Reviewing 'Licence to Kill' - The Countdown to Bond 25

CINEMATIC 007 -- "I want you to know this is nothing personal. It's purely business." The Countdown to 'No Time To Die' continues with a review of 'Licence to Kill.'
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[@TravisTLCdrumming]

I actually love this movie. I think it’s pretty incredible. Amazing villain, Dalton at the top of his game. Ruthless. Some weird flaws in the story for sure but all in all I think this one set the stage for Craig.

[@niels25chr1]

Weird choices in the plot? I can't find one Weird choices.

[@movieace1295]

@@niels25chr1 ninjas

[@jasonshaneyfelt1039]

@@niels25chr1 The only odd point for me is the winking fish

[@kovilanmoodley7464]

The last great bond film without a doubt.wish Dalton had done a few more...

[@niels25chr1]

@@movieace1295 The ninjas were there because the Chinese agents tried to infiltrade Sanchez´ organization. Whats weird with that? I thought it was a nice twist at the right time of the movie.

[@jaxson1948]

Timothy Dalton is the perfect Bond in a great Bond film. The problem arises when we try to compare it to the other Bond's and Bond Films. You have to look at it as a stand alone Bond and it works great. As with each Bon... Daniel Craig and Pierce Brosnan are totally different Bond characters, yet, each work great in their portrayal of Bond. No such thing as a bad Bond film!

[@johnrigs6540]

That’s absolutely true! Still rather watch a “lesser” Bond movie than just about anything else!

[@tomchris60]

@Simon Leib Sorry, but I disagree- in a good way. OHMSS ceased being "hugely underrated" decades ago. While it was for a time considered " that odd one without Sean Connery," by the 80's OHMSS enjoyed a critical consensus. It started placing among the series' best. It should also be noted OHMSS was financially successful.

[@Paul91-]

That's actually very true. There isn't really such a thing as a bad Bond film per se. Even my least favourite Bond films like Die Another Day, A View to a Kill and Diamonds Are Forever have some good things in them that I can enjoy and love revisiting. Regardless of how I feel about said least favourite films as a whole. There also really isn't a bad James Bond actor per se. Each actor brings their own interpretation and take to the role. Again no matter how I personally feel about my least favourite Bond actor. 1. Sean Connery had the best lines. 2. George Lazenby had the best fight scenes. 3. Roger Moore was the most likeable human being out of all of the James Bond actors. 4. Timothy Dalton was the most underrated James Bond actor. 5. Pierce Brosnan saved the franchise from extinction. 6. Daniel Craig also saved the franchise from extinction. Every Bond film and every Bond actor all each have their own merits. No matter how we feel about them. That's what is really so endearing and so beautiful about the James Bond film series. I think that it is such a huge testament to the Bond series where the series keeps itself goinng, constantly keeps itself up with the current times and constantly relaunches itself successfully. No matter how many down moments it has.

[@vordman]

What about Quantum Of Solace. I've seen it like four times and can hardly remember a thing that happens in it. Totally unmemorable film.

[@tajcee]

I don’t care what anyone says I freaking LOVE License to Kill. Bond in this is ruthless and cunning, as Ian Fleming has intended. The only bits I would have either cut out or tweaked in this film would’ve been the Barrelhead Bar scene, Q, Joe Butcher, fleshing out Sanchez’s character a bit more (his motivations), and the ninja scene. Other than that, Dalton and Robert Davi play off each other extremely well, with Davi playing an equally calculating villain to offset Dalton’s Bond.

[@Rhhe82]

Taj Campbell I second this one. A great movie, that could have been even greater with those tweaks, and especially if it was more modern with Bond having to face consequences of his rogue activities. Also, I’m really disappointed the guys didn’t point out the homage to Goldfinger in the theme song! (... which I really like).

[@shaunpalmer1924]

Finally good to see someone else thinks this film is badly underrated, although Sean connery is my favourite bond, Dalton is the closest adaptation of Flemings bond

[@tajcee]

Rhhe82 Great points! I wish the film also dealt with the fallout of Bond’s revenge, that would’ve been Flemingesque. Instead, we get the neat and tidy ending with the winking fish... Meh. I do love the theme song, though, as it echoes Goldfinger! Yeah it doesn’t really have anything to do with the movie itself but it’s awesome. Easily in my top 10 list of Bond themes.

[@tajcee]

shaun palmer Super underrated! LTK and Quantum of Solace are my babies; they get picked on and don’t get a lot of love sadly. Honestly I love the pacing of License to Kill - it’s pretty taut, and I prefer it to the bloated Bond films (Skyfall, Thunderball).

[@Robz82001]

@@Rhhe82 Thanks for pointing that out.....I missed that but now listening to it in my head I get it!!!

[@billkoenig1552]

January 1989: Columbo is revived. Anthony Zerbe is the murder victim in the first episode, his character is decapitated. Summer 1989: Zerbe's character in Licence to Kill had his head explode. 1990s: In a Star Trek movie, Zerbe's character has his face stretched out horribly. Poor guy keeps having things happen to his head.

