The Living Daylights (1987) User Reviews

Love The New Bond

[Zoooma · 8/10 · 1 June 2014]

I like the new James Bond. He's different. In walks Timothy Dalton to replace Roger Moore after his seven turns as 007. The new Bond is a monogamous chap, less humorous and clowny, a little more serious and darker. Not that Moore's Bond wasn't serious when he needed to be... when he needed to be that agent capable of getting the job done he always did, of course! But here Dalton gives us a guy on the job almost all the time. Moore's silliness gone, in comes seriousness with Dalton. The action sequences seem to definitely get kicked up a notch. And we're back to great cars and gadgets and a henchman for the villain who is quite a nemesis, at least for a little while. It's been like ten years since I've seen this, perhaps this being the 4th time overall, and I think now, whilst watching all the Bond films chronologically, I have a greater appreciation for it.

7.6 / 10 stars

--Zoooma, a Kat Pirate Screener

8 - Great

[cartesianthought · 8/10 · 11 November 2015]

An underrated film in the series. Timothy Dalton particularly changed the Bond character to make it more faithful to Fleming's books. Instead of being a suave playboy, he's a burnt-out assassin. His Bond is a palpable thread to his enemies and was far more energetic than past actors in the role. This means less philandering and more mission. Unfortunately, the "Bond girl" (Kara Milovy) and the villains didn't have memorable performances. With a better cast, this would've been a possible contender for the best film in the series.

The plot in this movie is different from past Bonds. There's no world domination or global destruction. Rather it's a plot of Soviet defection and people conspiring together to commit treason. It's a welcome change to the formula not knowing exactly what's going to happen next. In the 2nd half, there's a big set piece of Bond on an airplane (in the midst of a war) that's one of the most ambitious action scenes in the series.

Despite not being one of the better known Bond films, it was a very important one for the franchise. It pushed the series toward storytelling, action and established Bond as a more dark gritty character. The later films since then have not turned back.

Shame Dalton didn't take over sooner

[mjw2305 · 7/10 · 21 January 2007]

I like most of the Bond movie's and i can see positives in all the portrayals of our favourite spy. I enjoyed Moore's first 5 movies (Moonraker got silly, but it was still fun) After seeing Dalton's gritty and reckless take on the Bond character, i remember thinking that he should have replaced Moore before he made 'Octopussy' and 'A View to a Kill'

Dalton's Bond is probably the closest to Fleming's original idea, and it's only the Connery level of charisma that is lacking. The living Daylights is a fine addition to the genre and it's an action packed thrill ride with a gritty edge.

7/10 Nice one Timothy

Dalton makes terrific debut in classic Bond film

[ametaphysicalshark · 23 March 2008]

I have nothing but praise for "The Living Daylights". It's an explosive, action-packed ride from the glorious opening sequence through the ending, maintaining some level of (surprisingly effective) humor which was mostly included because the script was written, or edited, for Pierce Brosnan, who would only finally take over the role in 1995 for "Goldeneye", but largely disposing of the silliness and tackiness of the Moore era, and creating a stealthy, thrilling, effective, and ruthless Bond. Dalton makes a terrific Bond, even competing with Connery for the 'definitive' title as far as movie Bond portrayals go, although Dalton is closer to Fleming's Bond than Connery. After the ultra-suave Roger Moore Bond, Dalton's Bond seems almost mean-spirited in comparison, there may be one-liners, but this guy at least seems fit to be a secret agent.

The action scenes in "The Living Daylights" are all great. I can't think of one which I disliked, and the special effects might be the in the series up to this point. The plot here is actually intriguing, and neither too convoluted or too thin, and keeps you interested from start to finish. The screenplay is terrific, the best in a Bond film since "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". Maryam d'Abo makes for a wonderful Bond girl in Kara Milovy, one of the smartest and most likable of all of Bond's 'love' interests. I really like Caroline Bliss' Moneypenny as well. How fresh and exciting this is when compared to the previous entry.

I'm honestly hard pressed to find any serious flaws with "The Living Daylights". Some have said that it takes itself too seriously, but I never felt that it did. Sure, it was much more straight-faced than most Bond films, but a film is only taking itself too seriously when it becomes thoroughly ridiculous while maintaining a 'serious' superficial look. I never thought that "The Living Daylights" did this. It, and the follow-up Dalton film "License to Kill" were both relative financial disappointments, mostly because audiences didn't care for Dalton's hard-edged Bond or the fact that the film had actual characters other than Bond, actual real-world stakes, and no silly villains. Then again, "The Living Daylights" did extremely well in comparison to most films that year, and it earned much more than "A View to a Kill" did, so perhaps it is only the lesser "Licence to Kill" that was a disappointment.

How can you go wrong with a movie this well-shot and well-acted, this well-scripted, and so well-scored by John Barry, which would sadly be his last score for the series? A terrific Bond film with a harder edge than most, and one of the few in the series that remains faithful to the spirit of Fleming's novels. A contender for my favorite Bond film and among my favorite action films overall.

9/10

Licence to Kill was better, but this is still above-average Bond

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 17 August 2016]

It may not be perfect, but the first of the two Timothy Dalton James Bond films from the late '80s is everything you could want from a Bond film. It's a globe-trotting adventure, packed with action, intrigue, romance, and plenty of engaging characters who spend the movie double-crossing each other. It sets the template for many a Bond flick to follow and many films which have come since have referenced it – from RAMBO III to AIR FORCE ONE, along with THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM and QUANTUM OF SOLACE. Yes, there are a couple of flaws – a bloated running time and some typical '80s excess moments which take the edge off some of the action – but for the most part this is tough pulp fun.

I firmly believe that Dalton was and still is the best actor ever to have played the British secret agent – Daniel Craig can't match Dalton's cool exterior and air of quiet professionalism. Roger Moore may have the most fun in the role, but Timothy Dalton is the most believable of the pack and his appearance only serves to remind us of Pierce Brosnan's appalling turn during the 1990s. I didn't think much of Maryam d'Abo as the oddly sexless Bond girl (and this has to be the least sexy Bond flick in existence) despite the fact she made some good turns in other productions, she just seems uncomfortable here and her acting strained.

