So, John McClane is back…and he’s as bad as ever! The fourth installment of the Die Hard series is definitely worthy of the moniker. Bruce Willis returns to the starring role that made him famous in 1988, and delivers as convincingly as ever in this adrenaline-filled action pic. The non-stop action and amazing effects of Live Free or Die Hard, make this one a guaranteed hit for you action-loving movie goers.

Willis, who also produced the film, is not at all the lone star of this movie. Superb performances by Timothy Olyphant and a gorgeous Maggie Q as a butt-kicking villain with whom my only qualm, is that she wasn’t in the movie more.

Thomas Gabriel (Olyphant) is a computer wielding, evil genius who is hijacking the US government for all its worth. He, along with Mai Lihn (Q) is orchestrating a fire sale – a strategic and gradual breakdown of all the government’s computer-controlled resources. There are only a handful of computer whizzes out there that have the brains to stop them. The problem is: They are being killed off one by one.

Enter Justin Long. Matt Ferrell (Long) is the lone surviving (thanks to McClane) computer genius with the knowhow to stop the Gabriel-led team of equally super geniuses. Long - best known as “Mac” from the uber-hilarious Apple commercial franchise – delivers a solid, but not stellar, performance as McClane’s unwitting traveling companion/partner. Ferrell is the sole focus of the bad guys’ attacks, which lead’s McClane, in signature fashion, to be forced to deal with the annoyance of having to blow some stuff up.

McClane’s always cynical comments and “why me” demeanor make for hilarious banter between he and everyone he interacts with. He and Ferrell, in particular, produce some excellent one-liners that had me rolling!

Kevin Smith plays a bit part as a fellow computer hacker, War10ck, a 30 something, living his is mother’s basement who has flown under the radar, and now finds himself with a cop and an old space camp pal on his front stoop. Smith is the comic relief in a movie, that doesn’t necessarily need any, but welcomes it nevertheless.

The special effects in Live Free or Die Hard are nothing if not extraordinary, though they are ridiculous at times. But keep in mind, I’m not one of those guys who expects art to imitate life, I couldn’t imagine being that guy who can’t enjoy a movie because I’m always saying “that wouldn’t really happen” around every corner.

So, I wouldn’t say that Live Free or Die Hard is the best movie of the year, but it is quite entertaining! As action movies go, this one is solid. Very entertaining and definitely worthy of the Die Hard Name.

Here are some more Links for your clickin’ pleasure:

Live Free or Die Hard Trailers on the Official Site

Buy the previous 3 Die Hard Movies on Amazon

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 4th, 2007 at 1:32 am and is filed under Movies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.