What happened to Die Hard? The titles have been getting worse and the features themselves less regal, with last year’s Live Free or Die Hard (also known in the UK as Die Hard 4.0) marking a series low point. That was until now – up to this present time. The misnamed A Good Day to Die Hard is a bloated action sequel that repeats many of the same errors as its predecessor, turning John McClane into more of an indestructible superhero than a cop who miraculously escapes death at every turn. So if you didn’t enjoy seeing McClane jump off a truck onto an airplane in mid-air last time around then avoid this new one.
Set in Moscow where Jack, John’s estranged son works as an undercover operative guarding political prisoner Uri Komarov. But Jack’s attempts put him behind bars and in quite some hot water. And anyone familiar with die hard knows that you don’t just mess with John McClane’s family; he rushes straightway to Russia from NY to rescue his son.
So we get predictable culture clash comedy when New York’s grumpiest police officer finds himself trying to navigate through Moscow. And it isn’t much of a happy family reunion when John eventually traces down Jack, since he manages somehow to disturb his son’s well-laid schemes.
It is amusing seeing these two completely different men trying to collaborate together on several things; for example, while Jack is prudent and careful about his actions, decisions or choice of words, John can only improvise at will. Eventually though they are able settle their differences and it becomes apparent that two McClanes are indeed better than one: thus father and son constitute an unstoppable team.
They stumble upon a rather nasty conspiracy that takes them through various twists and turns. However when the MacGuffin is revealed at last, things take on something of an unsavoury tone with jokes about real-life Russian tragedy that are anything but funny.
There is plenty of action, including an extended scene of car carnage that appears to destroy every vehicle in Russia and a climax that builds and builds towards a brutal crescendo. However, director John Moore – his previous efforts include the forgettable remakes Flight of the Phoenix and The Omen – tends to shoot these scenes confusingly with little coherence between sequences that quickly outstay their welcome.
And while it’s obviously a huge budget effort, bigger doesn’t always mean better when it comes to Die Hard. In fact, while one or two stunts are definitely spectacular they also become increasingly absurd, culminating in a few final ones that could have been lifted straight out of a Wile E. Coyote cartoon rather than an action thriller so as not to suspend disbelief.
As always Bruce Willis is convincing as McClane whose easy charm and sharp wit remind us why we fell in love with this character in the first place. On the other hand Jai Courtney does less well as his son Jack, giving him a mediocre rendering of Samuel L Jackson’s part three and Justin Long’s fourth reel buddy foil respectively.
And if we talk about the past, A Good Day is wrong to mention the original movie by using broken glass and a building fall as loving nods to the first Die Hard. On the other hand, when it’s qualitatively better in every respect than this one, it backfires into making you wish you were watching the 1988 flick instead.
Truly, it appears that the franchise must go back to basics. This means foregoing attempts to top itself in order to remember what made it popular at first: a vulnerable John McClane taking out bad guys while exchanging humorous dialogues.
In conclusion
The Russian setting fails to revitalize this series; CG-action scenes are too unbelievable and father-son relationship is amusing but not particularly inspiring. Nonetheless, even though it may not be time for McClane to retire just yet, formula-wise things are beginning to feel stale with an ending that seems near for this particular film saga.
Watch free movies on Fmovies
