25 Years of DIE HARD: A Good Day to Die Hard review

What makes a Die Hard film a Die Hard film?

Doing this retrospective – marathon-ing through the franchise -- I've discovered that the series has had a wildly inconsistent track record in terms of actual Die Hard tropes. Could it be that the most often imitated action film (outside of The Matrix) doesn't even adhere to the mechanics it set in motion? Is it possible that my fellow podcasters were correct: Is the Die Hardformula not really a formula at all?

A Good Day to Die Hard will challenge your expectations of what to demand from a Die Hard film. But is it wrong for doing so, or are we just catching on to the fact that the franchise has been passing us by for years?

Story:

John McClane’s son is in deep. After an assassination attempt goes ball up, Jack McClane (Jai Courtney) is arrested, pulling his estranged father (Willis) out of New York City and into Mother Russia where Jack awaits trial.

An explosion turns Jack’s sentence into a mandatory car chase, bringing him in direct contact with Yuri Komarov (Sebastian Koch) who is about to get buried by corrupt government officials in a series of overly-elaborate but barely interesting plot threads.

Together, McClane, Yuri, and Jack --- ugh. Y’know what? It’s a sad day when I can’t follow the plot mechanics of a Die Hard film. That used to be the best part…

The People Who Get Paid to Talk:

As usual, Bruce Willis seems to be having a ball. As he should. This is his star vehicle and he's the only original cast member still standing. However, as much fun as it is to see John McClane drive his own adventure, it's becomes more and more obvious that McClane isn't enough. He needs an Alan Rickman, a Samuel L. Jackson, or a Reginald VelJohnson to bounce off. Jai Courtney is not that actor.

What's Action A Go Go:

Director John Moore does bring the action. There is a pretty amazing car chase (albeit with Private Ryan-esque shakey-cam) and a pair of showdowns in Chernobyl that are impressive (albeit a bit cartoon-y). Quite honestly, they are the most memorable parts of the movie.

What's Action A No No:

The forced family drama. Every action sequence is followed up by awkward father-son moments. Quite honestly, it makes McClane look pathetic and wimpy. It also makes John, Jr. sound like a cry baby.

I get what screenwriter Skip Woods (Swordfish) was shooting for: If McClane was estranged from his wife then the same must be said for his kids. It's a logical conclusion but it turns our 80s hero into yet another mopey, modern day protagonist. For just once, I wish a screenwriter wouldn't display his daddy issues so openly.

Verdict:

So what makes a Die Hard film a Die Hard film? Is it the shorts? Is it the lack of shoes? Is it the plot twist? Or is it the motivational family drama? And let's not be trite and say something obvious like Bruce Willis. Truth be told, AGDDH has all these things and still manages to look and feel unrecognizable compared to the sacred trilogy.

No, what makes a Die Hard Die Hard is its standards. Because the first film was copied so much, the subsequent sequels had to be better than everything else. Die Hard 2 tried to stick to the idea of a formula and, despite feeling somewhat repetitive, earned high marks. Die Hard with a Vengeance totally broke the mold, eschewing reoccurring concepts but maintaining its link to the series in a big way. Basically, they had a standard to uphold, so they aimed higher.

With Live Free or Die Hard and A Good Day to Die Hard, the franchise stumbles towards a different direction, but the standard has dropped off. Now, the new Die Hard trilogy (Willis claims to have one more in him) is like any other action film and that's something John McClane should never have to be associated with. Maybe McClane should follow Hans Gruber's suggestion from the 1988 original and just "walk off into the sunset with Grace Kelly."

"It was Gary Cooper, asshole."

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25 YEARS OF DIE HARD: Die Hard with a Vengeance review

Continuing our Die Hard retrospective. Click here
to check our examination of the rest of  the series.

It's 1995, nearly 7 years after the original Die Hard and 5 years after its sequel. Stuck in Hollywood's endless development cycle, Simon Says, an original screenplay by Jonathan Hensleigh, finally found a home with John McClane. Before that, the script had been bounced from franchise to franchise, being pushed as both a possible Lethal Weapon sequel or the follow-up to 1994's Speed.

Spinning the unintended into a Die Hard script isn't anything new. But even better, this production had wooed back John McTiernan, the original's director and, quite possibly, the only man who TRULY understands what made Die Hard tick...

Story:

In a plot that could have only existed in a pre-9/11 world, the entire city of New York gets caught in the middle of an elaborate game of cat-and-mouse. The cat in this scenario is "Simon," a mad bomber who seems to have a hard-on for detective John McClane (the mouse). After forcing the NYPD to pull McClane out of his drunken stupor, Simon makes John scramble throughout the city, daring the detective to solve a series of riddles before the next explosive goes off.

