The Most Iconic Moment From Each Of 007's Movies
Christopher Snyder
Updated on October 06, 2026
Every James Bond movie has at least one iconic moment whether it is a chase, a fight, a one-liner, a villain's death, or a love interest's arrival.
Summary
- Bond's introduction of Honey Ryder in Dr. No is one of the franchise's most enduring moments.
- From Russia with Love's train fight sequence is one of the most gripping in the series.
- Goldfinger's depiction of Jill Masterson's death leaves a lasting impact on viewers.
While not every James Bond movie is perfect, all the super-spy's screen adventures boast at least one iconic moment. James Bond has changed a lot throughout the 25 official EON productions in which he appears. Sean Connery’s Bond was smooth-talking but tough, George Lazenby’s was more laid-back, Roger Moore’s 007 was a campier alternative, and Timothy Dalton’s grounded take on the character was much grittier and more grounded. Pierce Brosnan brought back Bond’s self-aware sense of humor before Daniel Craig made 007 a more self-serious character than ever before.
The upcoming reboot Bond 26 will see the franchise introduce a seventh take on Ian Fleming’s legendary character. However, this outing comes burdened with a lot of expectations. Bond has starred in over two dozen movies and, although not all of them were instant classics, every movie in the series has at least one undeniably iconic moment. In some cases, it is a character introduction or an action sequence, while in others, it is one of the spy’s trademark quips or a particularly brutal death. However, in every instance, the most iconic moments from Bond’s 25 movies all prove the character is uniquely irreplaceable.
25 Dr. No — Bond Meets Honey Ryder
The first Bond girl’s introduction set the franchise up perfectly
Dr. No provided the franchise with one of the greatest James Bond scenes of all time when Connery uttered his iconic catchphrase for the first time. That said, it is the introduction of Ursula Andress’s Honey Ryder that stands out even more than this moment. Appropriately enough, given how many Bond girls have stolen their respective movies in the years since, Ryder emerging from the ocean holding a shell and a knife remains the most enduringly popular image from 007’s official screen debut.
24 From Russia with Love — The Train Fight
Bond’s second adventure featured his first truly great fight sequence
From Russia with Love is a little more reserved than many of Connery’s later Bond adventures. The tone of the movie is comparatively grounded as the filmmakers were still working out how to bring Fleming’s character to life onscreen. However, this works in From Russia with Love’s favor when it comes to action sequences. The brutal close-quarters fight sequence between Connery and Robert Shaw’s villainous Robert Grant is grim, gritty, and still one of the most gripping moments in the series.
23 Goldfinger — Jill Masterson’s Death
This jaw-dropping moment still surprises
Goldfinger is full of iconic moments, including the eponymous villain’s failed attempt to kill Bond via a laser beam between the legs. However, it is the death of Bond’s short-lived love interest Jill Masterson that haunts most viewers long after the credits roll. Sean Connery’s Bond influenced every version of the character that followed, and it is easy to see shades of 007's grief over Masterson in the character’s responses to Tracy Bond and Vesper Lynd’s tragic deaths later in the series.
22 Thunderball — 007’s "Sincere Condolences"
Bond’s wackier side shone in this cold open
While Goldfinger’s greatest moment is a surprisingly sad, dark death, Thunderball’s best scene is almost farcical in tone. Connery’s Bond arrives at a funeral, shares his condolences with the widow, then knocks them out and reveals that this grieving woman was actually an assassin in disguise. What followed was a uniquely goofy fight scene, complete with Bond escaping via jetpack, that heralded the franchise’s pivot into cartoonier tonal territory.
21 You Only Live Twice — Blofeld’s Bond Franchise Debut
007’s greatest nemesis finally appeared in this outing
While every actor’s version of James Bond has sillier and more serious moments, You Only Live Twice’s screenplay was specifically rewritten by Roald Dahl to ensure that the movie would feel more outlandish, over-the-top, and fun. This is reflected in the movie’s onscreen debut by Blofeld, Bond’s most popular nemesis. A scarred, hammy super-villain with a lair in a hollowed-out volcano, Donald Pleasance’s cheesy Blofeld somehow lived up to the promise made by multiple earlier movies that hinted at his eventual arrival.
