Since the first Bond movie in 1962, every film (with a few notable exceptions) has started with the same trademark image: a view down the barrel of a gun. It’s a part of the James Bond legend as iconic as his vodka martini, but it’s also a cue for audiences to inch a little farther forward in their seats. Because what comes next is often the best part of the entire film: the James Bond opening scene. It’s like getting an extra Bond movie squeezed down into a tidy, 10-minute package: chases, fights, gadgets, kisses and quips, all segueing neatly into the (equally iconic) opening credits and theme song.
But like the Bond films themselves, the opening sequences aren’t all created equal; for every Goldfinger there’s a Never Say Never Again. Here, then, is every opening scene in the James Bond franchise, ranked from worst to best.