The Living Daylights (1987)

Armed with razor-sharp instincts and a license to kill, James Bond battles diabolical arms merchants in this thrilling, lightning-paced adventure. Timothy Dalton brings energy, humor, and ruthless cunning to his performance as Agent 007.

After Bond helps Russian officer Georgi Koskov (Jeroen Krabbé) make a daring defection to the West, the intelligence community is shocked when Koskov is abducted from his remote hiding place. Bond leaps into action, following a trail that leads to the gorgeous Kara (Maryam d'Abo), who plays Bond as easily as she plays her Stradivari cello. As they unravel a complex weapons scheme with global implications, they are forced into hair-raising chases, a riveting jailbreak, and an epic battle in the Afghanistan desert with tanks, airplanes, and a legion of freedom fighters on horseback.

Featuring high-tech gadgetry including Bond's sleek Aston-Martin automobile (outfitted with high-powered lasers and a rocket engine), it's a slam-bang action extravaganza with unbelievable stunts, ingenious plot twists, and sensuous encounters of overwhelming passion.