There's good support from dependables like Art Malik and John Rhys-Davies but the villains don't make much of an impact: Joe Don Baker chews the scenery in a couple of instances but Dutch actor Jeroen Krabba is saddled with a weedy, slimy bad guy rather than a challenging one. The good news is that this has one of the best henchmen in a Bond flick: German actor Andreas Wisniewski with his garroting headphones. He's powerful, frightening, icily cold and also made a memorable appearance in the following year's DIE HARD as another henchman. Shame he didn't do more films! THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS has many decent action set-pieces, and they're not all of the predictable blow-em-up variety (like Brosnan's were). Okay, so the Arab attack on the Russian base is a bit too pyrotechnic for its own good, but there's a fantastic opening car chase in which Dalton does some of his own stunts to great effect, and a tremendous extended tussle involving a henchman, a stash of opium, and a bomb on a plane. Others keep the film moving nicely and I didn't get bored for a second – so full kudos to those involved for making this such an entertaining entry in the long running series.

Not really breathing a gigantic amount of new life into the franchise, but still an alright watch

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 5 July 2020]

"The Living Daylights" is a British movie that includes so many languages that it is impossible for me to name them all, but the most common one here is English of course. This film was the 15th entry to the James Bond 007 franchise and there are some parallels to other films and some differences. The title is certainly a bit unusual. I watched the German dub, so I cannot really say when and if it was used in a quote, especially because the German title means something like "breath of death" and this was used relatively early on, but means something entirely different than the English title. With "unusual" I mean that they did not name the film after a key character (good or bad) the way it happened in the past, but there is not even any reference to killing, to spy matters etc. the way you could expect it for a 007 movie, for example "A View to a Kill", the previous one. "The Living Daylights" could also be the title of a random romance drama for example. But it is not. This is shown by the title song that has the same name and received positive acclaim just like the film itself. Norwegian pop band a-ha came up with this one and it is probably among their more, but not most, known songs. They have been in the industry for a long time. That much is safe when they already worked on a Bond song that is now almost 35 years old. Away from the music, the director is John Glen and the screenplay is by Maibaum and Wilson and all three of them have a long, long history with Bond movies. Two of them are even alive today and one of them, namely the director, is almost 90 already. His film here runs for 2 hours and 10 minutes, which is pretty long for a 007 movie, well I could say for an old 007 movie because the new Craig films are also really long, most of them. As for this 1987 film, it could have been kept a bit shorter here and there. It is alright overall, but it is not without scenes and moments when it drags a bit I suppose. One thing that definitely needs to be mentioned is that this was the first film starring Timothy Dalton. I like the actor and I somehow feel that if I was a (heterosexual) female, he would be the Bond for me to crush on the most. He was approximately 40 when he took over here and as Moore played the character until he was almost 60, there was the possibility for Dalton to make many more Bond films, especially as his second film came already two years later, so really quick. However, he kept it at two films and that was it before Brosnan filled in. As for Dalton, he was Welsh by the way, so no English Bond this time. This was not the first time I watched this movie we have here, maybe second or third and I still think I definitely prefer the second Dalton Bond film, mostly because of Franz Sanchez (and Davi portraying him). The villain there is just infinitely better than the villain in this one here. That would be Jeroen Krabbé as we find out eventually. I would not even blame the actor too much, but rather the way the character was written. They could have done a lot more given Krabbé's physicality here. Certainly a bit of a wasted opportunity and the result is one of my least favorite Bond antagonists unfortunately. One I found almost more interesting was henchman Necros. He had a really nice introduction when he poses as a food delivery man, but is something entirely different. And his way out up in the air with the shoelace scene was although not too shabby. For once, a key henchman did not survive the main antagonist. Necros was played by German actor Andreas Wisniewski by the way. Sadly, that one is almost never mentioned anymore these days, maybe also because he barely acted in German movies. Here and there, he was in an action-packed series to see, but he focused more on international films it seems, also played in "Die Hard" briefly after this movie. I found his character interesting though. Pity he did not get better elaboration in the middle part. The film was certainly long enough for him to do so.

As for the usual characters from Bond movies: Not too much to say about Moneypenny here, they cast a younger actress eventually, which made sense because the previous one simply would have been too old for Dalton. She was approximately Moore's age. But this Moneypenny was entirely forgettable, also had no material really to shine. One who really did shine this time was Llewelyn's Q. The ghetto blaster moment was a lot of fun and Dalton's face expression after this statement was really hilarious. The sofa in which the other guy disappears was really cool too. They should use it as a bit of a hommage in a future Bond film. The basically one and only Bond girl here (if we forget the one at the very start that has Bond say he needs two hours and not one hour) is played by Maryam d'Abo. I know her relative Olivia pretty well from "Criminal Intent" and it is interesting how they look so similar really. As for Maryam, I thought the musician idea was nice, also how they carried that case around all the time, the assassin idea maybe not so much. I am generally not too much into blondes, so she did not do as much for me as she may have done for other viewers. But that is of course entirely subjective. Still, another Bond girl, maybe in the first half, would have been nice and d'Abo is nowhere near my favorites, maybe more on the opposite end of the scale although I am sure there's some I like less than her. But this is one area where they certainly could have improved. Leiter is also part of this movie, but his impact (or significance) is much bigger in the second Dalton film where what happens to him is crucial for 007's ruthless path of revenge. Maybe this is why I liked the second more. It's really bold and brutal. In this one we have here, Dalton still somewhat works out finding his role as Bond it seems. Here and there a lighter moment and funny sentence as you know it from Moore (and Connery), but that is not who he was eventually if we take a look at the sequel. Okay, what else to say about this one? A great deal of aviation for sure. As for locations, early on we are in Eastern Europe all the time, but everything afterwards is Afghanistan. A really exotic location for sure, especially taking into account that almost half the film took place in this country. While in prison there, Bond frees another guy, who tuns out a highly influential figure of the Mujahideen resistance movement (of course!). How did they even catch him with all the people protecting him? Anyway, let's not be too critical now. His group are not 100% Bond's friends (look at d'Abo's character's worrying on one occasion they could kill him when they forced them to separate), but again Bond finds an army to support him. Before he once again finds himself in the arms of an attractive female the moment the closing credits roll in and this time he is not disturbed by anybody. Another thing I want to say here is that I found it a bit unusual how really the Soviets indeed seemed like the main antagonists for a large part of the film, but you could see that Cold War was a huge issue back then, and this was unusual, even for a Bond movie. Frequently the main antagonist collaborated with the Russians, but eventually acted on his own and was just trying to play both sides to create the utmost destruction. Still, this is also how things turn out here at the end and Bond is of course not going up against the entire Soviet Union, but just against one villain and his aides in the end. This final fight sequence also brings back a character from earlier, another Russian indeed that shows us that the Soviet Union is not the enemy. Or at least not the biggest enemy. Earlier on, with how forces were trying to shoot Bond, you could have thought so. Okay, I shall leave it at that I suppose. It is an okay Bond film, but I still prefer the one that followed in 1989 and I think you should watch that one first, then decide if you wanna see this one here. Unless you really dig blonde Bond girls, then maybe take the 1987 film first. But you will certainly understand the 1989 film without having seen the 1987 movie. No chronological viewing required here and certainly not essential. Overall, I give this film a thumbs-up, even if especially all the Russian connections involving agents, double agents etc. felt a bit too much here and there. I feel they could have cut some of the week stuff and kept the film at 110-115 minutes. Despite that, it was still an alright start for Dalton for sure and I find it a bit sad that he did not play in more than two films. Oh well, he did a lot afterwards with other projects at least. Go see this one here if you like him because he is really in it from beginning to end. But shame on them for not using the really cool main theme more frequently. The one I mentioned earlier by Norwegian pop band a-ha.

