Licence To Kill (Special Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Lean, Mean Bond Machine
Review: Timothy Dalton's second and last go-around as 007 remains one of the best. In some ways, "Licence to Kill" (1989) is a radical departure from the previous films, with James Bond becoming judge, jury and executioner. Even though the movie occasionally feels like a "Miami Vice" retread, the 007 spirit survives intact. The spectacular oil-tanker chase is a terrific setpiece -- it's nice to see a 007 film have a strong finish for a change. Perhaps Dalton wasn't the best Bond, but he was ideal for this particular adventure.

Rating:
Summary: Thrilling in parts...drags in others
Review: This Bond has plenty of action, but the story line is rather weak.
Bond's close friend and associate Felix Leiter (David Hedison) is captured and mutilated, and new bride savagely murdered. Bond resigns from Her Majesty's Secret Service so that he may be avenged on the drug lord who has organized and carried this out-Franz Sanchez (Robert Davi).

It is rather flat, in it's portrayal, as are many of the post Cold war Bonds where bond is simply battling petty drug lords, rather than international totalitarian outfits dedicated to world domination-although Die Another Day with Pierce Brosnin blessedly bucked this trend, by pitting bond against vicious North Koreans.

Robert Davi plays the role of a villain beautifully and could just as easily play a cold-blooded Palestinian terror-lord.

Benicio del Toro as the brutal Dario likewise would make a perfect Palestinian terrorist who murders children, as Palestinian terrorists frequently do.

True to form, this bond movie gives us two drop-dead gorgeous women,
Carey Lowell as pilot Pam Bouvier, and Talisa Soto as Sanchez terrorized girlfriend, Lupe Lamora.

Near the beginning a terrified Lupe is caught in a compromising situation , nude , and is cruelly threatened and whipped by Sanchez , making you long for this damsel in distress to be rescued.

Good actors and actresses should never be blamed for poor script-writing.


Rating:
Summary: BIG improvement over Roger Moore
Review: Moore simply could not make Bond seem real. Perhaps it was the appearance (blond hair) or his - how to say this politiely - advancing years in which some of the babes appear as daughters rather than gal pals. Dalton was great. It was different in that Bond was not on a government-sanctioned mission but a personal vendetta. It was exciting and yes, violent, but it did reinstill some much-needed reality back into the series. With Moore, everything - from plot to dame to prize - was a joke. Here one realizes that the spy game is more than a game - it is dangerous and dirty. Great villians but the romance side was rather weak despite the lurid (for Bond) scenes.

Super performance by Wayne Newton!!