The Living Daylights

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The Living Daylights

PG

Released Jul 31, 1987

2h 10m

Action

Mystery & Thriller

Adventure

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Popcornmeter

73%

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59 Reviews

66%

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50,000+ Ratings

British secret agent James Bond (Timothy Dalton) helps KGB officer Georgi Koskov (Jeroen Krabbé) defect during a symphony performance. During his debriefing, Koskov reveals that a policy of assassinating defectors has been instated by new KGB head Leonid Pushkin (John Rhys-Davies). But as Bond explores this threat, a counterplot surfaces, involving a shady American arms dealer (Joe Don Baker) and a pair of Russian assassins, Necros (Andreas Wisniewski) and Kara Milovy (Maryam d'Abo).

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Critics Consensus

Newcomer Timothy Dalton plays James Bond with more seriousness than preceding installments, and the result is exciting and colorful but occasionally humorless.

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Henry Sheehan

Chicago Reader

The Living Daylights might be reactionary hooey as far as its worldview goes, but it’s really fun hooey.

Rated: 2/4

May 9, 2022

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Sheila Benson

Los Angeles Times

I feel just rotten about this, but I'm afraid I've outgrown James.

Oct 20, 2015

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Tribune

In The Living Daylights, Dalton establishes his claim to the role; in the films that will follow, he'll have the chance to dig deeper.

Rated: 3/4

Oct 20, 2015

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Carson Timar

ButteredPopcorn

This is a messy film that really struggles at points to properly explore it's actually interesting and smart plot.

Aug 28, 2022

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Timothy Dalton's series debut is classic Cold War Bond, and grade-A spy stuff.

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 25, 2021

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Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

...marks one of those moments when the Bond franchise was awkwardly caught between two eras.

Rated: 1.5/4

Sep 17, 2021

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Gerald H

While Dalton gives a very good Bond, the whole movie is very very mediocre, horrendous title-song included. Plus: I think that the Bondgirl playing cello is one the most unfeeling things I‘ve seen in my life. Maybe better play a lumberjack.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

11/20/24

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Joshua M

In my top five Bond Films even though I don't like it as much as license to kill it is an amazing movie done well amazing action sequences, cinematography and geographic locations.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/19/24

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Tom F

A watchable artifact of the late Cold War years, part of the stretch when they were struggling to figure out what James Bond was for. Timothy Dalton was one of the better Bonds.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

11/09/24

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nick s

Timothy Daltan was convincing as a serious Bond. Unfortunately he was let down by the rest of the production. The floundering plot was absurd and could only exist in the mind of a teenager. The gadgets were over the top and drew too much attention to themselves. The chase scenes were silly, bordering on Jar Jar Binks ludicrous. The ooh-er jokes were yawn inducing. The opposing gunmen couldn't hit the side of a barn. The support actors were not up to par and some of the minor actors were distractingly wooden. All up a weakly directed entry dragging down the franchise. Poor old Timothy didn't have much to work with. He elevated the movie far more than it deserved.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/04/24

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Joshua H

This is the oldest James Bond film I've seen yet and as someone who's not a Bond Fan (although I by no means dislike it) this definitely passed the time, and the action scenes were a lot of fun (although it felt like it had more endings then the end of Lord of the Rings 😂). So although I'd probably wouldn't watch it again but it defeintly passed the time.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/13/24

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Aaron G

Recently started re-watching all the Bond movies from the beginning. While many of them don’t hold up particularly well, this one takes the cake as near unwatchable. The illogical, disjointed plot is best covered up by the closing action sequences—Dalton is at his “best” when he’s in a wide-angle shot and not talking.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

08/24/24

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John Glen

Director

Timothy Dalton

James Bond

Maryam D'Abo

Kara Milovy

Jeroen Krabbé

General Georgi Koskov

Joe Don Baker

Brad Whitaker

John Rhys-Davies

General Leonid Pushkin

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Synopsis

British secret agent James Bond (Timothy Dalton) helps KGB officer Georgi Koskov (Jeroen Krabbé) defect during a symphony performance. During his debriefing, Koskov reveals that a policy of assassinating defectors has been instated by new KGB head Leonid Pushkin (John Rhys-Davies). But as Bond explores this threat, a counterplot surfaces, involving a shady American arms dealer (Joe Don Baker) and a pair of Russian assassins, Necros (Andreas Wisniewski) and Kara Milovy (Maryam d'Abo).

Director: John Glen
Producer: Albert R. Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson
Screenwriter: Ian Fleming, Richard Maibaum, Michael G. Wilson
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: United Artists, EON Productions, Danjaq Productions
Rating: PG
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 31, 1987, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 1, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $51.2M
Runtime: 2h 10m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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