A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD (2013)

Featuring: Bruce Willis; Jai Courtney; Sebastian Koch

Director: John Moore

Clint Eastwood once said: "Leave a good thing alone," (or something to that effect). He said that when approached about the possibility of another Dirty Harry movie. This was some years after the release of Dead Pool, the fifth and final film in the series. It is a pity that Bruce Willis and the producers of the Die Hard movies didn't heed Clint's advice. One of the reasons he gave for his view was that it would be a little silly to watch a geriatric Harry running around the streets of San Francisco. And, I am afraid, this is exactly what happens in A Good Day To Die Hard - a geriatric John McClane running around the streets of Moscow. Don't get me wrong. There is still a lot of action and shooting and explosions and blood and guts. But somehow, it lost its spark; its credibility. No wonder it was a total box office flop.

For what it's worth, when John McClane (Bruce Willis) learns that his good-for-nothing son, Jack (Jai Courtney) is in a Russian prison, he takes off for Moscow. But once father and son caught up with each other, John discovers his wayward son is not such a screw-up after all. The plot, however, is so full of incredible twists and turns that it becomes nothing more than a muddled mess.

Like Clint said about Harry: "Leave a good thing alone". Therefor, this fifth film in the Die Hard series deserves no more than 2 out of 5 stars.

Trailer link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BMmRdAW2yw

 John McClane doing a bit of 'off-roading' in the streets of Moscow...

DIE HARD 4.0 - LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD (2007)

Featuring: Bruce Willis; Justin Long; Timothy Olyphant

Director: Len Wiseman

One of the most spectacular aerial stunts ever captured on on film appears in this movie. (See picture below.) What makes this scene, and for that matter most of the other stunt scenes, even more remarkable is that there is virtually no computer generated (CG) special effects involved. These days this is almost unheard of. Even back in 2006, when this movie was made, the general trend for the industry was more towards CG special effects.

When a glitch shows up on the IT system at FBI Headquarters in Washington DC, it is decided to round-up all known computer hackers country wide in an effort to establish who is responsible. In New York, John McClane (Bruce Willis) receives orders to apprehend and deliver Matt Farrell (Justin Long) to the Capitol. But even before they can leave Matt's apartment, the bullets start to fly...

Although this movie takes place years since the first two sequels were released, it is generally regarded as the first true sequel to the original of 1988. And I must admit, this one is in many aspects more on par with the original. Therefor, well worth watching (again).

And it is also for that reason that I can again rate this forth Die Hard film 4 out of 5 stars.

Trailer link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqjICXgcsZM

Wow!

DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE (1995)

Featuring: Bruce Willis; Jeremy Irons; Samuel L Jackson

Director: John McTiernan

Despite featuring two heavy weight movie stars in the shape of Jeremy Irons (The French Lieutenant's Woman) and Samuel L Jackson (Pulp Fiction) this third delivery in the Die Hard series was not nearly as successful as the first two. It barely broke even at the box office. Now there are many opinions why this is the case but in my humble one it is simple. Unlike the first two, this one is all drama with very little substance. Differently put: lots of action without much of a story.

A madman (Jeremy Irons) planted bombs all over New York City and threatens to let them all go off unless John McClane (Bruce Willis) plays a game of 'Simon says' with him. What follows is a non stop roller coaster ride all over the Big Apple in a mad race against time by McClane with an unwitting 'associate' (Samuel L Jackson) in tow.

I suppose for any adrenaline junkie this is just what the doctor ordered. Fortunately, for the rest of us, the brilliant screen chemistry between Bruce Willis and Samuel L Jackson more than makes up for what the film lacks plot wise.

And it is for that reason that I am prepared to rate it 3 out of 5 stars.

Trailer link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=866yr_Oj5IA

 

Samuel L Jackson and Bruce Willis 

DIE HARD 2 - DIE HARDER (1990)

Featuring: Bruce Willis; Bonnie Bedelia; Dennis Franz

Director: Rennie Harlin

What is interesting about the second film in the Die Hard series, is that it is based on a different book than the first one. The original Die Hard was based on the novel "Nothing Lasts Forever" by Roderick Thorp and published in 1979. Die Hard 2 - Die Harder, on the other hand, is based on the 1987 novel "58 Minutes" by Walter Wagner. However, Roderick Thorp had a hand in the scripts of all the Die Hard movies that followed since.

It is almost exactly one year later, again just before Christmas. John McClane (Bruce Willis) finds himself at Dulles Airport in Washington, DC. While he waits for the arrival of the flight his wife, Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) is on, he notices some suspicious activity taking place in the terminal buildings around him. But when he decides to investigate, all hell breaks loose!

Of cause this movie was made well before 9/11 at a time when airport security was not quite as tight as it is these days. This makes the story pretty plausible. However, what might not be as plausible is the fact that almost the exact same thing can happen to the same two people in less than the space of a year, let alone in a lifetime. But then, so is their own disbelief which, in itself, makes the whole thing ironically credible.

As for Die Hard I give this sequel 4 out of 5 stars as well.

Trailer link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyxfXQ4MGLQ

 Bruce Willis and Dennis Franz