MovieChat Forums > Licence to Kill (1989) Discussion > One of the most realistic Bonds and in m...

One of the most realistic Bonds and in my top 5

posted 11 years ago by Joxerlives
14 replies | jump to latest

Licence to Kill is grouped together with 'For Your Eyes Only' and 'From Russia with Love' was the most realistic of all the Bonds and all the better for it. Much as I love 'Moonraker' and 'The Spy Who Loved Me' really there was no place for the series to go in terms of spectacle so we were more back to basics which suited Timothy Dalton's more stripped down Bond perfectly.

Lots of great stuff here, Carey Lowell is a brilliant Bond girl, the best since Lois Chiles in Moonraker and a match for Bond in every way (I really didn't take to her with long hair but once she's in short hair she's utterly stunning). Robert Davi makes an excellent villain who you see as pretty much a match for Bond, brutally handsome, ruthless, charismatic, valuing loyalty over money and not afraid to get his own hands dirty. His abusive relationship with his girlfriend is interesting too, any other villain would have casually killed her off but you get the impression that he genuinely loves her (or is at least obsessed with her?) in his own twisted way. David Hedison back as Felix Leiter giving a glimpse to a more human side of Bond and some genuine motivation on his part. Quite brilliant the way Bond quietly worms his way into Sanchez's confidence and begins to undermine him at every turn, turning his allies against him and working on his paranoia. This is a Bond who relies much more on his wits and cunning than on gadgetry, without MI6's resources to help him he basically has to make it up as he goes along. Some terrific set pieces too, especially the opening helicopter chase, the pursuit of the giant tanker trucks along the highway and Bond's attempted assassination of Sanchez in his casino (no face to face showdown, trying to kill him Punisher style from 500 yards with a sniper rifle).

Brutal? Hell yeah, in a way we haven't really seen before and arguably won't see again until Daniel Craig comes along. The story is really not so far fetched when you think of Pablo Escobar and Noriega etc

So undoubtedly Dalton's best and I think one of my top 5 ever.

[–] Concise_Statement 11 years ago

Makes it all the more puzzling why ITV keep showing it in the middle of the day! 3:50pm was when they screened it and it's an 80s drug cartel film! Even in edited form it's quite gritty for the after-school crowd. Maybe with the new media landscape of streaming and anytime catchup services, these things bite less nowadays.

"I apologise for my appearance, but I have had a difficult time these past several years."

[–] Joxerlives 11 years ago

Good point, with the more modern Bonds you wonder will you enjoy them on a Bank Holiday afternoon with the rape scene in Quantum of Solace and Bond getting his genitals beaten in Casino Royale?

[–] Concise_Statement 11 years ago

Well ITV seem to think so since Licence to Kill opens with Sanchez whipping his naked girlfriend's back. I think there's some kind of allowance for age - "Ah sod it, everyone's seen it anyway" - that the newer ones won't be given.

"I apologise for my appearance, but I have had a difficult time these past several years."

[–] shawneuser 11 years ago

In my top 5 as well, apparently, I really like the more realistic Bond movies. Both Dalton's movies and For Your Eyes Only are in my top 5.

[–] spaceodds 11 years ago

Watched it on blu ray last night. Don't know whether its my fourth or third favorite Bond film since I tend to change the Dalton films around between these two in ranking.

[–] fl_99 11 years ago

Yep. My top 5 (in order):

For Your Eyes Only
From Russia With Love
License To Kill
The Living Daylights
SkyFall

rounding up the top 10 (in order 6 to 10):
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
GoldenEye
Casino Royale
GoldFinger
The Spy Who Loved Me

[–] FridayOnElmStreet 10 years ago

This is probably my favorite Bond film along with The World is Not Enough.

[–] friendly_poison 10 years ago

This is also in my top 5 I'd say:

5. Tomorrow Never Dies (probably the worst villain in the history of the franchise though lol)
4. Goldfinger
3. License To Kill
2. Casino Royale
1. GoldenEye

Fav comic book films ever:
Captain America: Winter Solider
Batman Begins
Iron Man
Blade

[–] FridayOnElmStreet 10 years ago

probably the worst villain in the history of the franchise though

Dominic Greene is the worst.

[–] Irishdrummer007 10 years ago

"Dominic Greene is the worst"

Very Much agreed!!

[–] pjl69 (2647) 2 years ago

No, he's the most misunderstood villain in the history of the franchise.

[–] Clappers 10 years ago

I agree, maneuvering a Semi like a dirt bike is extremely realistic.

[–] fleischwolf 10 years ago

Realistic? They pull Felix from his wedding, so he can run around in his tux waving a gun? What did him being part of this raid accomplish? Do they have a shortage of agents able to conduct a raid? And then he has to write a report on the day of his wedding? Is he the only guy working at the CIA? Didn't he take leave?

The movie as a whole is pretty good but the whole opening scene is just a mess.

[–] millsey72 (10365) 2 years ago

Thats why I like Skyfall and Moonraker the best. Every scene was well written and developed so there are no plot holes and its much more realistic than all of the other Bond movies.