20 On Her Majesty’s Secret Service — Lazenby’s Opening Line
“This never happened to the other fellow”
George Lazenby was put in an unenviable position when the actor was offered the role of James Bond. Replacing Sean Connery would be a tall order for any star, so it was arguably no surprise that Lazenby’s version of 007 lasted only one movie. However, the brazenly meta attitude of his first line proved that the series wasn’t above mocking its own formula. While Bond has been replaced many times since, none of the subsequent occasions prompted the same winking, irreverent fourth-wall breaking.
19 Diamonds Are Forever — Bond’s Most Underrated Fight
Connery’s Bond became brutal in this outing
1971’s Diamonds Are Forever was a strange addition to the Bond canon, owing to its short-lived comeback from Sean Connery before Roger Moore took over the role. Its tone lurched uneasily between the broad comedy that Moore leaned into and the harder-edged antics of Connery’s era, but this underrated outing still included one of Bond’s best fights. Connery’s 007 brutally beat a diamond smuggler to death in an elevator-set fight sequence that was a clear influence on the fighting style of Daniel Craig’s Bond, prioritizing brute force over quips and gags.
18 Live and Let Die — 007’s Crocodile Hopping Escape
Moore’s funnier, sillier Bond nailed this stunt
In another tonal switch, Moore’s Bond debut Live and Let Die embraced 007’s sillier side whole-heartedly. However, while the Blaxploitation-inspired elements of this ‘70s outing haven’t aged well, there is no denying the effectiveness of Bond’s best stunt in this US-set adventure. Trapped on a small island and surrounded by crocodiles, the spy hops from one animal’s back to another and returns to dry land unscathed in this astounding moment.
17 The Man with the Golden Gun — Bond’s Amazing Car Flip
Even comedy sound effects can’t detract from this stunning stunt
Like Live and Let Die, 1974’s The Man with the Golden Gun leaned into broad comedy to the movie’s detriment. Perhaps most infamously, The Man with the Golden Gun’s magnificent car flip came complete with an inexplicable slide whistle sound effect that turned the moment into a punchline. Despite this misjudged aural accompaniment, seeing Bond pull off a wild corkscrew jump is still one of the coolest moments in the Moore era.
16 The Spy Who Loved Me — Bond’s Waterproof Car
Moore’s Bond was at his campy best here
By 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me, the Bond franchise was starting to get a handle on how to work with Moore’s version of the character. A wackier take on Bond meant diverging further from the source material, with The Spy Who Loved Me’s original novel bearing no resemblance to the finished movie's story. This paved the way for sillier stunts and goofier gadgets, including Bond’s famous submarine/car hybrid “Wet Nellie.” Absurd, campy, but undeniably fun, this waterproof automobile encapsulated the Moore era’s appeal.
15 Moonraker — Jaws Sides With Bond
Richard Kiel’s henchman-turned-hero redeemed this outing
Moonraker might be one of the weakest Bond movies, owing mainly to the script’s doomed attempts to add explicit sci-fi elements to a 007 adventure. However, the return of Richard Kiel’s villainous henchman Jaws elevated this middling outing, and the surprising moment when Jaws switched sides and worked with Bond was an all-time great twist. Kiel’s character was too iconic to be written off as a mere villain, making this a rare double-cross that 007 welcomed.
14 For Your Eyes Only — Moore’s Zaniest Cold Open
Dropping Blofeld down a chimney elevated Moore’s darker Bond
Ironically, although For Your Eyes Only brought Bond back to his grounded, grittier roots, the movie’s opening scene was arguably the wackiest in all of Moore’s franchise tenure. This is no bad thing, as watching Bond drop Blofeld into a chimney was an inspired gag that harkened back to Connery’s ludicrous jetpack antics. Blofeld’s name couldn’t be used due to complications surrounding the rights to the character, but that only made this ramshackle set piece feel even funnier upon a re-watch.