A Dark and Serious Effort

[Uriah43 · 7/10 · 7 April 2016]

Although I was initially skeptical with Timothy Dalton in the role of "James Bond", I must say that this movie was a definite improvement over the last couple of films starring Roger Moore. Now don't get me wrong, I still think that Roger Moore performed quite well and my criticism is not directed at him in any way. It's just that in some cases the overall direction seemed to drift too far away from the basic substance which made James Bond so unique in the first place. In any case, this movie essentially begins with "James Bond" (Timothy Dalton) successfully bringing a high-ranking KGB official by the name of "General Georgi Koskov" (Jeroen Crabbe) over to the West. Then upon interrogating General Koskov the British secret service is told that another high-ranking KGB official, "General Leonid Pushkin" (John Rhys-Davies) has apparently gone insane and has issued an order to assassinate numerous British and American spies in order to provoke a war between the Soviet Union and NATO. Unfortunately, prior to interrogating him more fully, General Koskov is suddenly kidnapped by Soviet agents and subsequently whisked back to Moscow. This turn of events makes it imperative for the British government to act quickly and Agent 007 is immediately tasked with assassinating General Pushkin before his plan can take effect. But before he does that James Bond wants to interrogate another person who might be able to give him some more information-a female sniper named "Kara Milovy" (Maryam d'Abo) who attempted to kill General Koskov before he could defect. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this is a more dark and serious effort which still manages to entertain fairly well. I especially liked the overall storyline and the performance of Timothy Dalton who quite capably managed to fill an extremely difficult vacancy. In short, this turned out to be a pretty good James Bond movie and I have rated it accordingly. Above average.

Solid and superior Bond movie, but stops just short of greatness

[movieguy96 · 7/10 · 13 September 2020]

The Living Daylights is one of the most handsomely shot Bond movies, and Timothy Dalton is dynamite as a grittier and cooler 007. When I was a kid I was swept along for the ride, mesmerised by the evocative use of locations, lush photography, and well choreographed set-pieces. As an adult though I see it as a somewhat flawed movie, with some parts feeling contrived or a bit preposterous (such as the Mujahideen sequence). There's some frustrating narrative choices and the characterisations of the villains feels a bit off, either coming across as clownish (Jeroen Krabbé) or underdeveloped (Joe Don Baker). It's a shame as it's a bit of a misstep in the movie, especially considering how dastardly and treacherous their motivations are. They deserved greater fleshing out, and especially more satisfying comeuppances.

This isn't to say The Living Daylights is a bad movie though. Far from it. The reasons I loved it as a kid are why I still keep returning to the film all these years after. After the criminally underrated Licence to Kill it's the second best 80's Bond movie, and director John Glen pulled out all the stops to give the franchise a much-needed adrenalin shot after the misfire A View to a Kill. Some argue the stagnancy of the series at the time carried over into Dalton's period as 007, which is arguable but in my opinion doesn't detract away from the quality of his movies. There's a certain freshness and flair which elevates The Living Daylights, and License to Kill took a left turn which while controversial was also uncompromising and brave, giving Dalton free reign to show a darker more complex version of Bond which was only hinted at here.

The Living Daylights boasts some of the greatest production values out of all the Bond movies, although its this emphasis on aesthetics which can almost make it seem superficial in places. There's more than enough to justify its existence however. When all's said and done it contains everything you'd want from a Bond movie, and is John Glen's best directed entry in the franchise. Maryam d'Abo is a lovely Bond girl too. Unlike most women who came before she's never subjected to crude objectification or made the butt of some poor misogynistic pun. There's a sweet chemistry between her character and Bond's, and it's credit to both actors that they carry this off with some authenticity. The soundtrack is also a prominant feature of the movie and compliments the action very well, adding to the excitement right from the exhilarating opening scene on Gibraltar.

Not without its faults then, but I'd highly recommend it.

Timothy Dalton's first entry in which faces dangerous adventures around the world

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 22 November 2010]

Timothy Dalton's first outing with overwhelming action and spectacular scenarios . This was Timothy Dalton introduction as tough and attractive James Bond of the Ian Fleming's famous creation . This Bond film deals with seductive James Bond OO7 as the ultimate spy hero who is assigned by MI6 a dangerous mission in the Rock of Gibraltar . Later on , Bond is ordered to protect a false KGB defector (Jeroen Krabbe) but he's kidnapped and James attempts to chase the corrupt and double-dealing Russian general . Meanwhile , there happens a high-octane race and discovers clues about a suspicious cello player (Maryam D'Abo). James is double-crossed and continues to follow the lead , deciding to investigate in Afganistan and Tangier. Following the clues all lead to a renegade weapons smuggler (Joe Don Baker as maniacal villain) who join forces with the phony defector.

