The Living Daylights vs. Licence to Kill

7 comments

8 comments

Dalton's two Bond films. I personally think he is underrated. Licence to Kill gets the vote because of the exploding head.

I'm going with The Living Daylights. Licence to Kill is bloated and dated.

Though all James Bond movies prior to Casino Royale are diminished by its greatness, License to Kill is one of the worst. It is a poor attempt at Americanization of Bond, and it's just kind of lame.

Licence to Kill is actually my favorite pre-Brosnan Bond film. (From what I can remember, at least; I haven't seen any of the older Bonds except From Russia With Love in some years.) Am I missing something here?

"Licence to Kill" is basically the film that "Live and Let Die" should have been. It will always disappoint me that one of Fleming's strongest novels has never had a true film adaptation. Going with "Daylights," by a hair.

License to Kill get my vote. With the exception of OHMSS, Bond's stakes have never been higher and the weight of his sacrifice never greater than when his best and only real friend lies dying on his wedding bed.

TLD definitely fits the mold of a Bond movie better, but LTK comes closer for me to capturing the Bond of the books: cold, ruthless but driven by emotional loyalties. There are a few cringe-worthy moments in LTK, but it has some of the best villains, action, dames and story since Connery's first three outings. I re-watch this one more than any other non-Connery Bond.

Eh, I love both Dalton films, but I prefer Licence to Kill bcuz of its lithe, serrated edge in its film-making and narrative structure.

Licence To Kill is better than its predecessor in my opinion.

I like the overall story better in TLD, though Joe Don Baker as Brad Whitaker is a rather underwhelming final boss villain. I love Dalton in both films, but LTK was a much stronger showcase for him. It gets the nod.

Bondathon continues...: The Living Daylights vs Licence to Kill. Man, I really don't know where to place Licence to Kill on my list. Let me explain. James Bond is out for revenge. Now that is cool. Of the two Bond movies he starred in, Timothy Dalton gives his best perfomance in LTK, because the movie allows him to be more brutal and darker. Speaking of more brutal, there's a surprising amount of blood in this movie. Possibly an attempt of the filmmakers to make James Bond as a franchise more bad-ass or something, I don't know. Anyway, the problems I have with this movie are that it's kind of forgetable, a little hard to understand and...weird, at times. The last action scene is very creative and awesome though. Gotta go with TLD. More jokey, yes, but also more memorable.

The Living Daylights felt like a Roger Moore Bond movie retrofitted for Timothy Dalton. Lighter, jokier, and not really the right match of actor and tone. License to Kill is more tailored to what kind of a Bond Dalton was, which was sort of a dry run for the Daniel Craig reboot; more of a cold-blooded assassin. The movie going public at that time wasn't quite ready for that approach, and it didn't help that it felt like they hedged a little in the execution with things like having a role for Wayne Newton. (What the hell was that about?) But LtK is a bit more on target, so it gets my vote here.

I need to rewatch TLD, but LTK is my third favorite Bond film and wins this matchup.

easy Licence to kill gets my vote.

I wanted to see Timothy Dalton in a James Bond reboot instead of continuing the franchise. I would've loved to see him in a Casino Royale adaption set placed in the 1950s. I can only dream though. Instead we got a soulless live action video game followed by a soulless Rambo ripoff. Both films were un-Bond-like for me. And then the franchise even continuing was in jeopardy!

2568 days ago, I went with THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS. Not sure why I did that. LICENCE TO KILL gets the nod this time.

Dalton is my favourite Bond. Two very good films, but whilst his performance was better in Licence to Kill, I prefer the Living Daylights.