Directed by:
John McTiernanScreenplay:
Jonathan HensleighCinematography:
Peter Menzies Jr.Composer:
Michael KamenCast:
Bruce Willis, Jeremy Irons, Samuel L. Jackson, Graham Greene, Colleen Camp, Anthony Peck, Kevin Chamberlin, Michael Cristofer, Tony Travis, Jeannie Epper (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
John McClane and a store owner must play a bomber's deadly game as they race around New York while trying to stop him. (official distributor synopsis)
Videos (2)
Reviews (8)
An absolutely thrilling ride! I never thought the Die Hard franchise could top its original, but boy, was I wrong. This one had me hooked even more. Die Hard 3 returns to its roots with John McTiernan back in the director's chair, and it was the perfect move. The film doesn't waste any time – it starts with an incredible pace and keeps it up for the entire two hours. Bruce Willis is still in top form, and he's brilliantly paired with Samuel L. Jackson, who unwillingly becomes his sidekick against the terrorists. Unlike the previous films where McClane mostly flies solo, adding a partner was a refreshing twist, especially when that partner is none other than the "Bad Motherfucker" himself, Samuel L. Jackson. He really elevates the film. The chemistry between McClane and Zeus is spot-on, with both characters delivering legendary one-liners while solving riddles and completing tasks to prevent chaos. I thoroughly enjoyed Die Hard with a Vengeance. There's nothing negative I can say about it. Everything works perfectly.
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As a standalone film, Die Hard with a Vengeance is a solid watch, but as a proud continuation of an excellent series, it is disappointing. John McTiernan was unable to replicate the lightness of the first installment and failed to adapt to Renny Harlin's attempt to unleash pure action. He attempted to do so, but in the process turned McClane into a tough guy who drinks, curses, and bleeds, but he is not the same John from the first two films that the audience feared. From a certain point, I was just waiting for Simon to finally catch up to him and take care of him in a flashy way with "Yipee-ki-yay" on his lips. And when the finale came to an end, I just nodded, because the reckoning is filmed so coldly and almost unconcerned that it symbolically belongs to the entire movie. Still, Die Hard with a Vengeance cannot be condemned entirely. Samuel L. Jackson proved to be an excellent partner, and the pessimistic beginning with the grumpy main character is absolutely flawless. However, the basic problem stems from the fact that the scope of the events is once again expanded, this time disproportionately. To progress from a skyscraper to an airport is enticing, but from an airport to the entire city, the plot shatters into too many diverse variations, causing the viewer to lose sight of the main antagonist. In Jeremy Irons' cold-blooded performance he unfortunately becomes a mere talkative figure who cannot bring anything to a conclusion. But I will say it again – it is not a complete disappointment, and for one reason only. There is McClane, and therefore Bruce Willis is not absent. Just his "pissed-off face" alone keeps the rating from going any lower.
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I enjoyed it just as much as the second one, mainly because we are returning to the events of the first movie. Jeremy Irons could easily be the film brother of Alan Rickman, both are excellent villains. The city, which is a much bigger playground, suits John and he knows how to maneuver here. Samuel L. Jackson is a good sidekick.
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A boring mess lacking action, where John McTiernan buried both his career and the basic storyline of the entire Die Hard franchise. Both the first and second films were about an individual fighting against overwhelming odds, the first one in a skyscraper, the second one in an airport. Some details different, Renny Harlin is slightly better with action, but otherwise it's essentially the same thing. But this attractive trademark gets completely sidelined in the third installment, and in an effort to be eye-catching and different, the director throws together everything possible. He turns the city upside down, offends the black community, he even has “helper” Samuel L. Jackson (which, cool as it may be, he’s just unfitting here) and the main villain Jeremy Irons is simply embarrassing. There is a lack of action and it can't be compared to the second film. The least of the problems are the many gimmicks in the convoluted plot (suddenly someone comes up with something and miraculously it always works), the dream-like stunts (how could someone survive a 10-meter fall onto an iron container) and the dull visual effects (water in the tunnel).
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Die Hard with a Vengeance is the best action movie of all time. It is an absolute masterclass in camerawork, editing and narrative that was made long before everyone was drooling over these things in some Bourne movie. To wonder over the fact that the bad guys’ plans somehow work out too smoothly or that McClane's indestructibility makes him look like a superhero is akin to pondering the calorie count of Erhart cakes. This is pure filmmaking perfection, two hours packed with enough material for at least three movies and the essence of 1990s genre filmmaking turned up way past eleven. That’s not even to mention the fact that a film of such scope, with so many real New York locations imbued with action, could never be made again. Willis may have had a more essential part in The Last Boy Scout and a more nuanced performance in 12 Monkeys, but here he is given the ideal partner in Samuel L. Jackson to help polish his iconic damaged cop to archetypal perfection. And seeing it at the cinema on the big screen was a dream come true.
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