13 Octopussy — A Horse Chase Becomes A Plane Invasion
Octopussy’s finale included a classic stunt
Octopussy is another Moore Bond adventure that is frequently singled out for criticism due to its silliness, as evidenced by the movie’s very title. However, after all the inevitable puns are exhausted, this 007 adventure has its moments. The finale was an authentically inspired, surprisingly tense set piece that saw Moore’s Bond jump from horseback onto the wing of a moving plane as it took off. Bond’s daring rescue of the titular heroine remains a stellar set piece despite the surrounding movie’s flaws.
12 A View to a Kill — The Golden Gate Bridge Sequence
Moore’s final outing featured one great fight
Roger Moore’s final Bond movie had plenty to like, from Christopher Walken’s villain (almost played by David Bowie) to a superb Duran Duran theme song. However, it is a fight on the Golden Gate Bridge that truly stuns. Bond and his latest love interest Stacey struggle to keep their footing as the unhinged Max Zorin pursues them with an ax in a scene that is exciting, fun, and perfectly paced.
11 The Living Daylights — Dalton’s First (And Coldest) Cold Open
Dalton’s debut immediately changed the franchise’s tone
When Timothy Dalton took over from Roger Moore, R-rated action thrillers ruled the box office. As such, Bond got darker so that the franchise could compete. To this end, Dalton’s first cold open saw him arrive at a training camp via parachute only to find most of his fellow trainees killed by spies. 007 dispatched the villains with uniquely cold-hearted brutality, ushering in a new, darker era for the James Bond franchise.
10 License to Kill — Franks Sanchez’s Brutal Death
Dalton’s Bond was a cold-blooded killer to the end
Doubling down on the grim tone of Dalton’s Bond debut, License to Kill featured Bond’s darkest kill in the entire franchise. However, it was the death of Robert Davi’s villainous drug lord Frank Sanchez that earned a spot among the franchise’s most iconic scenes. Dalton sets Sanchez alight with a lighter Felix Leiter gave him, prompting the antagonist to stumble into a gas tanker and cause a spectacular explosion. It’s nasty, clever, and poignant all at once.
9 GoldenEye — The “Death” of 006
GoldenEye’s twisty opening proved Brosnan’s Bond was unpredictable
GoldenEye might have brought back Bond’s sense of humor, but that doesn’t mean that Brosnan’s franchise debut was devoid of stakes. On the contrary, the actor’s first Bond movie hit the ground running with a fast-paced opening scene that saw him and Sean Bean’s Alex Trevelyan infiltrate a Soviet weapons facility. Although Bond made it out alive, Trevelyan seemingly died during the mission. Not only did this scene set up a killer twist, but it also gave Brosnan’s Bond a formative tragic trauma.
8 Tomorrow Never Dies — The Motorcycle Chase
A masterpiece of action, stunts, and comedic timing
In many ways, Tomorrow Never Dies is the first truly modern Bond movie thanks to the lead character's array of gadgets. Despite this, the movie’s best sequence is distinctly old-fashioned. Bond is handcuffed to his love interest, Wai Lin, and must work out how to escape his enemies via motorcycle while the two bicker and argue. Michelle Yeoh and Brosnan share great chemistry in this sequence and their quipping is seamlessly integrated into a fast-paced, consistently inventive chase sequence.
7 The World Is Not Enough — Elektra King Tortures 007
Brosnan’s most memorable enemy stole the show
Although The World Is Not Enough isn’t Brosnan’s best Bond movie, it does feature his most memorable Bond girl. Sophia Marceau’s Elektra King is initially made out to be an innocent victim of the villain, Renard, but, in a surprising twist, she turns out to be the real mastermind behind his plan. Her torture of Bond is unexpected, seductive, and surprisingly intense, making it a shame that The World Is Not Enough’s original ending was cut and her role ended with a disappointing death.
6 Die Another Day — The Absurd Ice Chase
Brosnan’s final Bond movie at its campy best
Die Another Day’s opening sequence, wherein Bond escapes a North Korean prison camp, shared some of the brutality that would come to define Daniel Craig’s tenure in the role. However, as uneven as the rest of the movie was, it was Die Another Day’s campy silliness that provided its most memorable moments. 007 driving an invisible car over a frozen lake might not be realistic, but it was the last time that the series tipped its hat to the absurdity of Moore’s time in the role.
