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Reviews of Live Free or Die Hard
Die Hard goes the way Indy & Rambo did...
Posted : 1 year, 1 month ago on 17 November 2008 05:04
(A review of Live Free or Die Hard)''Mai? Oh, yeah. Little Asian chick, likes to kick people? I don't think she's gonna be talkin' to anybody for a really long time. Last time I saw her she was at the bottom of a elevator shaft with an SUV rammed up her ass.''
John McClane takes on an Internet-based terrorist organization who is systematically shutting down the United States.
Bruce Willis: John McClane
Live Free or Die Hard is quite a refreshing piece of entertainment this summer in the wake of so many effects-driven computer simulated action/fantasy films. With its silly title, smart-alleck lead character (Bruce Willis as Bruce Willis doing what he does best, that's right, John McClane.), and loads of old fashioned stunts involving cars, SUV's, elevator shafts, big rigs, helicopters, fighter jets, and collapsing highway bridges, this flick is a great piece of shattered-glass entertainment--a throwback to the late 1980's and early 1990's when movies like the original "Die Hard" changed the face of movie action.
There is some frustration to be had when you start to realize how much they toned down to achieve the friendly PG-13 rating. There's far less profanity flying, and while the body count is astronomically high (the collateral damage in this film in terms of human life and damaged property is tres magnifique), there's little blood and guts to be found. Still, Die Hard action fans should rest assured knowing there will be plenty of funny one-liners, hot chicks (a wonderful Maggie Q as the bad-ass female villain and the scorchingly feisty and cute Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Lucy McClane), super smart bad guys (a very intelligent Hitman star Timothy Olyphant), and jaw-dropping death-defying stunts.
Director Len Wiseman orchestrates the complicated stunts very well like a masterful puppeteer, which is a shock considering how god-awful his "Underworld" films were. The hand-to-hand human match-ups still bear some of his annoying hallmarks, but he's learned how to blow things up really well and has learned a thing or two about scope and editing in big action set-pieces. The excellent pacing and preposterousness of the stunts (especially the climax involving the fighter jet and the big rig) certainly put a grin upon my face.
There's a whole lot of computer hacking related mumbo-jumbo involved in the story, and there's a lot of downtime for male bonding and "explanation" of the finer plot points that slows the film down some but is actually nice to see in a world now ruled by Michael Bay-style non-stop action. Plenty dumb, plenty thrilling, and plenty of fun, Live Free or Die Hard is a pleasant surprise considering how unnecessary this sequel seemed from conception.
''You're very impressed with yourself, aren't you?''
''I have my moments.''
Speaking of the rating, while the film is light on blood and one particular swear-word, the violence hasn't been toned down at all. If anything, McClane is actually more hardened and brutal than before. Enemies are often dispatched with an efficiency and a ruthlessness commensurate with a man who's done this before. There is also a calm resignation in Willis' body language at times. McClane is a man who has found no solace in being a hero; post-divorce and struggling to maintain a relationship with his daughter, (His son is barely mentioned) he feels he has lost the things that matter most to him. This is the single most notable change in the film. Gone is the wild-eyed, heavy-breathing, frantically pacing McClane of the original Die Hard.
The man rapping on the windows, desperately trying to signal the fire brigade. Willis communicates this malaise subtly and effectively, prompting the Justin Long character to ask at one point, ''Why are you so calm? Have you done that kinda stuff before?''.
The direction is astonishingly controlled and confident from the man that bought the world Underworld(He may be one to watch after all.) and, for my money, offers the best spectacle possible for John MaClane.
There is a weight and an impact to the stunts and the fight scenes that comes from using actual stunt-work; so often eschewed these days in favour of scenes built entirely on disk.
''You know what you get for being a hero? Nothin'. You get shot at. You get a little pat on the back, blah, blah, blah, attaboy. You get divorced. Your wife can't remember your last name. Your kids don't want to talk to you. You get to eat a lot of meals by yourself. Trust me, kid, nobody wants to be that guy.''
