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Licence To Kill (Special Edition)

Licence To Kill (Special Edition)

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Bond the way it was meant to be
Review: After getting this DVD and watching it again I can only say Dalton should did more Bond movies. The two he did were by far the best of the series. It seems that in every other Bond movie he's saving the world That also makes daltons movies different A great plot with great action. Bond was back shame he didn't stay.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good Bond movie but drags at times
Review: Licence To Kill is a pretty good movie but there are some low points to it. First even thogh this movie is PG-13 and violent most of the action really isn't that good. It is not hair raising like in most Bond adventures. It also really doesn't play like a normal Bond. It centers around Bond out to get revenge. And most of the time 007 is nice to his enemy. Also I thoght that the tanker chase would be good, but it is not much of a chase. But still I liked this movie. I like Q's extra large roll and Timothy Dalton as 007. Also I like the ending song. This Bond adventure is much different than others. There is no mission and a lot more violence and profanity than most others, that earned it a PG-13. I would still reccomend this to a 007 or action fan.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the best bond films
Review: Timothy Dalton gives a strong performance in his second role as James Bond. Liscence To Kill also has a strong supporting cast from Robert Davi (Die Hard, Cops And Robbersons, Raw Deal), Everett McGill (Under Seige 2, Silver Bullet, My Fellow Americans), Benicio Del Toro (The Usual Suspects), and Grand L. Bush (Lethal Weapon 1 & 2, Die Hard, Freejack) Here, Bond sort of pulls an "out for justice" to avenge his friend, Felix. Great action and a sexy female supporting cast make this one of the best Bond movies.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A tough, realistic Bond movie
Review: Timothy Dalton doesn't have the charisma of Sean Connery or the likeability of Roger Moore, but his two portrayals of James Bond were more realistic and serious, which I prefer. "Licence to Kill" is one of my favorites because it doesn't dwell on silly, far-fetched gadgets or have corny dialogue. It's a tough, violent adventure that unfortunately hasn't been repeated in latter Bond movies.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fleming¿s Bond is Back
Review: Different Bond fans like different things in the Bond movies.Some like the stunts, others the locations or the women. I like when they stick close to Ian Fleming. GOLDFINGER and FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE take the basic Fleming stories and improve them. On the audio commentary for the LIVE AND LET DIE DVD, scriptwriter Tom Mankiewicz repeats the company line of Roger Moore being "closer" to Fleming's original concept. Nonsense. Timothy Dalton's interpretation is the closest to date, and never more so than in LICENCE TO KILL. Pierce Brosnan has gone on record saying that he would like Bond to be more gritty, realistic, emotional, but Dalton paved the way. Dalton has been accused of being humorless, but I can't think of another actor in the role who has laughed as much as Dalton has in his two films. Bond is serious when he should be; the maiming of his friend does not lend itself to wry quips. Compare Brosnan in TOMORROW NEVER DIES; after Paris, an old flame, is killed, Brosnan's Bond shows real grief and emotion, but then immediately goes into a ridiculous car chase, giving her not a second thought! I would have enjoyed it, though, had the Bond of this film allowed himself a sly smile when he sees the villain Sanchez is playing right into his hands.

In the US the summer of 1989 saw LICENCE TO KILL come at the tail end of highly anticipated summer fare - INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE, STAR TREK V, BATMAN, DO THE RIGHT THING, GHOSTBUSTERS II, and LETHAL WEAPON 2, to name a few. It did, however, make money in rest of the world. But KARATE KID III made more money here. Oh, well...

