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The Living Daylights

The Living Daylights

Action · Adventure · Thriller · 1987

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.

Movie details

The Living Daylights

“The new James Bond...living on the edge.”

1987 Action · Adventure · Thriller 2h 10m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.5 / 10

Community 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.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Living Daylights?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

For Your Eyes Only

For Your Eyes Only

Adventure · 1981

A British spy ship has sunk and on board was a hi-tech encryption device. James Bond is sent to find the device that holds British launching instructions before the enemy Soviets get to it first.

Live and Let Die

Live and Let Die

Adventure · 1973

James Bond must investigate a mysterious murder case of a British agent in New Orleans. Soon he finds himself up against a gangster boss named Mr. Big.

The Man with the Golden Gun

The Man with the Golden Gun

Adventure · 1974

Cool government operative James Bond searches for a stolen invention that can turn the sun's heat into a destructive weapon. He soon crosses paths with the menacing Francisco Scaramanga, a hitman so skilled he has a seven-figure working fee. Bond then joins forces with the swimsuit-clad Mary Goodnight, and together they track Scaramanga to a Thai tropical isle hideout where the killer-for-hire lures the slick spy into a deadly maze for a final duel.

Octopussy

Octopussy

Adventure · 1983

James Bond is sent to investigate after a fellow “00” agent is found dead with a priceless Indian Fabergé egg. Bond follows the mystery and uncovers a smuggling scandal and a Russian General who wants to provoke a new World War.

Tomorrow Never Dies

Tomorrow Never Dies

Adventure · 1997

A deranged media mogul is staging international incidents to pit the world's superpowers against each other. Now James Bond must take on this evil mastermind in an adrenaline-charged battle to end his reign of terror and prevent global pandemonium.

The Spy Who Loved Me

The Spy Who Loved Me

Adventure · 1977

Russian and British submarines with nuclear missiles on board both vanish from sight without a trace. England and Russia both blame each other as James Bond tries to solve the riddle of the disappearing ships. But the KGB also has an agent on the case.

GoldenEye

GoldenEye

Adventure · 1995

When a powerful secret defense system is stolen, James Bond is assigned to stop a Russian crime syndicate from using it.

A View to a Kill

A View to a Kill

Adventure · 1985

A newly-developed microchip designed by Zorin Industries for the British Government that can survive the electromagnetic radiation caused by a nuclear explosion has landed in the hands of the KGB. James Bond must find out how and why. His suspicions soon lead him to big industry leader Max Zorin who forms a plan to destroy his only competition in Silicon Valley by triggering a massive earthquake in the San Francisco Bay.

The World Is Not Enough

The World Is Not Enough

Adventure · 1999

Greed, revenge, world dominance and high-tech terrorism – it's all in a day's work for Bond, who's on a mission to protect a beautiful oil heiress from a notorious terrorist. In a race against time that culminates in a dramatic submarine showdown, Bond works to defuse the international power struggle that has the world's oil supply hanging in the balance.

Dr. No

Dr. No

Adventure · 1962

Agent 007 battles mysterious Dr. No, a scientific genius bent on destroying the U.S. space program. As the countdown to disaster begins, Bond must go to Jamaica, where he encounters beautiful Honey Ryder, to confront a megalomaniacal villain in his massive island headquarters.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

John Glen

Written by

Richard Maibaum · Michael G. Wilson

Timothy Dalton

Timothy Dalton

James Bond

Maryam D'Abo

Maryam D'Abo

Kara Milovy

Joe Don Baker

Joe Don Baker

Brad Whitaker

Art Malik

Art Malik

Kamran Shah

John Rhys-Davies

John Rhys-Davies

General Leonid Pushkin

Jeroen Krabbé

Jeroen Krabbé

General Georgi Koskov

Andreas Wisniewski

Andreas Wisniewski

Necros

Court is in session

Put The Living Daylights on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Adrenaline Seeker

“Momentum is a formal choice.”

The velocity sharpens instinct and tension, making every beat land before self-importance can settle in.

The prosecution The Auteur Devotee

“Speed as an alibi.”

The film races past its weak spots and hopes acceleration will keep the audience from inspecting the evidence.