Licence to Kill

Licence to Kill

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8 / 10

1 Review

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8 Based on 1 Votes

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Overview

After capturing the notorious drug lord Franz Sanchez, Bond's close friend and former CIA agent Felix Leiter is left for dead and his wife is murdered. Bond goes rogue and seeks vengeance on those responsible, as he infiltrates Sanchez's organization from the inside.

Media

LICENCE TO KILL BOND50

Cast

Benicio del Toro

Director:

John Glen

Writer:

Richard Maibaum, Michael G. Wilson, Ian Fleming

Release Date:

1989-06-13

Run Time:

133m

Tagline:

James Bond is out on his own and out for revenge.

Genres:

Action Adventure Thriller

Keywords:

airplane corruption drug trafficking florida james bond liberation of prisoners secret identity

Financials and Popularity

Budget: 32,000,000.00$

Revenue: 156,167,015.00$

Vote Average: 6.4/10

Vote Count: 2152 Votes

Movie Popularity: 5.4968

Spoken Languages: English, Spanish

Review

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Insomniacs Reviews
- 27 April 2026 at 9:58 pm

8 Based on 1 Votes
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⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 8/10 THE SUMMARY This is Bond with the safety catch off. When drug kingpin Franz Sanchez brutally attacks Bond’s best mate Felix Leiter on his wedding day, 007 doesn’t wait for orders—he goes rogue. Stripped of his license and hunted by his own people, Bond infiltrates Sanchez’s empire in South America to dismantle it from the inside. It’s a gritty, blood-soaked revenge flick that feels more like a hard-boiled thriller than a typical spy adventure, trading the gadgets for a much more personal and lethal vendetta. THE PROS Timothy Dalton is a win; he plays Bond with a sincere, simmering rage that feels much closer to the character in Ian Fleming's books. Robert Davi as Sanchez is a total belter, offering a villain who isn't just a caricature but a charismatic, deeply loyal, and terrifyingly violent man. The practical stunts are a celebratory explosion of real-world peril—the final tanker chase through the mountains is a sincere masterpiece of practical filmmaking that looks more dangerous than anything made in a computer. It’s a brave, dark entry that proved the franchise could handle genuine grit. THE CONS It earns an 8/10 because it occasionally feels a bit more like an episode of *Miami Vice* than a traditional Bond movie, losing some of that "grand-scale" elegance. The fashion and the heavy synth-pop vibe are a bit wet and place it firmly in 1989, which can be a tad jarring compared to the timeless feel of the earlier classics. It misses the 9/10 status because the pacing can be a bit of a Languid—wait, I mean, it drags slightly in the middle when Bond is slowly gaining Sanchez's trust. It’s a solid, hard-hitting action movie that was perhaps a decade ahead of its time. THE VERDICT An 8/10. A good movie and a sincere recommendation for those who prefer their Bond to be a bit more "John Wick" and a bit less "invisible car." It’s a vault essential for fans who want to see a darker, more realistic take on the character. Go and watch it for the incredible tanker stunts and Dalton’s intense performance—it’s the business when it comes to raw, 80s action. INSOMNIAC TRIVIA • Tanker Wheelie: During the final chase, a real Kenworth tanker was modified to perform a "wheelie" on its rear wheels. It wasn't CGI; the stunt driver actually balanced the massive rig on its side to dodge a missile, which remains one of the most insane stunts in the series.• Del Toro’s Debut: A very young Benicio del Toro makes his film debut here as the sadistic henchman Dario; he was only 21 at the time and brings a genuinely creepy energy to every scene he's in.• Name Change: The film was originally titled *Licence Revoked*, but the studio changed it at the last minute because American test audiences reportedly associated that phrase with losing their driving licenses. THE VIBE Like a humid night in a dive bar with a concealed weapon. It smells like gasoline, expensive cigars, and sea salt. It makes you want to hunt down your enemies, ignore your boss's phone calls, and stay well away from any large shark tanks.

Videos

LICENCE TO KILL BOND50

Cast

Benicio del Toro

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Collections

James Bond Collection

Reviews for

Licence to Kill

Comment (1)

Insomniacs Reviews
- 27 April 2026 at 10:58 PM

⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 8/10
THE SUMMARY
This is Bond with the safety catch off. When drug kingpin Franz Sanchez brutally attacks Bond’s best mate Felix Leiter on his wedding day, 007 doesn’t wait for orders—he goes rogue. Stripped of his license and hunted by his own people, Bond infiltrates Sanchez’s empire in South America to dismantle it from the inside. It’s a gritty, blood-soaked revenge flick that feels more like a hard-boiled thriller than a typical spy adventure, trading the gadgets for a much more personal and lethal vendetta.
THE PROS
Timothy Dalton is a win; he plays Bond with a sincere, simmering rage that feels much closer to the character in Ian Fleming’s books. Robert Davi as Sanchez is a total belter, offering a villain who isn’t just a caricature but a charismatic, deeply loyal, and terrifyingly violent man. The practical stunts are a celebratory explosion of real-world peril—the final tanker chase through the mountains is a sincere masterpiece of practical filmmaking that looks more dangerous than anything made in a computer. It’s a brave, dark entry that proved the franchise could handle genuine grit.
THE CONS
It earns an 8/10 because it occasionally feels a bit more like an episode of *Miami Vice* than a traditional Bond movie, losing some of that “grand-scale” elegance. The fashion and the heavy synth-pop vibe are a bit wet and place it firmly in 1989, which can be a tad jarring compared to the timeless feel of the earlier classics. It misses the 9/10 status because the pacing can be a bit of a Languid—wait, I mean, it drags slightly in the middle when Bond is slowly gaining Sanchez’s trust. It’s a solid, hard-hitting action movie that was perhaps a decade ahead of its time.
THE VERDICT
An 8/10. A good movie and a sincere recommendation for those who prefer their Bond to be a bit more “John Wick” and a bit less “invisible car.” It’s a vault essential for fans who want to see a darker, more realistic take on the character. Go and watch it for the incredible tanker stunts and Dalton’s intense performance—it’s the business when it comes to raw, 80s action.
INSOMNIAC TRIVIA
• Tanker Wheelie: During the final chase, a real Kenworth tanker was modified to perform a “wheelie” on its rear wheels. It wasn’t CGI; the stunt driver actually balanced the massive rig on its side to dodge a missile, which remains one of the most insane stunts in the series.
• Del Toro’s Debut: A very young Benicio del Toro makes his film debut here as the sadistic henchman Dario; he was only 21 at the time and brings a genuinely creepy energy to every scene he’s in.
• Name Change: The film was originally titled *Licence Revoked*, but the studio changed it at the last minute because American test audiences reportedly associated that phrase with losing their driving licenses.
THE VIBE
Like a humid night in a dive bar with a concealed weapon. It smells like gasoline, expensive cigars, and sea salt. It makes you want to hunt down your enemies, ignore your boss’s phone calls, and stay well away from any large shark tanks.

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