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Licence To Kill (Special Edition)

Licence To Kill (Special Edition)

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: "You could have had everything"
Review: Sanchez's last words before he gets blown up into flames. This is one of the best Bond films ever made. Timothy Dalton showed a dark side of Bond that no other actor had shown before him.

When an international drug dealer kills Bond's best freind's wife and almost kills his best friend, Bond goes renegade and goes to search vengeance. This movie shows Bond not only fighting the bad guys, but also fighting guys from his own side!

This is a great Bond film that has a lot of action and good dialogue. It is also the first Bond movie that got a PG-13 as a rating. A Bond masterpiece.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Just not the way a Bond movie should be.
Review: I will give this film some credit that is is an okay movie, but it totally stunk as a Bond film. I love the whole idea of Bond leaving Her Majesty's Secret Service to go after an evil drug lord. It is one of the few movies that shows something about how Bond will go after you if you mess with him, even if it means temporarily losing his job and his license to kill. But it could have been played much better by either Sean Connery or Peirce Brosnan. It has great potential, but Dalton just didn't play the role right in this movie. Here are four things that are major flaws.

1. The biggest thing was that Dalton didn't show the tough, suave, sophisticated Bond style. He didn't have the Bond voice, looks, walk, or anything. There were times towards the end of the movie when they played the Bond music, and that was what reminded me it was a Bond film.

2. I didn't like the gadgets. Explosive tooth paste?? Enough said.

3. This was a major thing for me, though many people may disagree. Bond laughed. If I remember right, he laughed two or three times. Bond DOES NOT LAUGH. Yes, he may make some jokes (Roger Moore), but he doesn't laugh. Sad.

4. The action was awful. Bond had no license to kill. The little action there was was, for the most part, was them trying to kill him. Okay, so maybe he couldn't kill them, but he could still knock some people out or something. I hated the whole idea of the big truck chase. I just can't picture Bond driving an eighteen-wheeler.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Don't you want to know why I did it?
Review: Rank 2 of 23. This would be my number one but I just had to give number 1 to Dr. No. This is one of the best bond movie period. Felix finally gets what Fleming gave him in Dr No. Great story and action. Carey Lowell ... Pam Bouvier the future lawyer on the hit tv show Law and Order was a great bond girl. Timothy Dalton was the actor closest to what I imaged Flemings James bond was like. I wish he had made more, but if he had, we would not have gotten Brosnan. There are no scenes that my kids want me to fastforward through, there is no sex scenes to FF through. This is also the only bond movie I own in both VHS and DVD.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Bond Turns Rogue and Dalton Turns in His 007 Role
Review: Timothy Dalton's second outing as 007 in 1989's Licence to Kill is Bond at its grittiest. This Bond flick ventures off into unchartered territory as Licence to Kill reveals the dark, sinister side of Bond, in its truest and ugliest form and not to mention, the gruesome violence, hence the sixteenth Bond movie is also the very first PG-13 (almost Rated R had the scenes not been trimmed) rated movie in the series, continuing onto the most recent Die Another Day, although Brosnan's tenure does not boast a whole lot of gore. With Dalton at the helm, he is the perfect Bond to be involved in such a radical undertaking.

The movie starts off with a bang. Bond dramatically captures a Mexican drug lord, Franz Sanchez (Robert Davi) along with his running buddy, Felix Leiter (David Hedison) on the latter's wedding day. In heroic fashion, Bond and Leiter make it to the wedding on time via parachute before the pre-title sequence, with Gladys Knight singing the theme song. In the meantime, Sanchez bribes one of the DEA's agents to free him and he makes the most out of his newly granted freedom, by murdering Leiter's wife and by mutilating Leiter, as he was literally tossed to the sharks. When Bond discovers that his best friend was nearly eliminated, 007 is out to seek revenge. Undeterred, Bond refuses to work on his next mission assigned by M and he resigns from the British secret service and in turn, his license to kill has been revoked. From that point on, the film fizzles as Bond tags along with an informer and sexy helicopter pilot, Pam Bouvier (Carey Lowell of Law and Order fame) and Sanchez's voluptuous girlfriend, Lupe Lamora (Talisa Soto), in order to work for Sanchez and to kill him eventually. Even Q (the late Desmond Llewelyn) joins in to help the rogue Bond, with a rather major role in doing so.

