Goldeneye (Martin Campbell, 1995)

Although it is excessively irreverent, Goldeneye contains the essential ingredients of a feel-good Bond film: Action-packed chase scenes, a bad guy with an evil plan, seductively secretive women, cool gizmos and a tenacious MI6 Agent we know all too well.

Goldeneye prospers once the plot picks up steam and is an enjoyable film overall, but it suffers from an incoherent intro, a so-so endgame, an unconvincing romance and a contrived nature. Yes, Mr. Bond has a bullet deflector, and yes, the film should merit a pardon for its lack of realism, which is normally accepted for any action-packed adventure.

But Goldeneye ultimately feels off-center, forced, routine, rushed and simple. It has a deeper story than what is permitted to be told, holding itself back and thus lacking the attractive complexity of other Bond films, yet sadly also the pizzazz we've come to expect.