[@anthonylewis2080]

In comparison to 1999's "True Crime" (opposite Clint Eastwood) Zerbe got a lot of respite as a retired judge, six years prior, he featured in "The Dead Zone" with fellow Bond Villain Christopher Walken.

[@AndyJay1985]

He was also the only decent part in Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park.

[@michaelengle1413]

A criminally underrated Bond film. In my top three along with OHMSS and CR. Easily Dalton's best of his two films! Go check out the LTK film locations (including the Hemingway House, St. Mary's of the Sea Church and the Felix Leiter wedding house) in Key West, Florida. They are all basically unchanged from how they looked in the film.

[@joebuck4957]

nope

[@tashrif46]

I think Licence to Kill is one of the best James Bond movie ever. I think the plot works great for an 80s Bond movie and I think the character of Bond has been fleshed out in both the Living Daylights and Licence To Kill

[@niels25chr1]

Totally agree

[@samkaufman1889]

Joe Darlington’s “again” count for this episode: 87

[@LloydNance]

Sam Kaufman the best drinking game there is.

[@gocanuckurself1]

HAHAHAHAHAHA

[@samkaufman1889]

Lloyd Nance...only if you want alcohol poisoning lol

[@SimonBaldock]

What's Scott's "you know" count ? Must be double Joe's :)

[@SimonBaldock]

@@LloydNance Take a shot everytime Scott says: "i love it/that" "great stuff" or "you know" - you'll be drunk off your ass within in 2 mins. And you'll be in the back of an ambulance if you watch more than 1 of these (great) reviews in a row.

[@garethsmith6611]

I loved Licence to Kill. Gritty dark bond which was ahead of its time and has aged well. I do have to disagree. This is certainly one of the best bond movies of them all. It was reviewed well. great rating online.

[@redlightmax]

30:33 I like how the gun-barrel sequence has completely different music to what we're used to. It sounds like a thriller or murder mystery, which sets the right tone for the movie.

[@andrewwgold]

An aspect of this movie I find interesting is how Bond manipulates Sanchez into turning on his own henchmen

[@niels25chr1]

Indeed. One of the strengths with Daltons Bond was the fact that he was clever and outsmarted his villains.

[@billkoenig1552]

"Other than that, how did you like the play, Mrs. Lincoln?"

[@robertcarson2365]

I do like the film. Dalton and Davi are amazing. I would have cut the Q stuff out. It wasn't really needed. That is the formulaic stuff they have to keep in the movies. As for Leiter, they never did him justice in the movies. In the books you see the friendship more. Felix just never got a good role in the movies, which he should have.

[@Gamingnstuff131]

The formula absolutely held this movie back. If they relied less on it then it would’ve probably gone over better. It’s a similar gripe that I have with The World Is Not Enough. That movie had an interesting premise by having a femme fatale who suffers from Stockholm syndrome and who concocted a grand scheme with her captor turned lover to destroy istanbul to take out her competition and dominate the oil industry. It was heading in a darker and more interesting direction than typically seen in the usual Bond movie. Definitely better than the war for ratings Rupert Murdoch satire of Tomorrow Never Dies. The forced addition of formula elements kept deflating the balloon. Every time they were heading in an interesting direction the forced inclusion of formula elements had a tendency to take you out of the moment. This movie had a similar tendency. Especially around the halfway mark. Formula kept being inserted when it didn’t need to be inserted and it brought what could’ve been probably been a top 10 worthy movie to at best one for the 15-20 mark, 20-25 at worst.

[@mitchellsmith2924]

This is one of the best Bond films. Love Timothy Dalton's Bond squaring off against Robert Davi's Sanchez. A movie not without it's flaws but an exceptional one nevertheless. A solid 10 in my book.

[@nathanadlerinc2790]

The best Bond film. Hands down. All your problems with the bondgirl and story are in EVERY SINGLE BOND FILM.

[@georgem2334]

Licence to Kill could have been the last James Bond Film. MGM was bought by a french company who wanted to sell James Bond VHS tapes for ten dollars to raise money to purchase more shares of MGM, and didn't give Albert Broccoli his 50 percent share. Broccoli was tired of yet another fight, and wanted to put James Bond up for sale. He said he didn't want another legal fight with the few years he had left. Sony then bought MGM, and Broccoli felt he could deal with MGM, and put his daughter Barbara Broccoli and step son Michael Wilson in charge of EON productions to produce the next movie, Goldeneye. It could have been the end for the James Bond franchise. People don't realize it was that close.

[@hubertlane-nicholson8954]

George M With hindsight, I wish it had've been the end for Bond: People keep harping on about how "Timothy Dalton paved the way for the (allegedly) superior Daniel Craig???" In my view, Daniel Craig isn't fit to thread the laces of Timothy Dalton's boots; and in Craig we see a Bond less worthy Bond than the one portrayed by Peter Sellars. A Bond movie today is merely an exercise in how bad a modern screenwriter can be, how bad a modern director can be, and how much CGI they can get away with (in terms insulting our intelligence... the days of the great stunt co-ordinators have clearly gone for good). License to Kill would have been a worthy finale to the greatest movie franchize of them all.