As mentioned, the tone is slightly subdued for a summer actioner (despite a good number of amusing lines and a healthy amount of self-awareness) which differentiates it from the others in the series. There is a world-weariness amongst the chaos. A meditation on being 'that guy' is one of the more inspired exchanges, and the greatest insight into McClane's journey through the missing years. As a result, the audience is not left to enjoy the sense of good triumphing over evil at the end without at least a little remorse about the meaning of it all (It reminded me of one of the great strengths of '24' in that regard.). As the credits roll, all may not be right with the world as would be more typical of the genre, but there are other, more personal triumphs to savor. This gives the film a little more depth than the previous sequels, though it takes some of the edge off the 'octane buzz' that the film injects you with.
Nevertheless, this remains significantly the best blockbuster of the Summer Season. It is the first to truly deliver on all it promised (and probably surpasses realistic expectations) It would require a second viewing to determine where it might rank in the series, but it is more than worthy of the name and Die Hard remains, for my money, the undisputed champ amongst action franchises. I humbly request one more installment in which Bruce et al pour heart and soul into creating a worthy send-off and then suggest that Bruce lets McClane retire undefeated. He's earned it.
Matt Farrell: ''You just killed a helicopter with a car!''
John McClane: ''Hundreds of thousands of people get killed by cars every year. That's just like four more.''
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Uncut version is a blunder...
Posted : 1 year, 1 month ago on 9 November 2008 12:02
(A review of Live Free or Die Hard)"All you gotta do is go pick up a kid down in New Jersey, and drive him down to D.C. How hard can that be, huh? Can't be that hard, now, can it? No, gotta be a senior detective. Think like a traffic jam, throwing a car at me's gonna stop me? Huh?"
I'll be frank: my disappointment with the watering down of Live Free or Die Hard was the equivalent of being depressed following a death in the family. The latest plague affecting contemporary action films is the acquisition of the PG-13 rating from the MPAA to secure as much money at the box office as possible. I was unreservedly devastated when I learnt that the long-awaited Die Hard sequel would have the proverbial hardcore violence and foul language diluted for the attainment of a PG-13 rating. Understandably, I was therefore extraordinarily excited when I learnt of the uncut version. I never thought I'd ever say this...but give me the theatrical version any day!
This uncut version merely includes about twenty obviously dubbed swear words and a few shots being touched up with terribly fake CGI blood. There are a few instances when the swear words were genuinely spoken on set, but too often were there occasions when it's painfully obvious Bruce was just thrown into a dubbing booth and asked to swear as frequently as he could. Had the filmmakers lensed a reasonable quantity of practical blood effects and alternate takes that included profanity, this film could be damn close to rivalling the first Die Hard. As it is, this uncut version is a colossal disappointment.
The editor could have at least just inserted all the genuine f-bombs, leaving out both the dubbed f-bombs and the CGI blood, as that would have been the best edit. Furthermore, while I watched behind-the-scenes footage I realised Bruce Willis did a number of alternate takes. These extra lines never made it into this uncut version when they'd fit perfectly. It's infuriating that this uncut version also removed two of the greatest lines from the theatrical cut. One of these lines was replaced with something inferior; the other line was replaced with nothing at all. And the theatrical version suffered from numerous obvious moments of shoddy ADR. It seemed to me these shots were probably originally laced with profanity and would be restored for this cut...but these moments all remain exactly the same. It looks like the editor spent 10 minutes putting together this hack-job. It occasionally looks like a dodgy TV edit!
This is a wasted opportunity...pure and simple. If Fox gave me the entire cast, a few sets and a camera crew for a few days, I could definitely produce a worthy R-rated version. Heck, if I was given access to all the raw footage and an expert editor to give me a helping hand, I'd also be able to produce a more worthy version. Fox deserves a letter bomb for this!
As an uncut version, this deserves a dismal 1.5/5 rating. It isn't a total disaster as it's great hearing John McClane using the term "motherfucker" again (when it was spoken on the set, that is). As a standalone pic it warrants a 3.5 star rating simply because the suspense and tension is still there, as is the awesome action and the clever scenarios. All in all, this is a missed opportunity.
