The Living Daylights(1987)
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Rated:
Starring:Timothy Dalton,Maryam d'Abo,et al.
Director:John Glen (II)
Edition Details:
• NTSC format (US and Canada only)
•Color, Closed-captioned, Dolby, HiFi Sound, NTSC
•ASIN: 6302380294
Amazon.com Sales Rank: 3,748
This is the 15th item in The James Bond Movies Series.
Average Customer Review: Based on 58 reviews. Write a review.
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Timothy Dalton made his 007 debut in the lean, mean mode of Sean Connery, doing away with the pun-filled camp of Roger Moore's final outings. He establishes his persona right from the gritty pre-credits sequence, in which he hangs from a speeding truck as it barrels down narrow cobblestone streets, battles an assassin mano a mano, and lands in the arms of a bikinied babe. This James Bond is ruthless, tough, and romantic. The Living Daylights, set during the thaw of the cold war, begins with the defection of Russian KGB General Koskov (Jeroen Krabbé) and his revelation of a Soviet plot to eliminate Britain's secret agent force. Assigned to eliminate Koskov's Soviet boss (John Rhys-Davies, cutting a memorable figure in his brief appearance), Bond uncovers a conspiracy involving Koskov and an American arms dealer (Joe Don Baker). Maryam d'Abo makes a fine Bond girl as Koskov's beautiful cellist girlfriend, a classy innocent who soon loses her naive blush and shows her pluck. The villains are lackluster--Krabbé is a clown and Baker a blowhard--and Dalton hadn't yet mastered the delivery of the trademark quips, but it's a sleek script with a no-nonsense attitude. Veteran series director John Glen's action scenes have never been better--especially the show-stopping mid-air battle on the net of a speeding cargo plane--and he returns the series to the smart, rough, high-energy adventures that made the Bond reputation. --Sean Axmaker--This text refers to the DVD edition.
From Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide
Dalton makes an impressive debut as James Bond in this entertaining, globe-trotting spy story about a double-dealing Russian general; it's brimming with great stunts and gimmicks, and eschews the smirking comic attitude of other recent Bond outings. But like some other Bonds, this one goes on far too long. Caroline Bliss debuts as Miss Moneypenny. Panavision.
Copyright© Leonard Maltin, 1998-2001, used by arrangement with Signet, a division of Penguin Putnam, Inc.
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
surprisingly good, August 20, 2001
Reviewer: Jeffrey M. Reed (see more about me)from Hinsdale, New YorkUnited States
I liked this video much more than I thought I would. As someone who thinks 007 can only be Connery or Brosnan, I resisted Dalton and Moore until I had no choice. I'm still not crazy about Moore, but Dalton does a good job with the role even if he is somewhat more pedestrian than either Connery or Brosnan.
Plus, I liked the story. It helped that they brought back the Aston Martin (complete with squeaky brakes). Even though Connery mentions a Bentley in Goldfinger, the Aston Martin is the original 007 ride. For reasons that are known only to the producers, they put Moore into an American Motors standard issue in TMWTGG (Did they think that because it had the same initials as Aston Martin, it was the same pedigree?), or a Lotus in FYEO.
It also helped that Dalton's relationship with Maryam d'Abo actually developed over the course of the film making it more genuine. He may not be Connery or Brosnan, but you could do a lot worse (several times over) than this title.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Fleming's Bond returns to the screen, January 6, 2001
Reviewer: Rob Magee from Carrollton, Ohio United States
12 years of Roger Moore's version of James Bond had desensitized movie-goers to what James Bond really was by 1987. Bond is a hired killer employed by his government, a man with a larger-than-life job and an incredible amount of ingenuity that enabled him to stay alive in a job that pushed him to his emotional limit. This is the Bond that Ian Fleming created, and Timothy Dalton was the first actor to portray 007 that had the depth to play Bond the way Fleming designed him. For a fan of the books, this makes The Living Daylights one of the better Bond films. It features a relatively believable plot, some real romance, and some real tension and drama. And the prerequisite action and gadgets that are such a part of the films are still there. All in all, this is an extremely enjoyable thriller that takes Bond back to his roots, and reminds viewers that 007, while he is an exciting, dangerous, and gifted man, is still just a man. --This text refers to the DVD edition.
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THIS IS BETTER THAN THE BEST!!!!, September 16, 2001
Reviewer: An 11-year old viewer from Montreal, QC Canada
The Living Daylights is by far, the best James Bond movie. It's all here, from the awesome car chase to the border of Austria, the Bond girl with attitude, and a lean, mean James Bond. Timothy Dalton was DEFINITELY the right man to pick to replace the aging Roger Moore. And the title song by a-ha blows the others away. If you haven't seen it...... WATCH IT NOW!!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Absolutely wonderful, May 20, 2001
Reviewer: Douglas Cain (see more about me)from Milford, MA United States
What a delight to see a truly magnificent James Bond movie after Connery's departure. Dalton brings a reassuring tone to the role of 007. He plays it with true passion and has the right feel for the character. Alongside Dalton's performance, the actual plot is compelling and interesting. The right balance of action, humor, and class is shown in The Living Daylights. This is personally one of my favorite James Bond movies. Enjoy it for the sake of a good show--especially for Bond fans.
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