#18 Goldeneye starring Pierce Brosnan (1995); rating 007

An exciting skydiving scene leads to a prologue that occurs nine years prior to the "present" day, resurrecting wit, danger, explosions, and sexual innuendos as standard Bond tools. Some out-of-control Russian officers and the Janus crime syndicate direct Zenia Zaragevna Onatopp (Famke Jansen) to kill Bond, who tracks Goldeneye satellite programmers Boris (Alan Cummings) and Natalya (Isabella Scorupco). New Bond boss M (Judi Dench) directs him for the first time, as he is also aided by Valentin (pre-Harry Potter Robbie Coltrane). While Bond battles in a tank and a plane, he is really battling the ghosts of men he has killed and questionable decisions he has made, while listening to Natalya scold him for his coldness as well. With its Empire Strikes Back-like battle royale on the satellite itself, the movie tops many that came before it.

#19 Tomorrow Never Dies starring Pierce Brosnan (1997); rating 006

In memory of Albert Broccoli, the action opens with Bond breaking up an illegal arms summit. Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce) and Stamper (Gotz Otto) prove to be scene-stealing villains who attack British and Chinese military to set off WWIII, and steal nuclear missiles. The social commentary about a news magnate creating his own news is thick, while M serves up a sermon about moderate use of force. Bond uses Paris Carver (Teri Hatcher), drives a slick BMW 750 by remote control and survives a motorcycle chase with Wei Lin (Michelle Yeoh). They debate the finer points of peace versus revenge, but the final battle on Carver's stealth ship (similar to Stromberg's Liparus) is all about good versus evil.

#20 The World Is Not Enough starring Pierce Brosnan (1999); rating 005

A murdered multimillionaire's daughter has already survived being kidnapped, but some emotional baggage remains. Elektra King (Sophie Marceau) shows Stockholm syndrome symptoms toward terrorist Renard (Robert Carlyle), whose only goal is chaos. Bond and the cheesiest of Bond girls yet, physicist Christmas Jones (Denise Richards), set out to stop her from the revenge the duo has planned. The extensive opener is filled with lots of explosions and a cool chase scene in amphibious vehicle, but the plot about stopping nuclear holocaust comes out flat. The scene-stealing moment comes when gadget genius Q tells Bond that his pieces of advice have always been to never let his enemies see him bleed and to always have an escape plan.

#21 Die Another Day starring Pierce Brosnan (2002); rating 003

The explosive opening scenes actually tie into the main narrative (a growing trend) and the opening song actually shows scenes that occur in the fourteen months that Bond ends up imprisoned in a Chinese prison. Unfortunately, the plot trades realism for special effects after that. A newly rogue Bond goes after Chinese terrorist Zao (Rick Yune), meets Jinx (Halle Berry), millionaire Gustav Graves (Toby Stephen), and his adviser Miranda Frost (Rosamund Pike). There are brilliant sword battles, an invisible car and an entire building made of ice, and unfortunately, a gene-therapy explanation for the unimaginable.

#22 Casino Royale starring Daniel Craig (2006); rating 007

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