Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
Directed by Len Wiseman
Written by Mark Bomback and David Marconi (writer of Enemy of the State). Based on the article ‘A Farewell to Arms” by John Carlin (which appeared in Wired Magazine). And as always with a Die Hard movie there is a credit to Roderick Thorp who wrote the novel on which the original film was based.
Starring Bruce Willis, Justin Long, Maggie Q, and Timothy Olyphant
When I started to write these movie reviews I made a decision to mainly review films that are already released on DVD, mainly because I don’t get to the theaters that often and when I decide to review something I like to watch it a few times. Anyway, when I do see a film in the theaters I will review it. Disclaimer out of the way, let’s talk about (well you’ll be reading) “Live Free or Die Hard”. Is John McClane back? Does Justin Long make a worth ‘buddy’? Does the PG-13 rating make a difference? Is it even a ‘Die Hard’ flick?
The original Die Hard was released in 1988 at the time it kick started the ‘everyman hero’ genre a striking counterpoint to the Schwarzenegger and Stallone films where the heroes are seemingly invincible. John McClane was a flawed human with real problems who was in the wrong place at the wrong time and stepped up to the challenge not because he wanted to but because it was the right thing to do. The action in the original wasn’t as flashy as the action in films today (see The Transporter). The emphasis in 1988 was on character not set-pieces. That’s not to say that Die Hard didn’t have big moments, it’s just that in between the characters motivated every piece of action.
Now almost 20 years after the original film we have Live Free or Die Hard which feels like a Die Hard film, and looks like one but lacks a little of the heart and character that the original had. John McClane is a leaner, older, angrier man than when we last saw him. He has also lost that everyman quality. Now feats like leaping from an exploding building with a fire hose wrapped around his waist seems like a hobby for the new John McClane.
The plot this time revolves around cyber-terrorists which isn’t as interesting as it looks, lets face it watching people type is lame and un-cinematic. In fact my biggest complaint with the film is the villains… they seem so bland. It’s sad when I feel like I could kick a villain’s ass. Nothing against Timothy Olyphant I thought he did a great job with the character that he was given it’s just he’s not very menacing. In the original Hans Gruber kills 2 men in cold blood. Here the villain’s most menacing moments consist of snarling into a radio or into a webcam.
I was wary of Justing Long, I like him in comedy’s and I like him in Mac commercials but I just wasn’t sure that he could be a worth sidekick. My fears were unfounded and he brings a great amount of comedy and character to the movie. Bruce Willis is awesome as always and he brings a few great moments to the film, especially the scene where he bemoans his heroism’s of the past and the cost that they have wrought. The weakest link in the films cast is Kevin Smith (I love you as a writer/director, and I love when you act in your own films but you just didn’t bring anything to the table here). He plays, pretty much, a caricature of himself. I don’t blame you for taking the role, I just think the character itself was flawed and I don’t think you brought anything exciting to it.
The film is glossy and flashy which is to be expected from Len Wiseman. He is a great technical filmmaker and he makes some great action set pieces here, I just think it’s a bit too flashy. The score by Marco Beltrami is great and the editing is top notch (way to go Nicolas De Toth).
In the end it’s a great summer movie. A good Action film. And a reasonable Die Hard flick (only without swearing and blood).
