Getting the chance to see the superb On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969-also reviewed) on the big screen, thanks to UK cinemas screening one Bond movie every weekend in 2022, to mark 60 years of 007, I looked at the dates online afterwards, to find out when Licence to Kill (1989-also reviewed) would be shown.
With him being my favourite portrayal of the spy, I felt that before seeing Licence, that it was the perfect time to catch Timothy Dalton's first mission on the big screen.
View on the film:
Made just two years after Sir Roger's run ended with A View To A Kill, the screenplay by regular writers for the franchise Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson stand divided on taking the mission down a harder edge path, or to continue in the more comedic direction Bond had being going in with titles such as Octopussy (1983- also reviewed.)
The last in the series until Casino Royale in 2006 to be named after an original Ian Fleming title,the writers perfectly play the first note of the film, by opening with an intelligent adaptation of Fleming's original short story, which establishes Euro Spy thrills from 007 disobeying orders to carry out a kill, which opens the mission up to Cold War espionage, as Bond and Milovy (with 007 here having eyes for only one woman) try to build a trust between each other, as the KGB set their sights on killing 00 agents.
Sending Bond to Afghanistan to join the Mujahideen to take the Soviets down, the writers struggle to fully link this part of the adventure to the earlier, more grounded spying antics, with the dialogue moving in a more one-liner direction, and the end of level boss Whitaker,coming off as a last minute after thought.
For the last to have a classic 007 score from John Barry, (and the first to have a different song play over the end credits) returning director John Glen & cinematographer Alec Mills fire up a jet-set Euro Spy atmosphere for the gripping Action set-pieces, with slick wide-shots which allow for the outstanding stunt work to be clearly seen, which is paired up with icy panning shots tracking 007 and Milovy attempt to glide pass under the eyes of the KGB.
The first Bond Girl since On Her Majesty's Secret Service that 007 stays with for the full mission, Maryam d'Abo gives a delightful performance as Milovy, thanks to d'Abo blending high-kicking glamour, with an enticing sense of doubt,over if she can fully trust this secret agent.
Just one of two times he would play the role, Timothy Dalton gives a fantastic performance as Bond, thanks to Dalton balancing the sophisticated, one-liner, playful side of 007, with a gloriously rough and ready ruthless edge, displayed when Bond takes the baddies on full-on, as fights to save the living daylights.
With him being my favourite portrayal of the spy, I felt that before seeing Licence, that it was the perfect time to catch Timothy Dalton's first mission on the big screen.
View on the film:
Made just two years after Sir Roger's run ended with A View To A Kill, the screenplay by regular writers for the franchise Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson stand divided on taking the mission down a harder edge path, or to continue in the more comedic direction Bond had being going in with titles such as Octopussy (1983- also reviewed.)
The last in the series until Casino Royale in 2006 to be named after an original Ian Fleming title,the writers perfectly play the first note of the film, by opening with an intelligent adaptation of Fleming's original short story, which establishes Euro Spy thrills from 007 disobeying orders to carry out a kill, which opens the mission up to Cold War espionage, as Bond and Milovy (with 007 here having eyes for only one woman) try to build a trust between each other, as the KGB set their sights on killing 00 agents.
Sending Bond to Afghanistan to join the Mujahideen to take the Soviets down, the writers struggle to fully link this part of the adventure to the earlier, more grounded spying antics, with the dialogue moving in a more one-liner direction, and the end of level boss Whitaker,coming off as a last minute after thought.
For the last to have a classic 007 score from John Barry, (and the first to have a different song play over the end credits) returning director John Glen & cinematographer Alec Mills fire up a jet-set Euro Spy atmosphere for the gripping Action set-pieces, with slick wide-shots which allow for the outstanding stunt work to be clearly seen, which is paired up with icy panning shots tracking 007 and Milovy attempt to glide pass under the eyes of the KGB.
The first Bond Girl since On Her Majesty's Secret Service that 007 stays with for the full mission, Maryam d'Abo gives a delightful performance as Milovy, thanks to d'Abo blending high-kicking glamour, with an enticing sense of doubt,over if she can fully trust this secret agent.
Just one of two times he would play the role, Timothy Dalton gives a fantastic performance as Bond, thanks to Dalton balancing the sophisticated, one-liner, playful side of 007, with a gloriously rough and ready ruthless edge, displayed when Bond takes the baddies on full-on, as fights to save the living daylights.