[@speedracer1945]

To make films it costs a lot of money . At the beginning of a film you'll notice about 3- 5 names of companies each pits their share in hopping for the summers hit.

[@jordza2k11]

if anyone likes Daniel Craigs films then you can't ever say you don't love this film, because its his films done with a better 007, better soundtrack and better acting with more realistic stories for the times,

[@stewsretroreviews]

Don't care what anyone says, I loved this film, Dalton was brutal and a gritty Bond at his best, the girls were lovely and quite good. It was entertaining that Bond went rogue to get revenge. Will definitely be watching this again!

[@tashrif46]

I think the Q scenes were done to show that even though has revoked Licence to Kill from Bond, the board members like Moneypenny and Q still cares about his well being and him going rogue, it was Moneypenny who tasked Q to help Bond. I think those scenes work great because it really shows Q and Bond in a working relationship where even though they could be annoying to each other, they still care for each other as well

[@GhostWolf141]

Timothy Dalton was seriously underrated. More gritty and serious which I preferred over Moore’s comedy moments.

[@nicknewman7848]

Dalton's performance is great in this. The stunts are cool and Pam is hot!!! The villain is realistic but sadistic and in the tradition of Fleming. It borrows from the Live and Let Die novel for parts of the plot which is good stuff too. The only weirdness for me is Q disguised as a Mexican and the Evangelical stuff. Dalton throwing squid in that guys face is obviously awesome.

[@nicholascaldwell3396]

Don’t compare License to kill to Quantum of solace

[@qwertymanor]

Quantum is better

[@ricardocantoral7672]

​@@qwertymanor Quantum is the worst Bond film ever.

[@SimonBaldock]

@@ricardocantoral7672 anything with Craig is NOT Bond

[@ojar91]

Love this bond, I prefer bond to be ruthless and cold blooded.

[@christhornycroft3686]

Dalton’s Quantum. I get what they were trying to do, but the execution in both cases is lacking.

[@tomchris60]

I lean toward Joseph in regards to LTK but Scott really makes some compelling arguments. This is why I love being a James Bond fan. Even when I disagree, I've feel as if I learned something.

[@jamielynch9807]

Love this movie. As I've said in a previous comment I've always had this in my head canon as a spiritual successor to OHMSS but as Joe rightly pointed out there's no specific attempt by the movie to show this. As you say if they'd overtly gone with Bond has snapped due to Felix & Della but also some deeply rooted personal issues that could have been very interesting. Favourite scene has to be the water ski sequence. It's wonderfully shot and the music is possibly the highlight of Kamen's score. That and the music used in the wonderful gunbarrel. I also really enjoy the pre title and that parachute into the wedding is superb. Title song definitely would have benefitted from a slightly grittier tone but has grown on me over the years. It's not perfect though (odd humour, Dirty Love...) and like Scott I would now consider Daylights to be the superior film. Dalton was doing what audiences would flock to see Daniel Craig doing years later and in my opinion Dalton did the better job. Audiences just weren't ready for that style yet in '89 and it's always bugged me that Dalton never got his third outing. Great review as always guys, I still have loads of your videos to watch and can't wait to check them all out. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on GoldenEye!

[@alexkrycek21]

It's in my top 3.

[@sodajerkclassic]

I think that LK is a very underappreciated Bond film. The final showdown between Bond and Sanchez is one of the most poetic deaths of the main villain in the series. It is in my top 3 favorite Bond films but will always come in third place behind Goldfinger and OHMSS.

[@clarencebeeks1528]

I have to agree with Scott. I'm old enough to have seen LTK in its Cinema run. I absolutely liked the same things. Having it come out around the same time as Miami Vice was kind of the same situation of LALD - Blaxploitation and TMWTGG - Martial Arts/Enter the Dragon/Bruce Lee craze. I knew I was in for a different experience the moment Bond walked on the screen during the gun barrel sequence. Very dark use of the theme and it foreshadowed what was to follow. I really place this up there with OHMSS, a different experimental Bond. I loathed the Roger Moore era. I can see the weak points, inappropriate use of Q, and Talisa Soto's weird character arc. Still up there with my top five 007 films.

[@Laukki]

Dalton is my absolute favourite as Bond. He truly was ahead of his time and I wish he could have had a chance to make the third one that would have made his Bond more popular, I'm sure. Glad we have these two at least. I think that Dalton in LTK is just...fantastic! He IS Bond. The movie itself has some problems. It's not so good than TLDL. Still, enjoyable to watch!

[@benpresto9292]

Bond sets davi on fire I would say ruthless and Dalton a better 007 than pierce broslan.

[@nathanchambers2607]

Can someone explain to me how so many people prefer The Living Daylights to Licence To Kill? I really like both films, but to me this one is clearly the better of the two.

[@qwertymanor]

It feels more epic and more like a Bond film imo.

[@Icecreamforcrowtoo]

The Living Daylights doesn't do ridiculous things. Like pretending Bond and Leiter are bffs. Or having Leiter totally be over his wife's gruesome death a few days after it happened. Joe, I think, covered this stuff pretty well. It's a mess. The Living Daylights by comparison is pretty solid even with the weak villains.

