I have to agree with Brian Orndorf's review. Just saw it today in an IMAX theater. After 20 min of previews movie came on and was just fidgeting in my seat with my girlfriend ( who isn't a Die Hard fan ) waiting for something to happen. I'll have to admit the whole 10-15 minute car/tactical vehicle chase through Moscow was exciting, although totally unbelievable. It's also amazing that everyone in Russia speaks pretty good English. And signs / license plates/safety deposit boxes are all in English. Have to agree that John McLain's son pretty much takes over the movie, and sadly good 'ol Bruce is just collecting a paycheck. Storyline taking place totally in Moscow doesnt help either. Also John & Jack taking out the "Bad Guys" all alone in huge city like Moscow isn't very believable. Also agree on the fact that there isn't a real villian to be found makes the film rather dull. One supposed lower case villian, Kopernovs daughter, is showcased early in the film, and then reappears later as a helpless( wink-wink) daughter at the mercy of the Russian bad guys & gets the sympathy of Jack Mc Clain before she turns on her father & the McClains. It was like " DUH..." she was with the bad guys early in the film & now put her in a dress & heels and we ( the audience) will forget about her badness & think she was a damsell in distress. Sorry, I love Die Hard 1 & 2, #3 wasn't a big fan & 4 was an acquired taste which was better on the 2nd viewing. Sadly, except for the action scenes, car chases , explosions, gunfire, on the IMAX screen, whole movie was a huge disappointment for me. Please NO Die Hard #6.
What a sad day. Having been a long term fan of the Die Hard franchise, I was, as ever thrilled to see a new instalment coming. The four previous entries have always been a joy and sheer entertainment. I'm even a fan or Live free or Die hard which seems to have spilt critics and caused lively debate since its release. Sure it wasn't as good as the other 3 but it achieved what it set out to do. It was great fun. A good day to die hard however was not fun. Not at all. It’s major problem other that the fact it wasn't fun, is that it wasn't a die hard film. The other films had many things in common – great action set pieces, fun villains, interesting and engaging supporting character, and (mostly) a comedic side kick. Die hard 5 didn't have any of these things. Whatever you think about die hard 4 you can’t deny that it was engaging. The character were fun, the action was awesome and the ‘die hard’ feel was in abundance. Also one of the major highlights of 4 was the introduction of the adult Lucy McClane (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Her characterisation was everything you would want from one of John McClane’s children, she was ballsy, tough and she had good banter. Oh, what her brother could learn from her. He was an appallingly fleshed out character. Boring, flat and completely devoid of banter. In fact where was the humour period? And I don’t count Bruce Willis occasionally shouting that he was “on vacation”, first of all he kept saying it when unprompted – nobody asked that you Mr Willis and secondly no, you weren't no vacation, you had gone to rescue your son, therefore not vacation. The father/son relationship should be the core of the film, but it is done so poorly you simply don’t care about them at all. It’s trying to mimic the relationship between Indiana and Henry Jones yet it lacks everything that made that film work so well. The cinematography was dreary – mean and cold looking greys for the most part, is Moscow really that depressing? Some of the action is passable if a little hard to follow but the CGI is very obviously and poorly done. The villains were poor and forgettable – note to film makers – giving one a carrot to chew does not automatically inject them with character. Overall I am very sad that this once wonderful franchise has so lost its was and become just another action film. The final nail in the coffin was that when you main character can’t even say his defining line in full due to the desire for a lower rating, there really in no hope. Not even god know what can rescue the franchise now.
You gotta admit though, this film had one of the best marketing campaigns of ALL TIME. Those trailers just stuck in your mind, with that huge Bruce Willis name spread across the screen along with the stand by Beethoven 9th blaring in the background. We were all pumped to see this film (don't deny it). I actually like Live Free or Die Hard, though it has the singular achievement of actually succeeding at making Timothy Olyphant terrible at acting (which I always though was impossible considering the guy is great).
I tried, I really did. I tried very hard to enjoy "A Good Day to Die Hard"... But to my suspicions, it butchered the character of John McClane. John Moore continues to be one of the most generic and bland filmmakers in the business. Using Cartoon-ish, shaky-Cam action with obnoxious CGI, and one of the worst scripts in years (Thanks a lot, Skip Woods). I'm sorry to whoever enjoyed it... but it was a terrible, poor excuse for a "Die Hard" movie, and a barely decent action movie by all other standards. Let's just allow this franchise to DIE, and HARD!
Upon going in to see this movie, I didnt expect much - but what I did want, was an enjoyable couple of hours - John McLane style! I watched this as the 2nd part to a double feature, Django Unchained being the 1st, so I really wanted to check my brain at the door and enjoy. Sadly, though... it was easier said than done. The Die Hard franchise was probably atop of the action genre for many years - 1 and 2 are iconic, and 3 for me is my fav (just the banter between Sam Jackson and Bruce Willis is hillarious at times). I honestly, never sat through a complet viewing of 4 - not that its a bad movie, but just that I never did!
The movie itself - seems to be trying to squeeze the last bits out of the franchise, and the fact that they're contemplating 6, is testament to that. I think it should be laid to rest at 4 - heck, 3 would have been an ideal end!
It seems the writers developed a movie, and just added McClane in and voila! A Die Hard Movie!
The car chase, for me, is probably the only highlight of the movie. The dark tones of Moscow are appropritae for a Bourne movie - but its out of place in a Die Hard film... I think that stood out most for me - it never felt like I was watching a Die Hard movie...
That being said though, its making money at the box office, and if it makes enough - we know 6 will be on the way, maybe Mclane at a retirement home?!!
