My Thoughts on Die Hard 4.0 (Live Free or Die Hard)

**DjfunkmasterG** · 28-Jun-2007

This is not a complete review of the film, but more or less my thoughts on the character of John McClane as he is portrayed in the film. I do touch upon some other members of the cast and some scenes, but... well read on.

THIS IS NOT A DIE HARD FILM, HAS THE NAME, BUT NOT DIE HARD!

I just returned from the 2:00 show and while the rating issue did bother me I was willing to give it a chance. Chance given, film didn't deliver. Len Wiseman has pussified John McClane. yeah he still kills people, and tries to save the day, but Bruce Willis wasn't being John McClane. he was some toned down, anger management treated version of John McClane and to be frank it was really sad.

Bruce Willis always had a fire when playing the part of McClane and here in Live Free or Die Hard he plays a toned down version of him. There was no anger in him, no fire. It felt like he was just collecting his paycheck and moving on to the next project. McClane would never be calm with someone doing what Tim Olyphant's character was doing, especially when the guy takes his daughter. Instead John speaks to him in a clear and calm tone... maybe the battle hardened years of being an NYPD detective has caught up with him, I dunno, but the John McClane on the screen today was not the same McClane from 20 years ago, hell even 12 years ago. John is the type of person when he doesn't understand whats happening or its moving faster than he can think he usually blows his top and thats when he is at his best. Here you will find nothing like that.

This is a sad excuse for a film, it really was, I mean I wanted this to be good, and while some of the stunts and set pieces were nice to see they were totally off the wall, the entire F35 sequence was laughable. I'm sorry but even if this was Rated R I would have been slamming it for not living up to the Die Hard Legacy.

As far as the rest of the cast, Justin Long was pretty funny and very likable, even Mary Elizabeth Winstead did great... actually when you watch her you see the old John McClane just screaming to get out. Tim Olyphant was ok as the main baddie, but he will never live up to the villians of previous Die Hard films. I will say two things positive... Len Wiseman can do action, and the score by Marco Beltrami was passable and close to the original films style and vibe.

If you want action, you will get it. If you want John McClane... go to your DVD collection and Pull out one of the three original Die Hard films.

And for those asking, or curious... The Line is done as follows.

Yippie Ki-Ya Mut(Gunshot) He muuters MUT! then a really loud, I mean obnoxiously loud Gunshot rings out.

It makes me sad to write a bad review for a Die Hard film, they are a staple of action cinema. I truly thought this day would never come.

5 out of 10

**EvilNed** · 28-Jun-2007

Originally Posted by DjfunkmasterG

Yippie Ki-Ya Mut(Gunshot) He muuters MUT! then a really loud, I mean obnoxiously loud Gunshot rings out.

This is really all I wanted to know. **** YOU FOX!

**bassman** · 28-Jun-2007

From the reviews that i've been reading, John McClane shines through in full colors in this flick....

Perhaps you are once again judging a flick on it's predecessors rather than the film itself, DJ?

I'm hopefully going to check it out this evening if I have the time.

**DjfunkmasterG** · 28-Jun-2007

Well it does have a huge legacy to stand up too, and IMHO it failed miserably. My suggestion, change the title to "Fire Sale" and give Bruce's character another name and it would be a decent summer no brainer popcorn action flick, but in its current incarnation it is not worthy to be in the Die Hard legacy.

**bassman** · 28-Jun-2007

I'm not expecting it to be as good as McTiernan's two films, but I highly doubt that it's any worse than Renny Harlin's "Die Hard 2: Die Harder". Or I guess I should call it Renny Harlin's clone of the first film?

**MinionZombie** · 28-Jun-2007

Speaking of Die Hard, I can't remember where I read it (in Total Film I think), and there was something about people who make knock-off clones, and they were talking about clones of Die Hard and the 'pitch line' for it - e.g. "die hard on a plane" or "die hard on a boat"...and what I read next just left me aghast and laughing my ass off at the stupidity of Hollywood:

"LIKE DIE HARD, IN A BUILDING!"

Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez....

**EvilNed** · 28-Jun-2007

I thought Die Hard 2 is one of the best christmas movies around! They show it every christmas around here, and it's pure holiday fun!

**bassman** · 28-Jun-2007

"Die Hard 2" was just a cheap knock off of the first. You could basically cut and paste scenes and they would be the same. The first is a much better Christmas movie.

Speaking of "Die Hard 2"......anyone ever noticed Cholo(John Leguizamo) in there as a henchman? It's a smaller role, but he's there.

**MinionZombie** · 28-Jun-2007

I noticed that Robert Patrick is in Die Hard 2, but aye, Die Hard 1 is the Xmas movie, DH2 is just DH1 again...it's still fun, but it's not bringing anything all that new to the table.

Die Hard 3 however, noiiice! So much fun!

**EvilNed** · 28-Jun-2007

DH1 is better, true. DH2 is still ace! I don't think it's much of a rip-off actually. Except for the fact that both feature a gun-toting Bruce Willis in a stellar role whos fighting terrorists - much the same as in many films actually.

DH3 was a long time ago since I've seen it. Can't remember what I thought about it.

**DjfunkmasterG** · 28-Jun-2007

I personally feel the films Rank as follows

Die Hard
Die Hard 3
Die Hard 2
Die hard 4

To me Die Hard 4 is a poor 4th entry, much like Land was a poor fourth entry to Romero's trilogy.