Timothy Dalton as new James Bond is cool , lacked in irony, suavity and sympathy characterized by Roger Moore however earns in dimension of humanity , coldness ,cunning , adding intelligence and toughness like Sean Connery and nearly to character created by Ian Fleming . In spite of the spectacular opening sequences the Bond films were starting to look a little bit old and tired just like its star Roger Moore , then the producers Michael Wilson, Albert R. Broccoli and his daughter Barbara Broccoli hired Timothy Dalton to up the series. However , Dalton only played two Bonds , ¨Licence to Kill ¨and this one with the same director John Glen . Here Bond is an efficient , relentless agent trying to chase obstinately the criminals , traveling around the world as always , as this globe-trotting story is set in Rock of Gibraltar , Vienna (in the palace of Sissi and the big wheel of ¨The third man), Bratislava , Tangier among them , to achieve his aims , Bond along the way uses violent means even pulling off brutal killings against enemies who wreak all sorts of havoc . As always Bond will use gadgets and spectacular cars provided by ¨Q¨ (Desmond Llewelyn) . In addition , there appears Caroline Bliss and Robert Brown debuts as ¨MoneyPenny¨ and ¨M¨ , respectively .

The picture with a low-key intrigue contains sensational pursuits , silly set pieces, great stunts, frantic action packed , amazing gimmicks and stimulating images like are the happenings on the snow pursuits , the breathtaking aerial scenes, and the Afganistan fights . Enjoyable title song and stirring musical score fitting to action by the usual composer, the classic John Barry . Riveting and fancy main titles by habitual Maurice Binder . It's brimming with colorful and fascinating cinematography by cameraman Alec Mils. The motion picture produced by habitual producers, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson , being professionally directed by John Glen who directed various outings (Licence to kill, A view to kill , For your eyes only. Octopussy) though with no originality . The film will appeal to James Bond series's buffs but good for fans only ; because this one goes on far too long . Rating : 6 , well worth watching .

Stuff my orders! I only kill professionals.

[hitchcockthelegend · 8/10 · 10 July 2012]

The Living Daylights is directed by John Glen and adapted to screenplay by Ricahrd Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson from an Ian Fleming story. It stars Timothy Dalton, Maryam d'Abo, Jeroen Krabbe, Brad Whitaker, John Rhys-Davies, Joe Don Baker and Art Malik. Music is scored by John Barry and cinematography by Alec Mills.

Bond 15 and 007 is assigned to Bratislava to help in the defection of Soviet General Kosov from the Iron Curtain. But pretty soon Bond is mired in a plot involving arms, opium and assassinations.

With Moore retired the search for a new Bond invariably came down to two names who had been mentioned in Bond circles before, Pierce Brosnan and Timothy Dalton. TV schedules and commitments would play a part and eventually Dalton got the role and eagerly he read up on Fleming's novels to ensure he had a grasp on the beloved Secret Agent. In spite of many misconceptions about Dalton's tenure in the tuxedo, his take was stripped back and closer to Fleming's literary source, his intense acting style ensuring Bond was getting back to the thriller realm.

The Living Daylights is a great Bond movie, mostly devoid of stupid sight gags and cheese laden quips, it sees Bond back to indulging in glorious fist fights, using brains and brawn to achieve his ends, and with Dalton putting the arrogant swagger back into the man, Bond is sexy and dangerous again. The plot is intelligent, operating on three fronts and spanning across the continents, production values are immense, Barry's final score is a knockout, one of his most atmospheric and the title song by Norwegian pop darlings, a-ha, is energy supreme and became a monster chart hit. Glen's action direction is practically peerless, including an excellent pre-credit sequence (where a training exercise turns bloody) and a mano mano fight between Bond and a baddie aboard an in flight cargo plane, the latter of which is a series highlight. Maryam d'Abo is a good Bond girl, making Kara Milovy brave but also sweetly innocent, the pairing of Dalton and d'Abo works very well.

Where the picture mainly falls down is with the villains, who are just too lightweight to amp up the peril within the plot. Krabbe and Baker are far from being bad or even average actors, but they rarely offer a threat to Bond and it's a stretch to imagine they could seriously trouble him. Elsewhere, Robert Brown continues to lack an edge in the role of M and Caroline Bliss steps into the Moneypenny shoes vacated by Lois Maxwell and struggles to make an impact because the script doesn't allow her too. Big crime, too, is having Felix Leiter finally return only for him to be underwritten and performed by a dull actor (John Terry). One misstep in the film 's plotting sees Bond and Milovy escape from danger by using a Cello case as a sledge, it looks daft and feels like it belongs in one of Roger Moore's cartoonish Bond movies. Much has been made of Dalton being uncomfortable saying the quips, and that's right, it does show, but that is a world away from the Bond he wanted to play. I do wonder if this screenplay was tailored towards Brosnan, who was inches away from getting the gig? Or even a holdover from a script written with Moore in mind?

No matter, Dalton ushered in a Bond of class and intensity and the worldwide box office chimed to the tune of over $190 million, nearly $50 million more than Moore's last film, A View to a Kill. Critics were mixed on the film and with Dalton's take on the Bond role, they failed to see it was a new era and that it was an actor refusing (rightly so) to mimic either of the Bond's that went before him. Fleming purists were much happier, and with that box office take proving, so were movie going Bond fans. 8.5/10

"Don't think. Just let it happen."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 2 January 2019]

In a diabolical master stroke, international arms dealer Brad Whitaker (Joe Don Baker) and Russian General Georgi Koskov (Jeroen Krabbé) devise a plan to pit Russia against The West by orchestrating the assassinations of spies from both sides with the obvious intent of having the super-powers blame each other and come to blows in nuclear fashion. Part of the subterfuge involves convincing the Brits that Soviet General Leonid Pushkin (John Rhys-Davies) is in firm opposition to détente, and with the defection of Koskov, it's made to appear that he's in a position to help the British Secret Service. It doesn't take long for James Bond (Timothy Dalton) to smell a rat in the set up, and from there on, you've got your typical globe trotting action that takes Bond across all seven continents to save the day not only for the British, but the entire world.

One of the head scratchers while watching the movie today is seeing Bond receive aid from Afghan warlord Kamran Shah (Art Malik), who identifies his affiliation with the mujahideen, and isn't above smuggling opium as a sideline to finance his own cause. It wouldn't be too far off in the future that Shah might have been an instrumental leader for the Taliban. Sounds like the makings of another James Bond flick, doesn't it?

