Rating: 
Summary: One of the Series Best!
Review: I have seen where a few critics have down-graded this movie and that is a shame as "License to Kill" has a lot going for it. The concept of Bond as a rogue was a refreshing change, and one of the best concepts in any of the Bond films. Essentially, the plot goes as follows: A renown drug dealer Sanchez (Robert Davi) is arrested in Miami with help of the DEA and Felix Leiter (Bond's CIA contact and good friend). Following the arrest, Felix gets married. Sanchez escapes and commits a brutal act of revenge before returning to Isthmus City. James Bond (Timothy Dalton), determined to take Sanchez down, enlistes Pam Bouvier (Carey Lowell) to help him. One problem for Bond is that Sanchez is well guarded and has numerous contacts. Bond will have to have to be careful in infiltrating Sanchez. The other problem is that he is now a rogue agent, having his license to kill revoked by the British government. The only real weak points of this movie would be the occasional weak acting from Talisa Soto (Sanchez's girlfriend), and a little bit more swearing than some of the other bond films, but many other elements more than make up for these two minor shortcomings. Timothy Dalton is superb as James Bond. Dalton is a great, capable actor, and he is perfect for the movie and its concept. Dalton did a superb job and this is a key factor to the success of the film. As a side note, Dalton needed to make a change in the approach from Roger Moore, just as Moore needed to make a change from Connery. This change between actors is important, otherwise comparisons are made, and usually it is the incumbent who loses (in the minds of the general audience). Dalton did the right thing by changing the Bond to a darker persona. The contrast is important because of Roger Moore's 12-year tenure as Bond, which spread over seven films. Carey Lowell makes a very capable Bond woman as it nice to see a tough woman pairing up with Bond. The central villain, Sanchez, is very strong and well acted -- and also a nice change away from villains who want to destroy the world. Benicio Del Toro and Anthony Zerbe are well cast and well-acted as Sanchez's henchmen. Also, it was nice to see Q, played by the late Desmond Llewelyn, get more to do than his usual brief cameo or two. He certainly deserved it and rose to the challenge admirably. It was also nice to see David Hedison return to play Felix Leiter (he previously played Leiter in "Live and Let Die"). Other elements that make this a very enjoyable, memorable Bond film to watch are the location work, great special effects, and great stunts. The stunts with the semi-trucks toward the end are great fun! Michael Kamen's score adds a lot to the movie as well. VHS or DVD? The VHS version simply contains the movie. The DVD version is a special edition that includes two different audio commentaries which let you watch the movie and hear commentary by some of the cast and production members. They comment about the actors, work on the set, the scenes, and how certain scenes were shot/created. Two music videos are included: "License to Kill" by Gladys Knight is the opening theme, and "If You Asked Me To" by Patti LaBelle marks the closing theme. A promotional feature on the stunt footage at the climax and a documentary on the film itself are also included. Finally, two theatrical trailers and a photo galary with over 100 stills are included. If you are a fan of the Bond series, I highly recommend this movie, and the same goes toward Timothy Dalton and spy/action movie fans. This movie is also included in the first volume of a Bond Collector's set. If you like extra features, I would recommend the DVD. Overall, I happen to think that "License to Kill" is one of the best Bond movies. Major re-evaluation required.
Rating: 
Summary: Unusualy violent, but enjoyable Bond film.
Review: License to Kill was very different from other James Bond movies. I mean the Bond girls and gadgets were quite like others, but the movie was like a duplicate of any kind of action movie. The main villain is drug lord Franz Sanchez. And the plot is that Sanchez killed Bond's friends wife and fed his friend to sharks. When Bond heres about this, he is so upset that when he refuses to obey her Majesty's secret service, his License to Kill is revoked ! Now Bond has no British allies but Moneypenny and good old Q. The rest of the movie is exciting, suspenseful, action packed and strangely gory. Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Not his best outing but, still good
Review: In Timothy Dalton's second outing as Bond the intensity was not as good as it was in, The Living Daylights, but it was still entertaining. The fault in this tale dealt with a more comic book set up, than a tale reality and revenge. Yes James Bond went after the man who ordered the hit on Felix Lietner and wife but, that's as far as realism went. Also to say that Dalton embraced the role and made it his own is only partrly correct. Though he did do a far better job than Roger Moore ever did after, The Man with the Golden Gun, Dalton was bettered by the man who came after. Still, Licence to Kill, deserves a four star rating.
