I think the biggest sin of this one is that it feels and plays like a generic 80s action flick, at the tail end of the 80s. For all those who like that specific genre, it offers a great ride, as some of the Bond staples are still factors here (particularly the budget, even if it was relatively low, and some of the stunt work). But in all honesty, it's about the greatest sin a Bond movie can commit: generic anything is sure not what I'd expect when I sit down to watch one. The core vendetta couldn't be any more basic, and thus hardly believable as a Bond plot (particularly as the "victim" ends up surviving anyway), and it doesn't expand into anything more than a simple drug lord with too much money, either. There's also some rather gratuitous gore, which I wouldn't say belongs in a Bond movie. The only thing that might elevate it somewhat is the "villain's lair" final showdown location/sequence, which is definitely bigger than in "normal" movies.

As for the cast... Dalton, who was ok in Living Daylights, has nothing going for him here, just like Bond himself could be any random (hell, nameless) rogue cop from any other movie - certainly in the hundreds more that have been made since. Carey Lowell has nothing on Honor Blackman, same as Pam Bouvier has nothing on Pussy Galore - barely even does any _piloting_ until the very end, as if someone suddenly remembered they still had to feature that. I can't even remember Felix, or indeed any of the other "good guys" at all. Talisa Soto feels like a trophy acquisition (I realise that sounds weird, all context considered); and all the rest of the "bad guys" come off as extremely typecast who barely have to do any acting per se. Q gets to do some "field work", which would be a nice little bonus, but it's so marginal, it might as well not be a thing.

All in all, it's Bond as americanised as it could ever get - as it never should get, to be quite frank; also going on for over two hours, as per usual... which, for an 80s action flick, is just too damn long. It's no wonder I can never really recall this one, nor do I really feel like rewatching.