Spy; Adventure; Drama

Uh, have you ever seen a James Bond movie? Have you even heard of James Bond? This is a spy movie, of course.

In fact, you could argue that Dr. No established the spy genre as we still know it today. Without Connery's Bond, there would be no Matt Damon's Jason Bourne, no Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt, no Melissa McCarthy's Susan Cooper.

However, Dr. No has some rough edges. These diamonds aren't yet forever. With a low budget and a complete lack of the technology we have today, the film lacks the action-packed scenes we now expect from the spy action genre. Connery's mid-speed chase sequences clearly occur with him pretending to drive in front of a green-screen backdrop. And instead of being tortured with a laser, as he is in Goldfinger, someone puts a spider in his bed.

As a result, the film is a slower burn, more dramatic in nature, as Bond tries to sniff out his allies and enemies, makes uneasy alliances, and slowly proceeds toward his goal—Dr. No's underwater lair. Just because it's more of a doggy paddle than a Michael Phelps-style sprint doesn't make it any less engaging.