Rating:
Summary: Licence To Thrill
Review: Timothy Dalton's 2nd and final appearance as James Bond finds the famous spy going AWOL from the British Secret Service in search of drug kingpin, Franz Sanchez (Robert Davi), the man responsible for the near death of his American friend, Felix Leiter as well as the death of his new bride. This Bond film is very different from the rest of the series, in that it shows Bond as more of a renegade than that of a super spy. Teaming up with an American operative (Carey Lowell), the two work together to destroy Sanchez's organization from the inside out. People will note that this plot has a very "Yojimbo," "Fistful Of Dollars," "Last Man Standing," quality to it, in that Sanchez befriends Bond, who then makes him suspect all his allies, having him eliminate his own men in the process. As in all Bond films, Licence To Kill has some great stunt sequences, notably 007 firing a harpoon gun at a plane and skiing after it on the water without skis. Also the great tanker truck sequences are amazing. You have to see a rocket launcher being fired at one to believe it! Timothy Dalton will always be remembered as the most serious James Bond. And although many people criticize him to this day for it, he truly made the part the most real. It's also interesting to point out that Licence To Kill had the best scored screenings with test audiences than any other Bond film, yet it failed to find an audience in the US but did do well in the UK. The original title was Licence Revoked, but United Artists thought Americans wouldn't know what that meant (we're not that ignorant, UA!) so it was changed. The DVD version is packed full of extra features including 2 audio commentaries, one with director John Glen, the other with producer Michael G. Wilson. Although Wilson's is quite informative, John Glen's is the most enjoyable in my opinion. You also get the Licence To Kill music video with Gladys Knight, who claims she now would not have done the song because its subject matter involves killing. And you get the End Credit "If You Asked Me To" music video by Patti LaBelle, one of the most popular End Credit Songs for a Bond movie. There are also other little goodies such as a still gallery, some publicity footage, a featurette on the exciting stunt footage of the film, and of course, theatrical trailers. But one of the best bonuses on the disc is the Inside Licence To Kill Documentary. You get a real feel of how hard and difficult the film actually was to make, with Cubby Broccoli unable to stay on location because of the heat and the mysterious burning hand seen on one of the still photos of a tanker explosion. Very cool stuff! So, although many dislike it here in the USA, this does not mean the film is not credible and more and more people are discovering today what an actual good film it truly is. "Bless Your Heart."-Wayne Newton
Rating:
Summary: A good close for the 80's decade
Review: As other people have pointed out, "Licence To Kill" is perhaps the most grittiest Bond, but it is certaintly a positive quality. Instead of the days of far-out plots(remember "The Spy Who Loved Me" or "You Only Live Twice?"), here we have a plot that is all about Bond comitted to avenge his longtime friend, Felix Leiter. The villian, Franz Sanchez, has decent aims: he doesn't want to rule the world, he wants to be a successful, powerful, and rich drug lord. Fortunately, the part is played by Robert Davi, who plays the role excellently! The Bond girls here are better than the standard fare. Carey Lowell is suitable as the CIA operative Pam Bouvier, and Taliso Soto is beautiful as Franz' girlfriend, Lupe. And "Q" fortunately gets lots of playtime in this movie, more than the standard gadgets introduction. People here praise the action scences of this film, and sadly, I must disagree. The previous film, "The Living Daylights," had more satisfying action scences. In LTK, we get 1)A helicopter chasing an airplace in the "Teaser" sequence 2) Bond fighting with guards in a marine facility[a short scene and wasn't as exciting as was expected] 3) Bond on an out of control airplane with badguys driving it[Actually, this is a good scence] 4) A brawl in a bar[Nice to try something new for a Bond film, but the actual scene was pretty lame nonetheless] 5) A semi-truck chase at the end[Praised by critics and viewers alike, but if disappointed me! Oh, a mere truck doing a wheelie to escape flames, and Bond attempting an unbelievable stunt doing a side-wheelie to aviod a missile]. As you can see, I feel the action scences could have been better, but they were acceptable and entertaining for the most part. The part I really like is where Bond kills the villian Franz. I wont give it away, but I think it is the best villian death of all the Bond films. Bond sort of gets the appropriate revenge he deserved, something he didn't get for his wife who was killed by Blofeld in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service." Lastly, Timothy Dalton plays Bond for the second and unfortunately the last time. None of the other Bonds could have handled the gritty Bond that we see in this film, and Timothy did the best job. He was a great Bond. I wish he could have done more. All in all, "Licence To Kill" is a very good Bond, and despite slightly lame action scences, this movie more than did it for me.
