovsky's return was excellent. And Elektra King is mesmerizing. I think she is the best evil Bond girl of all. She's the type of woman who we believe could put a man under a spell (as she does to Renard and Bond). The fight scene at the caviar factory was very enjoyable. The intro boat chase was great.

Yeah, there were some cheesy one-liners, and Denise Richards seems out of place as a nuclear physicist. But those annoyances are very minor, IMO. I don't get how people write off the entire movie, and all that it offers with a simple reference to Denise Richards.


DAD is also unfairly criticized. Bond drives an invisible car and does some CGI surfing. And that's a reason to dismiss all the excellent qualities of this film? Really?

Bond in captivity for an extended period is something we haven't seen in the series. We also had Bond going rogue after his superiors no longer trust him (before they started doing something similar in every film during the Craig era). There are lots of classic, humorous scenes. Like Bond walking into a hotel with his beard and long hair, and Mr. Chang getting caught trying to spy on Bond ("put your hands down!" is a great line). Yes, this is a Bond flick with a more over-the-top flavor, but I don't mind megalomaniacs if they are done well. A guy who has his entire appearance altered, never sleeps, kills his father, etc. A good villain. I like how much he seems to despise Bond. The sword fight between Bond and Graves was excellent. Even Miranda Frost's win-at-all costs personality fits in well. I like how the villains are more fleshed-out than usual.

People on this board really don't like Halle Berry? So what she says a cheesy line or two. So do most Bond girls. But she's so HOT! And she does a decent job as a spy.

[Elvenstar]

IMHO

Overrated: Dr. No

Underrated: Qos, Dalton films, OHMSS

[Trey]

Overrated
Goldfinger (Damn good, just not as good as people give it credit for.)
Octopussy (I know it's usually considered to be "mediocre", but in all honesty, I find it to be far worse than even TMWTGG...I'd place it in the bottom 5 Bond movies.)
Casino Royale (Yes, Considerably... )


Underrated
Dr. No (Other than the books, this film had nothing preceding it to serve as a jump start, and, under the circumstances, did quite well in beginning the series.)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (Bad Bond actor, yes, but still, one of the best in the series. I may be a bit biased, though, as it's my personal favorite.)
The Man with the Golden Gun (If you take it seriously, yes, it's awful. If you enjoy the camp and the mindless fun, it's fine.)
For Your Eyes Only (Better than TSWLM.)

[HildebrandRarity]

Over-rated: OHMSS

Under-rated: Moonraker

[Quincy]

CR in my opinion isn't overrated.

Overrated: GE, GF, TSWLM
Underrated: DN and FYEO

[glidrose]

Overrated:
FRWL, OHMSS, TSWLM, TLD, GE

TLD and GE are on my "worst" list. Let me quote our own menacing moderator Jim on GE: "nothing much actually happens and then it ends."

The other "overrated" films are mid-level for me.

DN, FYEO, NSNA and TWINE were at one point overrated but their reputations have gone into decline.

Underrated:
GF, TB, MR, OCT, AVTAK, TND, DAD

Oddly, my chronological "underrated" list also descends in order of merit. DAD is only mid-level for me.

I shouldn't have to add GF to the underrated list, but I shall. It's become quite the thing to criticize on this board.

As for the polarising Bond films:
pro-LTK
anti-QoS
anti-DAF

[S K Y F A L L]

Overrated - CASINO ROYALE just seems too long to me and when Bond is recovering from the torture I felt it dragged on.

Underrated - QUANTUM OF SOLACE besides the gun barrel at the end, Bond dangling from the ropes and the skydiving, I thought it was fine and enjoy it as much as I do CR.

I didn't realize so many people feel that why about GE

[Dustin]

Numerous most interesting threads pop up here, had no idea this one existed!

Overrated, in terms of importance for the series, I find:

FRWL, TB, TSWLM, DAD and QOS.

Underrated in their importance I perceive:

YOLT, LALD and TLD.


GOLDFINGER: that was the make-or-break film that conquered the US market, at the time the only really important market that brought the big money. For decades afterwards the routine was to produce what guaranteed success with American audiences. I don't watch it often any more, but tonally GF was a milestone.

[d21089]

I like Goldeneye but being a child of the nineties save a couple of months- amongst my brethren it is overrated to the point of nausea.

For Your Eyes Only is probably the most underrated for me, followed by the Daltons

[batmatt92]

I like Goldeneye but being a child of the nineties save a couple of months- amongst my brethren it is overrated to the point of nausea.

Ohhh yes, I can certainly empathize with you there. I've encountered people my age who didn't know any Bond films had been made before GoldenEye! So that gets my vote for overratedness.

I think The Living Daylights is not so much underrated as it is criminally ignored. People who've seen it, in my experience, usually tend to really like it. But most of the time when I mention it to non-fans they have no idea what I'm talking about. Licence to Kill too, for that matter.

I'd call Octopussy and The World Is Not Enough pretty underrated. Both get a lot of flack but I'm very fond of them. Favorite Moore and favorite Brosnan, respectively. I find the Cold-War-ness of OP very compelling.

Edited by batmatt92, 14 May 2012 - 06:27 AM.

[SecretAgentFan]

Choosing only one for each problem, I´d say:

MOST OVERRATED: GOLDENEYE

MOST UNDERRATED: A VIEW TO A KILL