Hey there everybody and welcome back after a long hiatus! I know it has been a while since my last post, but sometimes things get too busy in life. But now I am back doing what I love to do and today I will be continuing my series of reviews pertaining to the Die Hard series with the fourth installment, Live Free or Die Hard. Released in 2007, more than a decade after Die Hard With a Vengeance, and just like that film (my favorite sequel of the series) it was actually originally based on an original script that eventually came into fruition as a Die Hard sequel. While mostly well received and financially successful (the highest grossing of the franchise worldwide not adjusted for inflation), I always feel like this is the one that gets the least attention from fans compared to some of the other movies which could be due to the fact that it was the only one to get by with a PG-13 rating which was seen by many as disappointing given the series’ reputation as an R-rated franchise. However I myself find the movie somewhat underappreciated as I really dug the direction this took and it’s a ton of fun from beginning to end! Let’s see why that is as we meet up with John McClane once again to face a brand new type of terrorism!
The plot kicks into gear when a computer outage occurs at the FBI’s Cyber-Security Division which leads them to track down top computer hackers. They ask for the help of John McClane, now an NYPD detective, to bring in one such hacker by the name of Matthew Farrell for questioning purposes. So he is able to find him but before he can bring him in, they are attacked by assassins’ working for one Thomas Gabriel, a tech savvy cyberterrorist who wants to launch an attack on America’s computer infrastructure. Now on the run John and Matthew must team up in order to stop this advanced threat before it is too late, the old fashioned way.
With a long awaited follow up like this I think the most important thing to get right is to maintain what made the previous films so successful, while also taking things in a new and interesting direction and I feel this film does that very well. I really like the idea of McClane fighting cyberterrorists as it is something new for the series, serving as a threat that makes sense at this point in time, as well as an interesting way of bringing the character into modern times that feels like a natural continuation of what came before. Not only that, but it is a very thrilling action movie from beginning to end as it moves at a good pace, establishing everything nicely so that the audience can understand the situation at hand while also having a good amount of exposition that never became overbearing. The fact that John and Matthew are on the run trying to find Gabriel does add a lot of tension to the proceedings as just like in the other movies, anything that could go wrong will more than likely go wrong and it even works as a buddy roadtrip film with the dynamic between the two being a highlight (more on that later). Plus it still manages to have a good bit of humor thrown in that for the most part works as it is amusing watching John’s reactions to the technology of the modern era and Matthew’s attitude, so that ends up being another way in which it stands out from the others. It helps even more that there is a rooting interest in these characters and I was interested in seeing what they would do. I guess if I had any real issues I would say that some of the scenes involving the FBI officials did drag a bit as they were mostly there for explaining certain things, but they don’t take up a huge chunk of the feature and there were some interesting conversations here and there. Other than that nitpick though, I still am impressed at how the writers were able to turn an entirely original script into a really solid Die Hard fourthquel that served as a worthy extension of the series.
Probably the main gripe people have with this movie is that unlike the others, it is rated PG-13 whereas the others are rated R. Yes that does mean the strong swearing is kept to a minimum (although I do like the way McClane is able to utter his famous catch phrase) but for those saying the movie is less violent probably haven’t seen it in a while, because the action is just as hard hitting as before just with some more modern sensibilities. In fact it’s probably one of the most violent PG-13 movies I’ve seen as Len Wiseman is able to shoot some really brutal set pieces that are very well done in execution as they are coherent, intense, and involve a lot of really impressive stunt work and destruction. The attack on Matthew’s apartment, right off the bat shows that the people behind this wanted to make it into the biggest Die Hard yet in terms of action (which is not an easy feat) and it is a really awesome and creatively done sequence that does a nice job in showing that McClane still has his old fashioned skills. A chase in a tunnel and an fight involving an elevator shaft similarly stand out and are a ton of fun to watch unfold and while the action feels bigger it never feels out of touch with the sensibilities of the series… well almost all of it. One of the more infamous scenes is the climactic beat involving John driving a truck trying to avoid the fire of a fighter jet which even for this franchise is a bit too ridiculous, but aside from the fact that it drags a bit, it honestly doesn’t bother me too much as I think it is a pretty well done sequence that has it’s moments of excitement and the rest of the action is so good that I don’t mind it. Also in terms of the overall look, it reminded me a bit of the Bourne films in some parts (or really many 2000s thrillers of its ilk) and there are some parts of fast paced editing, but they work well and the style works given the nature of the movie itself and it’s solidly crafted on the whole.
As always, Bruce Willis reprises one of, if not his most iconic movie role as John McClane and despite this seeming like the type of project where he could easily phone it in in his performance that thankfully is not the case. He brings the same cocky tough guy attitude like before and it is a lot of fun seeing him crack jokes at the bad guys, but at the same time he manages to bring a good bit or world weariness to the role as he find himself in a new environment and life ain’t exactly going his way, especially when it comes to the rocky relationship he has with his daughter (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, whom I had no idea was in this until seeing it). I really like how the movie acknowledges the time that has past between installments in different ways as not only does it give the movie more weight but also more weight given what this character has been through and one of my favorite scenes involves him talking to Matthew about how and why he still is willing to unwillingly fight the battles so that he can save those who can’t, as it just sums up why he such a great character. Surprising me even more though is just how much I ended up enjoying his relationship with Matthew, played by Justin Long, who I ended up liking much more than I thought I would. He seemed like he would be an annoying young tag along who makes fun of McClane, but instead most of the comedy involving him landed and I ended up enjoying their relationship. They may start out not particularly fond of one another, but they end up helping each other out in fun ways by showing off their special skills and having some nice bonding scenes. Plus Long gives in a fun performance and plays off of Willis nicely. The rest of the cast provides able support as Winstead is quite good in her scenes as McClane’s daughter (even though she does eventually play the role of a damsel in distress in the third act), Cliff Curtis is a solid authority figure as FBI Deputy Director Miguel Bowman, and Kevin Smith out of all people makes a really fun cameo in the middle as super hacker, Frederick “Warlock” Kaludis. Of course you can’t have a Die Hard movie without a memorable villain and in this case I think Timothy Olyphant makes for a very strong adversary as Thomas Gabriel playing him as a manipulative, egotistical, and calculated individual who will stop at nothing to wreck the economy and get what he wants. The motivation itself isn’t the most compelling there is, but he works a plausible threat and Olyphant just does such a great job that he works on his own terms. He even has a really cool right hand woman at his side, Mai Linh, who is played by Maggie Q. and gets to be involved in one of the stand out sequences of the film, the aforementioned elevator fight, which is a neat bonus.
All in all I really enjoy the heck out of Live Free or Die Hard and find it to be among the stronger entries in this iconic series. Despite some scenes that drag and a villain motivation that could have been a bit more interesting, it still delivers plenty of thrilling action along with treading new territory for the franchise, having plenty of tension, being well acted by all, and adding more depth to the character John McClane. It is a shame it isn’t talked about as much as some of the other movies as I think it is a good example of a many years later sequel justifying itself in ways that make it a worthy addition. It also would have made a solid end point for the series, but of course another one was made with A Good Day to Die Hard, which will be the subject of my next and final review in this series of posts! All I can say for now is that things will not be as positive for this one…
Rating: A-
Please leave your thoughts down below in the comments and see you guys later!
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