*THIS* is how you end a James Bond movie!
The ending of Casino Royale (2006) is nearly flawless. It’s a perfect finale to a new actor’s first James Bond movie – it’s in a beautiful setting (Lake Como in Italy – ooooh!), has the element of surprise, Bond has a badass, big machine gun (umm silencer anyone??), the traditional “Bond. James Bond.” intro (finally!) And then the piece de resistance: the blaring James Bond theme, which I will happily listen to throughout mindless scrolling end credits in a heartbeat.
It felt like an absolute triumph in the theater and I left with a pep in my step. So awesome!
James Bond (Daniel Craig) introduces himself at the end of Casino Royale (2006)
Although short, this little scene from Casino Royale (2006) was a missed opportunity, in my opinion. Any changes wouldn’t be super significant, but it puzzled me as to why the writers didn’t inject a little more humor or sex appeal for Daniel Craig’s Bond in this interaction.
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Well, there you have it. The character James Bond does, in fact, officially “know” the James Bond theme. 🙂
This short sequence from Octopussy (1983) is a good one, not only because Bond (Roger Moore) meets his cool India contact Vijay (Vijay Armitraj), but also because of the way they agree to identify each other. Obviously, when Bond meets a contact in a foreign country, they need to agree upon something to indicate the other that they are in fact who they say they are. Whether it be a handshake or a secret password – it really doesn’t matter. It just has to be something agreed upon during earlier communications.
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I’ve always enjoyed this two scene sequence from Casino Royale (2006), a few issues notwithstanding.
Starting off at a celebratory meal between James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), they continue from previous scenes in flirtatiously building a friendly rapport. Bond is so satisfied with his poker win that he can hardly stop smiling. His tried-and-true shaken, not stirred vodka martini tastes so good he also decides to call it a Vesper in honor of his company.
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This Guinness record-holding explosion from Spectre (2015) is just great. The filmmakers could have easily glossed over Swann and Bond’s exit or CGI’ed this explosion at Spectre headquarters, but instead they went above and beyond and made an absolutely memorable scene. Imagine the heat felt while filming!
Kudos to them for investing in a long setup process and a one-time payoff shot that continues the awesome legacy of the James Bond movie franchise!
Madeleine Swann and James Bond make their final explosive escape from Spectre headquarters in Spectre (2015)
When I think of James Bond at his happiest, I think of this (very brief) scene from GoldenEye (1995) where Bond (Pierce Brosnan) and Natalya Simonova (Izabella Scorupco) are in Cuba after escaping the cold Russian weather and treacherous train.
Seemingly without a care in the world, the couple travel in a BMW Z3 convertible in the beautiful Caribbean climate. The combination of the sweeping, delightful soundtrack, Natalya’s barely-there dress and blissful gaze to Bond as they drive through a luscious jungle-like setting would make anyone jealous. Bond conveys a similar joyous feeling to Natalya with a beaming smile. Heaven!
The feeling is short-lived, however, as the tricked-out Q Branch car picks up an airplane on radar that spoils the party – prompting Natalya to gripe about Bond’s track record while on the go.
Oh, well. It was good while it lasted!
Natalya Simonova (Izabella Scorupco) and James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) are relaxed in Cuba in GoldenEye (1995)
After Bond saves the Skyfleet S570 airliner from destruction in Casino Royale (2006), revenge is paid to the person that tipped him off to the terrorist plot.
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Quantum Of Solace (2008) boasts one of the most brutal deaths at the hand of James Bond (Daniel Craig).
After tracking would-be assassin Edmund Slate (Neil Jackson) to Haiti, Bond visits Slate’s hotel room only to instantly jump into a fight to the death. Slate meets his end when Bond mercilessly stabs him in the neck (likely in the jugular vein) and his leg (likely in the femoral artery) only to let him bleed out on the floor.
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Agent Strawberry Fields (Gemma Arterton) from Quantum Of Solace (2008) is underrated. Not only is she sexy, I was initially sold on her insistence that she wasn’t going to fall into James Bond’s (Daniel Craig) clutches. But alas, as we see in this scene, she even surprised herself in her collapse at the hands of Bond’s charm. There was definitely something about her short, red hair, fair skin and overcoat that was seriously attractive.
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The Bond movie franchise’s response to the space-based Star Wars phenomenon of the late 1970’s comes in the form of Moonraker (1979). And this fight scene perfectly encapsulates the movie’s attempt at inserting some James Bond action into the vast bleakness of space.
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