Best Example of James Bond Film as an Action Movie?
Posted By Action Flick Chick on January 27, 2012
At a glance, online pals’ top picks for all the official Bonds seem to go as follows:
* Sean Connery: Thunderball
* George Lazenby: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (his only outing as Bond but with more stunts and other action than many others)
* Roger Moore: Live and Let Die, followed by A View to a Kill
* Timothy Dalton: License to Kill
* Pierce Brosnan: Goldeneye
* Daniel Craig: Casino Royale with plenty of arguments for Quantum of Solace
One problem is that some named their favorites even though the topic was NOT best Bond movie.
Answers on Twitter:
@John_C_Davies @ActionChick I like that Craig is a post-Bourne Bond. The franchise survives by being fresh *and* honouring its roots.
@kostmayer @ActionChick but the Russians all got better and went on to buy majority shareholdings in premier league football clubs! #random
8 Rock @8_Rock: I recommend Casino Royale. I think it’s the best Bond flick ever.
aaron cochran @HANNIBALPB81: I like dainel crieg as bond looking forward to the new one
aaron cochran @HANNIBALPB81: thunderball is good I also liked live and let die
Adam @Shadow_Drgn: Greatest ACTION bond? Hrmm i honestly didn’t watch a lot of the early ones, but i would say Daniel Craigs have TONS of action
Adam @Shadow_Drgn: Namely, Casino Royal
Adam Pate @xerocube: “@SweatnqBullets: @ActionChick Goldeneye was the best imo!” I like GoldenEye, but Goldfinger is my favorite.
AJ @rage_A: I think I’d go for License To Kill ..
AJ @SAssassian: Moonraker Bond fighting in Land, Sea, Air and Space youtu.be/Z2GTKBx4H5Y
Alexander Yarde @thatalexyarde: Moonraker! Armies of astronauts in space with freakin laser guns? Haha! #guiltypleasure
Andy @Suffolk_Shadow: gotta be the Roger Moore one with the sheriff chasing him down south – Live and Let Die
Animus De Floresco @souls_blossom: How about From Russia With Love? Of course, I’m partial to Goldfinger myself.
Arturo R. Garcia @aboynamedart: Casino Royale is a good “real” Action movie at times. But Goldeneye was one of the better campy-action Bonds.
B V @VasTheStampede: I’m pretty sure that’s some of the best review criteria I’ve ever seen. EVER. 
Batty @Shadowbat: My favorite Bond film was ‘Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery’
BeST oF 2 WoRlds @gmoney62472: I’m sorry but comparing Rambo to James Bond is like comparing a Killer Bee to a Scoripion.
Boris Novak @BorisNovak: That’s one tough decision, because all the Bond movies are great!
Bruce Aaron Cambosos @brucerockac: has to be Casino Royale. Has as much action as the classics while bringing something new to the table: real emotion content.
CandiedWalnuts(Band) @CandiedWalnuts: I loved Quantum of Solaces’ beginning set pieces. But I don’t know exactly what you’re looking for. #BestActionBondMovie
Charles Sonnabend @csonnabend: I always liked “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”. Awesome avalanche/ski sequence, bobsled action and poignant ending.
Charles Sonnabend @csonnabend: old movie with unknown George Lazenby as Bond. I thought he was pretty good- he just wasn’t Sean Connery.
Danielle Ni Dhighe @nidhighe: @PapaLlama @ActionChick Lazenby is underrated. Wasn’t his fault he had to follow Connery.
Danielle Ni Dhighe @nidhighe: Tough question. I’d say Thunderball.
Danny Bowes @moviesbybowes: Casino Royale. No other Bond movie had anything to match the Madagascar parkour scene.
David @DH_Alvarez: Many of the James Bond films are very good. Makes sense that tweeps mention more recent Bond films from this generation.
dev!ous aka m.e. @devious805: I’ve never seen a bond movie #justsaying
Doug Puthoff @dougputhoff: I have to go with “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” myself.
