John McClane (Bruce Willis) returns in grand fashion, twelve years after blowing up most of New York City, in Live Free or Die Hard, directed this time by Len Wiseman (known as much for being married to Kate Beckinsale as his work on the Underworld films). For fans of the series, expect the same snappy dialogue, trademark explosions and crazy stunts, as well as plenty of "how could he survive that?" moments. For those too young to be familiar with the Die Hard franchise, LFORDH carries a softer rating (PG-13 in the US) than its previous iterations, and also sports some youth in the form of McClane's daughter Lucy (played by Black Christmas' Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and the pithy hacker Matt Farrell (Justin Long, who most will recognize from his Apple commercials rather than his appearances in Waiting and the more recent Accepted). The first thing that stands out in LFORDH is the vast scale of the film. While the scope of the Die Hard series has gotten progressively larger over the years (first an office building, then an airport, then a whole city), this film covers a large chunk of the United States, ranging from New Jersey, to Washington DC, all the way to West Virginia. Likewise, the stakes are infinitely higher, as a band of techno-criminals seek to terrorize the citizenry of the US using super powerful computers and uber-sleek martial arts moves. While the idea of a now middle-aged McClane scouring the country with an Apple pitchman by air and land for a group of computer terrorists (all of whom are well-groomed and well-dressed) seems a little far-fetched, a tight script and solid principal acting keep the film intact from start to finish. The grandiose stunts may draw a few laughs, but are delivered with a slickness that only a Hollywood blockbuster can deliver. The only real moment where plausibility flies out the window involves a truck chase and a jet fighter that moves more like an alien spaceship than a plane, a sequence whose absurdity weakens the film, but is sure to draw smiles from those who loved the highway scene from The Matrix Reloaded. The laughs are frequent, the explosions are big, and the blood...well, there's less blood, but Live Free or Die Hard promises plenty of bullets and just a few misses en route to a fun time at the cinema. Bring your best friends, money for popcorn, some earplugs, and perhaps a change of pants. Rating: 3/4 Stars Personal Fanboydom: 9/10
I saw this over the weekend and after the lacklustre 'Spider-Man 3' and 'Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End' I didn't have high hopes for yet another summer sequel. I'm glad to say that I was wrong. It's not the best 'Die Hard' nor is it the worst but it is a highly enjoyable, 'leave your brain at the door', explosions, shootings, asian babes kicking ass (courtesy of an awesome Maggie Q), actioneer. Bruce Willis isn't the John McClane of the previous movies, he's on older, craggy, balder, yet indestructible John McClane, caught up in the digital age of computers, hacking and nerd-speak. Add in some brilliant set pieces (as described by the Sandman above) and the greatest cameo by Kevin Smith since Jay and Silent Bob popped up in 'Scream 3', you have yourself a great fun movie.
The John Mcclain characted was likeable yet the plot gets rehased with every film. Enjoyed the first two movies yet did'nt like the last two.