4.9/10
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The much-awaited return of John McClane...
Posted : 1 year, 1 month ago on 8 November 2008 11:51
(A review of Live Free or Die Hard)"All you gotta do is go pick up a kid down in New Jersey, and drive him down to D.C. How hard can that be, huh? Can't be that hard, now, can it? No, gotta be a senior detective. Think like a traffic jam, throwing a car at me's gonna stop me? Huh?"
According to Bruce Willis, money wasn't the reason he agreed to return to the Die Hard series for this fourth entry...he just wasn't satisfied with Die Hard 2: Die Harder or Die Hard: With a Vengeance. The second Die Hard movie was highly entertaining nonsense, but it was fairly undercut because it replicated the original too often and there were too many utterly preposterous action scenes. The third, while almost on par with the original, altered the formula to create more of a Lethal Weapon style buddy action flick. Willis reportedly wanted to give John McClane a more fitting farewell. Live Free or Die Hard (known in other countries as Die Hard 4.0) thus entered pre-production.
From the outset Willis aimed to go back to the original formula of focusing primarily on John McClane and diminishing the humour in favour of pure action. In tradition with any action movie sequel, the film had to up the ante and push the envelope. This time the old-fashioned John McClane finds himself battling cyber-terrorism. While Willis wanted Live Free or Die Hard to be superior to the previous sequels (in an interview he even stated it was better than the first film), this is the weakest in the series. However, that's a fairly faint criticism. The film still supplies the action, it moves at a breakneck pace and it's wholly exhilarating.
Prior to the eventual release of Live Free or Die Hard, there were countless controversies and concerns. First of all, Len Wiseman was handed the reigns. While his Underworld movies were fun and action-packed, they were too digital...and the Die Hard series is anything but digital. Justin Long was another worry. This is the guy from the Mac commercials! Last but not least, the most significant controversy was this being the first Die Hard movie to receive a PG-13 rating from the MPAA. The previous instalments were rated R for good reasons: violence was severe, profanity was frequent, and bloodshed was graphic. The decision to dilute the content was because this was a summer blockbuster and it'd die at the box office with so many other PG-13 titles hitting the cinema. This proves that Hollywood studios no longer possess the balls or backbone to continue producing R-rated action flicks. I had reasonably low expectations for this film with the PG-13 rating in mind, though it didn't stop me from looking forward to it (especially with the incredible trailers, rave reviews and a temporary position on the IMDb Top 250). While this fourth Die Hard outing is a mild disappointment, it's still an entertaining action romp and a worthy film to rest under the Die Hard banner.
The terrorists this time are a group of hackers who begin a cyber-terrorism plot to systematically shut down the United States. We find John McClane (Willis) who has now passed his prime. He's long divorced and having trouble establishing a relationship with his daughter Lucy (Winstead). Now McClane works for the NYPD and occasionally does jobs for the United States Department of Homeland Security. On the eve of Independence Day, there's a breach in the FBI computer system. In retaliation the FBI wishes to interview all the most notorious hackers who could be capable of hacking their system. John McClane is contacted and ordered to collect a young hacker named Matt Ferrell (Long). This seemingly straightforward assignment results in McClane becoming entangled in the cyber-terrorism attack. It's a call of duty for McClane as he feels compelled to do whatever he can. Once again the FBI and the regular police force are useless, and the duties of saving the day fall to McClane.
Live Free or Die Hard is a straightforward summer blockbuster. There's an abundance of action to witness, and there's a lot of fun to be had. Needless to say, the action is extremely over-the-top. The over-the-top nature of the action is among the film's downfalls. One of the most controversial sequences was McClane battling an F-35 fighter jet while a highway collapses. It's an exhilarating sequence, but some of the CGI is somewhat obvious and similar to that of a video game. There's also a ludicrous scene during which McClane jumps out of a car that conveniently keeps moving at full speed and crashes into a conveniently placed helicopter. It's preposterous to extremes, but then again all the Die Hard films have their fair share of ridiculous moments. This is a film that was made to entertain, and it accomplishes this goal.
