Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
After a defecting Russian general reveals a plot to assassinate foreign spies, James Bond is assigned a secret mission to dispatch the new head of the KGB to prevent an escalation of tensions between the Soviet Union and the West.
The Living Daylights marks Timothy Dalton's debut as a grittier, more serious Bond, which gives it some tonal distinction, but the film ultimately struggles with a convoluted plot involving arms smuggling and Afghan mujahideen that loses coherence in the third act. Dalton's performance is committed and adds genuine menace, though the supporting cast is uneven — Maryam d'Abo is underdeveloped and Joe Don Baker's arms dealer is cartoonish. Cinematography is competent franchise work with attractive locations (Tangier, Vienna, Afghanistan) but nothing groundbreaking. As a Bond entry it follows familiar beats closely — the novelty of Dalton's tone is interesting but not enough to make the film feel truly singular. The ending is a busy, action-heavy finale in Afghanistan that resolves the tangled plot threads somewhat mechanically, leaving little emotional payoff.