Licence To Kill

Licence To Kill (1989)

  • 74% of critics liked it
    (38 reviews)

  • 56% of users liked it
    (62,485 ratings)

For his second outing as James Bond, Timothy Dalton is working on his own rather than on behalf of the British Secret Service in this follow-up to The Living Daylights). When his American friend Felix Leiter ({$David Hedison), an agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration, is seriously injured by… More

R,
Directed By
Written By
Michael G. Wilson
Genres
Mystery & Suspense, Action & Adventure
In Theaters
Jul 14, 1989 Wide
On DVD
Oct 22, 2002

Critic Reviews

  • Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine

    The Bond women are pallid mannequins, and so is the misused Dalton -- a moving target in a Savile Row suit. For every plausible reason, he looks as bored in his second Bond film as Sean Connery did in his sixth.

  • Variety Staff, Variety

    The thrills-and-spills chases are superbly orchestrated as pic spins at breakneck speed through its South Florida and Central American locations.

  • Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

    Despite some shaky narrative continuity and muddled motivations, this manages to move pretty briskly, and the action sequences are generally well handled, especially at the climax.

  • , Time Out

    It's all very pacy, with the overly straightforward plotting dimmed but not obscured by the hi-tech effects.

  • Caryn James, New York Times

    Mr. Dalton is perfectly at home as an angry Bond, and as a romantic lead and as an action hero, but he never seems to blend any two of those qualities at once.

Read all 21 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

  • Josh L


    In Timothy Dalton's second and final film as James Bond, we get the best in the series since "For Your Eyes Only" and one of the most unique and interesting entries. This movie is as far from the Bond formula as the Daniel Craig films, but the difference is that… More

  • Chris W


    This is a pretty good Bond film. It's edgy, violent, and the first to be Rated PG-13. Dalton gives a good performance, so it sucks that this was his final of two films in the role. At least he went out on a high note. Not until Daniel Craig came around did the film get as… More

  • Everett J


    Timothy Dalton's second turn as Bond would also be his last, and I think that's probably a good thing. He does a decent job as Bond, but really makes the character humorless, and a borderline bore. Her he sets out avenge a friend by going after a Latin Drug dealer. The… More

  • Al S


    Bond is on a mission and this time it`s extremely personal. An exhilarating and spectacular action-packed thrill-ride that's filled with some pulse-pounding chases and sensational action scenes. Timothy Dalton strikes gold again with Bond, giving him the right amount of charm and… More

  • EightThirty .


    21/09/2012 (DVD)

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

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