I'm pleased to report that the traditional shootouts are both exciting and energetic. The first shootout (in Matt Ferrell's apartment) is simply thrilling to watch. Arguably the best action scene of 2007 is also present in this movie: a helicopter pursuing guys on the street. A car chase ensues. It's pulse-pounding and exciting. When this sequence concludes with a car crashing into a helicopter it may be preposterous but it's a practical special effect. Normally, in this digital age, heavy CGI would be employed. This is not the case. For relying on stunt-work and practical explosions, the creative team deserve to be lauded. There's also a scene in an elevator shaft that'll have you on the edge of your seat. Len Wiseman lacks the flair of John McTiernan and Renny Harlin, but for a young and moderately inexperienced lad his efforts are commendable. However, the directing/editing collaboration at times is appalling. Painfully obvious ADR (popular theory is that these scenes were profanity-laced but had to have new dialogue recorded to obtain the PG-13 rating), close-ups not matching long shots, continuity looking utterly messy, and so on. For such a modern action movie, I never expected to witness this low standard when it comes to editing.
In tradition with the rest of the Die Hard series, the special effects are (for the most part) absolutely terrific. A lot of stunts and practical effects are employed with remarkable results. And of course, no Die Hard flick is complete without the customary tense music and spectacular sound effects. This is the first instalment in the series without the music of Michael Kamen. Instead, young composer Marco Beltrami was brought onboard. This was subject to further worrying, but Beltrami's efforts are incredibly effective. The trademark Die Hard music is frequently employed. This music raises the tension when it wants to, and gets your heart racing during the action.
Mark Bomback has constructed a surprisingly terrific script. To be honest, I never expected this guy to produce anything worthwhile. Bomback did write that turkey known as Godsend, after all. Despite his previous bombs, Bomback mixes classic McClane wisecracks and witticisms with enjoyable scenarios. McClane's sarcasm, wit and hilarious remarks are continual. Other characters are also given legendary, quotable one-liners.
It's been twelve years since Die Hard: With a Vengeance, yet Bruce Willis is capable of slipping into the character of John McClane again with ease. He's a much older and more mature McClane, but at heart he's still the action hero we all know and love. It's a shame he wasn't given more f-bombs to drop, though. This is among the script's shortcomings. But Willis is in good shape: he's still handy in close combat, he's still dexterous with a gun, and he is still an utter badass. In fact, despite the diluted violence there is still a lot of killing. There isn't much blood, but McClane is brutal and efficient in dispatching enemies. Naturally, McClane is still a hero who's easy to root for. This time he has found no solace in a life of being a hero. It must be said that McClane's occasional superhuman capabilities are somewhat distracting, though, especially towards the end. Thankfully it's still fun and exhilarating.
Justin Long is McClane's sidekick for this adventure. A young actor famous for Mac commercials, I hear you ask? Fear not. Long has done everything the script called for him to do. He offers a very believable character.
Timothy Olyphant was endlessly criticised for not being as sinister or as evil as the other villains in the series. Truth be told, he's probably a little underwhelming. Nevertheless, his character is a disgruntled government worker who goes postal on the system he helped design. Being more sinister would have made his character far less realistic in my opinion.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead appears as John McClane's daughter. Not only is Mary a great actress, but she's quite hot. As Mary is playing McClane's daughter, she's also feisty and witty.
Other additions to the cast include a very memorable Cliff Curtis and a slick Maggie Q. Jonathan Sadowski and Cyril Raffaelli are also terrific. Then there's Kevin Smith as an overweight hacker literally still living in his mother's basement. Smith is a delight to watch.