[@jorritbekema386]

When Brosnan became Bond I was very happy because I didn't like Dalton. Now (25 years later) I like Dalton better than Brosnan, at least in terms of screenplay

[@petermcelvogue7521]

This film was ahead of its time. The violence & plot really endeared it to the Daniel Craig era. It also had the highest age rating because of that. Dalton wanted to get a bond that was as close to the books as anyone.

[@tomchris60]

Sorry. But I argue that LTK was OF its time. You're are right about Dalton's intentions. But ultimately LTk plays like a typical 80's action thriller. Steven Segal could have easily starred in this movie with few alterations. Previous Bond films: the first four Connery Bonds, OHMSS, For You Eyes Only, and The Living Daylights were all hard-edged. And Bond killing Professor Dent in Dr. No is far more shocking than anything in LTK.

[@qwertymanor]

I agree with you Joe, you're not alone in your opinion.

[@rocky-o]

this is the one that has the most of my 'fingerprints' on it....i watch this one more than any other film in the bond series....i think this is far better than living daylights, although i like that film as well...i wish dalton made a few more....i'm glad you made more of these reviews as well...peace...rocky

[@romero329]

I'm with Joe on this one. I know Licence to Kill is unique amongst 007 films, but it's not unique amongst 1980s action movies. I think it's an okay movie, but it's so derivative of other action movies of the decade.

[@ghani666]

Underrated film, underrated theme. Both in my Top 5.

[@joebuck4957]

god awful theme

[@redlightmax]

18:57 "The jump from The Living Daylights to Licence To Kill reminds me of the jump from Casino Royale to Quantum Of Solace." Maybe that's because both films were made during a 14:50 a writers' strike.

[@josephberry695]

If you can find it, please read the novelization written by John Gardner. It is well written and provides more insight into the story.

[@aivarandressoo6721]

The best Bond movies for me are: 1965, 1967, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987!!!!!!!!!!, 1989, 1995. *** And of course Licence To Kill is a fantastic revenge story!!! So sad that we didn't see that kind of violent vendetta for Tracy in Diamonds Are Forever..........

[@ricardocantoral7672]

You picked the worst 60's Bonds.

[@bigvern586]

A comment Joe made rang true: it’s a TV movie: a couple of flourishes here and there, but not for me. A real let down on the previous movie. Not a Bond movie at all

[@bigvern586]

I lived through the almost death of the franchise, I was there, uk viewer. It was all over. For all its faults, and after 5 years, Goldeneye saved Bond

[@edrosa2523]

Timothy Dalton said that a third bond film was in fact started, but because Cubby got sick and there were other issues with United Artists that production was halted. Also, I read recently that Timothy Dalton was offered Goldeneye, but the producers wanted him to do three films, however, Dalton was only willing to do Goldeneye . This is interesting because I had never heard this until recently … wish Dalton could confirm

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Dalton said as much in 2018. He wanted to do GoldenEye but only under the condition that it would be his last. Cubby said if he was going to return, it won't be for one film.

[@Icecreamforcrowtoo]

I agree with Joe, here. I want to like it but the writers tried to have it both ways here and made a mess of it.

[@nickgeorgiou123]

As close to Fleming's bond as there's been!

[@billlucas4675]

I've said this on other posts & other sites: I'll keep saying it The Daniel Craig era owes a lot to Tim Dalton. He was the first to go back and read Fleming to prepare. It shows here. He was just getting into his stride. At the time the average Bond fan was a Bond movie fan,not a literary fan. If Dalton had been able to do a third movie immediately it would be his best. Traditionally if an actor does 3,the third is his best. Sir Sean/Goldfinger the blue print for the franchise. Sir Roger/Spy Who Loved Me. He could kill with a twinkle in his eye but watch him get mad when Anya mentions Tracy. P. Bronsian/The World is Not Enough "I never miss." BANG! D. Craig/Skyfall Comes back shooting. I'm looking forward to NO Time to Die

[@redlightmax]

Bill Lucas "Traditionally if an actor does 3,the third is his best." Interesting theory - I can agree on Goldfinger and The Spy Who Loved Me, but The World is Not Enough is too silly for me. With Dalton, if it wasn't for the legal disputes, his third would've been GoldenEye - that easily would've been his best Bond.

[@Bat-Twenty-Two]

I'm with the guys who feel that T. Dalt had a solid one-two combo as Bond. For all the comparisons made between his and Craig's, the latter really became an emo shadow of himself over his series. THIS was Bond going off the reservation, no M(ommy) issues, with personal stakes but not against a villain absurdly linked to his personal history. I've been to all the Bond cinemas since GoldenEye but, this time, I'm seriously considering sitting out #25.

[@Gamingnstuff131]

I agree in that T Dalt has an edge in that they left out the family drama that later plagued Craigs movies but in regard to his movies they’re such polar opposites. One is a great Cold War thriller that has high stakes and great production values and the other is a low budget trend chaser that is a mixed bag in what it succeeds in and where it struggles. Hopefully they’ll go with a more loosely connected story arc for the next actor that leaves family drama out. It can have personal stakes like in the Dalton movies. I’d actually like if they did that. I always liked the way they portrayed him as someone who protects the weak and cares about his friends. That’s what they initially did with Craig’s movies before turning them into soap operas.