Eddie @eddiesooner: From Russia With Love had the longest fight scene of all time between Robert Shaw & Sean Connery & is probably the best film
Eddie @eddiesooner: From Russia With Love was in 1962 so probably most people haven’t seen it but it was the best
ElementalAmber @ElementalAmber: I have no suggestions beyond “Avoid Moonraker”
Erika @AlwaysSinging: Do you have any narrowed down?
Erika @AlwaysSinging: I do love Casino Royale and QoS, too. QoS had a great car chase. I love me some car chases.
Erika @AlwaysSinging: My dad’s a huge Bond fan, so I saw a lot of the movies. Thunderball, Dr. No, and Goldfinger have stuck with me.
Frank Rambles @FrankRambles: Thunderball. Rocketpack starts off. Controlled-crash of a bomber into the ocean. Parachuting into a scuba fight. Easy win.
FromPage2Screen @FromPage2Screen: Id agree with that Goldeneye, then Casino Royale but I do really like Licence To Kill though
Ginger Girl Geek @sorshanik: Casino Royale for sure.
Greg Wilcox @ItsGregWilcox: Hmmm… Well, the Craig flicks have great action set pieces, but Thunderball or You Only Live Twice are neat and old-school…
Greg Wilcox @ItsGregWilcox: Try On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, as it’s SUPER underrated and has some nicely paced action scenes.
GregHorrorShow @GregHorrorShow: would say Casino Royale personally – Daniel Craig is much better as Bond than I expected.
Griff @Griffmoy: As much as I hate to say it… Die Another Day for the ludicrous setpieces.
GUMMY @DAREALGUMMY: GoldenEye obviously.
HH @Thunderbolt_005: Late response, but for good Bond action I seem to remember “Live and Let Die” but I really like Action in Casion Royale
J. Brian Piggott @JBCP: #GR8DAY @cyberbonn @CHICAGORADIO @ActionChick @LindaFayRonan @zeitgeistlondon @GregoryMJackson @LuckyLobos
Jasper Anson @Jasperante: @John_C_Davies @ActionChick The fallback option outside of Bond is “Commando”. How can you go wrong there? #letoffsomesteambennett
Jasper Anson @Jasperante: @John_C_Davies @ActionChick Yep, I disagree. “Casino Royale” has action + grit + honest storytelling without pretentious directing.
Jennie Whitwood @JennieWhitwood: goldeneye is my choice. The action is very dramatic with dam jumps, tank chases& blowing up facilities. Then there’s the game..
jesse hayes @HayesJesse: Watch Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Thn House of Flying Daggers, thn finish wit Memoirs Of A Geesha. Tht shuld inspire u.
Jim Phoel @DraconicVerses: You Only Live Twice has the awesome assault on the volcano lair by an army of modern ninja to back Bond up.
Jimmy McGlinchey @JimmyMcG: Goldfinger is the best Bond film, but for pure action, I think would go with “The World is not Enough”
Joe Cooper @joecooper42: A View To A Kill. San Fran blimp + underground Grace Jones.
Joe Cooper @joecooper42: Bourne shouldn’t be said in the same breath as Bond. It’s never earned it.
John Beck @JB15TM: For action alone, Casino Royale is the best. Of course, you don’t have an aging Bond in the new films
John C Davies @John_C_Davies: #agree RT @tara_oshea: @ActionChick @John_C_Davies I vote next gen. The parkour opening stunt sequence of Casino Royale was AMAZING.
John C Davies @John_C_Davies: @tara_oshea @ActionChick I particularly liked the un edited long shot of jumping from one construction crane to another. #Epic
John C Davies @John_C_Davies: classic or next generation?
John C Davies @John_C_Davies: course my favorite one growing up was ‘the man with the golden gun’ cus Herve Villechaize is awesome.
John C Davies @John_C_Davies: For me… the Brosnan series jumped the shark when he surfed or whatever off the iceberg. youtu.be/6w6FV8P7HXg
John C Davies @John_C_Davies: I really dig the “Quantum of Solace” for it’s “bourne” type action sequences but my man @Jasperante will disagree.
John C Davies @John_C_Davies: I see their point but my James Bond can kill you with a balpoint pen and has no need for invisible cars and such.
