The Living Daylights [DVD] [1987]

Almost. Although I am a great endorser of this picture, as the objective reviewer I consider myself to be, a few weaknesses must be pointed out, weaknesses that cause the film to miss out on being the ultimate 007 screen experience.

The presence of a real plot in TLD is a great relief after the previous two films' haphazardous scheming, though it has to be said that slightly less might have been more in this case.
The villains plan to get 007 to eliminate a top-level KGB general so as to facilitate a large-scale diamonds-for-opium scheme is in places dangerously close to losing the viewer's interest due to the sheer elaborateness of the plot.
However, even if you don't quite follow from the start the film allows for plenty of time to appreciate the thrilling skul-duggery 007 embarks upon set against beautiful scenery of Austria, Morocco and the Middle-Eastern desert.

Maryam d'Abo provides Bond with the most memorable female foil since Diana Rigg's doomed Tracy from 'OHMSS', and it is pure delight to watch her opposite Dalton. I haven't seen this much chemistry between the two leads in any other 007 flick.

It is Dalton though who truly brings this adventure to life, and he portrays the reluctant super-spy with understated charm and class. The one liners seem to come a litte too unnaturally for such a talented actor, but Dalton makes the role completely his own within the half-hour.

The villains are weak compared to the rest of the cast, Andreas Winiewski's ruthlessly efficient henchman 'Necros' being the big exception, his mid-air fight with Bond whilst both dangling off the rear of a freight plane over Afghanistan ranks as perhaps the best stunt of the entire series.

Most of the action is inventive and full of panache, a gas-pipeline being used to transport a KGB defector across the Iron curtain, the classic Aston Martin makes a brilliant gadget-laden return on the ice and snow of the Slovak-Austrian border and all the scenes involving the Hercules freight-plane involve top notch action sequences.
And the great performance from Dalton coupled with competent direction from John Glen string all these things together to make a rip roaring thriller of a film.
John Barry composed his last and most masterful 007 score here, it fits so perfectly with the mood on screen, depicting each thril with a soundtrack-and-film match made in heaven.

All-in-all, 'The Living Daylights' delivers on a scale previously unseen in the James Bond franchise, and I defy anyone who says that it's strenghts don't utterly outweigh it's weaknesses.

- J.J

Althogh he only played in two films, these two were the highlights of the entire series. The living daylights being the slightly better of his two. The film is a non-stop ride of action and humour from the very start, right up to the very very very end. The theme song is quite simply brilliant and the score is possibly THE best peice of film music I have ever heard in my life. I cannot say enough good things about this film and the way that Dalton plays the 007 character. The film has the famous cello chase, the car on the ice, the afghan army base action and of course the Gibralter rock stunts at the very beginning.

If you want any more information about this film the only thing I can say is BUY IT, you will not be dissapointed!!!