[@vordman]

I kinda agree, LTK doesn't feel Bondian to me. It's like Bond does Miami Vice. Having said that I think it's a good film and I really like it.

[@gavinrive5877]

i love this movie. one of the best bond baddies. you are soooooo wrong.

[@spinamalatesta6202]

But of course, 14:17 Pam was mad at Bond! There was “my executive secretary” sequence earlier that day and then in the casino Bond ordered her around not in the most subtle way to get him a vodka martini only with one purpose to get Pam away so, that he can leave the room immediately with another woman, before Pam returns. Professionally she might understand that situation, but hate that it all the same, for it did look quite humiliating for her. And then, as if that was not enough, Bond took her weapon to meet his “uncle” alone and started again ordering her around. This time to wait in the hall. So she did want to punish him and did it by leaving him to sleep in the same room with Q. Judging by Bond’s reaction she was not that wrong to deem it as a punishment.

[@tomski120]

Best bond film ever

[@joebuck4957]

lol

[@nicholascaldwell3396]

License to kill as little problems but over all is a great film as far as having a good story and great lead character and villains

[@nicholascaldwell3396]

2nd best James Bond

[@no288]

I'm with Joe on this one, don't like it either and that barfight yikes ...However i love Living Dayligts and i also wish Dalton would had done one (or two) more. Looking forward to the next one guys. I'ii give this review a 7, I would have liked more input from Scotty but Joe was on a roll with this one ; - )

[@pmgodfrey5203]

would have liked more input from Scotty... Exactly. A rather unbalanced review, imo. I also wish TD had done at least one more film.

[@Patrick-su5qz]

Too many 80s movie cliches in one. Roadhouse, cocaine, even ninjas!

[@LloydNance]

Patrick Darms you can never have too much 80’s.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Michael Kamen music, Floridian backdrop, a blantly conservative agenda, Licence to Kill couldn't get more 80's if it featured Ronald Reagan driving a DeLorean.

[@lukasnummer1]

...and I LOVE it for that!

[@Gamingnstuff131]

That’s something that makes me like this one less than The Living Daylights. The Living Daylights has a more timeless feel to it that helps it to hold up. Licence was playing catch up with all the 80s tropes and it shows more and more over time. From the Member’s Only jackets to the pastel shirts to the Miami Vice/Scarface vibes it all dates the movie terribly and the cheapness in it’s overall quality add to all the 80s cheese it oozes.

[@lukasnummer1]

@@Gamingnstuff131 Bond siding with the Mujaheddin in "The Living Daylights" has a "more timeless feel to it"?!

[@danielyoung1846]

Loved this film. Overall, my favorite. Some of the stuff in here was epic and covered the flaws.

[@HPProduction101]

Another scene I thought wasn't mentioned that I think is good is the conveyor belt scene, its like another version of the laser scene in Goldfinger but much more realistic, grittier ,and nastier. Especially how Sanchez stops the belt when Bond yells about Stinger missiles, something he only hears briefly from Pam. It's very similar to when Bond yells about Operation Grand Slam in Goldfinger

[@bigvern586]

You expect me to talk, was quality film making. “Stingers” was a cheap Miami Vice moment imo. Sorry

[@HPProduction101]

@@bigvern586 it gets the intent right, stingers is equivalent to operation grand slam.

[@rhysmyatt5136]

Biggest issue with this movie.. It came out 15 years too early. If it came out later, the reception would of been very different

[@MGEX8206]

Joe loved OHMSS but couldn't tune into the frequency of this movie. For me it's the other way around... Personal context: This is the first Bond theme I remember in the UK charts...would have been late 90s at least before I got to watch it though as it was a 15. By which point...well... ...I hadn't seen a Bond like it before or since. You want Bond raw? Check! You want Bond living on his wits? He doesn't have any other option here. One of the best villains of the series? Check. Dalton is on top of his game and ice cool, two minor nitpicks and only one has to do with the film itself. I'll concede that Bond is lucky to get his job back after this...can only assume Q put in a good word but I can also imagine an interesting alternate version of Goldeneye that I never got round to writing based on Bond not having returned to MI6 after the events here... Continuity wise...you've got that Tracey reference...again...it's hard to imagine Dalton-Bond as the same guy people would have seen prior to 1987... ...the low box office was a pity but the competition in 1989 was pretty impressive. Neither of those nitpicks takes away from my love for this film! 10/10!

[@barryosullivan7763]

This was the 1st Bond movie I saw at its time of release. I'd seen Daylights, A View etc on TV but I remember my parents bringing me into the Video Store to rent this one when it was brand new. A big deal I was allowed watch it with them at 9 years old. And the shock on my mum's face when they realised it was a lot more violent than most other Bond movies was priceless 😂 But I do remember thinking at the time that it wasn't as exicitng as Daylights. And my Dad constantly comparing to Die Hard and Lethal Weapon! So really, it was, like all Bond movies (post-Connery), a reflection of its time based on what was popular in the Cinema.

