Live Free or Die Hard

Starring: Bruce Willis, Justin Long, Timothy Olyphant, Maggie Q, Cliff Curtis, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kevin Smith
Directed by: Len Wiseman
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
2007

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: John McClane (Bruce Willis) is charged with bringing in a computer hacker (Justin Long) to help the FBI catch a criminal (Timothy Olyphant) bent on destroying the country through the computer system.

Review:

Tim: I was really excited about seeing John McClane return to the big screen after a twelve year absence. I was a bit worried, because of the constant threat of tarnishing the Die Hard series' legacy. Luckily, I had nothing to worry about. This movie is terrific, action-packed, and in short, everything you would expect from a Die Hard movie.

It is great seeing John McClane again. Bruce Willis is so spectacular in this role. He has the perfect blend of toughness and hilarious one-liners. He is truly one of the all-time greatest action heroes. This time, he has perhaps the best supporting cast of any of the films. Justin Long makes an unlikely but great sidekick to Willis. He is whiny and neurotic, but very funny. He works very well here. Timothy Olyphant is excellent as the bad guy. He continues the long tradition of great Die Hard bad guys. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is great as McClane's daughter. So often in these films, they are ruined when the hero's son or daughter spoils everything (look at The Mummy Returns or The Legend of Zorro). Luckily, Winstead plays the role brilliantly.

Some of the action sequences here are terrific. The shootup in Long's apartment, the car v. helicopter, the truck v. fighter jet, and the final battle are all excellent action scenes. Throughout all of this, you have Bruce Willis delivered some perfect one-liners. One of my favorite is when long says, "You just killed a helicopter with a car." Willis' reply is delivered perfectly- "I was out of bullets." I also have to mention the scene between Willis and Long in the car- the "That's what makes you that guy" scene. This is one of my favorite scenes of the movie, and far more powerful than you would imagine.

In short, in a time when superhero films are the norm, it is refreshing to see an old school action hero. That is what McClane is all about, and it works extremely well. I loved this movie, and I was thoroughly entertained.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Die Hard, Die Hard 2: Die Harder, Die Hard with a Vengeance