Anthony Zerbe, Carey Lowell, David Hedison

Timothy Dalton's second and last shot at playing James Bond isn't nearly as much fun as his debut, two years earlier, in the 1987 The Living Daylights. This time Bond gets mad after a close fri...( read more  read more... )end (David Hedison) from the intelligence sector is assassinated on his wedding day, and 007 goes undercover to link the murder to an international drug cartel. Robert Davi makes an interesting adversary, but as with most of the Bond films in the '70s, '80s, and '90s--and especially since the end of the cold war--one has to wonder why we should still care about these lesser villains and their unimaginative crimes. Still, Dalton did manage in his short time with the character to make 007 his own, which neither Roger Moore did nor Pierce Brosnan did. --Tom Keogh

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56% liked it

55,169 ratings

PG, 133 min.

Directed by: John Glen

Release Date: July 14, 1989

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DVD Release Date: October 22, 2002

Stats: 2,097 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (2,097)


  • September 23, 2009
    I had such a crush on Carey Lowell in this film. I was 10 years old and this was the best film in the world!
  • December 11, 2008
    fantastic movie, dalton is the best bond behind brosnan
  • December 8, 2008
    Timothy Dalton's run ends with Licence to Kill, probably one of the most violent Bonds made. After Felix Leiter is made an extra in a Jaws movie James Bond takes matters into his own hands, even to the extent of leaving MI6.

    Dalton once again plays a brooding Bond, rather pisse...( read more)d off all the time. Amazingly while watching this film I can see some remnants of Roger Moore (being attacked by a stuffed sword fish, Wayne Newton) but overall this is a very adult Bond film. Robert Davi plays a sadistic drug dealer that Bond's vengeance reigns down upon (imagine that: Robert Davi as a drug lord).

    Another good outing by Dalton, but one must go one up on the whole debate on whether On Her Majesties Secret Service could have been the greatest Bond film if Connery had starred in it.

    How good would Golden Eye had been if Timothy Dalton had stayed around for that one? Sadly, we never saw it.
  • November 27, 2008
    One of the best Bonds made and using the most underrated Bond too. This Bond is pretty brutal and very adult based really..there are quite afew nasty deaths and the two main villains in Davi and Del Toro are really evil.
    This Bond is much like the newer Bonds in its adult content...( read more) and intense scenes but unlike the new Bond flicks it still keeps the old Bond charm thats so unique. Also at the time the thought of Bond being stripped of his license to kill was a really cool concept and added a very different angle to him...he was now a rogue agent wanted by the law and almost a mercenary really, very good stuff.

    The girls are sexy as hell as usual and some excellent stunt work eg. an oil tanker lifted onto its side whilst being driven by Bond as a missile flies past the under belly of the tanker :)

    Top Bond flick.
  • September 28, 2008
    Goldfinger is the benchmark of great Bond films, and while this one doesn't come anywhere near that - you still can't really ask much more of a Bond film. Licence to Kill, the last of the eighties bond films, stands out because director John Glen seems keen to make it as little l...( read more)ike the rest of the series as possible. Most Bond films feature the popular spy on a mission and answering to MI6 - but here he's acting out a personal vendetta, and we get to see a different side to Ian Flemings' character. The film opens with a rather over the top wedding sequence, in which James Bonds' friend and ally Felix Leighter gets married to a pretty blonde woman. However, just before this we watched Bond and Felix apprehend a drug dealer, and not taking to being caught very kindly - the dealer decides to use some of his cronies to maim Felix and kill his wife. Bond then decides to go after the drug dealer, much to the dismay of MI6 who promptly take away his licence to kill. This doesn't stop Bond, however, as along with a few allies - he sets out to get revenge on those responsible...

    Many people say that Timothy Dalton was the worst of the Bonds, but I disagree. While he doesn't fit the role as well as Sean Connery, and isn't quite manly enough for my liking - his suave style goes brilliantly with the James Bond character, and he is perfect for exploring the darker side of the character in this film. The film has that eighties style that often seems tacky nowadays, but it's not laid on thick until the very end, and this doesn't hinder the film. The stunts are the best thing about Licence to Kill, as the director constantly succeeds at delivering memorable and exciting action scenes, the best of which is saved until the end. The fact that this film takes in the theme of 'the war on drugs' means it stands out from a lot of the rest of the series as world domination is never mentioned. Robert Davi gets to play the Bond villain, and for me is one of the best of the entire series. He manages to be evil without ever looking comical, and that can't be easy in a series known for being completely overblown. Overall, Licence to Kill is undoubtedly one of my favourite Bond films, and it therefore comes highly recommended!
  • November 2, 2009
    This a pretty good movie to watch.very exciting,full of action.It worth to see
  • November 1, 2009
    1989, my year, my movie, my Bond! Timothy Dalton returns in his second round as Agent 007. Coming off hot of 1987's TLD, Dalton again proves to be great choice to the role of 007. Though this doesn't feel like a Bond film, since his goes rouge 90% of the film. Benecio DelToro doe...( read more)s great as henchman, Dario. Q has a much larger role than any other previous Bond film he was in. M is still in charge, played by Robert Brown. The girls are perfectly casted. The villain proves to be a worthy challenge. This film is of my top 5 fav Bond films. Dalton is a true BadAss Bond out for REVENGE!
  • October 20, 2009
    Timoty Dalton... Rrrrrrr!!!
  • October 2, 2009
    wrong james bon pick!...
  • September 10, 2009
    It had good acting in it and it has good actors in it the villains in it are good i think Robert davi does a great villain in this movie. I'm sure you will not be disappointed with license to kill.

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  • lovecyn4ever
  • sportboy
    February 22, 2008
    This looks great.
  • theoneandonlytony
    November 6, 2006
    Does anyone else think that in previous Bond's a death so violent has never been considered. It's satisfactory in the sense of pondering how Bond would have dealt with Blofeld if it too were captured correctly. Davi makes an interesting villain, not only are his looks villainous but his entire persona is. Some might say he isn't as brutal as he could be and the only way he shows his dark side is when he becomes upset. I think the best way to think about it is how Bond and Sanchez become the mirroring opposites of each other. Bond is a killer who doesn't like to kill but only a few people like Sanchez draw the humanity out of him. This is reflected in the way Sanchez becomes paranoid about the people loyal to him. Arguably Bond brings around the impending fall of Sanchez because he identifies with the vices they share.

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Licence To Kill Trivia


  • James Bond's code number is 007. What does 00 mean?  Answer »
  • In which Bond film is Felix Leiter fed to a shark by the baddie?  Answer »
  • in the pacifier, what does lou-lou not say to lutanat wolf?  Answer »
  • Timothy appeared in Two "Bond" Movies? One was the first to be given a 15 certificate in the UK. What was it called?  Answer »

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