License to Kill/Awesome

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • Bond's final battle against Sanchez, leading to Bond using Felix's present - a lighter - to set a gasoline-soaked Sanchez on fire. It's one of the few times - if any - that Bond kills his major villain with any satisfaction...
    • YMMV on "satisfaction". It seemed like Bond was just exhausted and just wanted to end the "mission".
  • The scene at the Hemingway House where M appears in person to order 007 to leave Sanchez to the Americans. Previous stories had Bond considering leaving the service in disgust. This time...

Bond: SIR! They're not going to DO ANYTHING! (beat) I owe it to Leiter. He's put his life on the line for me many times.
M: Oh spare me this sentimental RUBBISH! He knew the risks.
Bond: And his wife?
M: This private vendetta of yours could easily compromise Her Majesty's government. You have an assignment, and I expect you to carry it out objectively and professionally!
Bond: (with suppressed rage) Then you have my resignation, sir!
M: (angry) We're not a country club, 007! (beat) Effective immediately. Your licence to kill is revoked...

  • The opening. Where else do you get to see an airplane getting fished by an helicopter in flight?
    • The crowner is Felix and James parachuting down directly down to Felix's wedding.
  • Bond, underwater, harpoons the pontoon of a seaplane, rises to the surface, skis until he's alongside it, climbs into it when it's in the air, and throws the pilot out. All this and escaping with the laundered cash in it.
  • Q coming to a Banana Republic in order to aid 007 and chucking an invention away once he'd done with it.
    • Plus, this is the one film in which Q actually has a sizable role, instead of just showing up at the beginning to give Bond his gadgets.
  • Pam Bouvier's Show Some Leg on a cult leader where she pulls a pistol from her thigh holster on him.

Joe Butcher: Bless your heart!

  • The tanker chase. Layered with a pursuing airplane flown by Pam, and exploding vehicles everywhere.
    • Don't forget that to avoid getting hit with a Stinger, Bond does some Car Skiing. With an 18-wheeler.