For many people, Beethoven’s Ode to Joy stands as the most famous part of the great composers last symphony (No.9). To the rest of us, it represents Bruce Willis in a blood stained vest.
Yes, Bruce is back as John McClane in ‘Die Hard 4.0’ (or ‘Live Free or Die Hard’ if you’re in the U.S. For once, us Brits get the better title. XXX2: The Next Level, I’m looking at you.), fighting internet terrorists. Yup, internet terrorists. Doesn’t exactly jump up, grab you by the throat and scream ‘Watch me or die!’ In fact, it sounds suspiciously like a totally different movie (possibly staring Sandra Bullock or Jodie Foster) that’s had a half dozen action set pieces added and Bruce and his trusty vest thrown into the mix. Which is exactly what the movie turns out to be: an average action film with some expensive and spectacular scenes of destruction bolted on, and Bruce showing us why he should still be doing this.
Bruce is great in the film: funny, charismatic, slightly unhinged and totally up for the explosions, shooting, punching and kicking liberally scattered throughout the movie. Here’s hoping he gets to do more action movies as a result of this. Timothy Olyphant as the villain tries very hard but just doesn’t have the material to work with, whilst Justin Long as Bruce’s internet savvy sidekick does well in a role that could easily have become highly annoying very quickly.
There’s some nice touches (the Agent Johnstone reference, presidents spreading the terrorists message) and some fun new ideas (fire hydrant verses helicopter, oncoming traffic in the dark) but after a fast paced opening, the momentum severely sags in the middle and the ending is rushed, confusing and unnecessary (truck verse jet fighter: yes, it looks cool, but it comes out of nowhere and is totally pointless). Mainly the fault seems to lie with the writers: they simply don’t appear to have cared enough about the movie. Now I know it’s an action film and not a work of high art, but the original Die Hard still stands up as a exciting, well made, well shot slice of action cinema, with some great characterisation to boot. Dear Hollywood, you’ve got the talent within you, so please try harder.
