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 The Living Daylights (1987) marked the first appearance of Timothy Dalton in the shoes of the one and only super spy James Bond. It was only one of two films in which he filled the shoes of Agent 007 (the second being License to Kill two years later). A good portion of Bond fans and critics alike didn't quite care for Dalton's darker interpretation of the character. The Living Daylights, about Bond's assignment to helping a Russian general, Koskov (Jeroen Krabbé), defect to the West also starred Maryam d'Abo, Joe Don Baker, John Rhys-Davies and Art Malik.
I'll admit that The Living Daylights may not be one of the crown jewels of the franchise, but that hardly has a thing to do with its leading star. The film's disappointing factors are due more to a weak supporting cast and, most of all, a script that renders the film exactly the same as any other 1980s action movie that adopted a "kill the Russkies" mindset as a poor attempt at being socially relevant.
Timothy Dalton
After an opening chase sequence on the Rock of Gibraltar, Bond ends up in the west and as it turns out, Koskov has vital information pertaining to a colleague, General Pushkin (John Rhys-Davies), and his plan to ignite a potential nuclear war by killing off opposing spies and double agents. It's not long before the KGB swipes Koskov back, but while his superiors are scrambling to protect their reputations, Bond senses that something fishy is afoot. His investigation brings him to Kara Milovy (Maryam d'Abo), an attractive cellist who turns out to be Koskov's girlfriend -- as well as the assassin assigned to try to take him out during his defection. What Bond eventually uncovers goes deeper than the planned deaths of a few covert operatives, a grand scheme that also involves an American arms dealer (Joe Don Baker) and the Mujahideen rebellion's fight against invading Russians in Afghanistan.
For a character who's used to toppling attempts at world domination on a regular basis, having James Bond go up against drug runners and gun smugglers is like hiring Sam Spade to tail a kid who shoplifted a piece of gum. The Living Daylights sticks out in comparison to previous Bond installments, as it doesn't feel so much like a standard Bond adventure as it does an attempt to incorporate the character into an '80s action movie climate. This is all well and good, as the filmmakers realize that 007 needs to adapt to the changing times, but what The Living Daylights does is steal away Bond's thunder by slapping him in a story more fit for Schwarzenegger or Stallone, playing not the role of a dashing secret agent but more of a Cold War janitor.
 The film gets off to an impressive start, with both the pre- and post-credits sequences serving up the very combination of action and suspense indicative of the Bond franchise. But once the script leaves these scenes behind and starts expanding on the latest evil plot du jour, The Living Daylights grows very tiring very fast.
There are a couple of fun set pieces along the way, including a harrowing struggle between Bond and a hitman on a cargo net dangling out of a plane in midair. But such moments only come to serve as a reminder of how dreary the rest of the film is. Not at fault in the slightest, though, is Dalton, whose debut performance as James Bond ranks as the most underrated since George Lazenby's sole outing as 007.
 After Roger Moore put the role on the first train to Goofytown, it was only reasonable that the powers that be wanted to present a much darker image of Bond, a challenge Dalton not only measures up to but excels at. His Bond is much more nervous of a womanizer, worn down too much by the job to engage in any of his usual "extra-curricular" activities. Although the lack of glib quips and ravishing of ladies may seem boring to some, this more "realistic" depiction of Bond actually turns out to be a very compelling one. The same can't be said for d'Abo's yawn-inducing turn as Bond's latest lady love, nor does Baker make for a threatening presence (although Krabbé gives an appropriately weaselly performance as Koskov).
The Living Daylights isn't an out-and-out bad Bond film, but it is one of the more disappointing ones. When it sets its mind to it, the film ponys up thrills, chills, and spills with the best of them -- the downside being that it can't quite keep this rousing attitude up for all of its 130 minutes.
Director: John Glen
Writers: Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson (screenplay), Ian Fleming (novel)
Cast: Timothy Dalton, Maryam d'Abo, Jeroen Krabbé, Joe Don Baker, John Rhys-Davies, Art Malik
Rating: PG (violence and some sexuality)
Classic Movie Guide Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Run Time: 130 minutes
Studio: MGM / United Artists
Format: Color, widescreen
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