Every Main James Bond Villain Ranked Worst To Best

20. Gustav Graves (Die Another Day, 2002)

Gustav Graves - the artist formerly known as Moon Tan-Sun - is a North Korean Colonel with anger issues, who underwent a radical transformation with gene replacement therapy to become the very British Graves, who somehow managed to get himself knighted in a matter of months.

Also, he doesn’t sleep, because “what’s the point?”

Graves spends much of the film sneering with evil relish as though impersonating a smarmy pantomime villain - a remarkably successful act in that any appearance on-screen is met by prompt boos and hisses from the audience. Managing to craft a villain that the viewers unanimously despise is perhaps the sole reason Graves is ranked this high.

When he’s not grinning, he’s either hibernating in his “dream machine” or frolicking in an electrical suit that would make Optimus Prime blush.

Best Moment: The fencing turned sword fighting duel with Bond is arguably the highlight of a film severely lacking in any bright spots, providing an absurdly entertaining take on the trope of Bond besting the villain through competition.

Worst Moment: Just before killing his disapproving father for badly underdeveloped reasons, Graves adopts a sad pout that wouldn't look out of place on a kindergartener told he is a very naughty boy. This is supposed to be a moment of anguish but it's actually hilarious.