Daniel Craig's 5 Most Iconic James Bond Moments

Daniel Craig has redefined what it meant to be James Bond over the last 15 years. To celebrate the end of his run, here are his most iconic Bond moments.

Daniel Craig attends the No Time To Die World Premiere at the Royal Albert Hall
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Image via Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Daniel Craig attends the No Time To Die World Premiere at the Royal Albert Hall

Over the course of 15 years, audiences have seen Daniel Craig define and redefine the kinds of James Bond stories of the era. Throughout this time, Bond changed to keep up with the demands of modern-day filmmaking, providing some of the best installments in the history of the franchise. But now, after an arduous wait, the end of Craig’s time as Bond will finally arrive when No Time To Die finally hit theaters earlier this month. 

To celebrate both the worldwide success of No Time To Die and the conclusion of Craig’s run, we’ve rounded up the actor’s five most iconic moments as James Bond. It’s hard for any actor to step in the shoes of such a storied character, but these scenes will go down in the Bond canon as some of the very best in a long legacy of a legendary character. Join us for a stroll down memory lane as we recount our favorites.

You Always Remember Your First

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“How did he die?” “Your contact? Not well.” I’ll admit it; I’m a sucker for any sort of black and white sequence in a movie. So I remain particularly fond of the striking way in which audiences are first introduced to Daniel Craig’s version of James Bond. Director Martin Campbell juxtaposes moments of quiet tension with violent, hard-hitting outbursts while slowly—but masterfully—bringing the two halves together to coalesce into one brilliant moment of well-known Bond iconography. What an exhilarating way to begin.

Phantom of the Opera

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Even though I enjoy Quantum of Solace more than most, there’s no denying it’s a lesser entry in the Craig canon. Nevertheless, the opera sequence remains an unimpeachable high mark. Tasked with crashing a meeting of the shadowy Quantum organization, Bond dons a tuxedo and infiltrates an opulent opera where he unwaveringly and charismatically collects intel on the group, breaking up the meeting with that beloved Bond swagger. As the chaos unfolds, director Marc Forster cross-cuts the action of both the opera and the impending shootout, creating a kinetic sequence. Much like the giant eye hanging over the events of the opera, it’s hard to take your own eyes away from the filmmaking on display here.

Shanghai Nights

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It’s challenging to pick just one memorable moment from Skyfall, so forgive me for choosing two. Depending upon who you talk to, the Sam Mendes directed film very well may be the defining installment of the Craig era. Skyfall is full of fantastic and rewatchable moments, but the entire Shanghai pursuit stands out as a visual spectacle, thanks to the mastery of cinematographer Roger Deakins. As Bond and his foe fight, the two bask in the neon glow of nearby ads, illuminating the dirty work these two assassins are frequently tasked with executing; the killer results are electric to behold. 

Homeward Bound

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We don’t need a James Bond origin story. Casino Royale fulfilled this desire to a certain extent and some sort of prequel or flashback to the younger days takes away from the Craig experience. Yet Skyfall still manages to flesh out Bond’s past without feeling tired or forced. After Silva (Javier Bardem) forces Bond and M (Judi Dench) off-grid, Bond returns to the palatial childhood estate to set a trap of his own after being caught in Silva’s. The setting furthers the established personal stakes throughout the film and offers the most emotionally resonating ending of Craig’s tenure.

Day of the Dead

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It’s a shame Spectre collapses under the weight of its ambitions and a desire to traffic in MCU-interconnectedness because the movie’s opening sequence is an absolute attention-grabber. The majority of the tracking shot is accomplished in a single take (or a few different ones strategically cut together to mimic one) as Bond works his way through a massive Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico City while also setting the stage for future work Sam Mendes would accomplish in 1917. If only the rest of the movie was as tightly crafted.

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