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Licence to Kill (1989)

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James Bond goes rogue and sets off to unleash vengeance on a drug lord who tortured his best friend, a C.I.A. agent, and left him for dead and murdered his bride after he helped capture him.

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3,143 ( 1,322)
1 nomination. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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Q
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President Hector Lopez (as Pedro Armendariz)
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Storyline

James Bond is on possibly his most brutal mission yet. Bond's good friend, Felix Leiter, is left near death, by drug baron Franz Sanchez. Bond sets off on the hunt for Sanchez, but not everyone is happy. MI6 does not feel Sanchez is their problem and strips Bond of his license to kill making Bond more dangerous than ever. Bond gains the aid of one of Leiter's friends, known as Pam Bouvier and sneaks his way into the drug factories, which Sanchez owns. Will Bond be able to keep his identity secret, or will Sanchez see Bond's true intentions? Written by simon

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

James Bond is out on his own and out for revenge. See more »


Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for action violence and drug content | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

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Details

Official Sites:

Country:

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Language:

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Release Date:

14 July 1989 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

License to Kill  »

Filming Locations:

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Box Office

Budget:

$32,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$34,667,015 (USA)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

(Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

To portray Sanchez, Robert Davi researched on the Colombian drug cartels and how to do a Colombian accent, and since he was method acting, he would stay in character off-set. After Davi read "Casino Royale" for preparation, he decided to turn Sanchez into a "mirror image" of James Bond, based on Ian Fleming's descriptions of Le Chiffre. See more »

Goofs

At his office, Felix uses a CD-R to save data on. For this he uses a LaserDisc player. This is not possible because LaserDisc players were not able to write data. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
AWACS radar operator: We have a mid-course deviation. Target heading 036, 126 miles, bearing 062, Havana VOR.
Voice of DEA agent: He's landing at Cray Key. Advise Key West Drug Enforcement.
AWACS radar operator: Roger, sir. AWACS to Key West. Key West Drug Enforcement, please come in.
Voice of DEA agent: If they hurry, they just might be able to grab the bastard.
See more »

Crazy Credits

The Surgeon General's warning appears at the end credits, due to the characters' use of tobacco products. See more »

Connections

Followed by Skyfall (2012) See more »

Soundtracks

Mexican Waltz
(uncredited)
Music by Tony Tape (pseudonym of Gerhard Narholz)
Sonoton Musikverlag
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Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
Might not be the no.1 Bond movie, but Dalton is my favourite Bond
16 November 2015 | by (Glasgow, Scotland) – See all my reviews

The Bond film series has been with us since the early sixties and for a character to stand the test of time, there requires a certain reinvention and reinvigoration for it to maintain longevity. Opinions are subjective as we all know, so make of this what you will.

'Licence to Kill' is one of the top five best Bond movies of all time along with it's powerhouse theme song. Up until this particular picture, we were introduced to Sean Connery's unique suave, set against an array of exotic backdrops and a strong supporting cast. George Lazenby, although criticised for being boring, offered us some great action sequences in his short time as the British spy. A sophisticated edge that was overpowered by it's comical tone throughout his run, Roger Moore took the reins during the 70's and early 80's. Then in 1987, Welsh actor Timothy Dalton donned the role of 007.

With 'The Living Daylights' establishing Dalton as James Bond, we were given fair warning on the tonal shift. Given this was the 80's, where a number of films were heavily inclusive of hard 'R' violence - 'Licence to Kill' adapted and not only brought us a visceral Bond film, but as many film historians have cited, one of the, if not the closest portrayals of Ian's Flemming's character.

For those giving current Bond actor, Daniel Craig the credit (or hate in some cases) for a cold and stoic interpretation of the character, I suggest you watch the Timothy Dalton Bond films, because this is where it started.

In 'Licence to Kill', Bond is essentially a one many army taking on a South American cocaine czar. This is a James Bond that up until this point was never seen like this on screen before. His best friends are maimed, he's stripped of his rank, his government and as it relates to the title - his licence to kill is revoked. He is left with almost nothing aside from his skills and weapons expert, Q.

Dalton plays Bond as a wounded wolf with a sensitivity and vulnerability visible in his eyes and the way he emotes. As opposed to his predecessors, Dalton plays the character with an introspective approach, where you can feel the torment and tension bubbling inside. Even when he smiles, there is pain, reminding us of what he has endured as a human being.

Bond's antagonist is played by Robert Davi - another underrated performer known mostly for his roles as a villain. He plays a drug king with a code, where loyalty seems to matter more than the money. We are immediately set with these two huge characters on a road to collision; the dark angel's raid on the reaper that claimed the lives and elements that held Bond together.

The whole film is non-stop and that also reflects the carnage and violence. The climactic chase is one of the best with the inclusion of trucks, jeeps and a plane against a beautiful Mexican mountain view.

As a huge proponent for Timothy Dalton's Bond, I advise any fans of the series to watch or re- watch his incarnations. Hopefully an appreciation will come about for how truly great and underrated he was.


14 of 17 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

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