Pros and Cons: License to Kill

Absolutely_CartAbsolutely_Cart NJ/NYC, United StatesPosts: 1,740MI6 Agent
The 16th film in the series ; the 2nd and final film to feature Timothy Dalton as James Bond. Shifting away from the humor of the Moore era, License to Kill was even darker and gorier than its predecessor, The Living Daylights. Although it was a financial success overall, LTK sold the least out of all the other films in the series.

Pros:
[list=*]
[*]Dalton plays Fleming's Bond superbly, dark and primal[/*]
[*]Bond has some serious guts handling all that cash![/*]
[*]Bond plays the villains all against each other, smartly[/*]
[*]Franz Sanchez is intense, terrifying, and believable[/*]
[*]Sanchez saying "You can have a kiss too" to the iguana[/*]
[*]Q gets his biggest role in the series. Yay!![/*]
[*]Gadgets (explosive toothpaste, laser camera and more)[/*]
[*]Has humor (like the televangelist) while overall serious[/*]
[*]Pretty much says "f*** you!" to the Bond formula[/*]
[*]Pam Bouvier is sexy, intelligent, likeable and hard-edge. [/*]
[*]Thrilling truck chase sequence near the end [/*]
[*]A nice villain death on Sanchez and strong finale [/*]
[/list]

Cons:

[list=*]
[*]Sanchez's gasoline warehouse had no fire safety?!?![/*]
[*]First half leans a wee bit much on the Miami Vice side[/*]
[*]The acting of Lupe (Sanchez's girlfriend) is a bit flat[/*]
[*]While Felix lives, Della is a "woman in a refrigerator"[/*]
[/list]

All in all, one of my favorite movies in the series. The first half takes a little while to settle in but once Pam Bouvier and Sanchez start to develop, it all takes off from there. Despite being an original story, the character of James Bond in this movie is quite similar to the books. But at the end of the day, the public decided that Dalton wasn't the face they wanted, unfortunately.
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Comments

  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Higgy will love this ;)

    Pros -

    A brilliant Score
    Some brilliant Set Pieces
    A dark, gritty, vengeful Bond
    It has some of the best Lines in the Franchise
    Sanchez is still an intimidating Villain

    Cons -

    Leiters jolly Attitude at the End,
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • Absolutely_CartAbsolutely_Cart NJ/NYC, United StatesPosts: 1,740MI6 Agent
    Higgy will love this ;)

    Saved this one just for him. In all fairness, this was the next one I was planning on doing anyway.
  • DevilMayCare007DevilMayCare007 Posts: 196MI6 Agent
    Pros
    - Sanchez
    - Climax
    - Stunts
    - Q
    - Pam Bouvier

    Cons
    - Timothy Dalton ( he's 10x better in TLD )
    - Doesn't feel like a bond movie
    - Too dark
    - Gadgets

    TLD is way better IMO bc it feels like a Bond movie and it has great locations as for LTK is feels just another 80s flick, don't care for the location. And Tim is just angry throughout the movie, and yes I know its a revenge film.
    Top 10 Bond Films
    1. Thunderball 2. FRWL 3. Casino Royale 4. TLD 5. OHMSS 6. SkyFall 7. GF 8. TSWLM 9. GE 10. FYEO
  • Absolutely_CartAbsolutely_Cart NJ/NYC, United StatesPosts: 1,740MI6 Agent
    That's ultimately the dillemma the Bond series faces. Either it's "too formulaic" or it's "not Bond".

    I can agree, though, that if this weren't a James Bond movie (with all elements in tact), it probably wouldn't be remembered as a significant movie of it's decade.
  • DutchfingerDutchfinger Holland With LovePosts: 1,240MI6 Agent
    I think the fact that Licence to Kill steered away from being "too formulatic" and went all the way with it is one of the reasons it's my favorite Bond movie! Something the Brosnan movies could have really learned from, which were made in times where the writers were to afraid to get to far away from the Bond formula.
    Imagine how much better Tomorrow Never Dies could have been if Paris Carver actually was a Bond girl from a past Bond movie, instead of choosing the highly populair Teri Hatcher in favor of grossing more money. Or if Renard's "can't feel no pain" thing and Bond's shoulder injury in TWINE were fully explored and used, instead of just being mentioned a few times. Or if Bond's torture in DAD truly scared him, left a huge wound and made him very visibly vulnerable, instead of turning him to the super hero again as soon as he shaved in Hong Kong. Licence to Kill was a movie that had the balls to go all out with great ideas, the Brosnan movies had great ideas but didn't do anything with them.
    And yet, LTK has dozens of really Bondian moments as well, like: Bond watersking behind the waterplane with the Bond theme, the note left on Felix Leiter straight from the novel, the opening credits, I even find the over the top Truck wheelie in the end to be quite Bondian.
    Better known as DutchBondFan on YouTube. My 007 movie reviews: Recapping 007
    YouTube channel Support my channel on Patreon Twitter Facebook fanpage
  • MilleniumForceMilleniumForce LondonPosts: 1,214MI6 Agent
    Pros:

