The Living Daylights
The new James Bond...living on the edge.
1987 • 130 min • Action · Adventure · Thriller
Synopsis
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.
Our family guide
Best from age 10- 100 Reviewers · 6 · 69%
- 65 Audience · 2069 · 31%
James Bond helps a defecting Russian general and uncovers a wider plot involving arms deals and espionage. He races to prevent global tensions from escalating, using his wits and gadgets in a thrilling adventure across continents.
- Violence & peril
- 5/10
- Language
- 2/10
- Drinking, drugs & smoking
- 4/10
- Romance & sensuality
- 3/10
- Scary moments
- 3/10
Heads up
- Some intense action sequences
- Brief, mild suggestive content
- Moderate alcohol and tobacco use
- Perilous situations with characters at risk
What it models well
- Courage and bravery
- Standing up for what's right
- Teamwork and partnership
- International cooperation
Talk about it after
- The nature of international espionage and its dangers
- Why characters might choose sides or betray their country
- The importance of trust and discernment
Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for The Living Daylights. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.
Where to watch
Rent
- Amazon Video
- Apple TV Store
- Google Play Movies
- YouTube
- Fandango At Home
- Spectrum On Demand
- Plex
Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home
Spectrum On Demand
PlexBuy
- Amazon Video
- Apple TV Store
- Google Play Movies
- YouTube
- Fandango At Home
Links go straight to each service. Some are affiliate links that support Movie Knight at no cost to you. Availability data by JustWatch via TMDB.
Top billed cast
Director: John Glen • Crew: Michael G. Wilson, Richard Maibaum
Trailers & clips
Reviewer notes
RecommendedI also use to not like this that much and again I like it now but I do prefer Licence to Kill.
RecommendedThe last of the very good 007 films. The last of the fun 007 films for sure. Here, Bond is supposed to stop an assassination of a Russian VIP defecting to the West, but Bond senses something, and instead of killing the assassin (a shapely female violinist), he shoots the weapon from her hand.…
RecommendedI don't understand all the hate on Dalton as 007, I actually thought he was a decent Bond, I thought he brought back some of the cold blooded assassin that personified the first of the Connery Era films. And I think he was a much needed change of pace away from Moore's silliness. However, I think some of the hate comes from the change of pace away from the silliness.…
RecommendedSo Roger Moore has handed the baton of Ian Fleming's "007" to Timothy Dalton and this first outing is not at all bad. The story is, perhaps, not the best but this is still an action packed adventure with loads of pyrotechnics and daft gadgets that really does move along swiftly for over two hours. "Bond" is assigned to aid would-be defector "Gen.…
RecommendedTrusted family reviewersGreat entry into the series and wonderful debut for Dalton who was charming, and for me far and away better than any of Roger Moore's movies (though found some of his to be entertaining enough). Not all that fond of this theme song but still catchy enough I suppose. Also features some great aerial stuntwork. **3.75/5**
RecommendedTrusted family reviewers_**Solid Bond film with Timothy Dalton taking over as 007**_ "The Living Daylights" was the first of two James Bond films featuring Timothy Dalton as 007. It's a solid Bond flick, but rarely cited when the best films of the franchise are discussed. The "problem" isn't Dalton because he makes a fine James Bond and was what the series needed in 1987 (when the film was released).…
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