And that's when the *SPOILERS* kick in: Turns out that Simon is the brother of Hans Gruber, the terrorist mastermind from the original film who met pavement because of McClane's exuberance.

Is this simply an act of a revenge? An excuse to restore family honor? Of course not. Simon is a Gruber after all...

The People Who Get Paid to Talk:

Bruce Willis has played John McClane five times, but this John McClane is a bit more insane than all the others. Truth be told, it's an inherent character flaw that lies underneath the surface of the better Die Hards (the second film just makes him seem like a smug asshole and the fourth film makes McClane sound like a bitter old man). Here Bruce Willis plays him like a schlub on the brink of personal disaster and, quite honestly, I like this version of McClane more than the others.

Feeding off McClane's silent plea for help is Samuel L. Jackson, the acting equivalent of a livewire. Jackson plays a locksmith from Harlem who gets swept in Simon's nonsense. In classic buddy movie fashion, he's forced to run around NYC with McClane and serve as the voice of reason...even when he says and does some pretty irrational things (more on that later).

This actually marks the first time these two have been on-screen together but the third time they been in the same film. That comes as a bit of a surprise seeing how well they feed off each other. As we would later experience with mixed results in the coming years, the dynamic between these two was too good not to try and replicate.

Then there is Jeremy Irons as Simon. Yes, Irons is classically-trained, but more importantly, he is the only actor on this planet assured and cunning enough to be Alan Rickman's "brother." Endlessly impressive, Irons makes every line of exposition sound like The Immortal Bard (oooh...Shakespeare reference). In an action film, that is no easy feat.

What's Action A Go Go:

I still contest that only John McTiernan understood what made the first Die Hard so great. People claim that it's Willis (then how do you explain Live Free Die Hard), and some will claim that it's the trapped-inside-a-building concept (a theory that holds no weight because of this film), but the fact of the matter is that director John McTiernan remains indispensable to this series.

The way McTiernan combines cinema veritae (oh...french words!) with big budget visuals --- the way he allows actors to bring personality to every minor character role --- the way he dodges every cliche by manipulating the audiences' sense of urgency --- this film is truly a unique example of technical genius propelling a story.

What's Action A No No:

The N-Word.

I can only be so concerned about DHWAV's somewhat casual use of the n-word. Still, in the wake of the more recent Django Unchained controversy it's interesting to compare the two Sam Jackson movies.

If anything, DHWAV is slightly more offensive than Django Unchainedbecause it uses the word purely to manipulate the viewer. The story insists that Willis and Jackson bicker about race throughout the film, even going as far as having Jackson accuse Willis of dropping an N-bomb. Despite this painfully consistent thread, it's pretty obvious that the film has absolutely no interest in actually addressing the topic, making the inclusion of racial epithet woefully inappropriate for escapist fare.

My best assumption is that because of the movie's proximity to the LA Riots and the OJ Simpson case a lot of what was going on during the early-90s had worked its way into the script. In that regard, it's kind of ballsy, harkening back to the bygone era of 70s cinema when blockbusters weren't as shy to acknowledge the zeitgeist.

Verdict:

It's 2013, nearly 25 years after the original Die Hard and 18 years after With a Vengeance. Another sequel later (with another around the corner) and the third movie is still the best conceivable ending to the franchise.

Like most third installments, DHWAV brings the hero's three film journey to a circular completion, ending with John McClane heading to a payphone to reconcile with his wife. It's the only fitting end to the bullheaded cop from New York: He saves the day but barely saves his marriage. As if McClane and Holly are part of some cycle that can only start again with a phone call and a reluctant flight to Nakatomi Plaza.

In addition, because DHWAV wasn't originally intended to be a Die Hard film, it skips over all the egregious winks and nods that most third installments make. Holly, Sgt. Al Powell and the other key players from the previous movies don't make their obligatory appearances. We're introduced to a whole new set of personalities that have heard of McClane's exploits but, in a refreshing change of pace, none of them are impressed by the actual man himself.

Then there is Simon. Outside of McClane (who, of course, is expected to be there) he is the narrative's one true link to the original movie. Just when the film seems on the brink of exhaustion, Simon makes his first physical appearance and the movie subtlety shifts gears. Screenwriter Jonathan Hensleigh made a very clever script without the Die Hard elements, but once the movie reveals that Simon is Hans Gruber's brother it becomes a film that amplifies the original Die Hard, shames Die Hard 2, and becomes an action classic in its own right.

