From Russia with Love (1963)

The critic calls it one of the most popular and best Bond films, a terrific thriller with a marvellous atmosphere of foreign intrigue. They single out the superb location shooting in pre-touristy Istanbul and the memorable performances by Lotte Lenya and Robert Shaw.

The second James Bond film remains one of the best in the series, with a clever plot involving SPECTRE's scheme against 007. It features memorable set-pieces like the train fight and helicopter attack, along with strong supporting performances.

From Russia with Love is the critic's favourite Bond film, excelling due to Connery's comfortable performance in the role and a strong, watchable cast including Robert Shaw and Lotte Lenya. The expert direction by Terence Young, John Barry's score and vivid sequences like the Orient Express fight make it stand out.

The critic calls it one of the best Bond films, with a complex but easy-to-follow plot, strong sense of menace, and standout fight scenes. He singles out the chemistry between Connery and Pedro Armendariz and the intense confrontation with Robert Shaw.

The critic finds From Russia With Love super-awesome for its tight construction, clever opening, SPECTRE-focused stretch, and intense train-bound climax that echoes classic thrillers. The Blu-ray presentation enhances its Kennedy-era cool, mood, locations, and music cues.

The piece calls the film a taut, stylish espionage thriller that is slick, deeply sexy and one of Bond’s early masterpieces, singling out the gritty, influential close-quarters fight on the Orient Express for praise.

The review finds the film almost as good as Dr No, praising its fun despite being less fresh and fast-moving, and highlighting Lotte Lenya's superb tough performance as Rosa Klebb.

The review calls it a preposterous but skillful slab of hard-hitting, sexy hokum with a zingy pace after a slow start. It praises Connery's wise-cracking and the performances of Robert Shaw and Pedro Armendariz while noting the female roles are less well served.

The critic describes the film as idiotic yet engaging, with an elaborate plot full of twists and a sense of fun. He notes the direction by Terence Young is often incoherent but embraces that quality, praising Connery's performance.

The critic finds it one of the better 007 films but marginally less memorable than many others, lacking the exotic flamboyance of later entries. They single out the evocative closing-credits song by Matt Monro for praise while noting the solid spy-caper plot and side characters.

The critic hails the film as one of the best in the Bond series, noting its grander scale than Dr. No while remaining gritty and avoiding later excesses. Connery's assured performance and the memorable train confrontation are singled out for praise.

The critic praises the film's darker tone, visceral espionage, strong characters, action sequences, and memorable moments, positioning it as a key step in the Bond franchise's development after Dr. No. The Blu-ray restoration is highlighted for improving visuals despite some grain issues in low-light scenes.