He also can project that hint of ruthlessness and violence that Connery had as well. There's that scene from Dr. No where Connery tells Professor Dent "That's a Smith and Wesson...and you've had your six" and the proceeds to kill him in cold blood. Moore never had it, neither did Brosnan. But Craig does, and I can see him doing the same job on Dent that Connery did.
I have to agree with your assessment of Moore/Brosnan, but every time I watch a Brosnan-led Bond movie I kinda like him more & more in the role. He grows on me.
I watched “The Living Daylights” last night (as part of the G4 Network’s ‘21 Days of Bond’ marathon), and I still like Timothy Dalton, despite his stale demeanor. I think he played the role more as a “spy’s spy”, and I like that.
I’ve also enjoyed reminiscing about the old Soviet Union and the Cold War. Looking at maps of these countries that no longer exist make me yearn somewhat for the Cold War, only in terms of the US-British-USSR power and rivalry.
The 1980s Bond movie Soviet spies were awesome...