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In a twist I certainly didn’t see coming, Netflix has just added every single James Bond movie (even the non-EON produced “Never Say Never Again”). Despite Amazon owning the movie rights to the character and previously adding every 007 mission to its competing Prime Video streaming service, the two media rivals are seemingly playing nice in this case.
Netflix now offers every single Bond mission from 1962’s “Dr. No,” which kickstarted the spy franchise, to 2022’s “No Time to Die,” which brought the Daniel Craig era to an emotional (but divisive) ending. As a Brit who has watched every single Bond movie (I think doing so might be a citizenship requirement), I’m here to help you figure out which 007 flicks to watch first by picking out the very best movie of each Bond actor's time in the role.
Over the years, six actors have stepped into the tuxedo to play James Bond, and each has at least one movie you really should watch (most have a couple I would recommend). So now that every Bond adventure can be streamed on Netflix, here’s my picks for the best movie of each era.
Each Bond's best 007 movie
‘Goldfinger’ (Sean Connery)
It speaks to the immediate quality of the James Bond franchise that picking the best effort of the Sean Connery era is tough. “Dr. No” and “From Russia with Love” could easily make the grade, but for me, it’s hard to look beyond the Scot’s third outing as the superspy, “Goldfinger.” This was the entry that really saw Bond explode in popularity, and includes several iconic moments (and a fantastic villain). It's still beloved and referenced to this day. It was also the first 007 movie to win an Oscar, which solidified its place in Bond history.
Assigned by MI6 to observe a gold-obsessed tycoon, Auric Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe), this Bond mission starts in sun-soaked Miami. After an encounter with the ruthless magnate and a run-in with his surprisingly intimidating henchman Oddjob (Harold Sakata), 007 learns of “Operation Slam,” Goldfinger’s dastardly scheme to contaminate the Fort Knox reserves and crash the Western economy. Teaming up with quintessential Bond girl Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman), it’s up to the British spy to put a stop to this evil masterplan.
Watch "Goldfinger" on Netflix now
‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ (George Lazenby)
It was a one-and-done affair for Australian actor George Lazenby. He’s the only actor to have played Bond for a single movie (assuming you don’t count David Niven in the non-Eon ‘60s spin on Casino Royale). While “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” is therefore the default pick for Lazenby’s best Bond movie, it’s so much more than the franchise’s ugly duckling. It’s a very underrated flick, and noted for being one of the most faithful adaptations of author Ian Fleming’s work. Plus, we actually get to see Bond do some proper spy work, which makes for a surprisingly refreshing change of pace.
In “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” Bond (Lazenby) agrees to court the daughter of a crime boss, Tracy di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg), in exchange for information on the whereabouts of his nemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Telly Savalas). This eventually leads to an undercover mission in the beautiful Swiss Alps, and even some real romance between the British agent and the complex Tracy, who’s much more than your typical damsel in distress.
Watch "On Her Majesty’s Secret Service" on Netflix now
‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ (Roger Moore)
I’ll admit that I’m not a huge fan of the Roger Moore era. Moore led seven Bond movies, the most in the Eon-produced series to date, but the average quality took a real nosedive (1979’s “Moonraker” is certainly a low point). “The Spy Who Loved Me” is a rare winner during this period, and Roger Moore has even ranked it as his personal favorite effort during his time as Bond. And I’m certainly not going to disagree with that assessment.
“The Spy Who Loved Me” opens with James Bond (Moore) on the hunt for nuclear warheads stolen by an unknown group, assumed to have sinister intentions. Teaming up with a Russian agent, Major Anya Amasova (Barbara Bach), all signs point to Swedish shipping tycoon, Karl Stromberg (Curt Jurgens). Most remembered for its thrilling ski chase and for introducing one of Bond’s most intimidating foes, the metal-mouthed Jaws (Richard Kiel), “The Spy Who Loved Me” has silly moments (like a car capable of underwater exploration), but it manages to strike a decent balance.
Watch "The Spy Who Loved Me" on Netflix now
‘Licence to Kill’ (Timothy Dalton)
Timothy Dalton’s run as Bond came to an early conclusion with “License to Kill,” which marked his sophomore effort in the role. Dalton sometimes gets forgotten when discussing the franchise as a whole due to his relatively brief time playing the spy, but his two movies are both solid installments. While “The Living Daylights” has its merits, my pick is “License to Kill” for its novel “Bond goes rogue” storyline that serves as something of a darker precursor to the more gritty Bond era to come under Daniel Craig.
After the wife of Bond’s close personal friend, Felix Leiter (David Hedison), is murdered, 007 will stop at nothing to find those responsible and bring them to justice. Despite having his license to kill revoked and being suspended by MI6, Bond works from the shadows to track down the powerful leader of an international drug cartel, Franz Sanchez (Robert Davi). This darker approach to Bond was divisive upon release in the 1980s, clashing with the more adventurous tone seen in the Moore era, but I’d say it’s aged incredibly well in hindsight.
Watch "Licence to Kill" on Netflix now
‘GoldenEye’ (Pierce Brosnan)
Pierce Brosnan was a great Bond, unfortunately trapped in a whole lot of terrible movies (there’s a reason I’ve only watched “Die Another Day” once). However, his era did get off to a great start with “GoldenEye.” It might have been all downhill afterwards, but his debut in the role is an excellent thriller with one of the franchise's strongest opening segments. Sure, you can see the big twist coming a mile off, but it still makes for a great Bond story.
The thrilling opening sees Bond and fellow agent, Alec Trevelyan (Sean Bean), infiltrating a chemical weapons facility, only for the mission to end in tragedy. Flash forward almost a decade, and when the British spy learns that a powerful satellite weapon system has fallen into enemy hands. The trail leads him to Russia, where he encounters one of his most dangerous enemies yet, somebody from his past who knows all the tricks of the trade.
Watch "GoldenEye" on Netflix now
‘Casino Royale’ (Daniel Craig)
Another debut pick, “Casino Royale,” marked Daniel Craig’s first time in the tuxedo and served as something of a reboot for the franchise, bringing the spy series to new audiences, with its popularity reaching new heights. Striping away the 2000s silliness that defined the Brosnan era, “Casino Royale” opts for a grounded tone and is all the better for it. We also see a more inexperienced and more vulnerable Bond, but that’s not to say Craig can’t bring the swagger as well. In my opinion, it’s the best Bond movie yet.
Shortly after receiving his 00 status and being granted a “licence to kill,” Bond jets off to Montenegro to participate in a high-stakes poker tournament hosted by international banker Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen). But this is no mere vacation; Le Chiffre has ties to a terrorist organization, and Bond must prevent him from winning the gambling contest at all costs. Also adding Jeffrey Wright and Judi Dench to the cast, who would appear across multiple Craig-era Bond flicks, and a more modern Bond girl in Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), “Casino Royale” is an intense action-thriller that serves as the franchise’s current high watermark.
Watch "Casino Royale" on Netflix now
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