REWIND
REVIEW
Licence To Kill Movie Review

Licence To Kill

PG
His bad side is a dangerous place to be.
Licence To Kill Picture
Timothy Dalton & Carey Lowell star

Starring

Timothy Dalton, Carey Lowell, Robert Davi, Talisa Soto

Anthony Zerbe, Frank McRae, David Hedison, Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Starke, Everett McGill, Desmond Llewelyn, Pedro Armendáriz Jr., Robert Brown, Priscilla Barnes, Don Stroud, Caroline Bliss, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Grand L. Bush, Alejandro Bracho, Guy De Saint Cyr, Rafer Johnson, Diana Lee Hsu, Christopher Neame Update Cast

Early Appearances

See Benicio Del Toro before they were famous!

Cameos

Look for Wayne Newton making a cameo appearance!


Rewind Archive
Many of the plot elements are taken from the Ian Fleming novel Live and Let Die (which were not used in the movie of that title). Some of these elements are: The partial dismemberment of Felix Leiter by sharks. The sign put on his nearly dead body which reads "He disagreed with something that ate him". The smuggling of illegal merchandise (drugs in the movie, pirate's booty in the novel) using the cover of exotic fish.

More Trivia from Licence To Kill

Review

Officially stripped of his government power, James Bond encounters (and must overcome) his ultimate stumbling block... his own feelings.

After serving as best man at the wedding of his friend Felix Leiter, Bond becomes involved in a personal vendetta against a powerful and vicious drug lord.

Ruthless South American drug Czar, Franz Sanchez, (played by always excellent Davi) is arrested by the CIA's Felix Leiter (Hedison), with the help of James Bond (Dalton). Sanchez escapes custody by bribing DEA Agent Killifer (Everett McGill) with $2 million and returns to kill Leiter's new bride and throw Leiter to the drug lord's pet sharks, leaving Leiter maimed almost beyond recognition.

Bond kills Killifer, but is chastised by M for taking Sanchez's acts of vengeance so personally, resulting in Bond submitting his resignation from MI6. M refuses to accept Bond's resignation, but withdraws his licence to kill. Bond deserts Her Majesty's Secret Service and sets about his now-vigilante quest to disrupt Sanchez's drug smuggling outfit, fronted by legitimate marine supply merchant Milton Krest (Zerbe) and avenge Felix and his new bride.

Bond reviews Felix's contact list and happens upon CIA pilot Pam Bouvier (Lowell). Bond enlists Pam's more-than-capable assistance and together the pair feign off Sanchez's cronies and head to Isthmus City, Sanchez's South American lair. Bond and Bouvier establish themselves as a rich assassin looking for a job and his assistant, respectively and Bond makes contact with Sanchez.

Ingratiatingly taken into Sanchez's confidence, Bond discovers that Sanchez has obtained four missiles from the Contras and is threatening to shoot down an American airliner unless the DEA relent in their pursuit. Bond accompanies Sanchez to his drug-refining plant, cleverly concealed in a religious retreat, hosted by evangelist Professor Joe Butcher (played in cameo by Las Vegas legend Wayne Newton).

The constant telethon run from the compound is merely a front for drug auctions. One of Sanchez's henchmen spots Bond and 007 sets the plant ablaze, destroying it, although Sanchez escapes with tons of cocaine, a few million dollars and the missiles. Fueled by hatred, Bond systematically dismantles each of Sanchez's evil plans, present ...and future.

Author: Kimberley A. WrenUpdate This Review

Verdict

Although Timothy Dalton is usually viewed as the most uncharismatic James Bond in history, in this film he appeals to viewers through his rebellion and non-stop action, interspersed with real drama and some humor.

Always reliable Robert Davi is excellent as the South American drug cartel leader and one can already see Benecio Del Toro's star begin to shine in his minor part as Sanchez's henchman.

Non-stop action, compelling drama. Villains very believeable and entertaining.
Timothy Dalton is a bit looser in his second outing as James Bond, but still suffers in comparison to Connery or Moore in the role.

Rewind Rating

9/10

The Movie Data

Key Crew

Director: John Glen (II)
Writer: Michael G. Wilson, Richard Maibaum
Producers: Albert R. Broccoli, Barbara Broccoli, Tom Pevsner, Michael G. Wilson
Locations Manager: Laura Aguilar, Tony Broccoli, R. Colette Hailey, Nicole Kolin


Update The Crew

Data

Release Date: 24 May 1985
MPAA Rating: PG
Studio: MGM/UA
Production: Danjaq, Eon Productions, United Artists
Genre: Action / Adventure


Update The Data


The Movie Trailer
Jump To: Music & Soundtrack Vibes
1989 MGM/UA
1999-2020 fast-rewind.com
V4_27 Powered by Rewind C21 CMS