Metascore
65 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 18
  2. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. Reviewed by: Staff(not credited)
    80
    This is the best bond movie since "On Her Majesty's Secret Service".
  2. Reviewed by: Todd McCarthy
    80
    Most crucially, Brosnan makes the grade as 007. He handles the action capably and gets the standard quips out in a commendably straightforward way that's wry but not dismissive.
  3. 80
    And yet, Goldeneye proves the character's viability as a pop icon: It isn't a great movie, but it's great, preposterous fun.
  4. There's something a mite pathetic about our culture still clinging to 007, but it's hard to deny that this is one of the most entertaining entries in the Bond cycle, which started with "Dr. No" (1962).
  5. 75
    This is the first Bond film that is self-aware, that has lost its innocence and the simplicity of its world view, and has some understanding of the absurdity and sadness of its hero.
  6. When the action is extreme, GoldenEye is supercharged with spectacular, thundering, brain-numbing fun.
  7. Reviewed by: Edvins Beitiks
    75
    It is both the best-looking James Bond film and the best-looking James Bond.
  8. 75
    The writers get the mix just about right, and first-time Bond director Martin Campbell moves things along fairly briskly.
  9. 75
    Also, there's more action in Goldeneye than in previous 007 entries -- enough to keep a ninety-minute film moving at a frantic pace. Unfortunately, this movie isn't ninety-minutes long -- it's one-hundred thirty, which means that fully one-quarter of Goldeneye is momentum-killing padding.
  10. A mildly successful attempt at updating a relic, its appeal depends greatly on an audience's willingness to go along for a familiar ride. [17Nov1995 Pg. F.01]
  11. New Bond man Brosnan can't be faulted for much. He's always been generically sexy, a sort of programmed cover boy. In this new venture, he's appropriately handsome, British-accented and suave.
  12. 63
    The musical score is a dud, and the film is one firebomb too long. But GoldenEye's vision is 20/20 when it comes to reviving a legend. [17Nov1995 Pg.01.D]
  13. 60
    Jeffrey Caine and Bruce Feirstein's script promises more fun than it delivers, slowly frittering away its store of jokes and thrills.
  14. Still, just about everything in Goldeneye, from its rote nuclear-weapon-in-space plot to the recitation of lines that sound like they're being read off stone tablets (''Shaken, not stirred!''), has been served up with a thirdhand generic competence that's more wearying than it is exhilarating.
  15. For devotees of the genre, the bad news is the best news: Bond is back and nothing has changed except the stuntman's canvas - it's bigger than ever, duly pumped up to Schwarzeneggarian standards.
  16. Mr. Brosnan, as the best-moussed Bond ever to play baccarat in Monte Carlo, makes the character's latest personality transplant viable (not to mention smashingly photogenic), but the series still suffers the blahs.
  17. Reviewed by: Jack Kroll
    50
    Technology has squeezed character to a few measly pixels on the digital screens. Explosions have replaced dramatic climaxes.
  18. Reviewed by: Richard Schickel
    50
    How well do Bond's established conventions survive after a third of a century's hard use, the post-cold war deglamourization of espionage and the arrival of yet another actor in the central role? The short answer is, on wobbly knees.
User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 38 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 11
  2. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. I'm going to try not to sound like a fan boy despite the fact I am a huge Bond fan and Goldeneye is my favourite of the Bonds. So without further ado, here it is. Goldeneye isn't flawless but it comes pretty close with it being a great restart of a franchise that had been unfortunately damaged by some truly terrible movies (The Living Daylights and License to Kill). The film chooses to introduce Bond to the modern world complete with post Cold War ideals and some great action sequences. If anything the main draw of Goldeneye is that following a rather dull revenge story (License to Kill) it manages to bring the fun back to the series with a new Bond (Pierce Brosnan) who clearly understands the character more than Moore, Lazenby and Dalton ever did. Goldeneye while reverting Bond back to his fun loving self also allows Brosnan room to breath with him showing a vulnerable if not scarred character that was conveyed in the books despite the fact Goldeneye is the first film not adapted from a Ian Fleming story although the title does allude to Fleming. The main flaw with Goldeneye is that it shoehorns the characters of Jack Wade and Valentin Zukovsky in for some light comic relief that really does fall flat which is a shame as Robbie Coltrane is a great actor. However despite this Goldeneye has some entertaining characters such as Alec 'Janus' Travelyan (Sean Bean) and Boris Grishenko (Alan Cummings) who are not only fun but well acted. If anything this film feels fantastically tense with the finale being especially good thanks to some skillful direction by Martin Campbell and a ball point pen. Full Review »
  2. This is one of my favorite Bond films. It does everything right: The storyline is fast-paced, the action is well shot and smart, the villain(s) is interesting, and there were of course some hot babes. Brosnan is really good in this one as he acts arrogant but not overtly cold like Daniel Craig. There's a perfect blend of action/serious moments and some more comical moments. Full Review »
  3. RussellW.
    9
    This was, and still is my favorite Bond movie as of yet. [***SPOILERS***] I still get chills seeing Bond take a tank through a solid wall, straight onto the streets, and chase the villain (with his girl) through the town. I can't say if my favoritism toward this movie is enhanced by my liking of the video game but nevertheless, I love this movie and love James Bond. Full Review »