Today’s quick review: Dr. No. Following the assassination of a British intelligence agent, James Bond (Sean Connery) is sent to Jamaica to investigate. There he picks up the threads of the dead agent’s last mission: to figure out the cause of a series of failed American rocket launches. Bond’s search leads him through a tangled web of traitors and killers, eventually taking him to a dangerous island owned by the enigmatic Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman).
Dr. No is a spy movie and the first film in the James Bond franchise. Dr. No features solid fundamentals, an excellent lead, several iconic moments, and nicely varied adventure elements. The first half of the film plays out like an investigation, following Bond as he braves attempts on his life and pieces together the few clues left to him. The second half of the film grows more fanciful as the villain comes into clearer focus.
Dr. No makes for a worthy template for the spy genre. James Bond is a resourceful and level-headed hero who must nevertheless rely on luck to survive in his risky profession. Sean Connery fits the role perfectly, with just the right balance of danger and charisma. The plot of the movie is just complex enough to be satisfying, and it manages to work in a healthy assortment of action along the way.
Dr. No does have its limitations. The second half wanders into the realm of the unknown; while Dr. No’s private island is tame compared to the exotic threats of later Bond movies, it’s a step away from the grounded spy drama that the movie opens as. Dr. No also lacks the scope of later Bond adventures in terms of its action and set pieces. What the movie presents is exciting and well-crafted, but there is some room for improvement.
Fans of James Bond should give Dr. No a shot sooner or later, both for its own merits and for its importance to the franchise. Viewers who are neutral on Bond himself should try it out for its balanced action and generally sound execution. Skip it if you dislike action or the spy genre, or if you prefer modern-style action.
7.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for good action, a great lead, and a worthwhile glimpse into a world of spies and danger.