Roger Moore often gets a lot of flak for his turn as James Bond. During Moore's tenure, the Bond series took on a far more comedic and lighthearted tone, and many people were of the opinion that Moore wasn't as charming or charismatic as his predecessor, Sean Connery. Moore was also dealt a bad hand, as many of his movies were poorly written and directed.
However, his status and legacy increased throughout the years, and Moore is now regarded as one of the finest Bonds. However, the James Bond series shouldn't define Moore's career. He has actually starred in quite a few great movies.
The Man With The Golden Gun (1974): 41%
The Man with the Golden Gun nearly killed the James Bond franchise forever. It proved a relatively disappointing critical and commercial success, and many thought that the Bond series was growing a little long in the tooth. However, its reputation has gotten better over time, and while it's still not considered a classic, it does have its staunch defenders. It sits at 41% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus reading, "A middling Bond film, The Man With the Golden Gun suffers from double entendre-laden dialogue, a noteworthy lack of gadgets, and a villain that overshadows 007."
Octopussy (1983): 43%
Octopussy served as Roger Moore's penultimate turn as James Bond. Released in June of 1983, Roger Moore was 55 years old and close to throwing in the towel. His final film would prove to be A View to a Kill, released two years later. While Octopussy is not fondly remembered within the Bond canon, its action sequences have continuously received acclaim. Octopussy sits at 43% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus reading, "Despite a couple of electrifying action sequences, Octopussy is a formulaic, anachronistic Bond outing."
ffolkes (1980): 43%
ffolkes was a different turn for Roger Moore, and it was made specifically to avoid typecasting. Released just one year after Moonraker (the infamous Bond film in which Bond goes to space), ffolkes stars Moore as a bearded, arrogant, and misogynistic counter-terrorism consultant named Rufus Excalibur ffolkes. The movie was released to a middling critical and commercial response. It fared decently, if not spectacularly, at the box office, and it currently sits at 43% on Rotten Tomatoes with just seven reviews.
Shout At The Devil (1976): 50%
By 1976, Roger Moore had appeared in two Bond films. 1976 saw him performing in another epic adventure - Peter R. Hunt's World War I-centered Shout at the Devil. The story concerns an aristocrat, an entrepreneur, and the entrepreneur's girlfriend attempting to blow up a German battlecruiser.
The movie was quite successful in its native Britain, grossing £15 million throughout 1976. However, the critical response has proven more disappointing, and it currently sits at 50% on Rotten Tomatoes with eight reviews and an average rating of 5.6/10.
Moonraker (1979): 60%
Moonraker has quite the reputation within the Bond fandom. The movie is infamously known as either "the one where Bond goes to space", "the one with lasers", or "the one that was obviously made after Star Wars". Regardless, the movie was an enormous commercial success and was the highest-grossing Bond film from 1979 to 1995 (until it was overtaken by GoldenEye). It's also not as bad as its reputation would suggest, sitting at 60% on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 5.5/10.
Live And Let Die (1973): 65%
A lot was riding on Live and Let Die. The Bond series was in a precarious position by 1973, as Connery had retired and George Lazenby hadn't exactly worked out as a replacement. Enter Roger Moore, who successfully took over as Bond and stayed in the role for the next twelve years. The movie is still regarded as one of Moore's strongest efforts. It holds a 65% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus reading, "While not one of the highest-rated Bond films, Live and Let Die finds Roger Moore adding his stamp to the series with flashes of style and an improved sense of humor."
The Wild Geese (1978): 67%
Following the enormous success of The Spy Who Loved Me, Roger Moore starred in yet another war epic - Andrew V. McLaglen's The Wild Geese. The movie concerns a small group of British mercenaries who are sent to Africa to rescue a president from a dictator.
Moore starred opposite Richard Burton and Richard Harris as Lieutenant Shawn Fynn. The movie was better received than Shout at the Devil, holding a 67% on Rotten Tomatoes with nine reviews and an average rating of 6.4/10.
For Your Eyes Only (1981): 71%
Following the outlandish space adventure that was Moonraker, the producers wished to return the Bond series to a more grounded and gritty approach. The result was For Your Eyes Only, which is often considered the best Moore outing outside The Spy Who Loved Me. The movie is still well regarded, holding a 71% on Rotten Tomatoes. The consensus reads, "For Your Eyes Only trades in some of the outlandish Bond staples for a more sober outing, and the result is a satisfying adventure, albeit without some of the bombastic thrills fans may be looking for."
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977): 80%
Widely considered to be Moore's strongest outing, The Spy Who Loved Me singlehandedly saved the Bond series after the disappointment that was The Man with the Golden Gun. Many aspects of the film are continuously praised, including its art/set design, exciting locales, Jaws (one of the greatest henchmen in the Bond canon), and the unique relationship between Bond and Anya Amasova. The movie holds an 80% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus, "Though it hints at the absurdity to come in later installments, The Spy Who Loved Me's sleek style, menacing villains, and sly wit make it the best of the Roger Moore era."
The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954): 88%
The Last Time I Saw Paris served as Roger Moore's Hollywood debut. He plays a tennis player named Paul Lane opposite Elizabeth Taylor. Moore's talent as an actor was already evident, and it hinted at the great things to come. The romantic musical is not well remembered, despite some very strong reviews. It currently holds an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an average rating of 6.3/10, although only eight reviews have been counted.