John C Davies @John_C_Davies: I think if you watch that scene close enough he actually jumps a shark…and an ice berg, and a nuclear device, and Halle Berry
Jordan DesJardins @Jordamus_Prime: Goldeneye! Hands down.
jrsydevils @jrsydevils: @AlwaysSinging Sigh… are we that predictable??
jrsydevils @jrsydevils: @John_C_Davies License to Kill
jrsydevils @jrsydevils: You Only Live Twice or maybe GoldenEye
Kevin @Unchainedfoodie: Tough call. Goldeneye had best big action (planes, trains, tank chases) but Casino Royale had best fight scenes.
Kevin Entrekin @KevinAE: If you’re going for best action, Casino Royale. Great blend of story and action.
kissedbyinertia @kissedbyinertia: From Russia with Love because it was Bond before the formula was established.
Kost @kostmayer: Goldeneye – lots of killing Russians and destroyed helicopters
Lawrence Maldonado @d5385: I think it’s because the Bond flicks aren’t “Action” films per se, so it’s hard to say which is more “Actiony”?
Lawrence Maldonado @d5385: I would say either the Daniel Craig movies or Goldeneye. Casino Royale AND Quantum both are action-heavy compared to others.
Leonard Wilson @Cavatica: License to Kill is tops there. It’s a better Bond Goes Rogue than Quantum could have hoped to be. Maybe even Tom. Never Dies.
Liz Plummer @lost130lbs: @John_C_Davies I would say go old school.
Lord Comet @LordComet: I would say any of them with Sean Connery :0)
Luc256 @Luc256: easy. Dr. No. Love the uber-dark Bond..
Luc256 @Luc256: isn’t Thunderball a remake? Or do I have it backwards?
Luc256 @Luc256: just saying, I’m so disappointed in this Statham movie.. Blitz.. #realbad
macready @prkchopexpress: i do like goldeneye. or goldfinger has some good stuff in it.
Mathieas @Mathieas: Die Another Day or Casino Royale
Matt Hastings @TommyHate: Goldeneye
Michael Gonzalez @mikegonzalez2k: Here’s a list of them all.. I like For your Eyes Only
Michael Gonzalez @mikegonzalez2k: I always loved For Your Eyes Only
Michael Gonzalez @mikegonzalez2k: License to Kill is full of action when 007 takes revenge on a drug lord killing them all..
Michael P. Owen @owenmp: For Your Eyes Only had lot of action & few spy fantasy aspects seen in other Bond films. Climbing & underwater scenes great.
Michael Slevin @Chuckle_Buck: Licence to Kill!
Mike Seidl @mikekarv: Action wise? Casino Royal I’d say. But since Goldeneye was the first one I saw, it holds a special place for me.
Mike the Grate @mikethegratest: Has to be one of the Brosnan ones. The older ones have some action sequences, but I wouldn’t call them action flicks.
Nicholas @NicholasWrites: I would say Quantum of Solace was pretty much a straight up action movie.
Nigel Douglass @Anti_Niggle: The Spy Who Loved Me my choice when I need some good old fashioned action. #nostalgia
Nobody’s Business @ocularnervosa: Casino Royale was a good film but Woody Allen as the villain? That was kind of a stretch.
Paul Nuthall @pnuthall: GoldenEye first, Licence To Kill second.
Pauly C @Cozza_BFC
Peter DiCicco @PeterDiCicco: …or I think Goldeneye is pretty solid as well for more modern action. I’ll be interested in what you decide.
Peter DiCicco @PeterDiCicco: Goldfinger is probably the best in being a template for classic archetypes (and cliches) of the genre…
Peter Whitney @ThePeterWhitney: @John_C_Davies Thunderball is my personal favorite. But if you’re looking for just action, Quantum of Solace is nonstop action
Phil Gerrard @morphilms: quantum of soloace, all the action with half the plot…
Rafael Gaitan @bearsurprise: GOLDFINGER- clear plot, clever asides, action packed but appropriately paced
Raul Castro @thatgeekraul: @John_C_Davies Next Gen
Ren Kris @renkris: Solace or TND.
Ricardo Williams @RicardoWilliams: Casion Royale is definitely high on the list.
Richard Davidson @silent037bob: I would say to with FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (My own personal favorite), FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, GOLDENEYE, or CASINO ROYALE.
