Rating: 
Summary: Underrated
Review: Timothy Dalton is often forgotten amongst the Bond-men...But he was my favorite and did a great job as the character. Also, the DVD features 2 of the best Bond songs--License to Kill by Gladys Knight and If you asked me to by Patti Labelle. Check it out!
Rating: 
Summary: I didn't like it
Review: Unlike the other reviewers, I did not like this movie. It ws dark and seemed to be an atempt to be "realistic". Sorry - I watch Bond films for escape, not realism. A James Bond film should have him saving Felix's wife and legs. I simply found the film dark and depressing.Oh yeah, yet another "Cop quits so he can get the bad guy film." How original. Only been done about a bazillion times. At least when Shaft quits you get that cool scene where he throws his badge and it embeds itself in the wall. BTW - do people really think that if a heavy truck loses an air line it looses all its brakes? The much lauded final fight scene was just plain stupid. I would have liked to have been there for the first run through when they cut the hoses and the truck screeched to a halt. In summary - if you like the Roger Moore or Pierce Brosnan films, you may not like this one. If you always thought that Bond films needed to be more realistic, this may be for you. Personally, my collection will never include Dalton or Lazenby
Rating:
Summary: "Effective immediately, your licence to kill is revoked."
Review: In the most gritty and hard-edged James Bond movie, James Bond loses his licence to kill and goes renegade against a drug dealer who has committed a deadly crime against his friend. On his wedding night, Felix Leiter's wife is brutally murdered and felix is taken captive by a evil drug dealer called Franz Sanchez, which Felix has been hunting for many years. As revenge, Sanchez feeds him to a shark leaving him almost dead. When 007 finds out, he drops his licence to kill and goes out to kill Sanchez. The bond girls are Pam Bouvier, who literally kicks ass and is a valuable partner that helps out Bond to get close to Sanchez. Then there is the alluring Lupe Lamora, the girlfriend of Sanchez that turns to help Bond. Q is on hand in his biggest role to provide some well-needed laughter. Other villians include the boozy Milton Krest and the wicked Dario. The title song is performed by Gladys Knight and the end titles are sung by Patti Labelle. this is also the 5th and final directing of John Glen, and the final performances of Robert Brown as "M" and Caroline Bliss as "Moneypenny". The most hard edged film and was the first to get a PG-13 rating in the USA, and a 15 rating in the UK. A wonderful and true spy film that is held in high glory in the 007 series!
Rating: 
Summary: HIS BAD SIDE IS A BAD PLACE TO BE
Review: When James Bond's friend Felix is hurt badly be drug kingpin Frans Sanchez. James wants revenge and is determined to get his revenge. After his licence is revoked he is on his own. This is a good Bond film to own. Timothy Dalton brings a serious tone to Bond. It has great stunts throughout the film. The end stunts in the semi trucks are spetacular. For a Bond film that is completely different from the rest buy Licence to Kill.
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 [garbage] 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: A "companion piece" to "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"
Review: Dalton, in my opinion, was the screen's worst "Bond". His obvious theater training makes him appear too inhibited for the role of the world's greatest lothario with a gun. That is not to denigrate his talent; it's just that he seemed ill suited to fill the role.
That said, however, I feel that this film is a fitting "sequel" of sorts to "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". Comparisons are easy to discern: 1) Both have actors whose run as 007 was limited; (2) the story lines reveal a little more personal side of the British super spy; (3) the actor's respective interpretations of the character are somewhat closer in tone to Sir Ian's creation. On its own merits, "Licence" falls a little flat, but when paired with the Lazenby film, it is an acceptable entry in the Bond series.
Rating:
Summary: Living on the Edge of Time
Review: LICENCE TO KILL is an interesting follow-up to Timothy Dalton's version of James Bond in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS. Though interesting there seems to be something offbeat and awry about it. James Bond resigns in this film, but it had nowhere near the impact as when he offered his resignation in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. The story is supposed to be about Bond's revenge for the mutilation of his friend, Felix Leiter and the death of Leiter's wife. Revenge is usually meant to inflict punishment for a wrong deed received. The wrong received was the emotional pain that Bond was supposed to have experienced at Leiter's misfortunes. Cinematically, there was no visual basis for Bond's emotional pain. We never see the camaraderie or friendship between Leiter and Bond that was supposed to have existed. Why should Bond loose his objectivity and his professionalism over this incident, especially with Timothy Dalton portraying him for only the second time? Dalton's Bond certainly possessed the drive that Connery had and is present in Brosnan's interpretation of James Bond. Dalton's Bond however, had little time for levity or diversion from the mission at hand. He was the dedicated civil servant. It is not that Dalton could have resigned and gone off on some personal revenge, but the film never lays the foundation for this happening and given Dalton's interpretation of the character, Bond's actions make no sense. For the viewer, revenge would suggest that some degree of emotional anger be felt while watching the film. As a viewer I felt very little anger for the pain and suffering dispensed by Sanchez and his henchmen. Certainly many of their acts were heinous and brutal, but as filmed and edited they did not have the dramatic impact that they should have. I feel that the direction, the editing and screenplay lacked a cohesive vision. Once Bond breaks into Milton Krest's warehouse in Key