    - Dalton at his best
    - Love the revenge storyline as a change from missions in a Bond film
    - David Hedison returns as Felix Leiter
    - Robert Davi is a great villain
    - Great Pre Title Sequence
    - Great title song
    - The great death scene at Krest's "You earnt it, old buddy"
    - Pam is a very underated Bond girl, who is actually good at being a female agent
    - Dario is a great henchman
    - Love how Q gets more screen time in this one
    - Krest's death scene is great
    - The conveyer belt scen with Bond is tense and Bond is actually in serious peril here
    - Dario has a great death scene
    - Truck chase is my favourite chase scene in a Bind film
    - Sanchez has a great death scene

    Cons:
    - Wooden acting from Talisa Soto

    Great Bond film, something different from all the other Bond films.
    Love LTK, 9/10
    1.LTK 2.AVTAK 3.OP 4.FYEO 5.TND 6.LALD 7.GE 8.GF 9.TSWLM 10.SPECTRE 11.SF 12.MR 13.YOLT 14.TLD 15.CR (06) 16.TMWTGG 17.TB 18.FRWL 19.TWINE 20.OHMSS 21.DAF 22.DAD 23.QoS 24.NSNA 25.DN 26.CR (67)
  • Absolutely_CartAbsolutely_Cart NJ/NYC, United StatesPosts: 1,740MI6 Agent
    I love Pam. I think she's up there with Vesper.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I didn't think Pam died ! ;) :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • DutchfingerDutchfinger Holland With LovePosts: 1,240MI6 Agent
    I didn't think Pam died ! ;) :))

    :)) Clever one
    Better known as DutchBondFan on YouTube. My 007 movie reviews: Recapping 007
    YouTube channel Support my channel on Patreon Twitter Facebook fanpage
  • stagstag Posts: 2,083MI6 Agent
    Far more pros than cons for me. Great film, Great Bond.
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    I would say that the Film has received a bit more Appreciation over the Years, even if some People cant find any Positives in it -{
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • chrisisallchrisisall Western Mass, USAPosts: 9,061MI6 Agent
    Cons: the curious X-ray shot the camera took, that Hedison wasn't aware of Della's death when he said his lines in hospital.
    Pros: The rest of the bloody film!
    Dalton & Connery rule. Brozz was cool.
    #1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
  • broadshoulderbroadshoulder Acton, London, UKPosts: 1,363MI6 Agent
    Cons: Wayne Newton
    Pros: Everything else
    1. For Your Eyes Only 2. The Living Daylights 3 From Russia with Love 4. Casino Royale 5. OHMSS 6. Skyfall
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    Pros:
    Beautiful locations in Florida!
    Carey Lowell is super-hot and her visual transformation is stunning
    The PTS is quite stunning and exciting
    The idea of Bond going rogue is quite good
    The first 30 minutes until Leiter gets bitten in pieces is phantastic!
    Talisa Soto is eye-candy!
    I quite liked Kamen's Music on th first viewing but it gets annoyingly repeating after times.
    Extended role for Q is a lovely gesture towards Llewelyn

    Cons:
    Many of the sets are visibly cheap!
    The HK agents subplot is totally unnecessary
    The Mexico pyramid plot is boring!
    Wave Crest scenes too lenghty

    And you know the big minus for me all :D

    All in all, I prefer LTK over TLD anyday but True Lies used the Florida Locations so much better!
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    I've always put Felix's jolly Attitude at the End down to the Painkillers :))
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • SpoffSpoff Posts: 244MI6 Agent
    Pros:

    Dalton is excellent
    A welcome change from the usual Bond formula
    Great locations
    Good story and use of bits from the novels
    Excellent villain(s)
    Cary Lowell is very good
    Good stunts
    Q gets a longer outing

    Cons:

    Ninjas in the sniper scene...Why? I hate that bit, it is so out of step with the rest of the film.
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    LTK started off Life as a rather different Film originally.
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • BlackleiterBlackleiter Washington, DCPosts: 5,615MI6 Agent
    Pros:

    - Dalton at his best
    - Love the revenge storyline as a change from missions in a Bond film
    - David Hedison returns as Felix Leiter
    - Robert Davi is a great villain
    - Great Pre Title Sequence
    - Great title song
    - The great death scene at Krest's "You earnt it, old buddy"
    - Pam is a very underated Bond girl, who is actually good at being a female agent
    - Dario is a great henchman
    - Love how Q gets more screen time in this one
    - Krest's death scene is great
    - The conveyer belt scen with Bond is tense and Bond is actually in serious peril here
    - Dario has a great death scene
    - Truck chase is my favourite chase scene in a Bind film
    - Sanchez has a great death scene

    Cons:
    - Wooden acting from Talisa Soto

    Great Bond film, something different from all the other Bond films.
    Love LTK, 9/10

    I agree with every one of your points! {[]
    "Felix Leiter, a brother from Langley."
  • BlackleiterBlackleiter Washington, DCPosts: 5,615MI6 Agent
    Higgins wrote:
    Pros:
    Beautiful locations in Florida!
    Carey Lowell is super-hot and her visual transformation is stunning
    The PTS is quite stunning and exciting
    The idea of Bond going rogue is quite good
    The first 30 minutes until Leiter gets bitten in pieces is phantastic!
    Talisa Soto is eye-candy!
    I quite liked Kamen's Music on th first viewing but it gets annoyingly repeating after times.
    Extended role for Q is a lovely gesture towards Llewelyn

    Cons:
    Many of the sets are visibly cheap!
    The HK agents subplot is totally unnecessary
    The Mexico pyramid plot is boring!
    Wave Crest scenes too lenghty

    And you know the big minus for me all :D

    All in all, I prefer LTK over TLD anyday but True Lies used the Florida Locations so much better!

    Holy cow! So many pros for a Dalton Bond? From you???? :o
    "Felix Leiter, a brother from Langley."
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    Me too {[]
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent

    Holy cow! So many pros for a Dalton Bond? From you???? :o

    ...and none of them has to do with Dalton himself :p :D
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    A well-balanced view, Higgins, kudos.
  • AlphaOmegaSinAlphaOmegaSin EnglandPosts: 10,924MI6 Agent
    1+
    1.On Her Majesties Secret Service 2.The Living Daylights 3.license To Kill 4.The Spy Who Loved Me 5.Goldfinger
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    Barbel wrote:
    A well-balanced view, Higgins, kudos.


    .... as always :D
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    another positive aspect is Dalton's chemistry with Lowell.
    Where his entire interaction with Kara is simply creepy, it's good to see him having a girl which is next to equal.
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • PPK 7.65mmPPK 7.65mm Saratoga Springs NY USAPosts: 1,227MI6 Agent
    I have always liked the Galco Falcon Shoulder Holster that James Bond (Timothy Dalton) wears for his Walther PPK in Licence To Kill. It looks amazing! It took me several years to find a similar gun holster like it, but I found one in the Ken Nulls SMZ! Pictures contained below.
  • Absolutely_CartAbsolutely_Cart NJ/NYC, United StatesPosts: 1,740MI6 Agent
    Higgins wrote:
    another positive aspect is Dalton's chemistry with Lowell.
    Where his entire interaction with Kara is simply creepy, it's good to see him having a girl which is next to equal.


    wow, higgins said one positive thing about dalton. i can die happily.

    i agree that his relationship with kara was kinda paternal/condescending, but it was still more fulfilling than many of the moore era pursuits.
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    The difference is that Moore's relationships with far younger women was always "C'mon nobody believes that I'd really score this young chick" while Dalton with his pseudo-overall-serious approach makes it serious and really creepy... :p

    When seriously creepy is "more fulfilling" for yourself - I am not surprised :D
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    Barbel wrote:
    A well-balanced view, Higgins, kudos.

    You know, Barbel,

    it may look like my posts are just right out of my head, but these are actually result of week-long reflexions, yoga-lessons, cross-checks long-life experience and extraordinary intelligence!

    It's a pretty complex process until AJB gets the honor to be blessed with my brilliance :D
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • 7700777007 Posts: 502MI6 Agent
    Pros: It's not TLD.

    Cons: Dalton.
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