Live Free or Die Hard scratches an itch that needed scratching. Over the course of the past 10 years, the traditional shoot 'em up action flick morphed into something else. Something...lamer. Take The Mummy and its sequels. Or anything Tony Scott has done lately: style over substance plagues the frame, with the shaky cam/fast cutting syndrome dominating modern action films. Die Another Day was widely criticised by audiences, and regarded as the worst Bond in history for the overuse of digital effects instead of miniatures or more practical effects. If everything is digital or incomprehensibly filmed, it feels like there's less danger. CGI these days barely enhances...it overwhelms to the point of distraction. You have to be a really talented director to pull off a CGI fest. Len Wiseman is the right man in the right place. Despite the Underworld films being the worst offenders of cheesy CGI, he wisely eschews his big bag of digital tricks for Live Free or Die Hard. He goes old school; making use of stuntmen, real exploding cars and extensive sets. This is a movie a little out of touch with modern times and frankly it's a breath of fresh air.
Live Free or Die Hard is the weakest in the Die Hard series, but by no means is it a terrible movie. There's so much creativity being offered in the scenarios, characters and one-liners. Cyber-terrorism is also a potent issue in this digital age, thus creating an interesting premise. This is a summer flick, and a damn fine summer blockbuster at that! The action never slows down, the suspense keeps building and the wisecracks keep coming. It's competently made as well. There are shortcomings, such as the ridiculously over-the-top action sequences, the crummy editing and the lack of genuine Die Hard content...but it doesn't matter. This is a beer and pizza/popcorn event. It exists to entertain, and it does that. It's by far one of the most solid action movies of the 2007 summer season. I loved it! The film was later re-edited in and uncut version.
7.7/10
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In-vesting in technology
Posted : 1 year, 3 months ago on 2 September 2008 03:49
(A review of Live Free or Die Hard)Whoever agreed to make another Die Hard film certainly had a lot of pressure on their shoulders. It's not just any old action film, but probably one of the greatest films of the genre! The franchise spawned many elements which became clichés in later action films, but no matter what, the Die Hard films always managed to have novel stunts, action sequences and brilliant lines that put other films to shame.
The plot felt quite unconventional. I can't remember any other film which deals with such widespread cyber-terrorism, though it was quite hilarious seeing McClane pit his wits, not against marines or German master criminals, but frustrated internet nerds. These nerds essentially cripple the united states technological infrastructure, reducing its cities to pandemonium and leaving every law enforcement agency utterly impotent. Luckily John McClane's crime-fighting tools are his razor-sharp wit and a standard-issue 9mm, both of which aren't reliant on the internet!
McClane is still the linchpin of the franchise, he's still as legendary as ever. The classic everyman who takes it upon himself to dissolve the terrorist threat. I have to say, my favourite McClane moments included watching him take down - not one, but TWO different aircraft, beating up a woman with some good old-fashioned blows to the head and even shooting himself in order to ice a bad guy. It just doesn't get any more manly than that.
There are lots of references to the previous Die Hard films, from obvious one-liners to more subtle similarities regarding action sequences. There were plenty of memorable stand-alone action sequences which do the Die Hard franchise proud, which I was more than happy about. There was only one seriously neglected icon that was missing from Die Hard 4.0:
The Vest
1988 - 1995
No doubt it went to the big laundrette in the sky. Bruce swaps it instead for a skin-tight khaki tee and it performs admirably. While this film doesn't reach the heady heights that former Die Hard films have scaled, it's an adequate addition to the series. I just hope it's the last!
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Good all round action film.
Posted : 1 year, 4 months ago on 28 July 2008 02:42
(A review of Live Free or Die Hard)I am about a year behind the rest of the world in finally seeing Die Hard 4.0 (as it was called here in the UK!)
I am kind of glad i waited, it was a purely brilliant film that i feel i appreciated more seeing on a smaller screen, as i didn't have all the hype and expectation about me which i would have had in the cinema around the time of release.
Without the haze of expectation i went into this film knowing it would not be a patch on the other 3 (admittedly i have only seen Die Hard properly, the other 2 i have only seen *most of* a very long time ago!) but that i would enjoy it none the less.
The action scenes are hilarious and i sat through them laughing and even clapping at times, because there would be something unexpected, or completely unrealistic that would arise in Johns favor. The story was quite well written, although it lacked that die hard feel, it wasn't even set at Christmas!!!
