aka LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD (USA)
Movie Review by Neils Hesse
Starring: Bruce Willis, Timothy Olyphant, Justin Long, Maggie Q, Cliff Curtis
Director: Len Wiseman
Bond, Bourne and Bauer are all great action heroes but also all sharpened killing machines. Sometimes though you get an average guy like an ordinary policeman who simply rises to the occasion because there’s no one else there at the time who’s willing to take the risk of doing what needs to be done. Police officer John McClane seems to have a knack of always ending up as that average guy. Following the grisly demise of several top computer hackers and the relentless shut down of critical computer systems, McClane begrudgingly agrees to bring the last hacker into FBI custody. However what should have been a straight forward pick up instantly changes into a very serious fight to the death with multiple baddies going after McClane and his young target whilst they try to save the day.
The danger of restarting a franchise after such a long time has two major problems – the actor’s ego and the director’s passion for the project.
Bruce Willis does an excellent job with everything, full on action – snappy one liners, cheeky sarcasm – yup McClane is definitely back! The sidekick formula that worked well in DIE HARD 3 with Samuel L Jackson is given a shake with comedic actor Justin Long playing a sidekick with a good mix of humour and fear, sort of like a younger much less aggressive version of McClane. Mary Elizabeth Winstead perfectly captures the tenacity we have come to expect from any member of the McClane clan!
Len ‘UNDERWORLD maestro’ Wiseman may not have seemed to be an obvious choice for this picture and as a huge DIE HARD fan, I have to admit I had several film buff panic attacks when I heard the news but after seeing the goods, enough said, thrilling action, decent storyline and despite the overlong CGI inspired McClane in a truck versus a fighter jet sequence, this is a fantastic action movie. I left the cinema with my faith in the summer action blockbuster renewed and if you don’t feel the same then Yippee Ki Yay! Oh hell that’s McClane’s line. I’ll just say trust me this is the DIE HARD movie we’ve all been secretly waiting for.
