Released during the most competitive summer on record, LTD was doomed for failure. From Memorial Day to the middle of August, nearly every weekend was booked with a blockbuster or sequel to one. “Batman”, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”, “Lethal Weapon 2”, “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier” , "Ghostbusters 2", and "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids," were just some of the big deals released that summer, giving little chance for success for anything without a roman numeral in the title. Even though Bond’s box-office track record was virtually bulletproof and it would easily fall into the sequel column, the film died a quick death. Blaming the competition is the quickest explanation, alhough not the sole reason for the film's tepid response. Screwed from birth, LTK is the most violent of all the Bond films, it recieved the PG-13 rating in the states and a 15 rating in the UK. A troubled production history dogged the film, a shift in location shooting from China to Mexio led to some serious budget contraints. A writer's strike prevented long time Bond screenwriter, Richard Maibaum from finishing the script, instead duties were left to Brocolli's stepson/producer Michael Wilson. A late in the game name change affected the film from getting the earliest exposure possible, changing from "License Revoked" to "Kill," publicity material had to be altered significantly before release. An odd rumor swirled that U.S. auidences wouldn't know what the word "revoked" meant. Timothy Dalton's second and final outing is generally good and handles the film’s darker elements well and even though it gets point for shaking things up; not for one second does it resemble a Bond film. 007 out for revenge is an interesting premise, but it never strives to be different. All of the Bond films, even the lousy ones, were always different from the competition, not so much here as 007 comes off aping Bronson, Stallone and Schwarzenegger. The film begins with Bond and CIA operative, Felix Leiter (David Hedison, the same actor from LALD) in the Florida Keys involved in an operation to cut off the cocaine pipeline coming in the states and hopefully to capture drug kingpin Sanchez (Robert Davi) who runs a shark wrangling farm as a cover for his illegal activities. All of this just so happens to be happening on Leiter's wedding day, but he and Bond parchachute to the ceremony just in the nick of time. However, Lieter and his new Bride's happiness is cut short as they are soon become victims of revenge, kidnapped by Sanchez's men and fed to his pet sharks; Lieter losing his leg, his bride her life. Disgusted by MI6's refusal to act, Bond quits his post and sets out on a personal vendetta that makes him London's most wanted fugitive. Baddie, Robert Davi is perfect as the human oil slick, Sanchez, a nasty slug who is a nice change of pace by not wanting to control the world, but just have a shitload of money. His menace is effective and Bond’s rage against him gives the film a surprising amount of dramatic weight. With the heavy stuff, the action suffers as too much emphasis is put on the story, a mistake as things slow down to a snail’s crawl at times. The few stunts we see, are impressive; the 18-wheeled gasoline truck on the twisty mountain side roads that is titled to one side to avoid an incoming missile aimed by the bad guys and the low flying chopper and plane that join in the chace. Bond girls, Carey Lowell and Talisa Soto are excellent; beautiful, smart and resourceful. In one of his first roles, Benicio Del Toro stars as a Sanchez henchman, Dario and Wayne Newton has an amusing cameo as a corrupt televangelist. The late Michael Kamen’s first and only Bond score is impressive, Berry-like, along with Gladys Knight’s wonderfully catchy titular theme song. Not a horrible film by any means, just not what Bond traditionalists expected. “License to Kill” triggered a legal battle that would put Bond on ice; see the departure of Dalton and pave the way for Pierce Brosnan’s extraordinary success.