Licence to Kill [Blu-ray] [1989]

Timothy Dalton is the most underrated to play James Bond. His darkness made the role more like Ian Fleming's character. The plot is a more believable one. A defector from the Soviet Union tells MI6 that a Russian spymaster is re-instated an old Stalin program calling for the assignation of all spy's. As proof the assignations of two members of the double O section. The defector names the person who activated the program and it would be best if they got him before he got them. The defector has been captured thinking the KGB has him. Bond goes back to to the beginning to pick up the trail. He learns that there is a scheme thought up by muntions dealer Brad Whitaker played by Joe Don Baker. Whitaker is a wanna be soldier who was kicked out of West Point for an honor violation and couldn't cut it as a mercerny. The plan is to get Bond to eliminate the thorn in the side. t seems the funds to pay for the weapons is being used for something else. It was so nice to have a realistic plot.

Way before current Bond actor Daniel Craig 's tough, gritty and realistic portrayal of 007, there was Timothy Dalton who played the Mi-6 agent in two films: "The Living Daylights" in 1987 and "Licence To Kill" in 1989. Unfortunately, audiences and critics in general in the late-80s were not yet quite ready for Dalton's approach and interpretation -- albeit faithful to Bond creator Ian Fleming's vision -- of an intense, living-on-the-edge government assassin. This was too drastic a paradigm shift from the lighthearted, broadly-comedic and overly-debonair Bond persona which predecessor (now Sir) Roger Moore brought to the public in seven successive Bond movies from 1973 to 1985. Dalton's first outing in 1987 was well-received given that "The Living Daylights" as a whole was still closer to the Moore style of films. The second one though was tailor-made for Dalton and his realistic edginess, brought to the fore and accentuated by the film's vendetta plot, and manifested by a high level of tough, mean violence and dark ironic humor that Bond fans were not accustomed to. Thus, "Licence To Kill" did not fare very well, commercially and critically, during its original release. Today, however, this film may be seen as tame versus the current Daniel Craig movies.

Licence to Kill is a real anomaly in the Bond pantheon; it's nasty and vicious, and seems to point the way for more violence in the coming Bond films. But it lacks the scope and world threat that are so key to a true Bondian film experience. The acting is first rate (Robert Davi, Carrie Lowell), but excellent acting (Wayne Newton as the TV preacher) doesn't substitute for star quality, and Dalton never wears the Bond image. Worthwhile, but ultimately, not a Bond film.

Timothy Dalton returns in his 2nd outing as 007 in the most violent of them all with shark attacks, people set on fire, death by conveyer belt, shootings and even a bad guy hyperbaric implosion!

He may not be the best bond, but the bluray is cheap and great looking all of these come with a digital copy and are a must for any Bond fan. This film is a bit cheesy, but its fun in the end. i can also watch it on my VUDU account. I do like the white covers on these sets too.

This is a very dark James Bond film, far more so than the ones that Roger Moore was in. As much as I like Pierce Brosnan's portrayal of Bond, I wish there were more with Timothy Dalton. Very enjoyable (although somewhat dated) and it features a very young Benecio Del Toro!

I'm not the biggest Dalton Bond fan, but I needed these Blu-Rays to complete my Digital HD Bond collection and for some reason the Timothy Dalton Bond Collection didn't include Digital HD codes (even though the other Bond Collections did) - very odd

Blu ray Bond is best ! I am replacing all of my DVDs with the blu ray version for my 4K player and flat screen. Better picture, sound, and more durable disc.