Review of Licence to Kill (1989) by Jimmy B — 25 Feb 2011

The super violent underrated 007 movie. Revenge and sadism land everyone in trouble and 007 adds marks against his soul. Dalton was great at projecting both white hot anger and inner turmoil that never seems unknowing of the cost, just hellbent on implosion.

Sometimes actors can be the entire story in themselves. The visual is overlit and pedestrian but the story (cartel druglords and minions of greed are the animus that takes everyone down a dark path) is delivered with cutthroat feelings with enough details that it is like a novel, and the actor burns it in, makes it certain you don't want to live in there.

I think that's why it wasn't popular, but unique. Doesn't revel in bloodlust just lets it be what it is. You should revisit this movie.