License to Kill is a dark entry in the franchise that has Bond going rogue, which becomes a frequent theme in the Daniel Craig era. However, audiences weren't ready yet for a hard-edged Bond disobeying orders. It also didn't help that License to Kill opened in the same summer as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Batman, Lethal Weapon 2, The Abyss, Ghostbusters 2, Road House, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, The Karate Kid, Part III, and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. It had stiff competition and got lost in the shuffle of action/adventure films that year. Despite all of this, Dalton's second outing has grown on me as I get older. It has a lot to offer and is unique in the series.
1. "What did he promise you? His heart? Give her his heart."
2. The pre-title sequence is an under-rated gem and it isn't even among the best stunts in this movie, but hooking a plane from a helicopter is a first in cinema as far as I am aware.
3. I respect a villain with a code of honor, even though that's not at all realistic. However, having Franz Sanchez put loyalty above money makes him certainly stand out in this franchise. He also has the best cabal of henchmen since Dr. Kanaga/Mr. Big, including a surprisingly funny Wayne Newton.
4. Speaking of those henchmen, having a young Benicio del Toro star as Dario is brilliant casting. Every scene he is in shows what a star in the making he is. I love his line delivery when he tells Felix about his recently deceased wife, "Don't worry, we gave her a nice HONEYMOOOOOOOOOON!"
5. And now that we have brought up Felix, it is really nice having an actor return to the role. I wish they had followed through with the Live and Let Die reunion and in addition to having David Hedison featured as Felix Leiter that they had brought back Quarrel Jr. since the character of Sharkey is clearly a stand-in for the familiar Felix/Bond ally. I assume killing off another Quarrel would have been too much for fans of the series.
6. The danger in bringing back a familiar Felix though is that his near-demise from the shark attack makes it so much worse. That sequence is lifted directly from the Live and Let Die novel, including the note left that says, "He disagreed with something that ate him." I love when they use Fleming's original material in the films.
7. Bond skiing barefoot behind the plane is my favorite part of this movie. It is a great stunt that is perfectly shot and after 20-plus viewings I still end up on the edge of my seat during this action sequence.
8. Dirty love!!! The song that plays during the bar brawl is so unashamedly 80s and Bond fans around the world celebrate it any time they can.
9. "I help people with problems." Problem solver." "More of a problem eliminator."
10. There is Q in the field and then there is Q in the field. Like he tells Bond, "Without Q Branch you'd have been dead long ago." It's also such a great touch how he just tosses the rake/radio into the bushes after so many previous movies where he asked 007 to return his equipment in pristine shape.
11. Even though the tanker trucks were highly modified to pull off the stunts they were involved in, I am still impressed with what we get onscreen. Each moment is topped by the next and it culminates in a perfectly fitting end for Sanchez. Giving a play by play of the 20-minute climax would be a disservice. Just go watch it for yourself and enjoy.
12. Last, but certainly not least is Timothy Dalton. I touched on this in my previous post about The Living Daylights and I won't add too much more, but Dalton was criminally underappreciated when starring as our favorite British spy. His short tenure has become more respected since Daniel Craig's take on the role has resonated with audiences in the new millennium. Dalton wanted to try and bring the literary character to the screen and make him more realistic. That is exactly what Craig has done in his stint and Dalton is even a better actor. I urge those who have liked the latest take on the character to go back and watch Dalton's two films.
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