Every Pierce Brosnan James Bond Film, Ranked

Pierce Brosnan was in an unenviable position when he was cast as James Bond. He had to follow in the footsteps of some of the most iconic actors in history in a role that had been vacant for six years. But with his sharp suits, charming smile, and undeniable screen presence, he made the role look effortless. His tenure also arrived at an interesting time for the franchise, as he brought Bond into the new millennium.

Across four films, Brosnan delivered some of the franchise’s most entertaining adventures. Here, we officially rank all of his films. This list look at how Brosnan fares at being Bond and also the elements that become highlights of the movies. Whether he’s facing off against an old friend or a billionaire obsessed with diamonds, Brosnan’s Bond left a mark on the franchise’s long history. So, which of his missions takes the top spot?

4

‘Die Another Day’ (2002)

Image via MGM Distribution Co.

In Die Another Day, James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) is released in a prisoner exchange without his agent status after being captured and tortured by North Korean intelligence during an undercover mission. To uncover who betrayed him, Bond follows a trail that leads to billionaire Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens), who has developed a technology to harness the power of the sun. With American spy Jinx (Halle Berry) and MI6 agent Miranda Frost (Rosamund Pike), Bond must stop Graves’ devastating plan.

To no one’s surprise, Die Another Day is at the bottom of this list. Similar to some Bond films, Die Another Day is a reaction to other films in its era, in this case, it’s the spectacular blockbusters of the late 90s and early 2000s. However, it was released too close to the gritty The Bourne Identity. This film by Lee Tamahori embraces the more extravagant and sometimes outrageous elements of the franchise, namely through its gadgets and ridiculous action sequences. Its vision is not supported by reliable CGI effects to sell it. Nevertheless, there are some great parts of the film. The opening sequence is simply thrilling, and the film features amazing Bond girls in Halle Berry and Rosamund Pike. While it may rank near the bottom among all Bond films, there are fans who love this film for its campiness.

3

‘The World Is Not Enough’ (1999)

Image via MGM Distribution Co.

The World Is Not Enough sees James Bond (Brosnan) being assigned to protect a dead oil tycoon’s daughter, Elektra King (Sophie Marceau), who has inherited her father’s business empire. She is said to be the target of a former KGB operative, Renard Zokas (Robert Carlyle), who has a condition that prevents him from feeling pain. With oil pipelines and nuclear weapons in the mix, Bond must uncover a massive conspiracy before a disaster happens.

The World Is Not Enough is arguably Brosnan’s most ambitious Bond film. Brosnan himself has settled into the role well. The film’s best element is Sophie Marceau’s turn as Elektra King, who is as electric as the name suggested. Her motivation and shifting loyalties are more interesting than the average Bond villain. That is also added with her relationship with Bond, which also complicates her plans. The film is memorable for its grand opening boat chase, the submarine sequence, and David Arnold‘s bombastic score. The film also features a boatload of fun innuendos in its screenplay, which makes it even more entertaining. There is also Denise Richards‘ controversial casting as a nuclear physicist, but without her, the film’s final line would hit different.

2

‘GoldenEye’ (1995)

Image via United International Pictures

In the opening of GoldenEye, James Bond (Brosnan) narrowly escapes an explosion that leaves his fellow 00 agent Alec Trevelyan (Sean Bean) presumed dead in a botched mission. Nine years later, Bond is sent to investigate the theft of GoldenEye, a powerful Soviet satellite weapon, which leads him to a criminal organization operating out of Russia, led by Trevelyan.

GoldenEye revitalized the franchise with flying colors when it was released, making it one of the most beloved James Bond movies ever made. Pierce Brosnan’s Bond feels both familiar and refreshingly different. It feels like he has Sean Connery’s charm, Roger Moore’s playfulness and Timothy Dalton’s more serious edge. The conflict between Bond and Trevelyan makes the story more personal than usual. Sean Bean is also amazing as Trevelyan, as well as the Bond girls, namely Izabella Scorupco as Natalya and Famke Janssen as Xenia Onatopp, the latter immediately becomes one of the best Bond girls in the franchise. With memorable set pieces and an excellent cast, it’s a solid introduction to a new Bond actor.

1

‘Tomorrow Never Dies’ (1997)

Image via MGM

In Tomorrow Never Dies, James Bond (Brosnan) faces off against media mogul Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce) who uses his news empire to manipulate international conflicts and politics. Bond teams up with a Chinese agent Wai Lin (Michelle Yeoh), trying to prevent Carver from starting World War III by pitting China against the UK. For Bond, this mission becomes personal as he has a past with Carver’s wife, Paris (Teri Hatcher).

In his second outing as Bond, Pierce Brosnan is more confident wearing the suit and carrying the license to kill. He balances the character’s sophistication with humor and physicality. His chemistry with Michelle Yeoh is a major highlight. Yeoh herself is a formidable Bond girl that ranks among the best in the series. The film has a ridiculous yet memorable villain in Elliot Carver, who uses media manipulation as a weapon. Surprisingly, this only becomes more resonant today with social media and disinformation. The film has spectacular action sequences, most memorably in Bond and Wai Lin’s handcuffed motorcycle chase. Many may argue that its predecessor is a better Bond film, but this is bigger and riskier, and it still succeeds on all fronts.