According to the Evening Standard, the producers of the James Bond franchise have signed a deal with Warner Bros. to distribute the gentleman spy’s big-screen adventures for the next 15 years, so fans can hopefully expect news about the next reboot sooner rather than later. In the meantime, there are 25 previous Bond movies to enjoy.
But none of the existing Bond movies are perfect. According to Redditors, there are small changes that would’ve made Bond films like Live and Let Die and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service even better.
Sheriff J.W. Pepper’s Role In Live And Let Die
Roger Moore’s first Bond movie, Live and Let Die, was praised for its fun blaxploitation style, its tongue-in-cheek humor, its title theme, and Moore’s unique take on the character of 007. But according to Redditor u/Friend-Beast, it would be a lot better with one minor change.
The Redditor would cut out Clifton James as Sheriff J.W. Pepper, a boorish Louisiana cop. The character is a one-note stereotype who wears out his welcome almost immediately.
The Windsurfing In Die Another Day
Pierce Brosnan’s final outing as 007, Die Another Day, was universally panned by critics for its reliance on CGI and its nonsensical plot. But Redditor u/Harry_Jewell thinks the movie could’ve been salvaged if the filmmakers had cut out its most ridiculous action set-piece.
Without the sequence of Bond windsurfing on a CG tsunami, Die Another Day would have more time to focus on its strengths, like Halle Berry’s turn as Jinx Johnson.
The Tarzan Yell In Octopussy
There are a lot of ludicrous moments in Octopussy, from 007 disguising himself as a clown to an overseas contact identifying himself by playing the Bond theme on his sitar, but Redditor u/SeanRogerDaniel would remove a different scene.
For this Redditor, the most egregious scene in Octopussy that ruins the movie is when Bond swings through the jungle like Tarzan, complete with an over-the-top “Tarzan yell.”
The Overlong Dinner Scene In On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
George Lazenby’s one and only Bond movie, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, is widely considered to be one of the strongest Bond movies from a cinematic perspective. But according to Redditor u/Friend-Beast, it’s not quite perfect, thanks to one imperfect scene.
The Redditor found the extensive dinner scene in the film’s middle section to be “prolonged” and felt that it “could [have been] cut down a lot.”
Margaret Thatcher’s Cameo In For Your Eyes Only
After some Bond fans felt that the interstellar adventure of Moonraker was a little too far-fetched for the franchise, the producers went back to the series’ grounded roots in the next film, For Your Eyes Only, a straightforward revenge thriller.
According to Redditor u/JuliZentil, this badass Bond outing is let down by impressionist Janet Brown’s bizarre cameo appearance as then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
The Stepbrother Twist In Spectre
There are some thrilling action sequences in Spectre, like the opening Day of the Dead parade and the brutal fight between 007 and henchman Mr. Hinx aboard a speeding train, and Christoph Waltz gives a chilling performance as Ernst Stavro Blofeld.
But according to Redditor u/Remote-Orchid-8708, the twist that reveals Blofeld to be Bond’s adoptive brother – ripped straight from Austin Powers – ruined the movie.
Tiffany Case’s Character Change In Diamonds Are Forever
Sean Connery’s last official outing as Bond, Diamonds Are Forever, received some of the most negative reviews of his tenure. In retrospect, its silly tone is closer to the Moore era than the Connery era. According to Redditor u/SeanRogerDaniel, the movie is let down by “Bond girl” Tiffany Case’s inexplicable change in characterization.
The Redditor writes, “Tiffany Case suddenly [becomes] very stupid in the film’s finale after she could hold her own” throughout the first two acts of the movie.
The Gondola Chase In Moonraker
Although Moonraker is considered far-fetched for its journey into the cosmos, the movie becomes far-fetched long before Bond goes to space. In Venice, he drives a gondola out of the water and onto the street.
A pigeon does a double take upon seeing Bond driving a gondola on wheels down the street. If Redditor u/SheepherderBoring907 was in the cutting room, they would’ve excised this cartoonish set-piece.
The Excessive Underwater Action In Thunderball
After three ironclad masterpieces, the Connery era faced its first tangle with mixed reviews with Thunderball. The movie was praised by contemporary critics for the technical achievement of choreographing and filming elaborate action scenes underwater.
But it’s since become a common complaint among fans that the filmmakers overdid it with the underwater action. Redditor u/MaxfieldN writes that they would “take out about five minutes of underwater footage in Thunderball so that people stop whining.”
The Slide Whistle Sound Effect In The Man With The Golden Gun
Moore’s martial arts-themed Bond movie, The Man with the Golden Gun, has one of the greatest villains in the series’ history and one of the greatest car stunts ever put on film: a perfect corkscrew jump. But the stunt is punctuated by a goofy slide whistle effect.
According to Redditor u/Spinach-Rich, this sound effect should have been removed from the film, “but the scene definitely needs to remain.” Perhaps the slide whistle could’ve been replaced with the twang of the Bond theme.