19. The Living Daylights
Timothy Dalton's first outing as James Bond certainly has its moments - the fight on the cargo plane is particularly tense and impressive - but overall it only really serves as a slight indication of what was to come for Dalton and Bond in the franchise's next entry, Licence To Kill (see later). Dalton, much like Daniel Craig, helps bring a toughness back to Bond after years in the Roger Moore eyebrow-arching wilderness, but, unlike Craig, he's particularly devoid of charm, ensuring that while he's great at the action stuff, he's anything but in the scenes that require a little more finesse. His co-star, Maryam d'Abo, makes for a striking Bond girl, but she has little to do other than be repeatedly saved by 007, and you get the impression that she needs a little more to act off than what Dalton is giving her. With not much in the way of classic Bond cars, music, or moments, the Living Daylights is a fair entry, but ultimately a minor one.