[@Aceimus1066]

Loving the death skits at the end of these videos. Brilliant 😊

[@blabbyboy]

With respect, I feel that you're thinking too hard, Head of Section! Licence to Kill was a flawed masterpiece and well ahead of its time. Sure, it could have been better executed/tweaked, but it has all the elements of an epic Fleming with a classic villain played brilliantly by Robert Davi, gorgeous Bond girls and great action sequences. Truly, the end of an era, and a shame that Dalton didn't go on to do more Bonds. Bless your heart, Joe!

[@joebuck4957]

the bond girls are gorgous but awful characters

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Joe's complaints are valid. Licence To Kill is a run of the mill action film. The producers only used the revenge motive as a gimmick, they didn't take it far enough.

[@tashrif46]

Well I think they had to make Dalton's Bond different from the Living Daylights, because the Daylights' mission was a job, a professional job. Licence To Kill is purely personal for Dalton's Bond and here you see the unhinged rage that Fleming always eluded to in his Bond books

[@nicholasstevenson7574]

Pros 1. score 2. the cast 3. the story Cons 1. tv movie feel in some scenes 2. ripped elements from several 80s movies and TV shows 3. some parts are just boring

[@xyrising2675]

Exactly!!!! This movie is terribly underrated...especially from the older fan crowd who thinks Daniel Craig is the best Bond next to Connery

[@markusforsberg6741]

You are just boring😑👊💥 james bond licence to kill is an awsome movie and is my personal favorit 007 movie :D

[@SpaceCattttt]

Oh, I didn't think you'd do this one considering you recently posted your "retro" review of it. But hey, I'm not complaining. More Bond is being more Bond.

[@mrpersonality3497]

James Bond now had to compete with Martin Riggs and John McClane.

[@robertharvey2604]

I get what you're saying about this feeling like a revenge story with Bondian moments tacked on. But I love this film. It's a go to. I never get tired of it; it's just relentless entertainment from start to finish. The stunts are great. And the cast is very good. Dalton nails it. Sanchez is second only to Goldfinger. I get the criticism about Pam's character. She does seen a bit wishy-washy towards the end, but I like her. Dario is a great henchman and Krest is a great slimy character. There's a lot of great character actors in this one. The Ninja scenes seem out of place and should have been kept out. I didn't mind having Q around more. It worked for me. Overall, I think this is a classic.

[@neilmilne3535]

Another super review guys, you compliment each other very well and have interesting g view points on different aspects of the film. I agree that it's a great pity that Timothy Dalton didn't have an opportunity to do more, but that's show business I guess. I am looking forward to your next review.

[@neilmilne3535]

The score at the climax is very underwhelming, however I do really like how early in that sequence the sound of the bullets is in tune with the Bond theme, nice little detail.

[@paliga9837]

one of my favourite bond movies.hey is ok you don´t like it.

[@runningsuperska]

One of the best.

[@gocanuckurself1]

One of the best 👍

[@EthanKnight97]

I love LTK it's the most underrated in the franchise. A gutsy move for the series which before then was becoming a little stale. What's stands out for me is the story and the characters, Sanchez a ruthless and complex villain. Bond at his most cunning and cold and brilliantly played by Dalton. It's not the prettiest Bond film ever but I can forgive those if the story is strong unlike TLD. LTK was ahead of its time especially before the Craig era.

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

I truly appreciate the mentioning of the 1988 WGA strike. That was the key factor in why LTK has story issues and why it fails to compare to TLD-because Wilson had to pretty much write it solo. However over time the film opens up and you enjoy it for its conviction and quality-but it was hurt by being forced to shoot in Mexico, production troubles and being tied to the forever broken MGM/UA who then dumped the film into the incredibly tough summer of 1989 where it got obliterated by Batman and Last Crusade.

[@tylerjsmithers8385]

Wow, I didn't know about that! Now we have two sophomore Bond outings affected by writer's strike... Unfortunately, this film had terrible marketing in the US and since it got flattened in the summer box office, Bond would never release in the summer ever again...

[@johnlott408]

I think T-Dalt is a very underrated Bond. This movie, I felt was awesome. I did like that Q got more involved, and I felt like Desmond Llewellyn and Timothy Dalton had great chemistry on camera. I like that Living Daylights and this one went away from the silliness and overly used one-liners from the Roger Moore series. I wish Timothy Dalton would have had at least one, maybe even two more pictures.

[@THEremiXFACTOR]

I just watched LTK for the first time, I really liked it. Great stuff for the most part. Only scene I thought fell a bit flat was the final one (in the pool with Pam).

[@rosemaryfarell5264]

AWESOME film

[@matttoy617]

Great to watch this before going to work. Understandable review on your end, Joe. Not a perfect Bond film by any means. This took a long time for me to watch, and I didn't grasp it till I was older. But I still like it. Not as much as Daylights. But both would crack my top 10. Curious about what you guys thought about Benecio Del Toro, even though this was his first role? Also, the violent scenes, like the shark and the head blowing up? Keep up the great work always

[@eoghanlyng5074]

Superb entry.