Rating: 
Summary: License to Kill a decent action film, but bad Bond film
Review: If I were to rate this movie as a normal action film, I might give it four stars, but as a Bond film, I'd have to give it two stars, and that is being kind to the film. The main problem is with James Bond himself. By making Bond go renagade and be a man on a quest for vengance, they took away most of the qualities that make James Bond different from other action heroes. This was obviously an attempt to update the character by changing him into a modern hero, but this is a slap in the face to all loyal Bond fans. The movie almost makes up for the bad Bond with its intriguing villians and Q largest role ever in a Bond film. Thankfully, they did not change Q's character. Davi does a good job of portraying the drug lord Sanchez, a ruthless villian who rewards loyalty and those who betray him. Benicio Del Toro does a fine job as the young Dario, one of my favorite Bond villians. This movie is not boring with its various actions scenes and cool gadget, such as dentinite toothpaste and a gun made to only work for Bond. There is also plenty of violence for those of you who like that but it is balanced with comic relief, like the message on Felix Leiter after he was attacked by the shark that said " He disagreed with something that at him," a line straight out of Ian Fleming's Live and Let Die. So, overall it is an entertaining film but it will be dissapointing to Bond purists.
Rating:
Summary: This is what Live and Let Die was supposed to be...
Review: For those of you that are fans of Ian Fleming (and I'm hoping there's still a few of you out there) you will really appreciate this movie! The first 1/4 of it is pretty much an adaptation of the novel "Live and Let Die." I think there is more of that book in this movie than in the movie of the same name! Then the middle of the movie is based on the short story "The Hildebrand Variety." All in all great fun! Timothy Dalton does the best literary Bond by far, a heck of a lot better than that pouf Pierce Brosnan, who is too busy trying to imitate that fop Roger Moore in order to score cheap laughs. To all of you that say this isn't James Bond, read the books, you don't know who Bond is.
Rating:
Summary: Bond. Awesome Bond.
Review: "Licence to Kill", unlike many of the older Bond films that often look so dated because of their extensive use of ridiculous gadgets and equally ridiculous villains, will live a longer life than most of the rest because of the more gritty, realistic storyline. Though some may lament the end of the cold war-type scenario (and, I suppose, the "Dr. Evil"-type villains), the bad guys and their crimes in this story are really quite imaginative. No, they don't want to blow up the world - they just want to supply the world with blow! I'll bet you the "drug war" lasts a whole lot longer than the cold war ever did. Jeez, this was made in 1989 and I don't see that the situation has changed one iota, so it's still contemporary in that sense. Timothy Dalton's portrayal of JB is the most human, ergo the most genuine and believable. Robert Davi gives an outstanding performance as Sanchez, the cold and remorseless murdering drug kingpin. He'll cut their heart out, blow 'em up in a decompression chamber or run 'em through with a forklift and go on his way as if nothing happened. As he says at one point to Felix Leiter as he's about to, shall we say, "take a bite out of law enforcement", "I want you to know this is nothing personal - it's strictly... business". Bond is equally remorseless in his killing, of course, but, hey, he's got a license, Daddy - until "M" revokes it, that is, for his "private vendetta" against Sanchez. There is also none of the standard crap where the villain has Bond dead to rights, only to leave him to an implausible escape. Bond has to fight for his life and gets more roughed up than I've ever seen him. While he does manage some very neat tricks that don't let you forget he IS, after all, Bond (like driving a semi up on only one set of wheels in order to dodge a stinger missile or barefoot water skiing behind a seaplane after spearing its pontoon from underwater), the action generally doesn't violate the laws of physics. Dear old "Q" has his meatiest role ever in this show, even acting as a field operative to assist Bond. The Bond women are also more believable - not so far out of reach that you couldn't imagine yourself taking them for a spin. Well, maybe YOU couldn't (ha!). Benicio Del Toro gives a wonderfully psychotic performance as Dario, Sanchez's trusted hit man. I believe he is a killer! Wayne Newton provides some comic relief as the TV huckster "Professor" Joe Butcher, who is actually providing a cover for Sanchez's drug transactions with his "meditation institute" hype. This movie also has the most awesome theme song, "License to Kill" by Gladys Knight. In short, "Good show, 007!"
