Review of Dr. No (1962) by Billy M — 08 Jan 2016

Setting the stage for a franchise of action films about British MI6 spy, James Bond, Dr. No comes into the fray with charm and swagger. Unlike other 007 movies, No had a rather paltry one million dollar budget, but managed to make 60 times that in the box office cementing it as a fan favorite, and spawning a legacy that would last nearly five decades and account for 24 films.

In this chapter of Bond's adventures, Sean Connery is shipped off to Jamaica, where the station chief has not been returning contact. Upon his arrival, Bond discovers that the chief has been killed and that there seems to be some sort of shady conspiracy afoot. Almost immediately, the action sets off, with agents coming out of the wood work trying to get the jump on our hero, who always manages to fight them off using some rather slapstick looking fighting moves.

Eventually, Bond meets a local by the name of Quarrel, and together they attempt to travel to a nearby island that the locals are afraid of, in an effort to track down the reclusive Dr. No, and ask him about what has happened to the station chief.

Dr. No establishes many of the tropes found in later installments of the series: the iconic James Bond Theme, car chases, daring escapes, trained foot soldiers, beautiful women that assist Bond, intelligent and powerful super villains, secret bases, wise cracking one liners, and a comedic relief buddy for the hero. The production of Dr. No was overseen by 007 creator Ian Fleming, and the location of the shoot for the film was near his Goldeneye estate in Jamaica.

Perhaps due to its low budget, Dr. No has an alluring charm that few other films in the series were able to match. The story and motivations of Connery seem much more grounded in reality, even when accounting for the over-the-top motivations of No. The action is pretty poorly executed in that Star Trek sort of way, but it's still entertaining and keeps you engaged. If anything the film serves to remind you that action is there to facilitate the story, and not the other way around.

TL;DR - 8/10.

Dr. No isn't talked about much when people make lists of the greatest Bond films, and that's a bloody shame. The film is a brilliant start to the series, and is boosted by its low-budget charm and the efforts of the cast and crew to pull off a brilliant film. Not only a must-see for anyone who likes the franchise, but also a must see for anyone that enjoys the spy/action genres.