Licence to Kill is a moody, serious caper, with Dalton turning in a highly emotional, outstanding performance. The Bond girls, Lowell and Soto tend to drag in this film and they drag the film, overall. Robert Davi is great in portraying Sanchez, who is not exactly a bad man, but an amoral man, and that's where his villainy hails. Benicio del Toro is awesome as the psychotic, trash-talking Dario and his performance makes the viewer want him to die in such a bad way. And of course, who could forget Professor Joe Butcher, played by Wayne Newton, the new-age levitation televangelist who is a frontman to Sanchez's smuggling operation and provides much-needed comic relief as well. Bless your heart! As for the plot, it starts out with promise, but the rising action in between Bond's resignation and the climax tends to drag. As for the action sequences, they are good, but not great and could do better. However, the Mexican desert tanker chase makes up for all the film's shortcomings. All in all, Licence to Kill is not your father's or grandfather's typical Bond movie in the sense that it is unnerving and unique, but it delivers as a mighty fine edition of Bond. 3.5 Stars.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the Best Bonds ever...
Review: Ah, "License to Kill" ...one of the fresher, cooler Bond movies. It actually holds my Interest unlike SOME of Moore and Connery's Bonds. I am not a hardcore Bond fan, just a casual one, and this Movie is AWESOME! It's probably my 2nd favorite Bond movie after "GoldenEye" with Peirce Brosnan.

The story is about James Bond (played by a superb Timothy Dalton) going AWOL as a Rogue Agent against his agency to find "Sanchez", a Ruthless Brutal Drug Dealer smuggler... Bond has a Vendetta and goes to settler the score... The acting is great and this movie is one the most entertaining Bond movies... the main villain "Sanchez" is cold and cool, and has a great death scene in the end when Bond (SPOILERS) lights him up on fire! Awesome!

This is a GREAT James Bond movie. Easily up there alongside "GoldenEye 007".

Very Recommended. =)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of my favorite Bond movies
Review: Even though I like ALL Bond films, I really liked Dalton's performance in this film. He plays a more serious role for Bond, but he does show the audience that being a spy is not all jokes, it is a serious business. But, this movie is different from the others in that the villian is not your typical psycho bent on world conquest, and it shows the human side of Bond with his anger and rage after seeing people whom he cares about, harmed by the villian and deciding to risk his career for revenge. I definately recommend this Bond film for sure !

