Who’s the Best Bond Director? Let the Scores Decide

With over 60 years of shaken martinis, car chases and villains with world-ending plans, James Bond has had more than his fair share of creative hands at the wheel. But who among the franchise’s many directors left the most lasting mark — critically and cinematically?

Let’s look at the numbers.

Top of the Class: Martin Campbell

With just two Bond films, GoldenEye (RT 80%, IMDb 7.2) and Casino Royale (RT 94%, IMDb 8.0), Campbell proved he could relaunch 007 not once, but twice. His entries are sleek, modern and emotionally grounded — Casino Royale is still considered a gold standard for rebooting a franchise.

Average RT Score: 87%
Average IMDb: 7.6

Classic Pioneer: Terence Young

The man who introduced Sean Connery’s Bond gave us Dr. No, From Russia with Love and Thunderball. His films have aged remarkably well — especially among critics.

Average RT: ~92%
IMDb Average: ~7.2

Style + Substance: Sam Mendes

Skyfall (RT 92%) brought Bond into prestige territory, while Spectre (RT 63%) didn’t quite stick the landing. Still, Mendes gave the franchise its most visually elegant moments.

RT Avg: 77.5%
IMDb Avg: 7.3

Underrated & Consistent: John Glen

With five Bond films under his belt — more than any other director — Glen delivered solid entries across the ‘80s. While some (Octopussy, A View to a Kill) were critically panned, Licence to Kill and The Living Daylights have aged surprisingly well.

RT Avg: ~59%
IMDb Avg: ~6.6

And the Rest?

• Guy Hamilton had Goldfinger (a near-perfect 99% RT), but also the much less-loved Golden Gun (40% RT).
• Cary Fukunaga’s No Time to Die (83% RT, 7.3 IMDb) impressed, though it’s his only outing.
• Lee Tamahori, Marc Forster, and Roger Spottiswoode sit near the bottom — with middling films that failed to win over critics or fans.

Final Verdict

Martin Campbell takes the crown as the Bond director with the most consistent critical and audience acclaim — proving that style, emotion and action can coexist. Terence Young earns legendary status for setting the tone. And Sam Mendes wins points for giving Bond visual gravitas.

After all, it’s not just about the gadgets — it’s about the vision behind the lens.