Since 1962’s Dr. No directed by Terence Young, there have been a total of 25 James Bond movies. The last one was No Time to Die which was directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and released in 2021. Not only have the many James Bonds over the years captured the hearts of millions, but these movies have also made quite a lot of money.
So, what makes the James Bond franchise so good? Is there something special in it that others just can’t seem to mimic? Well, let’s find out!
Consistency
The most important part of Bond is Bond himself. And though actors may change with Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Danial Craig having all played the iconic role, their qualities are quite similar.
It’s surprising how each new Bond actor appears to have the same aura and finesse when it comes to portraying the traditional Bond traits such as a suave demeanor, a love for high-end gadgets, and the ability to womanize their way out of anything.
This consistency has been a big selling point throughout the series. And of course, the story also has other consistent elements. The state of the world, the kind of villain, how MI6 operates, how spies work and think, and so on have been constant fun. Even the game of baccarat has remained to be a classic Bond favorite, among other tropes.
After all, this is the age of the digital, which means that playing classic online baccarat might be more famous than going to a physical establishment to try your hand. The James Bond movies keep the idea of poker and baccarat (the most famous Bond game) alive in our hearts – even when we indulge in the game through our PC or mobile devices.
Action, Mystery, Romance
The James Bond movies often have a triple-mix of the action, mystery, and romance genres. The perfectly well-balanced mix creates an atmosphere that hooks the viewer. These three genres are few of the most popular in the world and if a filmmaker can do it right, they can create a spellbinding experience using even the most rudimentary tropes and actors given the story is good.
And that’s what seems to have happened with the majority of James Bond movies.
- First of all, you have insanely electrifying action. It’s simply some of the best action in movies. The thrilling action sequences often have high-speed car chases and explosions, without forgetting the significance of some good old-fashioned hand-to-hand and gun combat.
- Mystery is another pivotal theme in all Bond movies. The plots are complex and more often than not, every movie has at least one twist or drastic turn in it. This keeps the audience engaged and in many cases, it’s not rare for people to keep guessing until the very end.
- Romance makes a James Bond movie a classic. The main character (who is Bond) develops romantic relationships with various women throughout his adventures. The “Bond women” are selected judiciously that fit a certain type and add the much-needed elements of intrigue and drama.
But it’s not just about writing a story that has it all. It’s also about doing it masterfully. Some directors and actors do indeed it better than others but more or less all James Bond movies have iconic side characters and witty one-liners that provide a good break from all the intensity and action.
Humor can be said to be one of the core ingredients of Bond movies. It’s used in its standard British way—Dry, witty, and a little bit on the side that doesn’t make you laugh.
We recommend going through Screen Rant’s ranking of the 10 best puns from the James Bond movies to refresh your idea and fully comprehend how humor always plays such an important role in the movies.
Our favorite is Craig’s Bond telling Q that he just showed his watch to somebody, which was weaponized and used to blow out Primo’s bionic eye. He follows it up with “It really blew his mind.”
Exotic Locales
A lot of movie franchises match the Bond quality in one aspect or the other. Most notably, Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible series comes to mind. But another facet where the Bond movies go extravagant and are quite different from others is the use of exotic locales.
There are often glamorous, exotic locations from all over the globe and it helps accentuate the sense of adventure and luxury that we associate Bond with.
Though not all of us have the same financial means as Bond, it’s not entirely impossible to recreate these exotic experiences. Check out our guide on holidays like James Bond!
Wrapping Up
There’s no doubt that the James Bond franchise is one of the world’s most successful franchises—Right there with the likes of Batman, Fast and Furious, The Avengers, Wizarding World (Harry Potter and The Fantastic Beasts), Star Wars, and so on.
What makes it so good is a combination of many factors. And while one factor might be more important for one viewer, another might prioritize a different one.
Ultimately, it depends on your individual preferences and do the Bond movies feel enjoyable to you or not.