Well, with the help of Russian cellist and former paramour of General Koskov, Kara Milovy (Maryam d'Abo), Bond eventually turns the tables on Whitaker's effort to corner the international arms market and put the entire globe in turmoil. Joe Don Baker is wonderfully colorful and over the top in his characterization of Whitaker, utilizing his spare time to reinvent the outcomes of history's major battles with scale model replicas. There's a point in the picture where Bond is put in the position of impersonating a Russian officer, and I got a kick out of the Russian name that the film makers came up with - Jerzi Bondov. Turns out it didn't fool anybody.

Licence to Steele

[bmldb5 · 10/10 · 2 December 2015]

After Moore's final Bond in 1985, EON was on the hunt for their fourth OO7. The famous gun barrel was pointed directly at Pierce Brosnan but due to the revival of Remington Steele, a contract Brosnan was still tied too, EON turned their sights towards Timothy Dalton. The Living Daylights has all the elements that make a classic Bond, a script that uses Flemings original short story within the overall plot.The cast, locations and action sequences are all there but its Daltons portrayal that makes this Bond film one for todays fans. At the time, Daltons performance was not fully accepted by the movie going public, a far more ruthless, cold blooded interpretation of Bond, which was very different to Moores previous character. With todays audiences thirst for originality, Daltons decision to return to Flemings original has eventually paid off, a style that can be mirrored to Daniel Craig"s. EON must have been disappointed that NBC had a "licence to steele" Brosnan back but in hindsight, it was one of the luckiest scenarios in the series, providing the franchise with an actor that Fleming would have approved of.

A good adventure, probably better than history will judge it

[bowmanblue · 7/10 · 15 June 2014]

Most people loved Sean Connery as James Bond. Others realised that Roger Moore's interpretation was different, but at least his own. Pierce Brosnan had the modern day tale and Daniel Craig is our ultra serious Bond. Therefore, most people seem to write Timothy Dalton's time in as the superspy as somewhat of a footnote in Bond history (only slightly higher than George Lazenby's single outing).

Yes, Dalton hardly 'owns' the roll. He's still finding his feet, but, if you recall, it took Connery, Moore and Brosnan a couple of films to really cement themselves in the position. Dalton isn't the most sure-footed in the roll, but the adventure itself more than makes up for it. It's kind of one of the 'Roger Moore era leftovers' about a rogue Russian general trying to play the Soviets and the West off against each other.

Naturally the action is all there, plus we see Bond as more of a 'hitman' in places than a spy. It's nearly two hours long, but I found that it flew by. There are plenty of set pieces to keep you amused and the characters are nice and colourful.

If you like the whole 'Bond package' you should enjoy this, regardless as to who's in the titular roll (just don't dwell on how the 'Afghanistan army' are classed as the 'heroic good guys' - eek, it was different back then!).

http://thewrongtreemoviereviews.blogspot.co.uk/

Great Bond Replacement

[trnjamesbond · 4/10 · 16 February 2013]

This film was made in the dying moments of the James Bond legacy, furthermore Timothy Dalton had the look but the story was weak and disappointing, Pierce Brosnan was suppose to be the next Bond but because of lawsuits from NBC on the so called copying from Remington Steele this was a no go from both sides.

Timothy Dalton has the look of Bond and delivers a performance that we would expect from a Bond film, except for a weak story and it also felt rushed, this film has a really great vibe and direction, but like I said the storyline is just not there. We just came from the Roger Moore era and which gave the Bond experience excitement but with this instalment, it just seemed to me like a one hour television show storyline from most of the popular shows on the tube at the time.

I wish Mr. Dalton would of had the chance to be in the story lines that Brosnan got. What a waste of talent. Timothy Dalton did what he could, for what he was given, but his Bond films all 2 of them were just fillers all because of the NBC contract that Brosnan was in, and nothing more. As you would say to hold the tide and save the best for last. I don't think Dalton got a fair chance, at playing Bond even though he tried his best.

A New Era Dawns...Temporarily.

[David_Frames · 29 October 2004]

The year: 1987, the Man: Timothy Dalton, the film? The Living Daylights and good news for adults across the globe because after sending off their kids to joke it up with Roger Moore for over a decade they could finally sit down to a Bond movie which, whisper it quietly, resembled a real thriller...and a good one at that. We should be grateful for Dalton's two stints as the Bond because they came within a whisp of never existing. Had the studio had their way, Moore would have been wheeled off for Brosnan and a serious reinvention of the series would have been dropped in favour of the, er, "winning" return to form we've been privileged enough to have enjoyed since 1995's Goldeneye.

Dalton's take on the character was to return it (and I hope you're sitting down) to the brooding, cruel and methodical assassin envisioned by Flemming in his original stories. TD was a RADA trained Shakespearian actor for God's sake and certainly had no intention of smirking and punning his way through each adventure. Dalton said that half the world loved Connery and the other half loved Moore (which is hedging your bets a bit) but he bravely chose to play it like neither. We can only imagine at the relief Richard Maibrum must have felt, given the opportunity to finally write an real screenplay tailored to the new approach, having been no doubt advised in previous outings that plot and character was superfluous to requirements. The result is a story set in the real world . Goodbye super-villains bloated on world domination plots and hello to arms dealers, Afgan resistance fighters, double crosses and political assassinations. After so many remakes of You Only Live Twice it certainly is a tonic and Dalton's hard-edged, professional spy washes over you like a radox bath following a 300 mile trek through the Gobi. His performance reinvigorates the series and makes all thats old new again. The familiar elements are all here - the car, the girls, the locations, but anchored in a real cold war setting with Pretenders loving KGB agents round every corner and the credible whiff of counter-espionage, the whole thing crackles with an energy and an urgency that would have been a fantasy in any of Moores mirth-ridden efforts. Even John Barry's music, in his final contribution to the series, is a fresh and exciting affair - blending high tempo action cues with his usual gift for generating a sense of foreboding and pathos in equal measure. Yes, Bond hadn't felt this good or LOOKED this good since the mid-sixites but as if to prove the old adage that you can't have too much of a good thing, we didn't. Audiences found Dalton humorless and the heady excesses of good story, three-dimensional characterisation and real world setting somewhat distracting. After all, where were all the puns (Dalton's "he got the boot" aside), the jokes and the evil bloke at the end who plans to ravage the planet with deadly spores? People were beginning to ask and Dalton still had two films to go on his contract....

