I would argue that it's a good film, just not necessarily a good Bond film (they are two separate concepts). It's too violent, there are too many subplots (Heller's possible betrayal, the Orientals, Kwang and Loti) and it needs a lot more jokes. There are times when it flies - the action sequences are top notch, Pam is always fantastic, and Dalton is the best Bond and I don't care what you say - but it just doesn't work as a whole. What Casino Royale did in spades in 2006, Licence to Kill was trying to do in 1989, and I don't think the filmmakers - or the world - were ready for it.
However, even if the rest of the film were perfection itself, I could never love Licence to Kill unconditionally because of a flaw in the final scene. It's during the party at Sanchez' house, where everyone is celebrating that a drug dealer is dead by drinking champagne amongst the assets of his ill-begotten empire. I'm not sure how Lupe ended up with his house, anyway; they weren't married, and Sanchez didn't seem like the type to make a will.
Anyway.
There's a really annoying bit in that final scene that takes me right out of the film, every single time, and leaves me with a nasty taste in my mouth.
No, it's not Lupe looking straight down the camera. By that point in the film I've become immune to Talisa Soto's acting deficiencies. I'm sure this was take 49, and the sun was about to come up and Timothy Dalton had a dry throat and the crew were threatening to mutiny and they realised it was as good as she was ever going to get. At least she didn't bump into the potted plant.
No, it's not the winking fish either. Obviously, that's awful, but it's awful in a camp, cheesy way. It's a little bit of old school Bond that somehow snuck in; it's right up there with the double-take pigeon and the fish in the Lotus for good-spirited nonsense.
No, the worst part of Licence to Kill comes when 007 roguishly tugs Pam into the pool for the inevitable kiss under the closing credits.
Do you see it?
It's that tiny, irritating bit of dress on the back that doesn't get wet when she falls in. Bond dunks her under straight afterwards, but it doesn't matter. The damage has been done. That moment of imperfection jumps out of the screen at me, picks me up and slaps me about the chops and drives me insane.
That's all I've been able to see whenever I watch Licence To Kill, and no amount of Patti Labelle caterwauling can soothe my OCD rattled mind. It's almost completely soaked, but because it isn't, I can't stare at anything else. Did no-one else on set spot it? Could they not have painted it in during the edit? Did they just not care?
These are the questions that trouble my very soul.
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