Licence to Kill
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.
Directed by John Glen · Adventure · Action · Thriller · 2h 13m · 1989
Trailer
Director
John Glen
Writer
Richard Maibaum, Michael G. Wilson, Ian Fleming
Studio
EON Productions, Estudios Churubusco Azteca, United Artists
Release
1989-06-13
Runtime
2h 13m
Genres
Adventure, Action, Thriller
Full Plot
James Bond is on possibly his most brutal mission yet. Bond's good friend, Felix Leiter, is left near death, by drug baron Franz Sanchez. Bond sets off on the hunt for Sanchez, but not everyone is happy. MI6 does not feel Sanchez is their problem and strips Bond of his license to kill making Bond more dangerous than ever. Bond gains the aid of one of Leiter's friends, known as Pam Bouvier and sneaks his way into the drug factories, which Sanchez owns. Will Bond be able to keep his identity secret, or will Sanchez see Bond's true intentions?
Cast & Characters
James Bond
Timothy Dalton
Pam Bouvier
Carey Lowell
Franz Sanchez
Robert Davi
Lupe Lamora
Talisa Soto
Milton Krest
Anthony Zerbe
Sharkey
Frank McRae
Killifer
Everett McGill
Professor Joe Butcher
Wayne Newton
Miss Moneypenny, M's personal secretary.
Caroline Bliss
William Truman-Lodge, Sanchez's financial advisor.
Anthony Starke
Hawkins, a DEA operative who opposes Bond's vendetta.
Grand L. Bush
Dario, Sanchez's personal henchman.
Benicio del Toro
Perez, one of Sanchez's henchmen.
Alejandro Bracho
Braun, one of Sanchez's henchmen.
Guy De Saint Cyr
Did You Know?
Did You Know that Licence to Kill was initially called Licence Revoked?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that the script was written with Timothy Dalton's characterisation of Bond in mind?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that the film's violence and darker tone were influenced by Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Critical Assessment
Licence to Kill holds 6.7/10 on IMDb (121K votes), 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 62% audience score.
A notable gap between the 79% critics score and 62% audience score suggests real disagreement over this entry.
Ratings as of August 3, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedLicence to Kill's 6.7 IMDb average and 79% Rotten Tomatoes score place it solidly mid-pack in the 60-plus-year Bond franchise.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Licence to Kill's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Licence to Kill holds a 79% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 62% audience score.
What is Licence to Kill's IMDb rating?+
Licence to Kill has a 6.7/10 rating on IMDb from 121K votes.
Is Licence to Kill good? What are critics saying?+
Licence to Kill holds 6.7/10 on IMDb (121K votes), 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 62% audience score.
How long is Licence to Kill?+
Licence to Kill has a runtime of 2h 13m.
Who directed Licence to Kill?+
Licence to Kill was directed by John Glen.
Where can I watch Licence to Kill?+
Licence to Kill is available to stream, rent, or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Plex, Rakuten TV, Sky Store.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public reaction to the movie "Licence to Kill" is mixed but largely negative. Some reviewers praise Timothy Dalton's performance as a gritty and unsettling Bond, while others criticize its campy tone and lack of fun. The film has been compared favorably to other Bond films from the 1980s, such as Del Toro's portrayal of Bond in "The Crow". However, many critics have also highlighted its dark and violent content.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Effective immediately, your licence to kill is revoked, and I require you to hand over your weapon. Licence to Kill is directed by John Glen and written by Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson. It's an original story that uses characters and instances created by Ian Fleming. It…
John Chard · 8/10_**A different kind of Bond**_ Released in 1989, "Licence to Kill" always struck me as the most atypical Bond film. In this one James (Timothy Dalton) goes rogue after a good friend's bride is murdered and the friend is half-eaten by a shark. Stripped of his authority, Bond venge…
Wuchak · 6/10I was just not a fan of Timothy Dalton's "007" and so can't say I was looking forward with much enthusiasm to this. Sadly, it didn't surprise - it's a really far fetched, frankly rather unpleasant, outing for Ian Fleming's deadly agent that sees him on the trail of an evil drug l…
CinemaSerf · 6/10Man, del Toro was only 21 in this film and still makes a showing as one of the most lethal Bond baddies in the history of the franchise. And for those of you who are obsessed with Bondlore, this is the 007 film that references the events in OHMSS which proves that Bond is one per…
GenerationofSwine · 10/10**License to Kill transformers Bond from a goofy punchline to a vengeful unstoppable force, turning the franchise from whimsical to gritty and producing one of the best films of the series.** License to Kill marked a major shift in the franchise away from the campy, goofy, and al…
The Movie Mob · 8/10This 007 film stays true to its motif. This begins an era of "no fun" 007 films, where the wit is very minimal and every scene is whiplash brutal. However, unlike most later 007 films, this one stays true to its design. It doesn't try to "contrive" the story. Instead, there is a…
drystyx · 7/10"Licence to Kill" is unquestionably a very unusual Bond film in every conceivable way imaginable. The larger-than-life villains of the Sean Connery era with their outrageously extravagant plans to blackmail the whole world are completely gone and these elements have been replaced…
kevin2019 · 8/10LD was good and all but Licence to Kill is top 10.
tmdb93836550 · 8/10
From the trailer's comments
Still the darkest and most violent Bond movie. Dalton was at his cool best in this one.
@RedOnyxProductions · 626 likesOut of all the five Bond films that came out of the 1980's , this one definitely felt like it was of that decade.
@Dohsoda · 137 likesbest bond ever- problem solver?....."more of a problem eliminator"- the way how dalton says it is mega cool!!!!!!
@SageAhmed2222 · 278 likesDalton is the most underrated Bond!
@alexboyles7836 · 199 likesLoved this movie it didn't get the respect it deserves in my opinion.
@eddiecampion2410 · 343 likesThe best Bond film because it contained the darkest, coolest, bloody and the most brutal scenes.
@bookyreviewzola · 306 likesTimothy Dalton. He was the assassin of the Bonds. He was a dark, brooding badass who stopped at nothing to get the job down. He was my favorite Bond, and still is. Now Licence To Kill is an underrated masterpiece. The dark, gritty tone of the film with harsh violence mixed with s…
@ryancox9281 · 588 likesThe most underrated Bond movie EVER! Timothy Dalton is brilliant, Dobert Davi is brilliant as Sanchez. I love how Bond infiltrates his organization. That doesn't happen often enough in the movies!
@l.f.lakebrook · 151 likes
