Licence to Kill | | Cast : | Timothy Dalton, Robert Davi | | Director : | John Glen (II) | | Studio : | MGM/UA Video | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | July 14, 1989 | | DVD Released Date : | October 22, 2002 | | Language : | French (Subtitled), English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), English (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 30, 2005 | | Summary | One of the best Bond films. | Content
 | With "OHMSS" and "Octopussy," I rank "License to Kill" in the top tier of Bond films. I had never thought very much of this film until watching it again recently for the first time in many years. I was surprised at how good it is.
The plot is based in part on the original "Live and Let Die" novel (1954), in which Felix Leiter is fed to a shark and Bond exacts revenge. This is the most coherently plotted Bond film since "OHMSS," avoiding the labrynthine storytelling of previous entries like "The Living Daylights" (which I also like very much). The action is well choreographed and this is one Bond flick that doesn't overstay its welcome.
Timothy Dalton is superb here: tough, angry, and suave. He's definitely my favorite Bond, followed closely by George Lazenby, and it's a pity he didn't stay with the role. He brought new life to a series that was getting old and hackneyed. Carey Lowell is a particularly luscious Bond girl and gives a fine performance.
This is a gritty, realistic, and engrossing film--the Last Real Bond Movie, in my estimation. I recommend it highly. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 26, 2005 | | Summary | Movie so great it almost transcends the Bond Franchise! | Content
| It seems alot of people disliked this Bond film, believing it to be the least "Bond-esque" of the series. True, it is unlike the others in that it doesn't follow the formula of a master-mind taking over the world from a secret hidden lair. Yes, it lacks the hi-tech car chases and ski sequences. But, what it DOES have is one of the best Bond stories of the series - simple, yes, but engrossing all the same.
This time, Bond leaves the protection of MI6 for a personal assignment of revenge for a friend who is maimed by a vicious drug lord. This allows him to play a role as a rogue agent who first earns the trust of said druglord, and then turns the tables to make the villain (Sanchez) turn on his own compadres! It's a great revenge story, and climaxes with an amazing car chase involving several 18-wheelers, a single engine plane, and a rocket launcher!
Dalton brings us the series' grittiest Bond in this film - recalling the darker Connery moments, Lazenby's great OHMSS role, and even Moore's down-to-earth FOR YOUR EYES ONLY turn. I didn't like Dalton as much as the others simply because he looks like a goofball - but I do have to give him credit for making Bond much more human and believable. Personally, I think this is a much better film than the laborious and unfocused LIVING DAYLIGHTS.
And by the way, some other reviewer here joked at how this film "made no money." A simple search on the-numbers.com will show that it cleared $110 million - not a major profit by todays standards, but a profit none-the-less, and only just lower than the average of the franchise until Brosnan and Co. upped the Big-Budget stakes with GOLDENEYE! (Incidentally, GOLDFINGER was the first true financial smash of the series, and since that film, only OHMSS and MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN failed to clear the $100 million dollar mark.) |
| Rating | | | Date | August 25, 2005 | | Summary | Licence to Flop | Content
| Where to begin. This Bond move didn't even make any money. Most of the critics gave it a D+ back in 1989. Dalton as Bond is so lame and boring. The gadgets and actions is ok, but he looks bored with the role and takes it to serious. Plus, you get tired of the story lines of drug smuggling. Leave that to the private eyes, not for secret agents!!! I think Ian Fleming would have been very disappointed in this film. I am glad that this was Dalton's last film. He is better as a dramatic actor. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 24, 2005 | | Summary | Licence to Kill | Content
| By far the most violent of all the Bond films, which ordinarily wouldn't be a bad thing, as the storyline requires a certain degree of violence anyway. But is this what Bond films are all about? Licence to Kill would appeal more to the violent action adventure fan, it's just that Bond films are meant to provide an alternative to that genre. With that said, it's a very good film, and most would love it anyway. Dalton's best Bond movie, and the serious plot was suited to him. All the characters are played well. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 02, 2005 | | Summary | AN ANOMALY | Content
| Timoty Dalton's flaw as James Bond is that he sacrificed the suave, witty, and sophisticated Bond for the tough one. Roger Moore erred the other way.
However, Dalton's performance in probably the darkest and most violent James Bond movie(the first one to get a PG-13) fits that personality.
Felix Lighter (David Heddison) is getting married. However, he and the DEA capture one of the most notorious Colombian Drug Lords, Sanchez (David Avi). He escapes and vows revenge on those who caught him. Felix's wife is killed, and he is tortured with a shark.
James Bond vows revenge against Sanchez while ducking his duty for King and Country. He gets involved with Carrie Lowell (one of my favorite Bond women) and sets off to South America.
The way Bond plays the drug lords against each other is fun to watch. It is also fun to see the stunts like skiing behind an auqua plane, and do some fancy truck driving.
It also shows a vindictive and reckless side of Bond. His vendetta hurts more important missions like thwarting Sanchez's acquisition of stinger missiles, and the Japanese being able to stop his drug shipments.
Still, Bond figures out a way to win--and without ending up super high in the air fighting Sanchez in the final battle.
I know a lot of die-hard Bond fans did not like this one. I did. I wished Dalton would have done one or two more. |
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