48 replies to this topic

[Barry the Saint]

In my opinion a great henchman for Sanchez and perfect casting using Del Torro.

He had massive sadistic tendencies yet almost a father/son relationship with Sanchez.

What do you think about him,could he have been used more maybe or was he just another henchman do you feel ?

Edited by Barry the Saint, 13 November 2007 - 12:28 PM.

[Vauxhall]

I feel that for the actual movie he was just another henchman, but his role has gained added significance as we look back on it because Del Toro became such a big name in Hollywood. LICENCE TO KILL had several tiers of villains (some of the most brutal in the whole series in my opinion) and Franz Sanchez is one of my favourite of the franchise. Dario was a useful and relatively important role, but hugely overshadowed by Sanchez.

[Skudor]

I think Vauxhall made a very good point.

I also think Dario was underused in the movie - and in some ways not fleshed out enough - Del Torre could have done so much more. Not that there was necessarily room to give more screen time to Dario. In some ways the character was too much like any other drug baron's villain in any other cop movie of the era - he lacked something, wasn't quite a proper BOND villain.

[MissDalton99]

The reason that Dario sticks out in my mind as one of the most memorable Bond villains isn't because of Del Toro, but because of that annoying smirk on his face. He thinks he's very important, and you have the feeling he always knows what's about to happen, even though Bond and Leiter don't.

[RazorBlade]

I feel that it's an example of a small role that got filled out by an excellant and charismatic actor. Del Toro took a small part and made it his own.

[LadySylvia]

I feel that it's an example of a small role that got filled out by an excellant and charismatic actor. Del Toro took a small part and made it his own.

I agree. To be honest, I wasn't that impressed by Sanchez's other henchmen, except for Heller.

[Turn]

Like his boss, Sanchez, Dario is an underrated villain in the series.

Del Toro didn't need gimmicks, huge muscles or props to be an effective henchman, an offshoot of Red Grant or Oddjob. He did it with the most effective prop of all -- acting. He seemed quite chilling as a guy described as being so violent and crazy even a group like the Contras kicked him out, who would violate a woman and cut then her up.

Also, he didn't overwhelm the film. He was there for a couple of scenes in the beginning and then didn't resurface until a key moment in the film. I thought that was clever of M.G. Wilson to do that in the screenplay. You think Bond is in and then suddenly the last guy you'd want to show up does. So his death is also very satisfying.

[Qwerty]

Dario was a useful and relatively important role, but hugely overshadowed by Sanchez.

Completely agreed.

The standout amongst a (relatively) weak bunch of henchmen in Licence to Kill.

[Bondian]

Definately a top notch henchnutter.

A type of person who'd I'd like to meet with my Bank Manager.

[ChronoBreak]

One of my favorite henchmen - I actually agree with John Glen when he said that Del Toro brought a "quirky kind of menace" to the role. Dario just has a quality that I can't put my finger on, but he definitely seems like a lunatic without ever going over the top.

[Mr. Blofeld]

Agreed; Del Toro had that same sort of "something" then that made him so memorable in films like The Usual Suspects and 28 Grams.

[HH007]

Agreed; Del Toro had that same sort of "something" then that made him so memorable in films like The Usual Suspects and 28 Grams.

Actually the movie is 21 Grams, not 28, but yeah, I thought Del Toro really did a great job with the role. He made a memorably creepy villain and did so with very little screen time. Is there any question why this man now has an Oscar?

[americanbond]

One of my favorite henchmen - I actually agree with John Glen when he said that Del Toro brought a "quirky kind of menace" to the role. Dario just has a quality that I can't put my finger on, but he definitely seems like a lunatic without ever going over the top.

Skudor is the Dario of the forums!

[Cruiserweight]

I was actually really let down by the lack of real henchmen in LTK.
While not every henchmen has to be out of this world like Jaws but for a henchmen to truely standout to me there has to be something that sticks out about him.I felt Dario was just another baddie under Sanchez's command.None of the henchmen really do anything for me.If given more time i might change my mind but as of the moment i'd have to say LTK has the weakest henchmen group of the entire bond series.I actually like Truman-Lodge & Krest more then i do Dario.

[Skudor]

One of my favorite henchmen - I actually agree with John Glen when he said that Del Toro brought a "quirky kind of menace" to the role. Dario just has a quality that I can't put my finger on, but he definitely seems like a lunatic without ever going over the top.

Skudor is the Dario of the forums!

You what? Please elaborate.