Robert Coupée @BobCoupee: I would say #GoldenEye: the tank sequence, the cool fight with Famke Janssen. What more action do you need?
Robert Workman @TheDCD: goldeneye. You’re welcome.
Romney Wordsworth @RWordsworth: NO consensus? You mean: NO question. Goldeneye!!!
ruva @laruva: I love Connery. But for Bond-action rewatch one with Daniel Craig (forgot the title..) What about your pic for the book ?
Ryan @ChewGovtHookah: @Cavatica @ActionChick tomorrow never dies. (you said best bond action movie.
Ryan Thomas Riddle @ryantriddle: A VIEW TO A KILL. Ya gotta love a film that manges to fit in Duran Duran, Christopher Walken, and Grace Jones in one movie.
ryan weeks @Ryeguy695: What? No love for Moonraker? Oh sorry. You said ACTION. Not piece of Sh!#.
s @twtr_rd: Live and Let Die is always a good one for me.
S. Suzuki @to_paraphrase: I think you have to go w/the Craig Bond movies for ACTION movie. The rest, as much as I love them, are more CAMP.
Sam Williamson @wordsmithsam: ‘You Only Live Twice’ b/c of ninjas. ‘For Your Eyes Only’ for crossbows & mountains, or ‘Goldeneye’ for all around badassness!
scott glennon @scott4567: I thought maybe Goldeneye, but I am going to stick with my first choice, Die Another Day.
shc @trunks1022: hm i’ll definitely go with licence to kill then. just bond hellbent on napalming everything.
shc @trunks1022: tough because all 007 movies have inevitably slow parts. definitely not moore ones. from russia with love? licence to kill?
Steve the boy wonder @blameitonthewin: Die Another Day
SuznG @therealsuzn: I’m kinda nostalgic about “Dr.No.” My parents took me to see it. No babysitter. Hot stuff for a li’l girl!
SuznG @therealsuzn: No Contest….Dr. No…..And Sean Connery was at his Sexiest BEST, too! Kudos to Ursula Andres!
Sweating Bullets @SweatnqBullets: Goldeneye was the best imo!
T.S. Christian @parisianfeline: The ones with Pierce Brosnan are my favorite. #JamesBond I HATE the new ones with Craig whats his face.
Tara O’Shea @tara_oshea: @John_C_Davies I vote next gen. The parkour opening stunt sequence of Casino Royale was AMAZING.
The Dork @The_Dorkster: I’m sticking with Goldmember…
The Flocco @The_Flocco: as far as action and stuff, I just don’t think it gets faster paced than Quantum of Solace
The Flocco @The_Flocco: Jason Bourne needs to be a Jason Bourne movie… lol. last ones were weak with ‘artsy’ style handicam directing. imho.
The Flocco @The_Flocco: Quantum of Solace. It’s the most recent so -points for that, BUT the story is scary real, and D.C. is my fav badass Bond
Tim Miller @TKMillerSculpt: Casino Royale with Daniel Craig. He doesn’t redefine Bond, he is simply what Bond was supposed to be.
Timothy Jackson @TJSlipperman: Either Goldfinger or GoldenEye are good examples IMO. Some ppl might say Daniel Craig’s films (don’t care for him as Bond tho’)
Toddifer @Revolver956: and without a doubt Casino Royale is among the best of Bond. Daniel Craig plays an impeccable Bond.
Toddifer @Revolver956: Goldeneye was fantastic, and not as over the top as all the others of the Peirce Brosnan era.From Russia with Love is a fav too
Tony @CylonBookworm: The one where he kills that one guy, saves the world, and ends with a surprisingly beautiful woman in his arms, or bed.
Tony Hunt @tony_hunt: Johnny Depp is playing Tonto from the Lone Ranger… I’m snickering already… imdb.to/9l3jse
Travis Langley @PapaLlama: Best Bond ACTION movie, @ActionChick? Since best = quality, not just quantity, that rules out License to Kill. For Brosnan: Goldeneye.
Travis Langley @PapaLlama: Connery, not Dr. No. Too much of it is slow and talky for the modern action junkie, @ActionChick. Thunderball or the 1 with the volcano.
