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License to Kill is darker than many of the other Bond entries, with Timothy Dalton playing the character with intensity, but it still has some solid chases and fight scenes.
All Critics (52) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (40) | Rotten (12) | DVD (10)
Every once in a while, [the Bond series] pulls in its stomach, pops the gun from its cummerbund, arches its eyebrow and gets off another bull's-eye. The newest, Licence to Kill, is probably one of the five or six best of Bond. May 20, 2014 | Full Review…
Every once in a while, [the Bond series] pulls in its stomach, pops the gun from its cummerbund, arches its eyebrow and gets off another bull's-eye. The newest, Licence to Kill, is probably one of the five or six best of Bond.
Michael Wilmington
If the series is ever going to return to its Connery-era glory, it definitely needs some new writers, ones who know how to streamline a story and keep the dialogue tight. May 20, 2014 | Full Review…
If the series is ever going to return to its Connery-era glory, it definitely needs some new writers, ones who know how to streamline a story and keep the dialogue tight.
Jay Boyar
Dalton revives the cool, ironic detachment of the Connery years, but he also allows a touch of obsession to show through Bond`s surface aplomb. May 20, 2014 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…
Dalton revives the cool, ironic detachment of the Connery years, but he also allows a touch of obsession to show through Bond`s surface aplomb.
Dave Kehr
With Dalton straightening out Bond for the second time, Licence to Kill continues the salvage operation begun in The Living Daylights and rescues a series that was in danger of shooting itself in the foot. With a Walther PPK, of course. May 20, 2014 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…
With Dalton straightening out Bond for the second time, Licence to Kill continues the salvage operation begun in The Living Daylights and rescues a series that was in danger of shooting itself in the foot. With a Walther PPK, of course.
Desmond Ryan
The Bond women are pallid mannequins, and so is the misused Dalton -- a moving target in a Savile Row suit. For every plausible reason, he looks as bored in his second Bond film as Sean Connery did in his sixth. Oct 13, 2008 | Full Review…
The Bond women are pallid mannequins, and so is the misused Dalton -- a moving target in a Savile Row suit. For every plausible reason, he looks as bored in his second Bond film as Sean Connery did in his sixth.
Richard Corliss
The thrills-and-spills chases are superbly orchestrated as pic spins at breakneck speed through its South Florida and Central American locations. Oct 13, 2008 | Full Review…
The thrills-and-spills chases are superbly orchestrated as pic spins at breakneck speed through its South Florida and Central American locations.
Variety Staff
Some of 007's earlier adventures fail to hold up, but in a post-'Taken' world, 'Licence to Kill' certainly aged well and is a under-appreciated gem in the Bond catalog. Nov 2, 2015 | Rating: 8/10 | Full Review…
Some of 007's earlier adventures fail to hold up, but in a post-'Taken' world, 'Licence to Kill' certainly aged well and is a under-appreciated gem in the Bond catalog.
Jeffrey Lyles
Licence to Kill gets better as it unfolds for more than two hours. It just takes an insufferably long while to find the right pace. May 20, 2014 | Full Review…
Licence to Kill gets better as it unfolds for more than two hours. It just takes an insufferably long while to find the right pace.
Candice Russell
Licence to Kill ranks as one of the best of the 16 Bond films, thanks to Dalton's athletic, tough and deadly new 007. May 20, 2014 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…
Licence to Kill ranks as one of the best of the 16 Bond films, thanks to Dalton's athletic, tough and deadly new 007.
Gary Thompson
As unlikely as it seems, Mr. Dalton actually appears to be growing in the Bond role, which is potentially stifling because its own popularity has so rigidly defined it. May 20, 2014 | Full Review…
As unlikely as it seems, Mr. Dalton actually appears to be growing in the Bond role, which is potentially stifling because its own popularity has so rigidly defined it.
David Sterritt
This series' record of maintaining an admirable level of quality stays intact, even if this film might best be used as a cinematic appetizer to see before renting a tape of one of the Connery or Moore classics. May 20, 2014
This series' record of maintaining an admirable level of quality stays intact, even if this film might best be used as a cinematic appetizer to see before renting a tape of one of the Connery or Moore classics.
Ralph Novak
He may look the part, but Timothy Dalton fails the boots, the scuba gear, or the automobiles left him by Moore and Connery. May 20, 2014 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…
He may look the part, but Timothy Dalton fails the boots, the scuba gear, or the automobiles left him by Moore and Connery.
Tom Hibbert
In Timothy Dalton's second and final film as James Bond, we get the best in the series since "For Your Eyes Only" and one of the most unique and interesting entries. This movie is as far from the Bond formula as the Daniel Craig films, but the difference is that audiences apparently weren't ready to give up the cheesy one-liners and bombastic thrills the series had become known for up to this point, leaving this picture with the worst attendance in the series history by a wide margin. It's unfortunate because I feel like audiences would appreciate this film more today, but the toxic word of mouth the movie received upon release has become its legacy. This is a revenge thriller that sees Bond going rogue in order to purse a personal vendetta against a drug lord that seriously injures a friend and kills his friend's wife. Timothy Dalton is better here than he was in The Living Daylight's, and although Bond doesn't have the dashing personality anymore, he has never been more ruthless. It makes the movie a little bit of a downer compared to the rest, but also one of the most driven. It's compelling from beginning to end, despite a few dry spots. The same cannot be said for the last couple of entries. Q's added role in this film is also a pleasure for fans of the series. Overall, it's one of the stronger entries in the series and seems to be a clear influence on the current Bond films.
Super Reviewer
This is a pretty good Bond film. It's edgy, violent, and the first to be Rated PG-13. Dalton gives a good performance, so it sucks that this was his final of two films in the role. At least he went out on a high note. Not until Daniel Craig came around did the film get as serious as it does here. That's why I like it so much, because Bond gets almost ruthless. Granted, it's still an 80s era film, so the cheese and camp aren't 100% gone, but even then, this film gets dark, and there's an increase in the bloodletting. Bond is on a quest for revenge, and goes off the books in order to get things done. The target is a ruthless drug lord who has seriously maimed Bond's friend American DEA Agent Felix Leiter. Robert Davi is great as the antagonist, and you really believe that he's a chilling and ruthless fellow. Benicio del Toro gets his career off to a start as a henchman, which is cool, and, despite the campiness of it, I do kinda dig seeing Wayne Newton as a huckster type of character. Carey Lowell is the primary Bond Girl, and I like her a lot, She's got this quality about her that I just really like, even if I can't properly articulate why. It's too bad she has basically gone under the radar for the most part since then. All in all, a really fine film.
Timothy Dalton's second turn as Bond would also be his last, and I think that's probably a good thing. He does a decent job as Bond, but really makes the character humorless, and a borderline bore. Her he sets out avenge a friend by going after a Latin Drug dealer. The movie has great action, and look closely for a young Benecio Del Tore as a psychotic henchman(has an awesome death scene by the way). It's a more violent take on Bond than the Moore movies, and that's fine, but just keep the humor and womanizing with it. Also, I didn't care that movie ends with a cheezy love song like "If You Ask me To". Not the worst Bond, but probably towards the bottom of them. Still a must watch for all Bond fans.
Bond is on a mission and this time it`s extremely personal. An exhilarating and spectacular action-packed thrill-ride that's filled with some pulse-pounding chases and sensational action scenes. Timothy Dalton strikes gold again with Bond, giving him the right amount of charm and edge to make the character ad story work well. One of my favorite Bond films. A taunt and gripping thrill to watch. It digs deep into some nice character stuff leading back to On her Majesty s secret service. A fun and explosive adventure that you will love to watch again
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