Rotten Tomatoes
Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

The Living Daylights

Play trailer Poster for The Living Daylights PG 1987 2h 10m Action Mystery & Thriller Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
73% Tomatometer 59 Reviews 66% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
British secret agent James Bond (Timothy Dalton) helps KGB officer Georgi Koskov (Jeroen Krabbé) defect during a symphony performance. During his debriefing, Koskov reveals that a policy of assassinating defectors has been instated by new KGB head Leonid Pushkin (John Rhys-Davies). But as Bond explores this threat, a counterplot surfaces, involving a shady American arms dealer (Joe Don Baker) and a pair of Russian assassins, Necros (Andreas Wisniewski) and Kara Milovy (Maryam d'Abo).
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

The Living Daylights

The Living Daylights

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Newcomer Timothy Dalton plays James Bond with more seriousness than preceding installments, and the result is exciting and colorful but occasionally humorless.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Henry Sheehan Chicago Reader 05/09/2022
2/4
The Living Daylights might be reactionary hooey as far as its worldview goes, but it’s really fun hooey. Go to Full Review
Sheila Benson Los Angeles Times 10/20/2015
I feel just rotten about this, but I'm afraid I've outgrown James. Go to Full Review
Dave Kehr Chicago Tribune 10/20/2015
3/4
In The Living Daylights, Dalton establishes his claim to the role; in the films that will follow, he'll have the chance to dig deeper. Go to Full Review
Michael D. Reid Victoria Times Colonist (B.C., Canada) Jan 7
4/5
This funny, fast-paced adventure is licensed to thrill. Go to Full Review
Carson Timar ButteredPopcorn 08/28/2022
This is a messy film that really struggles at points to properly explore it's actually interesting and smart plot. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 09/25/2021
3.5/4
Timothy Dalton's series debut is classic Cold War Bond, and grade-A spy stuff. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Tom Mar 23 I love this film, one of the best bond films, just the whole vibe. See more David D @David2026 3h I hadn't watched this in years. It has aged well. Dalton brings a more serious James Bond to the screen. The story telling is more structured and there remains some welcome old faces and the beginning of a new generation. A great watch. See more andrea C @Charst Apr 13 Ottima trama e direzione da parte di John Glen, che, nonostante uno 007 ben lontano dagli standard e molto differente per caratteristiche, rendono il film gradevole e con un finale emozionante in una location nuova. Timothy Dalton porta un James Bond molto meno sgargiante e sicuro di sè, più normalizzato e a tratti quasi leggermente viscido seppure più dolce; può piacere o no, sicuramente è l'interprete che più si allontana dal personaggio standard del celebre agente. Interessante la trama, con diverse parti coinvolte e con una sequenza finale al cardiopalma sull'aereo in volo. See more Bill E @Billwill Mar 12 Timothy is my favorite Bond See more keven Q @kevenquinlan Mar 1 Ok, they were going for a more real grittier Bond with Dalton at the helm. Meh. It plays like a kind of ho-hum DEA drug movie and eliminates a lot of the reasons Bond is fun to watch. It wasn't bad but nothing to write home about either- and I think people try to say it's under-rated, I don't think it is, lol. See more Alec B @Alec97 Feb 9 Dalton's arrival was a breath of fresh air for the franchise (No more Moore calmly shuffling around) and it's genuinely depressing that so many people couldn't see that. There's an edge to his Bond that works remarkably well with John Glen's vision for these movies. Here it makes the sillier stuff stand out in good ways but the movie never feels unbalanced. See more Read all reviews
The Living Daylights

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING
The Man With the Golden Gun 40% 55% The Man With the Golden Gun Watchlist 007: Goldfinger 99% 89% 007: Goldfinger Watchlist Dr. No 95% 82% Dr. No Watchlist Live and Let Die 67% 64% Live and Let Die Watchlist The Hunt for Red October 88% 88% The Hunt for Red October Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis British secret agent James Bond (Timothy Dalton) helps KGB officer Georgi Koskov (Jeroen Krabbé) defect during a symphony performance. During his debriefing, Koskov reveals that a policy of assassinating defectors has been instated by new KGB head Leonid Pushkin (John Rhys-Davies). But as Bond explores this threat, a counterplot surfaces, involving a shady American arms dealer (Joe Don Baker) and a pair of Russian assassins, Necros (Andreas Wisniewski) and Kara Milovy (Maryam d'Abo).
Director
John Glen
Producer
Albert R. Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson
Screenwriter
Ian Fleming, Richard Maibaum, Michael G. Wilson
Distributor
United Artists
Production Co
United Artists, EON Productions, Danjaq Productions
Rating
PG
Genre
Action, Mystery & Thriller, Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 31, 1987, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 1, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$51.2M
Runtime
2h 10m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)