After watching the Jason Borne films I'm convinced it's time to throw away the Bond "formula" and do something fresh with the franchise. Perhaps that means throwing away continuity. Perhaps it means starting over with Casino Royale and staying true to the books, including playing them as "period" films set in the 50's and 60's.
I was really eager to see the last film when I heard Bond would be captured by North Koreans. I thought it would be s departure from the "safe" Bond movies. What a letdown. Die Another Day is down there with The Man with the Golden Gun.
Sean Connery was Bond. Tim Dalton could have been great, if only they had given him a decent story. Lazenby is underrated, and should have stuck around for more films. Brosnan was good, but by the time he was Bond I felt like I've seen all of this over and over. I never took Roger Moore seriously as Bond.
Glad to seem that somebody else recognizes Dalton's contributions.
License To Kill was the darkest Bond film, and they should have taken it from there. Less witty clips, less CGI animation and more realistic and pertinent violence.
Remember Bond in "Dr. No";
"You've had your six."
And he shoots the guy in cold blood.