West and proceeds to get pulled in by M at the Hemmingway House, the film starts losing what little momentum it had. We see Sharkey's body being towed to Krest's boat, another victim of Sanchez. We never learn under what circumstances he was killed. Bond meets up with Pam Bouvier at the Barrelhead Saloon. Following a poorly staged barroom brawl they join forces and peruse Sanchez to Isthmus City. Several superficial and perfunctory side plots divert the central story line. Banal dialogue, poor casting in key roles and Michael Kamen's unusually lackluster score permeates the entire film. It plods along to what should have been a face-to-face and no-holds-bared confrontation between Bond and Sanchez. This type of confrontation never materializes in the form that it should have. Bond informs Leiter over the phone about his retribution on Sanchez in a very brief and throwaway scene. This should have been a key scene in the film, bringing the revenge to an end. The best element of the story line was the idea of having Bond place doubt in the mind of Sanchez that henchmen in his organization were plotting against him and he didn't know whom to trust. However, this plot device was not exploited till nearly the last third of the film. LICENCE TO KILL does contain some good performances. The film's greatest asset is Benicio Del Toro's performance as Dario, a Sanchez henchman. Dario's screen presence is twisted and contorted bringing the notion that evil menace is the only reason for his existence in life. Don Stroud was very credible and somewhat likeable as Heller, the head of security and Sanchez's private army. Wayne Newton actually brought a nice touch of comic relief as Professor Joe Butcher, head of a meditation temple and front for Sanchez's laboratories. Anthony Zerbe brought his unique brand of histrionics to his role of the seemingly drunken smuggler Milton Krest. From a sentimental point of view, it was good to see David Hedison reprise his role as Felix Leiter and it was nice to see Desmond Llewelyn as 'Q' in 'the field' in a meatier role than usual. Robert Brown gave his most credible performance as 'M' in this film. Brown never possessed the charisma that Bernard Lee brought to the role. Here Brown as 'M' brings a cold detachment in his scene with Bond even deploying sharpshooters in the event that the rogue agent may attempt to act irrationally when his 'licence to kill' is revoked. Also this film contains two of the best-staged and edited action scenes from the James Bond series. Bond's single-handed assault on Milton Krest's smuggling boat, which goes above and below water and finally into the air is incredible. The film's finale contains an intricate, complex, enthralling and completely entertaining duel between Bond and Sanchez and his cronies as they drive, jump, hurdle and hang on for dear life onto oil tank trucks along a mountainous curving road while bullets ricochet, rockets fly and explosion abound. The film seems more palatable with the passage of time. Bond was literally living on the edge in this one.
Rating:
Summary: Recieved what I ordered
Review: The tape arrived in reasonable time and was in new condition as advertised.
Rating:
Summary: Bond books vs. films
Review: In the world of Bond as in all things, one can only say, to each his own. Every Bond fan has a favorite and least favorite film, some despise Licence to Kill and most (in this forum at least) seem to love it. I am one of those.
Some of the negative reviews highlight Dalton's seriousness in his portrayal of Bond, in interviews at the time Dalton himself had expressed an interest in having a lot of say in the writing of the film and said portrayal, he was given that opportunity and love it or hate it, this film is a result of Dalton's devotion to Ian Fleming's James Bond. As far as I've experienced in talking to people about Bond, many of the younger (30 years old and under) people I know prefer Moore's portrayal, they see him as the perfect movie Bond, suave, gadget laden, cool under pressure, always quick with the double entendre and blissfully mysoginistic. Brosnan appeals to them for the same reasons they liked Moore. When watching the Connery films, they found Bond to be almost cruel to women, ruthless and crude. And Dalton they just found to be psychotic. The movies created a language with Connery and Moore, people like that comfort zone and want more of what they believe Bond should reflect: quips, gadgets, stunts and girls. Then there's the books, Bond is a quiet man, a man of routine, not prone to suffering fools gladly, hates killing, but does so with ruthless efficiency, wants to retire, slightly out of shape, gets joy out of writing self-defense manuals, likes his coffee black, his showers cold and his martinis "vodka, preferably polish or russian, with a twist of lemon, shaken, not stirred". Instead of gadgets, he often uses whatever's at hand, tends to "take" women as opposed to seducing them, and has no patience for feminism. He's a conservative spy, who dresses well but not flashily. Doesn't wish to draw undue attention to himself, and plays a wicked game of golf with Goldfinger, which lasts some 20 pages in the book. With that criteria in mind the best bond films would be those of Connery (barely), Lazenby, and Dalton. It all depends on the way you want to look at it. I find Fleming's Bond more intriguing, but the wacky fantasy spy of the films can be fun, too.
Rating:
Summary: "Effective immediately, your licence to kill is revoked."
Review: This film is just a mixed bag. Some people love it and some don't. I love every Bond film. Licence to Kill just had too much violence in it. The villain Franz Sanchez is very well portrayed as are his henchmen, Milton Krest and Dario, but the idea of drug-smuggling is just bland and boring. The new Bond girl Pam Bouvier is very nice and certainly lends a well-needed hand to 007. Gladys Knight performs a top-notch thriller of a song that has to suave touch that the film needed. Luckily Q is on hand to bring along some humor in his biggest performance in any of the Bond films. This film is good and I have seen it 102 times.
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