Licence to Kill

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Licence to Kill

PG-13

Released Jul 14, 1989

2h 13m

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

79%

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63 Reviews

61%

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50,000+ Ratings

James Bond (Timothy Dalton) takes on his most-daring adventure after he turns renegade and tracks down one of the international drug cartel's most-brutal and powerful leaders. After the murder of his just-married friend, he is fighting not only for country and justice, but for personal revenge!

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Critics Consensus

License to Kill is darker than many of the other Bond entries, with Timothy Dalton playing the character with intensity, but it still has some solid chases and fight scenes.

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Leonard Maltin

Video Review

Licence to Kill is just the shot in the arm the James Bond series has been needing.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 5, 2022

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Chris Stuckmann

ChrisStuckmann.com

I think it's very underrated.

Rated: B+

Apr 13, 2020

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Michael Wilmington

Los Angeles Times

Every once in a while, [the Bond series] pulls in its stomach, pops the gun from its cummerbund, arches its eyebrow and gets off another bull's-eye. The newest, Licence to Kill, is probably one of the five or six best of Bond.

May 20, 2014

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Sarah Cortinaz

InSession Film

Many may have forgotten Dalton’s time as the iconic agent, but whether you remember him or not, it’s worth sinking your teeth into.

Apr 23, 2024

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Tom Ryan

The Sunday Age

It's helped by Sanchez, its wonderful villain, simultaneously sadistic and principled, played as Bond's opposite with a superbly sinister aloofness by Robert Davi. And the ending is suitably spectacular.

Jul 25, 2023

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Carson Timar

ButteredPopcorn

This is far from a terrible movie as it is easy to sit through and has plenty of enjoyable moments but it also isn't well balanced enough to be a classic.

Rated: B-

Aug 28, 2022

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Frank

The usual unbelevable mess James gets into, with an inevitable bruised and lacerated successful result. Acting is superb to point of making the crazy show believable!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/12/22

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Daniel C. M

The most ruthless and violent film of the Bond series, and one of the most underrated also. Featuring Dalton in his second and final Bond film, which can only be described as one of the greatest travesties of film's history; his era did not deserve to be the shortest one. Nothing i can say about this movie would've done it the justice it deserves; must watch.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/04/25

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James P

Dark, gritty, violent and Carey FAF Lowell. Underrated second outing for Dalton with a villain to match 007 in every way.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/13/25

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Liam D

it’s definitely an hard hitting bond film that doesn’t take any prisoners with fantastic performances, an amazing score by Michael Kamen and great action sequences

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/24/25

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Mark J

One of my favourite Bond films. Loved the darker tone and do love this take on Bond. I enjoyed the story and the action.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/26/25

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Pablo S

Una de las aventuras más personales de el agente 007 nos lleva a conocer al narcotraficante Franz Sánchez magnifícamente interpretado por Robert Davi quien ha dejado al amigo de James Bond, Felix Leiter sin pierna y sin esposa el mismo día de su boda. Entonces Bond acompañado por Pam Bouvier se embarcará a destruir por venganza el imperio del narcotrafico de Franz y vengar a Felix.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/02/25

Full Review

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John Glen

Director

Timothy Dalton

James Bond

Carey Lowell

Pam Bouvier

Robert Davi

Franz Sanchez

Talisa Soto

Lupe Lamora

Anthony Zerbe

Milton Krest

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80%

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Synopsis

James Bond (Timothy Dalton) takes on his most-daring adventure after he turns renegade and tracks down one of the international drug cartel's most-brutal and powerful leaders. After the murder of his just-married friend, he is fighting not only for country and justice, but for personal revenge!

Director: John Glen
Producer: Albert R. Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson
Screenwriter: Michael G. Wilson, Richard Maibaum
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: United Artists, Danjaq Productions
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 14, 1989, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 1, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $34.7M
Runtime: 2h 13m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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