A Good Day to Die Hard
Dir: John Moore
2013
*
I didn't think much of Die Hard 4 but compared to this it was a masterpiece. It couldn't have felt less like a Die Hard film if it had replaced Bruce Willis with Melissa McCarthy. There were big scenes but not that certain special scene that all the other Die Hard films had. Just when you think they've done something good, like the nod to the first film where they throw Hans Gruber out of a window, the bad guy gets unnecessarily chopped up by a Helicopter. A clear case of too much of one thing and not enough of what matters. Die Hard 5 is somehow my 6th least favorite Die Hard film.
Live Free or Die Hard (AKA Die Hard 4.0)
Dir: Len Wiseman
2007
**
It has been 12 years since Die Hard 3 and it seems a lot has changed. Moving with the times is OK, the computer stuff was a little overdone but it all made sense. However, there is way too much CGI in this film. I want to see old school stunts, this was like watching someone else play a video game (which is never fun). The F15 ending was also a bit of a shameless True Lies rip off. It is no where near as good as the first three films, he can't even say motherfucker anymore. Toned down where it should be kicking ass and over the top where it should be more clever.
Die Hard: With a Vengeance
Dir: John McTiernan
1995
****
The original Die Hard is a classic and cannot be matched but if I'm being honest his is my favourite of the Die Hard films. The introduction of Samuel L. Jackson as a side-kick gave the film another dimension. I also liked the way John McClane was no longer trapped in one place like in the two previous films, here he really gets to spread his wings across New York which in turn opens up the story to many more possibilities, all of which are taken advantage of.
Die Hard 2
Dir: Renny Harlin
1990
****
Die Hard 2 (Die Harder) was regarded as the worst of the Die Hard films for quite a while but then 4 & 5 came out and it now looks like a masterpiece. Die Hard 2 isn't as fresh as the original, it pretty much copies the same story as the first film as many sequels did back in the day (still do in fact). I've always quite liked it, it's a decent action film much like the first and the franchise should steer back to this formula before it is too late to save it.
Die Hard
Dir: John McTiernan
1988
*****
John McTiernan's 1988 classic Die Hard is the original 'Man in a vest' kick-ass action movie. The difference with this film is that unlike other action movies of its kind that came before, Bruce Willis wasn't a grunting muscle-bound moron with an arsenal of machine guns and no acting abilities what so ever. He was just a nice guy, a good cop, with a sly sense of humour who subsequently kicks ass but not because he wants to (he's on vacation) but because he has to (to save his Wife, the long suffering Holly). The quintessential 80's action movie? It has tough competition but for my money this is the joint best action film of all time along with Terminator 2. I guess it depends when you were born but most people agree, this is one of the best, thanks mostly to its simplistic story. It's other big highlight is it's villain, played by the brilliant Alan Rickman, that has become something of a fan favorite. Not only is Die Hard joint best action film of all time but it is also one of the best alternative Christmas films of all time. After all, nothing projects the spirit of Christmas quite as well as throwing a baddie off a tall building.