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PACIFIC RIM PRIMER : OLD SCHOOL MONSTER ART FROM MU PAN

MU PAN is a Brooklyn based artist with scads of talent and an eye for detail that boggles the mind. I09 gives him a great right up about his background and subject matter here :

 http://io9.com/5981174/incredibly-detailed-paintings-of-kaiju-fighting-in-historical-battles-will-fill-you-with-awe

And you can visit his website here: http://mupan.com/

With PACIFIC RIM around the corner I couldn't resist posting some images to wet our pallet and help us remember just how big and influential monster movies have been in cinema and pop culture in general. Before you go take a moment to soak in some of this awesome art and detail images I from Mu Pan's own sight and blog. Awesome!

 CLICK IMAGE FOR ORIGINAL SIZES

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25 YEARS OF DIE HARD: Die Hard 2: Die Harder

Ah. Die Hard 2…of all the Die Hard films you are the misfit of the bunch. Not as iconic as the first film, just not as good as the third film, and probably not as memorable as the fourth film (which is high praise, as I'm not a fan). And yet, you still manage to stand out in the action landscape.

But should we care? Has it stood the test of time? Should it be forgotten so we can just live in a world where every odd Die Hard film exists in a perfect unbroken stream of action awesome?

We're going to answer all those questions and more with a final verdict on Die Hard 2: Die Harder.

The Story:

"Oh God...anything but snow..."

John McClane is at it again, this time waiting for his wife to arrive at Washington Dulles International airport in Virginia. (Yet, everyone keeps calling it D.C...but more on that later). They're supposed to meet the in-laws for the holidays, but of course this all goes out the window when a group of terrorists takes over an airport to safely intercept a South American drug lord. In doing so they are holding every airplane in the sky hostage until said drug lord and terrorists are out safe.

Honestly, it works. The script is well written and hits all the beats it needs to. The highest praise overall is that it manages to "feel" like a Die Hard film. There are deep rooted flaws, but those will be explained later.

The People Who Get Paid to Talk:

This Die Hard film is star studded.

Some players come back for minor roles, such as Reginald VelJohnson showing up as Sgt. Powell and William Atherton pulling repeat shenanigans as Richard "Dick" Thornburg. Bonnie Bedelia is back as Holly McClane, (Sen) Fred Dalton Thompson (Law and Order) is thrown in there, as well as Dennis Franz (NYPD Blue), Art Evans,  John Amos (Good Times), and Colm Meaney (Under Siege) as the pilot.

The terrorists have some interesting casting choices as well.

Franco Nero (Django, Django Unchained) plays the drug lord, and William Sadler leads the terrorists with a ruthless performance as Col. Stuart. The minor players among the terrorist are the most interesting. Robert Patrick is here, and as everyone knows he went on the play the T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgement Day. John Legiuzamo also has a bit part. Others familiar faces are present as well.  All of them give great performances and do their best to sell the script.

The standouts are Fred Thompson as the airport chief and  Dennis Franz as the head of airport police. Both manage to steal the scenes they are in.

William Saddler plays a great, but overshadowed psycho as the head of the terrorists and John Amos is a fantastic as Major Grant. He is one of the best things going on in the movie.

But this is Bruce's show, and he carries it the whole way through, with style.

What's Action A Go Go?:

Great behind the scenes shot of director Renny Harlin laughing it up with Willis and Amos between takes.

The last half of the movie. After the terrorists make themselves known and do something really bad, this movie kicks into high gear and turns into a real Die Hard film.

As morbid as this might sound, the plane crashes (using models) are amazing to watch and give the movie an epic scope.

The shoot outs and plot twists kick in, as well. That's the other secret sauce that makes a Die Hard movie special. Nothing should be what it seems. Towards the end of the movie that factors in, particularly with Major Grant. When the big reveal happens, you'll instantly start backtracking to figure out where all the earlier seeds were planted.

Oh, and it's a Christmas movie…can't forget that.

What's Action A No No?:

It's nothing but critics blabbing about our shaky facts...it's horrible...

Well, here's were I get to rip into this one. It's full of factual errors all over the place. It's bad, even for an action movie.

First and foremost, Action A Go Go is headquartered in D.C, so this is a huge no no for us: This film is "set" in the District of Columbia, but you'd be hard-pressed to notice. Thanks to casting, a complete lack of establishing shots, or "geography," it might as well been set in New York.

Also, McClane says a GLOCK 7 is a porcelyne gun that can't be detected in a metal detector. This is cool to say but total bullsh**. A GLOCK "17" is a polymer, or "plastic" pistol and has a metal barrel, so it most definitely can be detected by a metal detector. 

What else? Well, the beginning sucks. It literally throws itself into being an action movie and lacks the depth of character and tone that made the original Die Hard special.

I watched it with the director's commentary on and got to hear Renny Harlin talk about the experience of making the movie. It was fascinating listening to him go on about the mechanics and building blocks of an action movie. It definitely made me appreciate the movie more, but also gave me a good impression of what is wrong with Die Hard 2 to begin with. They set out to make a good action movie, but along the way ignored the things that made Die Harda great movie to begin with. That is Die Hard 2's greatest flaw.