Bruce Willis did exceptionally well reprising the role considering his age difference, i was hoping deep down he might come out and announce a 5th film to end all films, perhaps killing the character off in the process whilst saving the world "because someones got to do it!"
The lines were witty as expected, the actors all brilliantly portrayed their characters, and i was left satisfied come the end of the film that every last member of the terrorist faction was dead, and everything was tied up in a neat package.
They dont really make action films like this any more, no body expects a work of art from it, but now days action seems to mean "Action - plot = Easy Money" and Die Hard 4.0 definitely goes back to the old school train of thought "Plot + Action = Great Movie!" It really says something when a film sequel to a quite aged trilogy can outdo pretty much every action movie since its predecessors time. I also think it shows Willis' much cooler side, which he has been lacking in a LOT of his recent roles!
I recommend this to the obvious Die Hard fans, although you would probably have already seen it! But if you haven't because you are young, or you are not in to Action movies, then give this a whirl you wont regret it, its just a bit of fun.
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Excellent Action Film.
Posted : 1 year, 6 months ago on 20 June 2008 06:47
(A review of Live Free or Die Hard)"Live Free Or Die Hard", is a genuinely excellent action film. The reason I say this is because it is never boring, and there is always something exciting going on. There are great action scenes, and the film, is never dull. John Mcclane is back, and he is better than ever. I would say this is the best Die Hard Film in the series, but it is a close call. If you are looking for a great, and fun to watch action flick, then this is for you.
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Live Free or Die Hard review
Posted : 2 years, 3 months ago on 1 September 2007 08:12
(A review of Live Free or Die Hard)The bad guy in this movie is an American, not a foreigner, as was said by another...an American who used to work for the FBI, as it turns out.
I really enjoyed this movie, and am glad I saw it on the big screen. The action scenes were great...and I loved the fact that you could see (at times) where shots were against a green screen. You could suddenly see how fake the background was, and it was fun.
Justin Long was great, and had some really great lines in this movie, and he and Bruce Willis acted well together. I am so glad they came back and did another Die Hard movie, and this one included a scene in an elevator shaft, which was awesome.
I plan on seeing this one again.
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Great Flick
Posted : 2 years, 4 months ago on 23 August 2007 12:55
(A review of Live Free or Die Hard)Out of the 4 Die Hard Movies I got to say I like this one right after the first. Nothing will top the original. Granted the action in this film is alil over the top, but hey it's an all out guy's action flick. the action is suppose to be over the top.
The overall storyline was good, kind of makes you wonder what would really happen if someone could pull it off.
Bruce Willis is Da Man in this film Justin Long is perfect as the comedic sidekick. Kevin Smith rocks in no matter what he does. If you like the Dia Hard series, you'll like this one...
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Good to see John McClane again
Posted : 2 years, 4 months ago on 13 August 2007 05:20
(A review of Live Free or Die Hard)Live Free or Die Hard (what a stupid title) is a popcorn roller coaster ride - fun while you're there but forgettable soon afterwards.
The action is soooo over the top that you might find your eyes permanently rolled at the back of your head from all the unbelievable action and "plot twists". Plus, Timothy Olyphant as Thomas Gabriel is one of the weakest villians EVER! There was absolutely no tension between him and John McClane. I can put up with convenient story lines in an action movie but give me a halfway decent villain to match wits with my good guy.
Still it was great to see Bruce Willis as John McClane and Justin Long is a real find.
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typical action film
Posted : 2 years, 4 months ago on 11 August 2007 05:43
(A review of Live Free or Die Hard)John McClane (Bruce Willis) is back. He must find hacker Matthew Farrell (Justin Long) to track down Thomas Gabriel and his Internet terrorist network before Gabriel's team shuts down the USA completely.
So many flaws in the script, I don't even know where to start.
Despite its flaws and errors, this is a typical American action film with Bruce Willis where the bad guys, of course, are foreigners, and McClane saves the hacker, his daughter and all go home happy - more or less.
A nice discovery: Justin Long in a serious role, and not his usual comedy.
What else can be said about this action film... it's action-packed, and it's a real film for GUYS.
Fun entertainment.
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