License to Kill represented a significant departure for the series, moving away from the lighthearted and often silly tone of the Roger Moore era toward something considerably darker and more intense. Timothy Dalton’s portrayal of Bond is fierce and driven by emotion as he pursues a cunning drug trafficker, implementing an intricate plan to get retribution and dismantle his operation. The emphasis shifts away from humor and gadgets, instead highlighting the brutality of Bond and those who oppose him. Deaths occur in shocking and graphic ways, accompanied by impressive action sequences and a more realistic narrative. The film draws inspiration from Miami Vice and gains strength from its less outlandish plot. It seems License to Kill was ahead of its time because Pierce Brosnan’s tenure brought the franchise back toward the unrealistic and comical style it had previously held. Fortunately, the Craig era revived what Dalton started: a complex and unstable character set within a more plausible world of espionage and peril. License to Kill stands out as one of the strongest entries in the Bond collection and deserves greater recognition.

Source on TMDB