This Movie References and/or Skewers A Number Of Big Trends In The '80s
- Cocaine, Central-American Drug Cartels (Sanchez & Co.), The Contras (Dario's previous gig), Televangelism (Joe Butcher and his racket), The New Age Movement (Again, Butcher), Annoying, greedy Yuppies and Yuppie Stockbrokers (Truman-Lodge) and the "Ninja" craze (The Hong Kong agents, which is weird since Ninjas are a Japanese thing). Plus the whole thing is like "James Bond meets Miami Vice with a bit of gory Horror stuff".
The Iguana Is A Reflection Of Sanchez
- Sanchez's pet iguana is fitting since both are cold blooded and have really weird skin. It's possible that it wasn't just the writers saying "Look at how eccentric and kitschy this guy is" but also to say "Look at how inhuman and reptilian this guy is"....the lizard is a pet that perfectly reflects its owner (though the iguana is harmless).
The Villains Tended To Have Fates That Reflect Their Crimes
- Killifer betrayed Leiter for money, leading to Leiter getting eaten by a shark. Killifer gets eaten by a shark, with Bond making him fall in the shark tank using the briefcase containing the money Killifer got for the betrayal.
- Krest is a jerk with a "big head". His head (and perhaps the rest of him) explodes in the decompression chamber.
- Dario slices and dices people with a blade and was the primary rapist/murderer of Della. He gets shot by a strong woman then gets shredded by the cocaine grinder.
- Heller was about to betray Sanchez behind Sanchez's back. Heller gets skewered with a forklift from behind his back.
- Sanchez is an INFERNAL person who is burned to death and explodes with his "product" by a lighter gifted to Bond by Leiter.
- Truman-Lodge gets a quick death via UZI for his quick mouth.
- Butcher doesn't die at all due to being mostly humorous, harmless and non-violent....but he gets money taken from him and his big New Age Televangelism racket goes up in flames, literally and figuratively.
