Review of The Living Daylights (1987) by Jeff Z — 06 Feb 2009
Timothy Dalton just doesn't get the credit he deserves for his portrayal of James Bond. Originally written to star Roger Moore one final time, TLD was rewritten to give it a harder edge more befitting Dalton's more serious and Ian Fleming-inspired take on the role.
The result is a mix of Moore era witticisms (which fall flat with Dalton's delivery) - typified by the Aston Martin snow chase - and a harder edge more befitting the early Connery films. Dalton brings gravitas to the role and acquits himself well with the script he has to work with, but his leading lady (Maryam D'abo) and opponents (Jeroen Krabbe and Joe Don Baker) are weak.
It's nice to see a convincing henchman again in the form of Andreas Wisniewski's Necros and John Rhys-Davies does a nice job with his limited screen time as General Leonid Pushkin. Composer John Barry, a Bond film institution, turns in his last score for a 007 film, offering a servicable if not spectacular soundtrack.
Let's not talk about the title track performed by a-ha.
This review of The Living Daylights (1987) was written by Jeff Z on 06 Feb 2009.
The Living Daylights has generally received positive reviews.
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