License to Kill

The Timothy Dalton Bond offerings show the direction they were trying to take the franchise. now realized with the Daniel Craig installments. It would be Dalton's last kick at that can but what a kick it is. Gritty in execution, this one heavily borrows from the book LIVE AND LET DIE and it was a nice touch to bring David Hedison back to reprise his role as Felix Leiter which he also played in the original film. As to be expected there are some great stunts and effects here but LICENSE TO KILL relies more on characters than cheap pops. Wayne Newton is precious as the slimey evangelist Professor Joe and any film having Carey Lowell ruinning around in wet lingerie is going to get my thumbs up. If it weren't for a cameo in BIG TOP PEE-WEE this would mark the movie debut of Benicio Del Toro and you have to love Robert Davi as the head bad guy. Also of note is the original video release of LICENCE TO KILL. The late 80`s marked the intoduction of commercial before movies both in the theatre and on video which was met with cries of protest overall. To counteract this response big business simply made better spots and this one features John Cleese, who would later replace the late Desmond Llewelyn as Q, doing a Bond related skit for SCHWEPPES tonic water which is bloody amazing making a search for the video well worth it.