James Bond - License Renewed

License Renewed by John  Gardner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The eighties weren't that cool and this generic Bond outing proves it.

Don't get me wrong; the story is an OK Bond flick, with a monologuing madman bent on world destruction / domination, an indestructible henchman and a lot of brand name-dropping.

Trying to get on with the times, Q is now female (but in typical 80's male chauvinism,) made fun of with a "Qute" nickname, Bond drives a Saab -with a digital dashboard no less (Back to the Future or Knight Rider?), and he still smokes, albeit custom-made low tar cigarettes.

With several fan-services and easter eggs referring to Ian Fleming's originals, this is an OK read for the James Bond fan.


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