While Daniel Craig's Casino Royale and Skyfall often dominate conversations about the best modern James Bond films, a dedicated group of fans is championing a different entry that they believe is criminally overlooked. That film is Pierce Brosnan's 1995 debut, GoldenEye, which is scheduled for broadcast on ITV1 today at 1.30pm.
Why Fans Are Calling GoldenEye 'Absolute Dynamite'
Viewers and critics are taking to platforms like Rotten Tomatoes to praise the film, which holds a strong 80 percent approval rating on the site. One fan described it as "one of the best Bonds ever made and totally underrated," while another simply called it "absolute dynamite." The consensus among its supporters is that Brosnan's first outing perfectly balances the charm of the classic Bond era with a grittier, more modern sensibility.
One reviewer highlighted Brosnan's performance, noting, "He's cold when he needs to be, suave when he wants to be, and the movie gives him everything." This blend is seen as a key reason why GoldenEye serves as the ideal bridge between the Bond of old and the 007 we know today.
The Film That Revitalised 007
Released in 1995, GoldenEye was a monumental film for the franchise. It marked James Bond's return after a six-year hiatus and introduced Pierce Brosnan as a sleeker, sharper 007. Crucially, it was the first Bond film produced after the end of the Cold War, forcing the series to reinvent its espionage thrills for a new decade.
The plot sees Bond confronting a formidable former ally: Alec Trevelyan (Sean Bean), an ex-MI6 agent who has turned rogue. The film is also notable for several franchise firsts and iconic elements. It features Judi Dench's debut performance as M, offering a tougher, more critical assessment of Bond's relevance. Famke Janssen delivers a memorable turn as the lethal assassin Xenia Onatopp.
Furthermore, the movie boasts one of the most spectacular opening sequences in cinematic history: a jaw-dropping bungee jump from a massive Soviet dam. The story is a globetrotting adventure, racing from Russia to the Caribbean as 007 attempts to prevent a devastating satellite weapon from causing global chaos.
A Lasting Cultural Impact
Beyond the screen, GoldenEye's influence was profound. The title song, performed by the legendary Tina Turner, is still regarded as one of the best in the series' history. The film was also a pioneer, being the first Bond movie to significantly embrace digital effects and incorporate a video-game-style pace and a darker tone that would later define the Daniel Craig era.
Despite its commercial success and critical acclaim, GoldenEye is sometimes overshadowed by the bigger and flashier Bond films that followed. However, for many long-time enthusiasts, it remains the true turning point—the film that successfully dragged the world's most famous spy into the modern age and proved the franchise still had plenty of licence to thrill.
GoldenEye airs on ITV1 today, November 8, at 1.30pm.