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: In the film's defense,
Review: This may have been the least successful movie in the franchise, but it was still good. This movie got a luke warm reception... by Bond standards, , but it still turned a steady profit, was seen by millions of people worldwide, and did much better than many mainstream hits could ever dream of doing. While its PROPORTED box office "failure" played a role in the Bond series' 6 year hiatis there were a lot of other things that led to it. The tragic loss of veteran screenwriter Richard Maibaum, as well as a heated legal battle over who had the rights to the Bond franchise delayed the 17th installment in the series all the way up until 1995. As for the popular belief that Dalton was fired? Not true. He quit. Had all gone according to plan, he would have starred in his third in 1991 or 1992. He could have reprised his role as 007 in Goldeneye, but shocked fans by declining to do so. I personally believe that Timothy Dalton did an excellent job as Bond. He was offered the part in OHMSS in 1969, but declined the role because he feared he was too young (He was in his early-mid twenties then) He didn't get a chance to play James Bond for another 18 years, and even then his stint was short lived. He had great potential, but never got the opportunity to establish himself, and it didn't help that his movies had two of the worst theme songs. If I were him, I would have stuck around throughout the nineties, until "The World is Not Enough." Look at the average customer rating. Now compare it with other Bond films, such as "World is not Enough" "Moonraker" "The Man With the Golden Gun" "Live and Let Die" or "Never Say Never Again." This review was not written in the best of moods, but I based it mainly on fact, and I stand by all of my comments. This movie was quite enjoyable, and I have never gotten tired of it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The best Timothy Dalton film and most watch James Bond film.
Review: This is the first DVD I have ever purchased. In fact, I bought this before I even owned a DVD Player. It was a great enticement. This is the best Timothy Dalton as "James Bond 007" film. The most watched and my favorite Bond film. Unfortuately, Timothy Dalton wasn't able to make a third Bond film. Due to legal tie-ups leaving the making of Bond films on hold. Six years later, while Timothy Dalton was making the sequel to Gone With The Wind (1939), the tv mini-series SCARLETT, Dalton made an announcement that he no longer wanted to play Bond. And Timothy Dalton hasn't been out of work since. Priscilla Barnes (ABC-TV series "Three's Company") was wonderful to see in this film. Sometimes I watch the film again just to see her and David Hedison (THE FLY [1958]) is also in the cast. One of Bond's sidekicks is Carey Lowell (who is now married to Richard Gere) and also in this film is future Academy Award Winner Benicio Del Toro. Wayne Newton plays a small comedic role. This DVD contains alot of extra stuff. There are two audio commentaries to choose from, "Inside Licence To Kill" documentary, and a plus is the music video "Licence To Kill" sung by Gladys Knight and the music video "If You Asked Me To" sung by Patti La Belle. Much more in this DVD to see. The only flaw is, I wish it were available in Full Screen.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: In the film's defense
Review: This may have been the least successful movie in the franchise, but it was still good. Worldwide, the movie grossed $227 million (In inflation adjusted dollars.) That is $2 million more than the second most successful Star Trek movie (Whales anyone?) By Bond standards, this movie got a luke warm reception, but it still turned a steady profit, was seen by millions of people worldwide, and did much better than many mainstream hits could ever dream of doing. While its PROPORTED box office "failure" played a role in the Bond series' 6 year hiatis there were a lot of other things that led to it. The death of veteran screenwriter Richard Maibaum, as well as a heated legal battle over who had the rights to the Bond franchise delayed the 17th installment in the series all the way up until 1995. As for the popular belief that Dalton was fired? Not true. He quit. Had all gone according to plan, he would have starred in his third in 1991 or 1992. He could have reprised his role as 007 in Goldeneye, but shocked fans by declining to do so. I personally believe that Timothy Dalton did an excellent job as Bond. He was offered the part in OHMSS in 1969, but declined the role because he feared he was too young (He was in his early-mid twenties then) He didn't get a chance to play James Bond for another 18 years, and even then his stint was short lived. He had great potential, but never got the opportunity to establish himself, and it didn't help that his movies had two of the worst theme songs. If I were him, I would have stuck around throughout the nineties, until "The World is Not Enough." Look at the average customer rating. Now compare it with other Bond films, such as "World is not Enough" "Moonraker" "The Man With the Golden Gun" "Live and Let Die" or "Never Say Never Again." This review was not written in the best of moods, but I based it mainly on fact, and I stand by all of my comments. This movie was quite enjoyable, and I have never gotten tired of it.

PS A while after writing this, I decided that I didn't need to keep myself anonymous, that is why there is another review of the same title and content, on this page. Since I can't edit the review and undo the "Keep me anonymous" option, I rewrote this again, and included my name in the beginning.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: When does James Bond enter the picture?
Review: This is the most un-James Bondesque plot of all the James Bond films. Having a drug dealer as the villain simply isn't sinister enough for my taste. Whatever happened to madmen trying to take over the world and nuke cities? Whatever happened to stealing secrets from the Soviets? (Oh, yeah, there aren't any Soviets any longer....)

The leader of a drug cartel would be much more at home being the adversary in a Dirty Harry movie than a Bond movie. It just doesn't "fit" in with the latter. On the Bond scale of villains, a drug dealer ranks maybe 2 steps above a pickpocket. In other words, not worth the time of a British secret agent.

Beyond the plot, this film contains the single most unbelievable incident in all of Bond history. The film plays off on the Bond motif of having one of the good guys be fed to a shark. That's all fine and well. However, after being bit in half, the poor fellow is still alive hours later. I'm no doctor, but I'm fairly certain that anyone who has their leg bit off by a shark will bleed to death in minutes. Any medical personnel who happen to be reading this may feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. I also rather doubt the bad guys who fed him to the shark would be kind enough to patch him up & stop his bleeding. After all, I think that's why they call them bad guys?

Of all the Bond movies I've seen (and I've seen them all!), this one has the least Bond "feel" to it. The screenplay seems patched together & the film never really achieves a nice flow. Some of the dialogue is pretty lame as well, such as when the drug dealer's girlfriend spontaneously starts crying and blurts out "Oh, I love James SO much!" Please.

This is the most forgettable of all Bond films. It is not the worst Bond, as that distinction was earned by MOONRAKER. I first saw LICENSE TO KILL way back in 1990, shortly after it came out on video. After seeing it again, I can now remember why I couldn't remember anything about it. It's simply not worth the effort.


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