Licence to Kill
Rent & Buy
After capturing the notorious drug lord Franz Sanchez, Bond's close friend and former CIA agent Felix Leiter is left for dead and his wife is murdered. Bond goes rogue and seeks vengeance on those responsible, as he infiltrates Sanchez's organization from the inside.
What critics thought
Licence to Kill divided critics most sharply on Timothy Dalton's darker, more vengeful Bond — some found the grittier tone a welcome corrective to franchise bloat, while others thought it stripped away the wit and charm that made Bond worth watching. The action sequences earned more consistent praise than the script, which many felt failed to give its human characters anything interesting to do between the set pieces.
“for every plausible reason, he looks as bored in his second Bond film as Sean Connery did in his sixth.”
Richard Corliss·Time
“James Bond is more like a low-tar cigarette than anything else—less stimulating than the throat-curdling gaspers of yesteryear, but still naggingly implicated in unhealthiness, a feeble bad habit without the kick of a vice.”
Adam Mars-Jones·The Independent
“the stunts all look convincing, and the effect of the closing sequence is exhilarating ... Licence to Kill is one of the best of the recent Bonds.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“they've excised Bond from the Bond flicks; they've turned James into Jimmy, strong and silent and (roll over, Britannia) downright American”
Rick Groen·The Globe and Mail
“There is a weary and repetitive note to the frenzy. ... The sex is low key and off-screen but there is a smirking perverse undertow which makes the film more disagreeable than a slasher movie.”
Hilary Mantel·The Spectator
Genres
Action, Adventure, Thriller
Cast & Crew
John GlenDirector
Timothy DaltonJames Bond
Carey LowellPam Bouvier
Robert DaviFranz Sanchez
Talisa SotoLupe Lamora
Anthony ZerbeMilton Krest
Frank McRaeSharkey
Everett McGillKillifer
Wayne NewtonProfessor Joe Butcher
Benicio del ToroDario
Anthony StarkeTruman-Lodge
Pedro Armendáriz Jr.President Hector Lopez
Desmond LlewelynQ
Michael KamenComposer
Michael G. WilsonWriter
Richard MaibaumWriter
Alec MillsCinematographyLicence to Kill
After capturing the notorious drug lord Franz Sanchez, Bond's close friend and former CIA agent Felix Leiter is left for dead and his wife is murdered. Bond goes rogue and seeks vengeance on those responsible, as he infiltrates Sanchez's organization from the inside.
What critics thought
Licence to Kill divided critics most sharply on Timothy Dalton's darker, more vengeful Bond — some found the grittier tone a welcome corrective to franchise bloat, while others thought it stripped away the wit and charm that made Bond worth watching. The action sequences earned more consistent praise than the script, which many felt failed to give its human characters anything interesting to do between the set pieces.
“for every plausible reason, he looks as bored in his second Bond film as Sean Connery did in his sixth.”
Richard Corliss·Time
“James Bond is more like a low-tar cigarette than anything else—less stimulating than the throat-curdling gaspers of yesteryear, but still naggingly implicated in unhealthiness, a feeble bad habit without the kick of a vice.”
Adam Mars-Jones·The Independent
“the stunts all look convincing, and the effect of the closing sequence is exhilarating ... Licence to Kill is one of the best of the recent Bonds.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“they've excised Bond from the Bond flicks; they've turned James into Jimmy, strong and silent and (roll over, Britannia) downright American”
Rick Groen·The Globe and Mail
“There is a weary and repetitive note to the frenzy. ... The sex is low key and off-screen but there is a smirking perverse undertow which makes the film more disagreeable than a slasher movie.”
Hilary Mantel·The Spectator
Genres
Action, Adventure, Thriller
Cast & Crew
John GlenDirectorTimothy DaltonJames BondCarey LowellPam BouvierRobert DaviFranz SanchezTalisa SotoLupe LamoraAnthony ZerbeMilton KrestFrank McRaeSharkeyEverett McGillKilliferWayne NewtonProfessor Joe ButcherBenicio del ToroDarioAnthony StarkeTruman-LodgePedro Armendáriz Jr.President Hector LopezDesmond LlewelynQMichael KamenComposerMichael G. WilsonWriterRichard MaibaumWriterAlec MillsCinematographyRent & Buy