Rating:
Summary: Probably my favorite Bond film
Review: I really like all the Bond films,but I'd have to say this one is my favorite.It's got the usual action,great locations,and, of course,beautiful women,but I think it shows a more human side of Bond.Next to Sean Connery,I'd also have to say Timothy Dalton is my favorite Bond. The DVD is excellent with loads of extra features including hundreds of still photos and a very interesting documentary on the making of the film. A MUST for all James Bond fans.
Rating:
Summary: James Bond, Unleased! With a "Licence To Kill"
Review: "Licence To Kill", the sixteen entry in the James Bond series and the second to star Timothy Dalton, appears to have caused more arguments among Bond fans that any other. For the first and only time, James Bond is portrayed as a man so consumed with vengeance, he is willing to throw away everything in order to kill a single man. Only in "Diamonds Are Forever" is Bond even remotely shown in this light and that vendetta only consumed the first few minutes of the film. "Licence To Kill" starts conventionally out enough. Bond is on his way to his friend's, CIA agent Felix Leiter's wedding when Leiter's partners at the DEA call in informing him that a major drug lord, Franz Sanchez, was on a Bahamian island and that he could be captured and arrested. After Leiter and Bond successfully apprehend Sanchez and make it to the altar, all seems well. However, Sanchez has engineered a successful jailbreak and decides to send a warning by killing Leiter's new wife and horribly mutiltating Leiter himself. Bond, angry and frustated at the DEA's unwillingness to pursue Sanchez, goes out on his own and once tracked down by "M" and confronted, Bond goes rogue. Helped only by CIA pilot Pam Bouvier, Bond locates Sanchez in a Central American country, but finds killing him a far more complex problem than he imagines for he, the pursuer, is himself pursued. Will Bond destroy Sanchez before he destroys himself? The casting is strong in this movie. Robert Davi is absolutely smashing as the incredibly cold and sadistic Franz Sanchez. In fact Davi perfected his frightening persona so well that while filming on location, many locals actually mistook him for a local crime boss. Benicio Del Toro is also excellent as Sanchez's psychotic henchman Dario. Carey Lowell plays a strong Pam Bouvier although it is unfortunate Lowell's character sometimes comes off as whiny. Sanchez's girlfriend Lupe Lamora (played well by Taliso Soto) is an interesting character, a woman who must use her looks and wiles in order to survive. Anthony Zerbe, Anthony Starke, and Wayne Newton each protray their characters with aplomb. Carolina Bliss, Robert Brown, and Desmond Llewelyn reprise their roles of Miss Moneypenny, "M", and "Q" and, David Hedison reprises his role as Felix Leiter, the only time an actor has played the role a second time. The action sequences for "Licence To Kill" are also somewhat different from past effort. That standard Bond staple the car chase is missing from this film, in fact the only real chase involved aircraft in the opening sequence. Bond himself engages in only three physical action scenes with the truck convoy sequence by far the longest. Although the cast and action is solid, it is the screenplay that defines the film. It was a major shock for fans to see James Bond not as an elegant and civilized gentleman spy but rather as a cold blooded, obsessive and vengeful killer, little better than the men he kills. It's ironic that the James Bond Ian Fleming wrote about was a trained killer who strained, not always successfully, to maintain a veneer of sophistication and class and constantly fought to keep from putting personal reasons ahead of his duty to Queen and Country. However, all the movies starring Sean Connery and Roger Moore have completely redefined in the public's mind how Bond should act and while Bond purists seemed to like the new premise, the moviegoers in 1989 by and large did not like the Bond they saw in "Licence To Kill". Time has not mellowed the opinions people hold for this film. The special-edition DVD from MGM has the best print and soundtrack experienced by this reviewer. As is the case with most special editions of the Bond films, the DVD has lots of documentary and promotional material. As far as rating the movie itself, this reviewer was not put off by the film's direction but did not find Dalton's acting as effective as it could be and would have to say that "The Living Daylights" was a stronger effort for Timothy Dalton. However, the strength of the supporting cast helps make "Licence To Kill" an entertaining movie. So, love or hate it, Bond fans should make this DVD a part of their collections.
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