TheJames Bondseries is immensely popular, so popular, in fact, that it is loved by fans all over the world and is the fifth-highest-grossing film series of all time. The series is 25 entries strong (27 if you count the “unofficial”Casino Royalefrom 1967 andNever Say Never Again) and withrumors regarding the next Bond actorconstantly flying around, the franchise doesn’t appear to be running out of steam any time soon. Noting this, it’s hard to imagine a time when the multiple Academy Award-winning series was ever in dire straits, but it was in the early ‘90s. EnterGoldenEyeto save the day.
One of the all-timebest James Bond movies,GoldenEyepits Bond against a fellow agent who’s gone rogue and is in possession of a powerful satellite system that threatens the world. In his attempt to stop the villainous ex-spy, Bond also comes into conflict with the deadly assassin Xenia Onatopp, who crushes her enemies with her thighs. The film is notable for being the first Bond film after a 6-year hiatus that began in 1989. With poor reviews for the Timothy Dalton films prompting many to think that it may be time to retire the Bond character, the future of the franchise seemed uncertain untilGoldenEyeblew audiences away in 1995. Here’s how the film breathed new life into the dying franchise and changed it for the better.
Update June 28, 2025: November is the ideal month for James Bond movies, so this article has been updated by Rafa Boladeras with more reasons whyGoldenEyeis such an important film in the 007 franchise.
Saving the Series From the Brink of Extinction
GoldenEyeis now remembered as one ofthe greatest Bond films ever made, but it almost never came to fruition. 1989’sLicense to Killwas the series’ lowest-grossing entry in the United States, and received mixed reviews for its dark tone and dated themes, which romanticized Bond’s womanizing and partially to savage violence. It seemed to mark the end for the franchise’s long, successful run, and as a result, Dalton stepped down from the role of Bond and the series went on a hiatus. Fortunately for fans, it was announced in 1994 that Pierce Brosnan had signed on as the next Bond, and with him came new screenwriters capable of crafting a 21st century-ready Bond.
It was a bit of a gamble considering the failure of the last film and the long break in between that could have resulted in lost interest from the public, but it paid off.GoldenEyewas released in 1995 to widespread acclaim, and became one of the most financially successful Bond films to date. The success ofGoldenEyecontinued to pay off in dividends as, according toSYFY WIRE, “nearly every Bond film that followed, including Brosnan’s next three and the four so far starring his successor, Daniel Craig, has matched or outgrossed the one before it.”
Finding the Tonal Sweet Spot
One thing the producers of the Bond films knew they needed to address when following upLicense to Killwas the tone, which had become much darker and grittier in the Dalton era than ever before. Many reviewers at the time had complained about the lack of fun and lightheartedness that had characterized previous entries. The Roger Moore era films were particularly lighthearted – with some even verging on campy – which is likely the reason for the Dalton era dive into darkness.
WithGoldenEye, the filmmakers were able to strike the perfect balance between the zany action antics of the Moore films and the more serious Dalton films. The writers focused especially on fine-tuning Bond, making him more vulnerable and emotionally wounded than any previous iteration, resulting in an overall more interesting character that fits nicely into the new, post-Cold War world.
The Beginning of the Brosnan Era
Although Pierce Brosnan may not be everyone’s favorite Bond, there can be no doubt that his debonair yet sensitive portrayal of the character saved the franchise. Brosnan brought the right amount of class and cool to the role, with just a touch of the ruggedness that would later define his successor, Daniel Craig. The actor had been eyed for the Bond role since the ‘80s, but couldn’t step up until 1995 due to contractual obligations.
Related:Pierce Brosnan Is the Deadliest 007 in the James Bond Franchise
GoldenEye,now heralded asone of Brosnan’s finest films, was followed up by three more films starring the actor, which were all highly successful. Although the tone established byGoldenEyefaltered a little with each subsequent installment – leading to a stripped-down series reboot starring Daniel Craig –GoldenEyewas pivotal in laying the foundations for the modern day Bond.
Same Bond, New World
Right from the outset,GoldenEyemakes it clear that the world around Bond has changed. The opening credits sequence depicts the falling of Cold War monuments, preparing the viewer for a new setting and new bad guys. One of the most interesting things aboutGoldenEyeis the way that it reflects the criticism levied at Bond’s outdated views and instincts by directly addressing them as character flaws. In a bold move, the film deconstructs the mythological Bond character; rather than romanticizing his excessive drinking, womanizing, and cold-blooded killing, the story and the characters around him actually question and challenge these behaviors.
At one point in the film, Bond is even directly called out by his boss M for being a “relic of the Cold War,” an eye-opening accusation for Bond that wouldn’t have flown in previous iterations.As Screen Rant points out, director “Martin Campbell was praised for his deconstruction of the Bond mythos inCasino Royale, but he’d already done it inGoldenEye.”
Martin Campbell Reinvintes Bond Twice
When it came time to reintroduce Bond for a new era, the producers turned to Martin Campbell. At the time, known for legal thrillers like 1988’sCriminal Lawand 1991’sDefenless, this director’s emphasis on tone and mature adult dramas was just what Bond needed for the new era. Campbell mixed practical effects with some recent developments in CGI to create a Bond like never before.
What is more astounding is he reinvented Bond not once but twice. Following the end of the Brosnan era, he was brought back to helm Casino Royale and reboot the franchise. Campbell successfully brought Bond back into a post-Cold War world and then a post-9/11 world, seemingly always understanding what the era needed of 007 at that moment in time.Campbell might be the ideal choice for the upcoming Bond reboot.
Created a New Generation of Fans
The bad reception ofLicense to Killwith Timothy Dalton and the six years between films meant that for many people born after 1980,GoldenEyewas the first Bond movie they ever saw. Brosnan’s charm, M’s toughness, Q’s ironic comments and gadgets, the smart and resourceful Natalya who is no damsel in distress, one of the best henchwomen ever in Xenia Onatopp, and a surprising twist where 006 is the bad guy Alec Trevelyan all made for a film that still holds a place in the collective imagination of all those who saw it at a young age. This Bond was the perfect mix of the better 007s, Sean Connery and Roger Moore, proving to be suave, kinda funny, but also tough and resolutive and was also an action hero, as the film started with a bang, as the pre-credit scene still hasone of the best movie stunts of all time.
All these ingredients created a new generation of fans, those who love the franchise, followed the whole Brosnan era, and have been as supportive of the Daniel Craig era, and the same people who can’t wait for a new Bond to be announced. For all those fans, this was the start of Bond being part of their lives, like an old friend that one visits every four or five years. The one who likes to drink a bit too much and always the same drink, and has a unique way of telling his name to new acquaintances, but one who you can’t wait to see again.
Created a Video Game Masterpiece
If all that wasn’t enough,the Nintendo 64’sGoldenEyemight’ve helped cement the movie and franchise for that generation, as it was one of the best ever made, especially the multiplayer game where you could kill your friends with guns, mines, and many other weapons and with which this Bond generation spend countless hours playing.
GoldenEyefor the Nintendo 64 is a watershed moment in video games. It essentially created the multiplayer four-person shooter game that began to dominate the medium in the early 2000s with entries likeCall of DutyandHalo: Combat Evolved. They owe their successes toGoldenEye.GoldenEyeis a great video game based on a great movie (which one can count on their hand how many times that happens) and helped make James Bond cool for an entire generation that still endures to this day.
