After a Six-Year Gap: Every Pierce Brosnan James Bond Film Ranked

A Bond for a New Era

Brosnan took on James Bond after the role had gone unfilled for six years. Following actors who had become closely associated with the character, he brought a polished style, charm and screen presence to the part.

His four-film run arrived as the franchise moved toward the new millennium. The adventures varied in tone, and the ranking considers how Brosnan handled the role as well as what made each movie stand out.

Die Another Day’s Excess

At the bottom of the ranking is Die Another Day. After being captured and tortured by North Korean intelligence, Bond is freed in a prisoner exchange without his agent status. His search for the person who betrayed him leads to billionaire Gustav Graves, whose technology harnesses solar power.

Bond teams up with American spy Jinx and MI6 agent Miranda Frost to stop Graves. The film leans into extravagant gadgets and outlandish action, but its CGI effects do not convincingly support that approach. Its opening sequence is thrilling, and Halle Berry and Rosamund Pike stand out; some fans enjoy the movie’s campiness.

The World Is Not Enough

In The World Is Not Enough, Bond is assigned to protect Elektra King, the daughter of a dead oil tycoon. She is believed to be threatened by former KGB operative Renard Zokas, who cannot feel pain. Oil pipelines and nuclear weapons become part of the conspiracy Bond must uncover.

The film is described as Brosnan’s most ambitious Bond outing, with the actor settled into the role. Sophie Marceau’s Elektra is a particular strength: her motives and changing loyalties add interest to her relationship with Bond. The boat chase, submarine sequence and David Arnold’s score are also memorable.

The screenplay adds plenty of innuendo, while Denise Richards’ casting as a nuclear physicist drew controversy. The film’s final line is noted as having a different impact without her performance.