Sunday 14 February 2010

Things I've Been Watching : Die Hard 4.0

First of all just accept that the plot makes no real sense and ignore the increasingly implausible use of computers and hacking to get heroes and villains from A to B.

Instead just accept this film as a piece of disposable fun and you'll be much happier. Bruce Willis and Justin Long make for a likable double act as the long suffering John McClane and the out of his depth Matt. Not quite up there with Bruce's partnership with Samuel L Jackson in Vengeance but a decent pairing.

As a villain Timothy Olyphant is underwhelming as a villain and really doesn't have a lot to do and Maggie Q's participation is over far too soon. Mary Elizabeth Winstead does well as Lucy Mclane however showing the same fighting spirit as her cinematic father.

But it's the set pieces that count with this kind of film and these hold fairly well as we go from high speed car vs chopper chases in the streets to truck vs jet fighter. Well, ok the jet fighter sequence is all kinds of stupid. The smaller bursts of action are quite strong too, nicely close up and fairly brutal although what should be the dramatic final flourish is fudged and you're left trying to work what exactly has happened for a few seconds plus the pay off line is badly dealt with too. Presumably to do with getting in under a certification boundary.

So overall it will amuse for it's running time but it's disposable and has little real feel of a 'Die Hard' film and you'll have forgotten most of it by the time the credit finish running.

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