Alright, hold on tight now. It's down, down to the wire!

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 6/10 · 23 April 2007]

The first of Dalton's double-bill as 007 is a merely above-average affair. The one thing that really stops TLD from being a better film is the fact that it's just too tame. This was the last Bond film to be given a PG rating as it was clear that they couldn't appeal to the family audience any longer. With a new Bond should have come a new approach. Yes, it does feel more modern and realistic but since the script was originally designed for Moore they missed a chance at taking advantage of Bond's dark side. Thankfully, they did exactly that in Licence to Kill.

Ian Fleming's story had Bond on a sniping mission, detailing every characteristic and moment of his assignment. Upon spotting the person he's been ordered to kill he discovers it's a beautiful woman and chooses to wound her instead of killing her. Wishing M to fire him for disobeying orders he comments that he must have 'scared the living daylights out of her'. The story ended on this note. The film expands this premise and has Bond escort a defecting Soviet agent from Russia only to disbelieve his story of a Russian General going berserk. Upon investigating further he discovers a plot involving the Mujhadeen and an American Arms dealer. Despite these complications and developments, there's just not enough killing! Without meaning to sound bloodthirsty, I just think that Bond should have laid waste to more bad guys. The script doesn't really give him a chance to. And, as a result, the film seems watered-down and too broad.

Director John Glen stages and frames the action very well, as always but it's John Barry's score (his last involvement with the series) that gives it that extra punch. The Bond theme, so incredibly worn-out and done-to-death, is given a new spin, a faster tempo and more modern feel. Despite being about nine when I first saw it, this is the first thing I realized. They ruined a lot of potential by not taking this renewing further and not giving us a tougher film.

Of Dalton's reign as 007, Licence to Kill is definitely the superior film, but don't rule-out Living Daylights. Average it may be, but still far from being anywhere near bad.

Good action sequences don't quite mask the lacking villains

[The_Void · 7/10 · 2 January 2007]

I rewatched Timothy Dalton's second Bond outing; the Death Wish-esquire Licence to Kill recently and really enjoyed it. The Living Daylights is more of a Bond film than the later one, but several little nuisances make the film not as good as it could have been. The plot is expansive and experienced Bond director John Glen does a brilliant job of pacing the film so that the action scenes don't over weight the plot. However, sometimes the film gets a little too caught up in itself, and while it's good that Dalton brings more seriousness to the role and the film doesn't include a great deal of humour in his performance, films like this also need to be fun - and The Living Daylights isn't always. The plot focuses on the Russian KGB, and one of their generals - General Pushkin - who is suspected of killing off British secret service agents. Bond, however, doesn't believe this is so. Having known General Pushkin for years, he doesn't believe him to be psychotic and so begins searching for the actual culprit. Along for the ride is Kara Milovy - a cellist hired to kill her benefactor.

My main gripe with this film is the fact that there isn't really a villain. Bond globe trots all over the place, and this means that we don't get any focus, and while Joe Don Baker's Brad Whitaker is a nasty piece of work - he doesn't appear for long enough to be seen as a threat to Bond. The action sequences, when they appear, are a contender for the best of the entire series, however, and this does provide a distraction from the paltry villains. Sequences that involve Bond outrunning army vehicles in a customised Aston Martin, and the sequence on a cargo plane make for excellent entertainment. There's a fair few gadgets in this film too, and the modified car is sure to please Bond fans. As a result of the fact that there's quite a lot to it, the plot sometimes does become more than a little bit tiring, and I have to admit that I was beginning to get bored before the climatic ending. The scene where Bond finally meets his 'nemesis' is well worked, and if the rest of the film could have been just a little bit more 'closed' like that scene, I'd have liked it more. All that being said, The Living Daylights is definitely worth seeing. I don't consider myself a Bond fan really, but I still enjoyed it.

Good but a bit of a false start for Tim Dalton

[Joxerlives · 7/10 · 7 May 2014]

The Living Daylights isn't bad, isn't bad at all. Tim Dalton is good in the role, a lot more hard boiled than George and Roger and up there with Sean in terms of intensity and ruthlessness. We have a story which isn't so far fetched, the drugs trade (as indeed we will also see in 'Licence to Kill' and 'Live and Let Die') and the Soviet Union's contemporary war in Afghanistan.

We have an interesting opening act in Gibraltar, the SAS were very much in vogue at the time after the Falklands and the storming of the Iranian embassy so of course they have to be in there. I rather like the fact that Bond doesn't get on with MI6's man in Vienna in the defection scene but they develop a rapport later only to be tragically cut short. The fight between Bond and the henchman dangling from the netting at the back of the plane is excellent especially with A-Ha's great theme music. We see the tough core of Dalton's Bond as he cuts his boot free to kill the bad guy whilst the man begs for his life (nothing compared to Licence to Kill of course where he not only torches a man alive but cold bloodedly feeds another to a shark). I like the realism of Bond's deal with the Mujahadeen who'll fight the Russians but happily help their ideological rivals sell them heroin then ambush the Russian convoy after their temporary allies have departed with the money and given them their cut.

Still needs some work though, very weak Bond girl, a hugely forgettable return for Felix Leiter and just lacks the drive of the truly classic Bonds.

A solid, serious Bond entry

[williampsamuel · 7/10 · 24 December 2014]

After the less than stellar box office performance and near-universal panning of A View to a Kill, it was clearly time for Bond to take a new direction. There are fewer puns, no fire engines, and no Roger Moore, who despite being a good actor was seriously getting too old for this stuff. Some would question whether hiring Timothy Dalton was the right direction, but overall I'd say it worked out pretty well. (More on that later.) Daylights involves one of the series' most convoluted schemes, involving a false defection, a campaign of assassinations, millions of dollars worth of state of the art weapons, and a massive shipment of high grade opium. There's no way I can fully describe it here, but it's actually kind of brilliant in an overcomplicated way. And it introduces two of Bond's most loathable villains, the treacherous and smarmy Gen Koskov, and the megalomaniac arms dealer Brad Whitaker (Joe Don Baker). Yes he did get annoying, but that made his death all the more enjoyable for the audience.