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: An excellent Bond fim. The best There's been since Connery!
Review: James Bond (played flawlessly by Timothy Dalton) sets out to avenge the death of his best friends wife in this extremely good spy thriller.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Timothy Dalton IS James Bond (from the books)
Review: A shame Mr. Dalton decided not to stay on for a few more Bond movies. Dalton has realized Commander James Bond from the Ian Flemig's novelizations closer than any other actor (sorry Connery fans). Dalton's bond is dapper and suave, but he's first and foremost a spy, and he's not afraid to pick up the sniper rifle or get into a knife fight. Licence to kill pits Bond against a South American drug lord (the shiek villian at the time). Bond is looking for revenge after the hoodlums henchmen get at long time friend Felix and his wife. Robert Davi gives a strong performance as the rank and file machete weilding antagonist. Initially recieved an 'X' rating for violent content. Dalton insisted that he standed in for a good amount of the stunts. I always thought that Daltons icy blue stare did credit to the role of James Bond.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Nice action scenes and villain, but wrong for a Bond film
Review: Violent and hateful, I was appaled by this Bond movie. Bond has always been in many regards, cold (I still remember Connery coldly shooting that guy in Dr. No) but he has never been this hateful! Violent and unappealing! Wayne Newton was fun, though, offering the only light moments. "Bless your heart!"

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: DALTON'S BEST BOND FILM AND DAVI IS EXCELLENT!
Review: I first saw License to Kill in 1989 when it came to theaters and I was truly blown away by the film. One of the things that is best about this film is the villain, Sanchez, portrayed with uncompromising realism by Robert Davi, who, in my opinion, is one of the most underrated Bond villains of all time. In fact, I'll venture to say that Davi has never received the recognition he deserves as an actor - "PERIOD"! I have always thought that Davi's portrayal of the villain in this film is extremely believable and refined. Also, Dalton is at his best in the most entertaining and exciting of his two outings as Bond. I do wish he had been Bond a little bit longer. Anyway, here's to Davi and Dalton...and here's to License to Kill, two excellent actors and one excellent film.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A toast to the way Bond should be (but not succinct)
Review: Maybe I'm a fan of the books, but I always preferred it when Bond was a human figure and not a superhero cartoon character (I'll be polite and not name names, but we know who they are anyway.)

I'll fill you in on the bad stuff first (the rating should be 4.5 stars): The acting on the part of the Bond girls, Talisa Soto in particular. It's a shame since her part is significant to the story...

I suppose to say that the movie has a somewhat cheap look to it. Well, there were numerous behind-the-scenes production problems. It's been said that the Mexico locations look drab. Well, I can see that viewpoint but I also like to think that a spy is NOT limited to visiting just posh and visibly-known cities which sparkle with lights! Personally, I have no problems with this issue as it is, once again, somewhat realistic.

The only other dumb aspect are some of the stunts. It's unorthodox to get a helicopter to restrain a plane but it's believable. But the tanker scene where Bond "pops a wheelie" with the truck he has commandeered is a sheer impossibility. On the other hand, other Bond movies (especially recent ones) really exterminate credibility with stunts they pull so I can readily accept the tanker scene in its entirely.

Now for the great stuff. The rest of the acting is no less than brilliant. Robert Davi packs a punch as the drug kingpin Sanchez. Timothy Dalton, as always, proves to be the best Bond ever. Even Anthony Zerbe as Krest (who has a habit of taking parts where his character dies by having his head exploded or distorted, see 'Star Trek Insurrection') pulls his weight. M, again, is convincing and properly brings across the tension which was needed when Bond offers his resignation. And it's also fun to watch a Moneypenny who isn't tainted by 1990s-style sexually-deprived men (I don't recommend it but go watch 'tomorrow never dies' and you'll instantly hear what I mean.) In other words, she's still a sappy romantic character that we all know and love. And keep an eye out for Dario, Sanchez's main henchman. He is truly terrifying and one mean despicable fellow.

I also enjoyed this movie because Desmond Llewellyn, Q, actually gets to do something for once aside from telling Bond not to ogle the chicks or to bring back equipment undamaged (which Bond never does so why restate the request?)

The plot itself is simple: Vengeance. Druglord Sanchez maims Bond's personal friend (CIA agent Felix Leiter) and murders his newly wed wife. Bond sets out for personal revenge. Bond is doing something most other movies don't: Using brains and wit over gadgets and stupid jokes or puns to defeat his villains. And in this movie, Bond is by far THE best.

With very high quality writing, overall great acting, and a fairly sturdy plot, "Licence to Kill" is definitely worth viewing and it makes one wonder what might have been if EON productions didn't throw up that lawsuit which suspended the movie series...


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