Review of Dr. No (1962) by Robin W — 14 Jan 2010

Even though it was never intended that way, "Dr. No" almost resembles an origin story that are used so frequently today when launching comic-book or superhero franchises; the film does its job, but it doesn't measure up to many of the later entries in the series and feels like it's just warming up.

My opinion may be skewed a bit because "Dr. No" was one of the last James Bond films I wound up watching, so I was quite surprised to find out it was a rather low-key spy story that contained very few gadgets, spectacular action scenes or visual razzle dazzle; it's closer in spirit to the original Ian Fleming novels than most of the Bond films, but it's deliberately paced and tends to drag at times.

However, it's definitely worth watching as it set the stage for the longest running franchise in film history and gave Sean Connery the opportunity to turn 007 into an icon with his performance; Ursula Andress helped set the standard for Bond girls, Joseph Wiseman did the same thing for Bond villains, and John Kitzmiller is also quite good as Quarrel, the first Bond sidekick/sacrificial limb who does not live to see another movie.