James Bond is one of the most iconic and long-lasting film franchises. While it is hard to beat the original James Bond, Sean Connery, Daniel Craig has certainly given him a run for his money.
Daniel Craig has been playing 007 for five movies and as his era comes to an end, fans reflect on the actor’s time as the famous spy. Craig has done an amazing job as the world’s best secret agent, his movies have been a delight for viewers all over the world, it will be interesting to see who has to fill the large shoes he left behind.
10 Best: Craig Reminds Fans Of Connery
For many fans, Sean Connery will always be the James Bond, but Daniel Craig did a great job living up to his legacy. Without trying to copy Connery, Craig was able to bring the same attitude and personality to life. From the way he wore the suit and walked, to his quippy one-liners after a fistfight.
Craig was exactly what the franchise needed to remind people why James Bond is as iconic of a character as he is.
9 Worst: His Movies Have Set Up Another Reboot
Before the Daniel Craig era, 007 was more or less a continuous story, broken up only by the changing actors. When Craig took over, the studio decided on a total reboot.
This was the right move to make at the time and allowed new fans to get in on the franchise. Now with the ending of No Time To Die, the studio has once again set up a complete reboot and fans are unsure how to feel about it.
8 Best: They Brought Bond Back Down To Earth
The Pierce Brosnan era for Bond was a little off the rails. Like a lot of films in the ’90s, Bond got caught up in the use of CGI and the over-the-top action that came with it.
While the early Craig movies had a bit of this, from Skyfall and onward, they were able to bring the franchise back down to Earth and tell more classic spy thriller stories instead of straight-up action movies.
7 Worst: The Opening Theme Songs have been forgettable
Putting Adele’s song Skyfall aside, all the other opening theme songs were pretty forgettable and at times didn’t fit very well with the visuals of the opening and the tone of the film.
The artistic opening theme is a staple of the Bond franchise and it is always a big deal to see who will perform the theme song. Adele hit her’s out of the park, but the rest of the Craig era songs seemed to fall flat.
6 Best: The Classic Cars & Gadgets remind fans why they love seeing James Bond films
As much as fans are going to the movies to see James Bond take down the latest world-ending threat, they are also going to see the Aston Martins and cool gadgets that Q whips up for the hero.
Gadgets-filled cars, exploding pens, and watches are what make Bond more than just another secret agent. Seeing the twin mini-guns come out of the Aston Martin gets fans excited and reminds them why they love seeing James Bond films time and time again.
5 Worst: His Movies Took A While To Find Their Footing
While Casino Royale was a great movie, it focused more on the action elements than the espionage of 007. Quantum of Solace is considered to be a big miss for the franchise by many fans.
Skyfall, Spectre, and now No Time To Die have all been massive successes though. The franchise took a couple of movies to find the vibe they wanted to go with, but once they did the Craig era really took off.
4 Best: They Gave Bond Deeper Relationships
Over the years, the 007 franchise has been critiqued for Bond’s womanizing lifestyle. While there were glimpses of this in the Craig era, the series worked hard to give him stronger and more personal relationships.
The big two were with Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale and then with Madeleine Swann in Spectre and No Time To Die. Both these relationships helped flesh out Craig’s 007 more than any of the famous MI6 agent’s predecessors’ versions.
3 Best: They Closed Out The Chapter On A High Note
It isn’t always easy to end a series strong. Plenty of TV and film franchises have failed at this task. While No Time To Die does stumble at times, overall the film is an excellent send-off to Craig and his time as 007.
It pays homage to what Craig has done with the role, while also making room for the next film. While fans are sad to see Craig leave the role, speculation has already started on who the next Bond could be.
2 Best: Felt Updated Yet Still Nostalgic
The current era of Bond did an excellent job of adapting and updating the character, but still keeping the nostalgia of the franchise.
They managed to pick out the key elements that were truly needed for a 007 film and then update all the rest. Instead of Russia and the Cold War, it was about control of information and technology. It helped to keep the films fresh, yet familiar.
1 Best: Craig Continued To Keep Bond Relevant
It would be easy to see how James Bond wouldn’t be relevant anymore. The character was designed in a post-World War II era and then was adapted to fight in the Cold War.
The Craig era managed to adapt not only his enemies but his personality for today’s culture. They made 007 relevant but kept all the things that fans have enjoyed about the character for decades.
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