Review of Licence to Kill (1989) by Lowell62 — 18 Jul 2021

POPCORN REVIEW LICENCE TO KILL (originally published July 12, 1989).

A warning to children - this 007 adventure is more violent than any of the previous films; this film is more for adults. Needless to say, Licence To Kill, the 18th James Bond film (actually, the 16th produced by Albert R. Broccoli and United Artists) starring Timothy Dalton as the best 007 ever, ranks among the best in the series.

This one begins when Bond’s old CIA buddy, Felix Leiter (played by David Hedison, Who first portrayed him in Roger Moore’s first 007 film, Live And Let Die making him the only actor to reprise the role) is horribly maimed shortly after his wedding to a woman named Della (Priscilla Barnes who replaced Suzanne Somers on TV’s Three’s Company) who is murdered by a revenge-seeking Colombian drug czar named Sanchez (Robert Davi). Bond, who also lost a wife a few minutes after they were married in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in 1969, goes to seek some revenge of his own without the approval of his Secret Service superior, “M” (Robert Brown), Who reprimand him by revoking his Licence To Kill.

Bond, undaunted by this, goes after Sanchez anyway with the help of a beautiful CIA agent named Pam Bouvier (played by newcomer Carey Lowell), and thanks to M’s secretary, Miss Moneypenny (Caroline Bliss Who replaced Lois Maxwell in The Living Daylights), Q (Desmond Lewellyn as usual).

Without giving too much more of the plot away, it is the opinion of this writer that Licence To Kill is the best James Bond adventure in years (since The Spy Who Loved Me), simply because this is more serious than the last two films. In fact, real Bond fans will be delighted to know that all traces of that other Bond, Roger Moore (Who turned the character into a clown with gadgets), is completely gone, therefore bringing back all of the elements of the earlier films starring Sean Connery.

Much of the film’s success is due to Timothy Dalton‘s portrayal of Bond as a more human agent (Who doesn’t worry much about his clothes being rumpled or his hair being messed up). He more than fits Ian Fleming’s description of 007 (minus the scar on his left cheek). Dalton’s 007 is cold, ruthless, and uses his wits more than he uses Q’s gadgets to get out of a bad situation.

Carey Lowell (I just love her last name) is one of the more interesting Bond-women in years. Her portrayal of Pam Bouvier is completely different than the previous bimbos of Roger Moore’s past. She’s tough, and is more than a match for 007. In fact, there hasn’t been anyone like her since perhaps **** Galore (In Goldfinger) and Holly Goodhead (In Moonraker) who were equally tough. The other Bond girl in Licence To Kill, Talisa Soto, as the villain’s reluctant concubine, is good as well. There are also I’m using performances by Bliss as the new Moneypenny. Desmond Llewellyn is always a delight as “Q,” as he has a much larger role in this one. And, Robert Brown is decent as “M.“ There are interesting cameo turns by Las Vegas performer Wayne Newton (Yes, that Wayne Newton); Pedro Armendariz Jr. (Son of the late Sr, who appeared as Bond’s Istanbul contact in the second Bond adventure From Russia With Love), and our Governor Bob Martinez, who has a very brief cameo as a U.S. Customs agent, so look close.

Robert Davi (Who played the somewhat psychotic FBI agent in last year’s Die Hard) is the most convincing Bond villain in years, as his character is a composite of real life Colombian drug lords, he is much more realistic than any other villains in Bond’s past. In fact, Davi’s Sanchez is so sadistic, all of the other villains pale by comparison.

Which brings us to the violent content of the film. This, as mentioned earlier, is the most violent of all the Bond films to date, thereby deserving it’s PG-13 rating. One scene, in particular, after the credits, sets the tone for the entire film. The scene where Felix Leiter is fed to the sharks by Sanchez (A fate met by the character in Ian Fleming‘s second book, Live And Let Die) is particularly disturbing, especially after he is found, still alive, by Bond with a note that reads “He disagreed with something that ate him,” A very grim joke indeed. It goes without saying that young children, and sensitive adults, will find this outing quite tense.

To sum it all up, those who hasn’t been convinced that Dalton’s the best Bond ever, will be by the end of this film.

Excuse me, but my Aston Martin is parked where it shouldn’t be. See ya!

Lowell C Johnson is a former freelance film reviewer in Tampa Florida. And has written for several local publications.