Brandon Peters dissects the 007 series part 16: License to Kill.

With Skyfall dropping in theaters in just a couple months, along with the 50th anniversary of the James Bond series, a close friend and fellow film nerd, Brandon Peters, has generously offered to do a comprehensive review of the entire 007 film franchise. Today is the sixteenth entry, with a full review of  Timothy Dalton's second and sadly final turn as James Bond, License to Kill. I hope you enjoy what is a pretty massive feature leading up the November 9th release of Skyfall. I'll do my best to leave my two-cents out of it, give or take a few items I have up my sleeve (including a possible guest review from my wife as she sings the praises of her favorite 007 film, you won't believe what it is). But just because I'm stepping aside doesn't mean you should. Without further ado...

License To Kill

1989

Director:  John Glen

Starring:  Timothy Dalton, Robert Davi, Carey Lowell, Benicio del Toro, Talisa Soto

Rated: PG-13

Why don’t you wait until you’re asked?

Why don’t you ask me?

                        ~Exchange between James Bond and Pam Bouvier

STATS

Kills:  6

Girls:  Lupe Lamora, Pam Bouvier

Car:  Lincoln Mark VII LSC

Locales:  Miami, Republic of Isthmus

Odd Villain Trait:  Dario is an lunatic with a silver tooth and a switchblade

Song:  “License To Kill” performed by Gladys Knight*

Other notable song:  “If You Ask Me To” performed by Patti LaBelle

Director John Glen finishes out his tenure as director of the James Bond franchise delivering the film he was trying to make with his first effort (For Your Eyes Only).  The film takes a much darker and gritty course than any preceding 007 entry.  The script and direction plays in favor to Timothy Dalton’s strengths as James Bond that would make Ian Fleming smile if he were around to see it.  In a summer movie season packed with more colorful large scale pictures the initial reaction to License To Kill was not that of a positive one, and audiences did speak with their wallets.