Travis Langley @PapaLlama: For Daniel Craig, Casino Royale starts off strong. I’m not sure about Eva Green’s 3rd act for an action junkie, @ActionChick.
Travis Langley @PapaLlama: Lazenby only played the role once, but it has some great stuntwork. Poignant ending might detract for an action junkie, though, @ActionChick
Travis Langley @PapaLlama: Roger Moore’s best ACTION as James Bond? His 1st or his last. I think Live & Let Die. So many memorable bits, @ActionChick.
Tricia @fangirlcantina: Casino Royale!
Warrick Ackland @TheAckland: Moonraker! It’s daft but has everything in there
Wildride Robert Roy @wyldride: Living Daylights, Thunderball or Live and Let Die would be my suggestions. RT @ActionChick which Bond movie to rewatch
Zoey Francis @zoey_francis: I think the best Bond action sequences were in Casino Royale. Best Bond ACTION movie? Not sure, since I haven’t seen them all.
ღ Autty™ ღ @itsAutty: any of the Sean Connery ones are my vote!
Answers on Facebook:
Ricky Barrera: Octopussy !!
Ben Le:e What was that Peirce B one? ‘The World is Not Enough’? Such a bad movie, but what it lacked in story made up for with mindless action. Well I don’t know if it made up for it, but there was a lot of action.
Mary Heston: GoldenEye (Great video game too)
Harold Burman: You Only Live Twice
Robert Ferguson: Moonraker
Denis Doran: liecence to kill: R.h. Rusef License to Kill. It’s a bloodbath.
Scott Hillman: I always thought the living daylights, plays the most like a traditional action movie, or at least the most conventional early 80s action one. in someways i think its the most of its time. Liscene to kill is kind of similar however it cares to much for its plot
Scott Hillman: i would argue that the craig ones play much less like action movies then the ones before it.
FilmGurl DotNet: Cool music!
Spartacus and the other manly gladiators aren’t the only ones who get in on the action this season, but the women offer quite a bit of the action to come. Katrina Law who plays Spartacus’ love interest, Mira, tells us that her character will “get her hands dirty, because everyone is on the run, and all the rebels have to fight, whether they want to or not. So, you’re gonna see a lot more fighting from people outside of the gladiators. The women have to fight for their lives…so yeah, you’re gonna see (Mira) fight.”
The first scene of the movie is what you see in the trailer – Mallory Kane is in a little coffee shop and Channing Tatum comes to escort her back. A balls out, brutal fight happens in mere seconds and we’re off on the run. As Kane “kidnaps” one of her innocent bystanders and she has him dress her wounds in the car, she tells him the story. We see how the gig in Barcelona goes down, how her follow up gig in Dublin goes awry, and we watch her on the run for the rest of the movie, seeking revenge. Let me just say this: I loved it! I loved how every bit of action was important to the story. I loved that for once, I could see a fight from start to finish without any flashy editing or camera angles to give an impression that I saw a fight. I loved that I could see this woman get the snot beaten out of her, yet she would still come out on top and kick ass and it wasn’t due over the top reasons. As Steven Soderbergh directs his homage to an espionage thriller, he lets the audience meet a character in between ass-kicking scenes and then reels us in when the action hits. He takes out the music only heightening the moments as we’re forced to watch and feel every hit and moan, groan, and kick that happens each time. Gina Carano can do no wrong, she nails this role. She can carry acting and stunt performance with great ease. Soderbergh wanted every fight as realistic as possible, there are no wires, no effects, and no explosions. When Carano chokes someone to death with her legs, we see every awesome harsh second of it.
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THE HUMAN RACE HAS BEEN SAVED! You can breathe a little easier, and go back to your normal routines without having to worry about vampires sneaking around trying to drink your blood. Blade (Wesley Snipes) has come to the rescue once again in Blade Trinity. Joining Blade’s crew of merry men we get to see newcomers Abigail (Jessica Biel) and Hannibal (Ryan Reynolds) do their share of killing. Since this is the third installment, there’s hardly any plot to set up which leaves more time for good old fashioned kicking of vampire butt.