[@eth39232]

I like this movie better than all of the Pierce Brosnan films, most of the Roger Moore films, and two of the Daniel Craig films.

[@redlightmax]

28:27 "I would've been more up for like, you know, maybe like a Guns N' Roses..." That would've been brilliant - they did a cover of "Live and Let Die" so we know that they like that song. I can imagine Axl Rose belting out "You Know My Name."

[@greatwuta]

Well I'm glad that Gladys Knight sung the theme song to LTK.

[@grahamgreene779]

Rio Bravo - The Great Howard Hawk's answer to High Noon. - To paraphrase Hawks: "He's a professional! What the hell is doing going around asking civilians for help."

[@dirtyguava8209]

'The go to bed' trope is just like the post fight train sequence in SPECTRE. Seems like the writers didn't learn from this mistake. The transition never works. Even Q in SPECTRE did exactly as Q in LTK, an unasked for assistance. Seems like LTK is a reference point for SPECTRE.

[@wcs494]

This is an awesome movie and it was a head of its time and the writers in away where not ready for a darker 007 Bond movie. They should had A killed Felix Lighter off and at the end of the movie Bond should have made it where Bond was alt of a job. There should been NO tucks popping wheelies. The directors and writers did not know how to handle a darker Bond movie. Its sad Timothy Dalton did not get to do 2 more Bond movies it would have been interesting. Tim played the character just like the way Fleming wrote James Bond. Alt of 5 stars I give this movie 4.

[@Paul91-]

A very underrated James Bond film. I always hated this one when I was a kid. Pretty much because I grew up with the Pierce Brosnan Bond era and how Pierce Brosnan was the James Bond of my childhood and the Bond films that I loved the most when I was a kid were the Sean Connery Bond films, the Roger Moore Bond films and the Pierce Brosnan Bond films and I always considered the George Lazenby Bond film and the Timothy Dalton Bond films to be the worst Bond films. However my thoughts on Licence to Kill, the Timothy Dalton films as a whole and Dalton as Bond and as an actor himself drastically changed when I watched Casino Royale, the Daniel Craig Bond films, Daniel Craig as Bond himself and reading some of the Ian Fleming James Bond novels. I really did appreciate this film more and Dalton's portrayal of Bond way more as an adult and it is absolutely criminal how he didn't do anymore Bond films after this because he was such a great Bond actor and has now become my favourite James Bond actor. He was even great in his non Bond stuff that he did since Licence to Kill like The Rocketeer, Hot Fuzz and Toy Story 3. He would have killed it in Goldeneye had he stayed on as Bond but alas. Cest la vie. Licence to Kill is a great revenge story and is a great Bond film as a whole. My only real negatives with it is the often clashing of the film's serious tone with all of its campy elements like the silly bar fight sequence, the film's weird and obnoxious fish fetish (don't even get me started on that stupid winking fish statue at the end of the film), Pam Bouvier, while being a great Bond girl, acting like the stupid jealous girlfriend half of the time, the film's stupid and annoying love triangle with Bond, Pam and Lupe that makes LTK come off as a sappy soap opera instead of an actual Bond film, how the film neatly wraps itself up like any other Bond film during its ending and the sappy Patti Labelle love song, If You Asked Me To, being played over the film's end credits. A good song. Don't get me wrong. But just not a good Bond song that just doesn't fit a Bond film. Especially one as serious, dark and gritty as Licence to Kill.

[@purplebondsaiyan2987]

This Film to me was Better than Quantum by Far The Plot to me is More Understandable than Quantum this is essentially Bond Meets Scarface!!! Plus they use Q more in this Movie maybe the only Film to have Q more!!!! I Like this Film Better Than QOS!!!

[@wstowe747]

Perhaps the most delicious Bond villain ever….against the most under-rated actor playing Bond…I loved it. Also, I’m a pilot, and I know the guy who flew the boat plane with the barefoot skier. Great fun!

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Delicious Bond villain? He's decent, a run of the mill drug dealer but Robert Davi is effective in the role.

[@niels25chr1]

Easily the Best film in the series. I'd still put From Russia With Love in the top. Licence To Kill has a fantastic casting, a fantastic script, a great pace, great Special effects, great locations and probably the best performance by the actor playing Bond. Sanchez is easily My favorite villain. The song however is overrated. There are no wrong choices here. Everything works just perfectly in this picture.

[@jasongann8535]

I’m almost blown away by the lack of respect License to Kill gets. It’s like really? Petty bias cherry-picking going on here.

[@romero329]

I think it's gets too much praise these days... It has one of the most cliche plots for an action movie in 1989. "Revenge on a drug lord" was a massive cliche at the time. Audiences were tired of seeing that plot over and over again.

[@ricardocantoral7672]

@@romero329 Thank you. Licence To Kill was not terrible but the film was exactly what was being churned out Cannon Films every other week in the 80's.

[@THEremiXFACTOR]

@@romero329 It's true that this stuff was clichéd in the 80s. But maybe that's why it's aged well, because it seems more fresh and interesting now.