Plus, we also get Necros (Andreas Wisniewski), who may be the most underrated of all Bond villains. Besides being the best looking guy on in the movie, he is totally badass. During his first appearance on camera actually kills a man with a Walkman, beats another man to death using whatever objects he could find in a kitchen, then blasts his way out of an MI6 safehouse. The kitchen scene was the most brutal in the series up to that point, and in my opinion was one of the film's best scenes, despite Bond's absence. Nor is airborne fight against Bond any less awesome.

Other high points include the massive airfield battle between the Soviets and a band of Mujahedeen, a rousing pre-title sequence on the Rock of Gibraltar, and the requisite car chase, in which Bond evades Soviet border guards and light armor in a souped-up Aston Martin. I give the latter scene kudos for being one of the few times that an awe inspiring vehicular jump results in car being wrecked, as it surely would be in real life.

Unfortunately, Living Daylights has some serious flaws. For one thing, this entry's Bond girl, Kara Malovoy (Maryam d'Abo) is certainly easy on the eyes, but she also comes off as one of the dimmest, weakest beauties in the series, to the point that when she does show some guts, it's rather jarring. I also wished the final confrontation at Whitaker's villa could have been drawn out a bit longer, and for some reason, the music seemed to be missing from some of the action sequences.

As for Dalton's acting; it isn't nearly as bad as his detractors would have you believe. He comes across as serious, fairly sophisticated, and knowledgeable about the spy trade. I have no trouble believe him as Bond. But neither does he excel as Bond. He's not as witty as Moore, as stylish as Bronson, as earnest as Craig, or as all around awesome as Connery. Nor does he have the hard edge he possessed in License to Kill. He does well for his first outing, but hardly overwhelms. Of course Bond with Timothy Dalton is still far better than Bond with a 59 year old Roger Moore.

Overall, The Living Daylights is far from the best film in the series, but neither is it one of the worst. As far as Bond films go, it's somewhere in the middle, which to say that it's still better than most of its competitors. And this one is undoubtedly a major Improvement on View to a Kill.

Good Fun

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 26 December 2014]

James Bond (Timothy Dalton) is living on the edge to stop an evil arms dealer from starting another world war. Bond crosses all seven continents in order to stop the evil Whitaker (Joe Don Baker) and General Koskov (Jeroen Krabbé).

This film has some very 1980s with references to Barry Manilow and "ghetto blasters". Q has stranger inventions than ever (much more than we saw in the early films), which adds to the humor. And then you have the frozen lake scene, which is also pretty humorous. In comparison to previous Bond movies, this is a bit lighter.

Timothy Dalton may get overlooked as a Bond, much less identifiable as the character than Connery, Moore or Brosnan. But he is not a bad Bond at all. In fact, he is probably a better Bond than Moore was. Connery will always be the best, though.

Great intro to Timothy Dalton's Bond

[Zbigniew_Krycsiwiki · 10/10 · 1 February 2014]

Film is one memorable setpiece after another: parachuting into Gibraltar, only to be ambushed by a sniper. Bond leaving the performance to try to assist a defector and stop an apparent KGB sniper. A kick ass fight between Green-4 and Necros (superbly played by Andreas Wisniewski, who has a most memorable, and rather funny, death scene) ; probably the sweetest Bond girl ever, Kara Milovy (played by Maryam d'Abo)

My favourite aspect of this is that Timothy Dalton's Bond was a chameleon, who could pull off a number of different guises. Here, Dalton's Bond begins in paratrooper gear, and Dalton looks believable in it. Next, we see Dalton's Bond in a tuxedo at a concert hall during a recital, and Dalton looks believable in a tux. After walking to the apartment across the street from the concert hall, he closes up his jacket to conceal his white shirt, adds a pair of black gloves, and he's now in sniper gear. Dalton not only pulls off all of those appearances, but he also makes the transition from one to the next look believable. Dalton has Bond dressed casually, in a turtleneck and black leather jacket, and he looks believable in that. Toward the end of the film, Bond is in a jellaba and a turban in Afghanistan, and Dalton looks believable in that also, where a lot of others might just look silly. I cannot think of any other actor could have pulled off that many changes in one film and have it look believable. Dalton's Bond could walk into a room and blend in, whereas someone like Connery (who, if anything, was too charismatic) stand out, and will be noticed and remembered.

He understood that Ian Fleming's literary character was not suave and debonair, nor was he witty and humorous. The character created by Fleming was not "larger than life", he could blend in to his surroundings. He was an antihero, not a suave superspy like some of Connery's films, and most of Moore films presented him.

Beautifully photography in Gibraltar, (the former) Czechoslovakia, Austria, and Morocco; it also has a great theme song, which is worked into the film's primary score perfectly.

Only a bit too much humour on the part of the villains (they should have been tough as nails when behind closed doors) and a slightly long run time work against this one. But it is still one of my favourite Bond films, my favourite actor is in lead, as well as being the first Bond I ever saw.

Nothing New Here

[kenjha · 6/10 · 4 September 2009]

In the 15th entry in the series, Bond gets a face-lift as Dalton replaces Roger Moore. Also, a new Moneypenny is introduced as Lois Maxwell is put out to pasture. The plot also is somewhat of a departure from previous entries as this one doesn't feature a super villain. Unfortunately, none of these changes produces a film that is a marked improvement over "A View to a Kill," the predecessor that is probably the worst one featuring Moore. Dalton makes a serious 007, lacking the playfulness of Connery and Moore. As such, there isn't a sense of fun. The plot is somewhat convoluted and tedious and it goes on much too long. Not having an interesting villain doesn't help matters.

Timothy Dalton brings back the danger in Bond

[Nazi_Fighter_David · 8/10 · 7 August 2005]

Timothy Dalton became the fourth actor to portray James Bond... Having replaced Roger Moore, Dalton's appearance on the scene inspired a sharp reversal of policy in the approach to Bond's films… Moore's comfort with witty lines, light comedic situations, and fantasy plots was replaced by a hard-edged reality and some violent episodes that were better suited to Dalton's more realistic approach to the character of 007…

Dalton has the perfect Bond qualities… He's good looking, athletic, commanding… He's believable as a British secret agent with a license to kill, who can bed any lady he wants… Dalton's debut in "The Living Daylights" is astonishing... His first close-up on the Rock of Gibraltar is riveting as he spies the death of a fellow agent… His arrival via parachute onto the yacht of a playgirl is equally perfect… There is no hesitation in his performance…

But unfortunately, the problem with "The Living Daylights" is its lack of strong villains… General Georgi Koskov (Jeroen Krabbé) is too nice to be dangerous (he hugs practically everyone he meets), and Brad Whitaker (Joe Don Baker) is denied enough screen time to develop any true malice… He's a gunrunner who likes to play with army toys…

The only truly villainous character in the film is Necros, played effectively by Andreas Wisniewski… But he's not on-screen long enough to make any true impact, and even he has his sympathetic moments… The plot is another throwaway because just as you're starting to figure out why Koskov and Whitaker are partners, the plot switches to a big drug deal in Afghanistan...

