It’s time for another James Bond list. This week, we’ll be giving our rankings for James Bond’s main personal gadgets for each film. No vehicles are allowed for this list. They will have their own category later. Again, Never Say Never Again is eligible to be included.
Here’s my list:
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Multi-Function Sony Ericsson Mobile Phone – TOMORROW NEVER DIES – Fabulous gadget. Can do a lot of things with it as it has many uses and is a device that one could easily overlook. Among the uses are a fingerprint scanner and imager, lock pick, high voltage charge, and, of course, vehicular remote control.
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Multi-Function Phillips Key Ring – THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS – Another great gadget with a number of uses from lock picking to stun gas to explosive charge. It also can be easily overlooked. And like the aforementioned mobile phone is put to great use in the film.
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Multi-Function Attache Briefcase – FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE – You can detect the pattern, a Bond gadget is cool, but if it can do multiple things, then it rises to the top of the class. The briefcase is the first real Bond gadget. It contains a disassembled Armalite AR-7 Survival Rifle, 50 hidden gold sovereigns, 20 rounds of hidden rifle ammunition, a hidden throwing knife, and an anti-tampering tear gas cartridge disguised as talcum powder. No well dressed man should be without one.
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Mini-Rocket-Firing Cigarette – YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE – I love the concept. So simple. So lethal. So well done.
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Rifle Ski Pole – THE SPY WHO LOVED ME – Another great idea executed brilliantly.
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Mini-Rocket-Firing Fountain Pen – NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN – In this case, the pen is mightier than the sword–or gun as it were. The explosive was triggered a little slowly, but nonetheless spectacularly.
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Buzzsaw-Cutting & Magnetic Rolex Submariner Wristwatch – LIVE AND LET DIE – The best of the wristwatches. The buzzsaw may have been a bit of a cheat to the viewer, but it still does a good job and the magnetism of the watch is well done. It’s one failure leads to one of the best Bond escapes in the series. Fortunately, its magnetism saves the day later.
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Laser-Cutting & Retractable Piton Gun – GOLDENEYE – The reverse repelling raises the bar for this one, which is a nice trick, and, when combined with the laser cutting, which is also really good, makes this a top 10 gadget for me.
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X-Ray Eyeglasses – THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH – It’s outwardly subtle, but it’s ability is what makes this so cool. This is a type of gadget that would come in handy for a spy in his being able to see who is packing heat. It’s usage in the film is also humorously done.
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Wrist-Mounted Dart Gun – MOONRAKER – Nice idea that is used to great effect in the film.
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Sonic Agitator Ring – DIE ANOTHER DAY – Great gadget and I love how it is used in the film as it allows Bond to make another improbable escape.
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Earpiece & Acid Mont Blanc Fountain Pen – OCTOPUSSY – Another multiple function gadget. I really like the acid part of it. A nice concept.
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Electromagnetic Pulse Omega Seamaster Diver Wristwatch – NO TIME TO DIE – The best of the Daniel Craig era gadgets though it’s not a big list. Well used in the film, but how/why it doesn’t short out the nanobots as well…
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Explosive Omega Seamaster Wristwatch – SPECTRE – Solid gadget but only middle of the road for the series in this category.
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Rebreather – THUNDERBALL – Great idea and looks cool. So good, the military contacted the production team about how they accomplished it.
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Fake Fingerprints – DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER – Simple, elegant, and effective. I suspect this gadget may be under-appreciated by many people.
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Audio Communicating Seiko Duo Time Wristwatch – FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – This gadget may harken back to Dick Tracy, but it’s still a neat little idea. While it isn’t used during the heart of the film, it is used for a good laugh to cap off the film. And it’s the best of a thin gadget lot.
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Camera Ring – A VIEW TO A KILL – Another simple idea that is well done. Nothing special here but still satisfactory.
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Signature Rifle Hasselblad Camera – LICENCE TO KILL – Nice idea to protect the MI6 shooter by making it only one person usable. Well shown in the film.
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Signature Walther PPK/S 9mm Short Handgun – SKYFALL – Very similar to Licence To Kill’s gadget. As a result, it falls below it due to it’s “unoriginality” although a handgun with this feature is probably more necessary than a rifle.
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Safecracker/Photocopier – ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE – I like this gadget. The only problem is its large, bulky size. If only it were say half the size, it would probably be further up this list. Nevertheless, this is George Lazenby’s best gadget.
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GPS Tracking & Identification Imager Sony Ericsson Mobile Phone – QUANTUM OF SOLACE – I like the idea of Bond’s tracking his subject by their phone with his phone, but the concept is better than how it is shown in the film.
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Hidden Compartment Shoe – GOLDFINGER – This is a hard one. One might think either of the homers would be the choice, but they don’t really do anything other than their function. At least the shoe has a hidden compartment in its sole that actually does function as a gadget so I gave it the nod. It’s a nice little trick, but ultimately is underwhelming compared to the other gadgets above it.
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Biometric-Scanning Implant Chip – CASINO ROYALE – I guess technically Bond doesn’t really “use” this gadget as it’s inside of him, but it nevertheless does help him out a lot on his mission as it helps save his life. The few other gadgets used in the film aren’t as inventive as this one so the implant chip gets the nod for me.
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Three-Fingered Rifle – THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN – Nothing too special here although it is used to great effect in a wonderful scene.
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Portable Geiger Counter – DR. NO – Really, it’s about the only gadget in the film, so by process of elimination it gets its mention here, but it is the least exciting of all this bunch.
So there, you have it. My list of James Bond’s top personal gadgets from each of the films.
How would you rank them on your lists? (Remember no vehicles allowed this time.)