[@THEremiXFACTOR]

I agree, a lot of nitpicking here.

[@joebuck4957]

its not nitpicking, its valid. Joe saw this movie when he was 19. and he didn't change his mind after the craig movie came out like so many other people

[@alphabetaxenonzzzcat]

I actually am quite fond of this film. It sort of doesn't quite fit into the normal formula for Bond films - and to me, that is part of its appeal. Dalton feels a lot more comfortable in the role here than in TLD. The story feels a lot more suited to his take on Bond. There's some flaws in the film, namely due to some low production values(the use of rear projection for some of the car scenes, etc.). However, there's still much to comend : Davi is great as the bad guy, the revenge themed story, Q getting a different stake in the story, Dalton's performance, impressive action sequences(opening credit one with plane, the waterskiing scene and the tanker truck chase), Carey Lowell is also a decent foil to Dalton as his Bond girl.

[@LeonWick526]

"Everything that goes wrong works itself out." That could be said for every Bond film.

[@joebuck4957]

These guys are honest. and the people who for whatever reason love this movie prbly hate it.

[@CRITTERBUSTERS]

Q helping 007 in the field, they went back to that idea in spectre I from what I recall. I never minded the idea, Desmond Lewellyn still played Q the same way, my thought always was that MI6 still needed bond so they assisted him in is personal mission with the hope of having him come back to the secret service. LTK has some problems with performances, an ending that is odd for the films tone and a couple of rough edges with the production. But honestly I was hooked by its story, the movie spends enough time building a sensé of closeness with bond and felix and the addition of him being maimed and his wife being murdered for me was more than enough to set him off. Top it off with gréât action and acting performances from Dalton, Davi and Del toro. LTK is still for my money the most underrated bond film, Quantum of Solace was garbage not because of Tone but poor editing, poor vilains and a boring plot.

[@Gamingnstuff131]

The Q addition would’ve probably been better without the campy elements that seem like Roger Moore elements that didn’t make the cut in his movies like the exploding toothpaste, the cheesy gardener disguise he had and the prop comedy stuff like the exploding alarm clock just there as a throw away gag. They did explain why he was there. Moneypenny sent him in to assist James out of her worrying he could be killed without his assistance. I feel they didn’t utilize him in a more appropriate way for a dark revenge drama and that’s what makes him feel too out of place.

[@tradeofalljacks4358]

An example of a film with true mix opinions of love or hate. Its understandable whether you like this film or not which is good to hear the reasonings why its mixed.

[@gocanuckurself1]

"Again" -Joe Darlington

[@Thewingkongexchange]

This is actually my favourite Bond film for various reasons. But even I will concede that the last 5 minutes really undermine the film. It used to be the winking finish that bothered me most, but now it's definitely this part: "Hey James! I totally didn't lose my leg and my wife didn't get raped and murdered. Let's go fishing next week... cuz sharks amirite heh heh!"

[@folkblueswriter]

"Hey, James....the bad news is the sharks ate my leg. The good news is that I got a new job as a waiter at *_iHop_* !"

[@davidkeating9095]

The lower third watermark is spelled licenSe To Kill btw…

[@Jolar70]

I was a projectionist for a grand, very old, suburban movie theater in the 80's and I got to project "The Living Daylights", and then this film, so I saw it many times. I'm an American, so I don't know how people from other countries relate to Bond films set in America, but I find them far less glamorous, with the possible exception of "Goldfinger", because the 1960's made Kentucky look somewhat exotic! I also loved Dalton as Bond (with the benefit of his Shakespearian, Patrick Stewart-like, baritone voice!). Not a fan of David Hedison as Felix (neither here, nor in "Live and Let Die"). Jack Lord kind of nailed it first and no one else has been as good since. Talisa Soto absolutely looks like a classic "Bond girl", Carey Lowell looks like a sitcom actress, to me. Felix's newlywed WAS a sitcom actress on "Threes Company"! And, I think the Charles Bronson comparison to the final film is very accurate. Although, I think this movie is basically chasing "Die Hard", which set a new bar for action one year before. And the cultural success of "Miami Vice" is in there too. It didn't then, and it still doesn't, feel like an actual Bond film to me. I agree that the pre-title sequence is great but, otherwise, it looks like an ugly TV movie. Characters (like Bond and Q) don't behave as they normally would. Simple world domination plots certainly deserve the eye-rolls, but 007 fighting drug cartels feels out of step with the far more grand plots of the past. I'm not a big fan of the Brosnan-era, but I think this was worse.

[@anssirulamo2298]

My main problem with Licence to Kill is that it just doesn't feel like a Bond movie. The core story is great and I like a lot about the film, but like Joe said, the execution is just a bit off. Maybe it's the drug plot and the locations (and the so-so production values) that make it feel more like a 1980s American action movie than a Bond film.

[@peteashford3992]

'Bless your heart'

[@jacksizzle8937]

1-LICENCE TO KILL 2-FROM RUSSIA W. LOVE 3-GOLDENEYE 4-LIVE & LET DIE 5-YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE TOP [5] BONDS

[@leethomas2155]

lol your endings a great. l wish you'd done them for all the films.