Maryam D'Abo is the perfect mate—an elegant, well-mannered, soulful woman dedicated to her musical craft, who is drawn into the adventure of a lifetime...

Romance, a key element missing from many of the Roger Moore James Bond movies, is present in "The Living Daylights" in large doses as a definite on-screen chemistry develops between Bond and Milovy… It's helped, of course, by the fact that both characters spend a great deal of time together on-screen… Not since "Thunderball," "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," and "The Spy Who Loved Me" has Bond been given the special time to develop a believable relationship with a woman…

Desmond LLewellyn, who hadn't missed a Bond film since "Live and Let Die," returned as Q, this time supplying Bond with an updated Aston Martin V8 with 'optional extras fitted.'

Caroline Bliss, an actress who had come to prominence playing Lady Diana Spencer in ABC's 1982 drama "Charles and Diana: A Royal Love Story," stepped into Lois Maxwell's shoes as a younger, doe-eyed Miss Moneypenny...

Fleming's Bond makes a stylish return

[Orpington · 7/10 · 25 March 2004]

The Living Daylights marked the end of an era for the Bond franchise in some ways, being the last film in the series to have a Cold War theme, thanks to the imminent downfall of the Berlin Wall, and also the last to boast a score by John Barry. In other respects, however, it marked a new beginning. With the aged Roger Moore finally stepping aside, TLD saw respected Welsh actor Timothy Dalton become the fourth official James Bond, a role he had first been linked with at the time of On Her Majesty's Secret Service. After the jokiness and campness that had pervaded the Moore era, Dalton was keen to play OO7 in a much more serious manner, and as preparation for the role he read all of Ian Fleming's original novels. The result in TLD is one of the most impressive interpretations of Bond to grace the big screen, an all-too human secret agent possessing a cold ruthlessness but also real emotions. Not since the early Connery films had OO7 been presented in such a realistic light, and Dalton's performance in both his Bond films is probably the closest any actor has got to portraying Fleming's original character.

Taken as a whole, TLD matches Dalton's sombre performance by being one of the more down-to-earth Bond extravaganzas, a stylish Cold War spy thriller focusing on the defection to the West of Koskov, a leading KGB man who turns out to be in cahoots with a renegade American general-turned-arms dealer called Whitaker. There is plenty of the great action and stunning locations we expect from Bond films, most notably when OO7 and Kara Milovy sledge downhill on a cello case, and in the superbly staged fight on the plane towards the end, in which Bond does battle with yet another blonde henchman. Although not one of the prettiest Bond girls, Maryam d'Abo does have charm and a certain amount of spirit as Kara, and there are also great performances from John Rhys Davies as Pushkin and Jeroen Krabbe as the villainous but charming Koskov. As for the MI6 regulars, Desmond Llewelyn turns in his normal reliable performance as Q, while Robert Brown returns as M and Caroline Bliss takes over from the long-serving Lois Maxwell as Moneypenny, although she doesn't get much of a chance to make an impression. Meanwhile Walter Gotell returns once more for a brief appearance as General Gogol (his last), and Thomas Wheatley is quite impressive as Saunders, Bond's ill-fated ally in the field.

TLD therefore has a lot going for it, but as it happens I think it falls just short of being a true Bond classic. One problem is the plot, which is too convoluted and becomes quite confusing by the time Bond and Kara reach Afghanistan. The major flaw, however, is the way the villains are underused. Koskov and Whitaker had promise as opponents for OO7, not least because for a change they are not seeking world domination, but you don't see enough of them. Joe Don Baker has fun with the role of Whitaker and his obsession with military history, but he does not get enough screen time to flesh the character out properly, and his final showdown with Bond is perfunctory. The film is also overlong, and A-ha's theme tune is pretty bad, a badly dated mess which could only have been recorded in the mid-to-late 80s.

Despite the flaws, however, TLD is still one of the better Bond efforts, not least because it puts OO7 back in touch with his roots and doesn't play things for laughs. In the final analysis, it gets Dalton's all-too-brief Bond career off to a good start, and paves the way for the gritty, hard-edged tone of the excellent Licence to Kill two years later.

Worse than bad, dull

[ian-433 · 4/10 · 16 January 2007]

Timothy Dalton's debut as a more introspective James Bond is the only striking thing about this 14th 007 entry. It opens promisingly pre-credits but plumbs depths of banality thereafter. It's not even shoddy film-making, it's just bafflingly dull and uninteresting.

Dalton, a surprise but inspired choice, hasn't quite got the presence of Connery or Moore, but he hints at an intensity that might have developed into something closer to Ian Fleming's original conception.

But he gets little help from behind the camera. The plot, an unintriguing yawn about arms-smuggling, would have seemed out of date in a TV episode of 'The Saint' 20 years previously. Worse, both main villains are vague, buffoonish characters that exude no menace whatsoever.

John Glenn's direction is characteristically nerveless. An ex-editor, he handles the thrills moderately efficiently but seems indifferent to the rest of the story. A tired, desultory music score by John Barry, once a mainstay of the series, further slows down the action. And it's a poor Bond pic that can't come up with even one set of any interest! In fact, why do men's toilets feature even once in a Bond film, never mind twice?

Likewise, Alec Mills' photography can't find any real visual interest in Gibraltar, Tangier or Morocco. In the early Bonds, Ted Moore could establish the drama and exoticness of a location in just a couple of shots. Mills lends nothing in the way of mood apart from a parting shot of ice-covered mountains in the twilight, as Dalton and heroine D'Abo flee the KGB.

If it wasn't for Dalton's debut you'd wonder why they bothered. These daylights are barely alive.