Living Daylights, The (1987)

reviewed by
Craig Good

                             THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
                         A film review by Craig Good
                          Copyright 1987 Craig Good

After the last Bond flick I thought that 007 was dead. The plot had become metastasized with silliness, and Roger Moore was beginning to creak. The rumors about Pierce Brosnan confirmed that the movies were about to descend into terminal foppishness. The long-running series of James Bond adventures were going out with a whimper.

I'm happy to report that they are back with a bang. Timothy Dalton, in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS, is the best Bond in years. The proportion of intrigue to action and gadgetry to romance has been restored to proper order. For the first time in ages we have a Bond who is about the right age, and who is willing to get his hands dirty.

The scope of this movie, and the amazing action sequences, are in the same league as RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. It had to have helped that they used an Ian Fleming short story as the foundation, because the plot has as many twists as the mountain road in the opening gag. And even though I never bought her for an instant as a cellist, Maryam d'Abo, the latest Bond Girl, has to get credit for some of the best scenery in the movie. She makes a beautiful and innocent foil for Dalton's patient, competent, and yet fallible Bond.

THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS is certainly worth the $5.50 I paid to see it, and I suspect that the capacity crowd with me opening night felt the same. Gosh, this has been a fun summer.

                --Craig
                ...{ucbvax,sun}!pixar!good

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