Despite a problem with the title ( originally Licence Revoked ) and a higher censorship certificate Timothy Dalton continues in the role of British spy James Bond. The opening has James attending the wedding of his pal & ex-CIA agent Felix Leiter ( played again by Live's David Hedison ... why ? ). On the way to the church their car is stopped by Leiter's pals and told of drug lord Franz Sanchez ( Robert Davi ) making a rare trip to Florida to sort out a personal matter. With James in tow, Felix flies off in a DEA helicopter to capture Sanchez - if so important why only 3 of them armed & Bond going after him ? ... perhaps a budget cut ? After much shooting James hooks Sanchez's escaping plane in mid-air followed by James & Felix parachuting down for the waiting bride. Enter Gladys Knight ( without her Pips ) with a powerful Bond song and the opening titles.

The story continues with villain Sanchez, who gets the best one-liners ( e.g. at the beginning when discovering earlier his girl-friend's new lover tells his men "Give her his heart" and near the end when asked what to do with the blood-stained money "Launder it" ), buying off the DEA agent Killifer ( played by Everett tv's Twin Peaks McGill ) with $2 million. After escaping, his men ( led by a young Benicio del Toro as Dario ) are instructed to kill Felix's wife and bring Leiter to him for torture. Poor Leiter is fed to a shark ( a scene from Fleming's Live And Let Die - the note telling 007 that He disagreed with something that ate him ) and returned almost dead to his home until James finds him.

Due to their friendship James goes on a personal vendetta and during which time M has to revoke his licence to kill - "We're not a country club 007 !". With the help of Pam Bouvier ( stunning & curvy Carey Lowell ) Bond goes after Sanchez. Along the way he meets up again with Sanchez's girl-friend Lupe Lamora ( another beauty Talisa Soto ) who falls for James' charms. Desmond Q Llewelyn also sees more of the action when he flies in with more gadgets ( just how did he get through customs ? ) while M & Moneypenny ( Robert Brown & Caroline Bliss make their final appearances ) are seen briefly.

Watch out for a fun cameo by Wayne Newton as fund-raiser Professor Joe who has to "bless your heart" when seeing the money disappearing in Bouvier's arms. Michael Lethal Weapons Kamen takes over the musical side and makes good use of the James Bond Theme while adding his own style to accompany the action which includes water-skiing and hitching a lift aboard a tanker ... with a 007 difference.

My only gripe with the movie is Hedison's Leiter, after losing his leg and a new wife he's still smiling and looking forward to going fishing with James at the end ... whatever happened to grief ?

Despite a harder edge Bond and a gritty script tailored for Dalton, this adventure still didn't win over the post Moore audience. With the long legal wait for the next movie, Timothy Dalton decided to hang up his 'licence' and move on with his career. It's a great shame as Tim proved a good Bond more in tune with Fleming than Moore. He was to be replaced some six years later by a more popular and media friendly 007.

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