[Shaun Forever]

I really rate Dario, he and Sanchez are fantastic in this film, much more threatening than the past few villains, minus Necros of course.

[RazorBlade]

I agree that Del Toro brought menace to the role with acting skill and didn't need props. I think he matched TD in the acting department and if TD had more actors around him like Del Toro and less of the sensational stunts like in the RM era films, TD's bond would have been the best.

[Badfinger-Boogie]

I was actually really let down by the lack of real henchmen in LTK.
While not every henchmen has to be out of this world like Jaws but for a henchmen to truely standout to me there has to be something that sticks out about him.I felt Dario was just another baddie under Sanchez's command.None of the henchmen really do anything for me.If given more time i might change my mind but as of the moment i'd have to say LTK has the weakest henchmen group of the entire bond series.I actually like Truman-Lodge & Krest more then i do Dario.

Well the thing is, Licence To Kill, being a more down-to-earth and realistic (and grittier) Bond film, has more down-to-earth and realistic baddies. Casino Royale was the same way, and it didn't really have very memorable henchmen either. As memorable as a guy with a hat that kills people or a guy with metal teeth and superhuman strength are, they're not that realistic.

[HH007]

To agree with what others said, I think the only reason people even remember Dario at all nowadays is because he was played by the now famous, Oscar winner Benicio Del Toro. I feel he made the character more than what he was on the written page, but if Benicio Del Toro-working actor, hadn't gone on to become Benicio Del Toro-movie star, I don't think this thread would exist now.


Whoops, I realized I just contradicted what I said earlier. I just rewatched the movie and when I posted this one and changed my mind.

Edited by HH007, 03 December 2007 - 04:25 PM.

[Turn]

To agree with what others said, I think the only reason people even remember Dario at all nowadays is because he was played by the now famous, Oscar winner Benicio Del Toro. I feel he made the character more than what he was on the written page, but if Benicio Del Toro-working actor, hadn't gone on to become Benicio Del Toro-movie star, I don't think this thread would exist now.

It helps, but a lot of us found the character to be somewhat fresh and a break from all the Red Grant and Oddjob clones.

[Cruiserweight]

I was actually really let down by the lack of real henchmen in LTK.
While not every henchmen has to be out of this world like Jaws but for a henchmen to truely standout to me there has to be something that sticks out about him.I felt Dario was just another baddie under Sanchez's command.None of the henchmen really do anything for me.If given more time i might change my mind but as of the moment i'd have to say LTK has the weakest henchmen group of the entire bond series.I actually like Truman-Lodge & Krest more then i do Dario.

Well the thing is, Licence To Kill, being a more down-to-earth and realistic (and grittier) Bond film, has more down-to-earth and realistic baddies. Casino Royale was the same way, and it didn't really have very memorable henchmen either. As memorable as a guy with a hat that kills people or a guy with metal teeth and superhuman strength are, they're not that realistic.

Well i'm not always asking for out of this world henchmen but i just don't think he's very memorable.Take Locque,Gobinda,or Necros for example three pretty much normal henchmen just like Dario(Though in slightly more out there bond films then LTK) but more memorable IMO.

[Felix Heavier]

He was good for a realistic, sort of sadistic henchdude. But, as has been said, if Benicio Del Toro didn't become the guy we know him to be now, Dario probably wouldn't stick out as much, at least in my mind, as he does.

[Licence_007]

Great henchman. I like the way he isn't used too much and shows up at a vital time in the film, also that arrogant air he has around him. He's brutal, sadistic and also a realistic henchman as opposed to Jaws and Oddjob. It's how realistic he is that makes him stick out in my head from that film.

Just realised I've said pretty much what every other poster above me has as well, was quite a pointless post in that regard.

Edited by Licence_007, 08 December 2007 - 01:38 AM.

[gail anderson]

he ok

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[Jericho_One]

A total freaked-out henchman. A very good henchman.

[Stephen Spotswood]

Dario Argento?

[zencat]

Dario/Benicio...one of the better things about LTK.

[tdalton]

I think that Dario was one of the better henchmen in the entire series.

[Agent Ostlund]

I think that Dario was one of the better henchmen in the entire series.

Agreed..There was just something so chilling and intimidating about him.

[Double-Oh Agent]

I say Licence To Kill when it first came out on the big screen and I can honestly say I thought Benicio Del Toro was great. I had no idea at the time that he would go on to become a star, but I still thought he was an upper tier, top 10 in the series. I like his attitude and his sadistic-ness and while he is not in the film much, his reappearance at the end of the film carries a lot of dramatic and suspenseful weight.