The Verdict:

"SCREW YOU AND YOUR FACTS REALITY!!!!!!"

Despite those severe flaws this is ACTION A GO GO approved.

It's intense, has loads of drama, epic explosions, and John McClane shines throughout with a cast full of characters that simply can't be ignored. But it could have been so much better.

Moving on, Troy is going to be handling Die Hard with a Vengeance and Live Free and Die Hard so stay tuned for more installments in our Die HardRetrospective. We're going all in on this one.

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BULLET TO THE HEAD: This Ones On Target….

Originally intended for an early 2012 release, Bullet to the Head has made its way into theaters kicking and screaming. It stars Sylvester Stallone and Sung Kang along with a strong supporting cast and brings to the screen some fun surprises.

But does it match up to Stallone’s best? Can Sung Kang prove he’s more than just a passenger seat from The Fast and The Furious franchise? Will Jason Momoa ever redeem himself after that Conan movie?

Action A Go Godelivers a verdict on this weekend’s dark horse….

The Story:

Set in New Orleans, Stallone plays James Bobo, a hardened criminal and hired gun. At the films opening, Bobo and his partner find their target in a nearby hotel and put three slugs in him. When his cohort is killed Bobo goes on a rampage to find the people who double crossed him. The victim of the hit turns out to be the ex-partner of Taylor Kwon (Sung Kang), a young investigator from Washington, D.C.(home of Action A Go Go). Kwon shows up in New Orleansto go after the people who had his partner killed. Along the way he meets Bobo and they end up forming an allegiance, going after the bad guys with a mix of lawful righteousness and criminal vengeance.

That is, until the tables are turned and the hunters become the hunted.

In other words, nothing earth shattering here.

The People Who Get Paid Talk:

Mostly everybody involved gets a passing grade here, but every one of the actors gives a phoned in performance at some point.

Sarah Shahi as Bobo's daughter. 

The highlights are Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as the master criminal and Jason Mamoa (towards the end) as the ruthless Keegan. Sarah Shahi also manages to give life to a very cliché role as Bobo’s daughter.

But it is Sylvester Stallone who takes the cake here. In the same scene, Stallone gets all the big laughs and then ramps up the intensity, turning the plot’s weaker moments into gold. At parts his performance can be wooden, but it’s hard to tell if it’s him not acting or the film not shooting him right.

Seriously, this dude is pushing 70 and looks like this...he deserves an oscar for this!

Sung Kang as Kwon…is passable. I don’t think that Stallone and Kang had chemistry, and this hurt Kang much more so than Stallone.

Domino's pizza...I'd like to call in an order....for thrills!

What’s Action A Go Go:

Because it’s directed by film veteran Walter Hill (48 Hours, The Warriors), this buddy action romp does manage to hit some high notes. The violence is competently shot and manages to thrown in a few fun twists.

The money shot in the film? Two words….AXE FIGHT! I won’t go any further than that.

What’s Action A No No:

While definitely fun and at times smart, the movie does have some pretty obvious weaknesses.

The pacing of the film is off. At times, it moves way too fast and, even worse, the editing from scene to scene sometimes feels jarring. It’s a trick that feels more schizophrenic than artistic. 

As previously mentioned, some of the performances are phoned in, and the story and dialogue are bone stock action movie nonsense.

Oh…and the movie is narrated at parts, for no other reason than to explain what is obviously happening on screen.

The Verdict:

Let me explain how this works....you're going to see this movie...or else...

While not the best action movie ever, it’s MILES ahead of what is considered to be Schwarzenegger’s comeback film, The Last Stand (see my previous review). That movie was just awful. And I know, this is definitely NOT Stallones comeback, but if it is an arms race (as it is in my head), Stallone is winning. 

Bullet to the Headgets a nod because it focuses on Stallone’s strengths, delivers healthy doses of action, and features one of the best fight scenes of the year (thus far). If you want to see it, do it for that axe fight, the fun, and the jokes.

It was close to falling off the cliff, but this is Action A Go Go approved.

P.S 

Unfortunately, we all have to grow up, and so does ACTION A GO GO. Our little tradition has lasted about two years, but this is the swan song. Some one *caugh TROY JEFFREY ALLEN caugh* has convinced me that we need to focus more on bringing action insight and less on blatant exploitation.

So...no more of this....

or this...

Definitely none of this...

Not allowed....

Never again....

GONE...

for good....

                                                              Not coming back.....

Anyway, we're going to find some excuse, um, I mean reason to highlight some pretty pictures in the future, but until then ACTION A GO GO is all grown up and married to integrity. 

May this tradition rest in peace....

  

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